Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-09-21
"GOING HOME 70 pII,r

We met, few days since, a friend of
former yeaes, who, like thousands Of others,
had, in the noon Of mauhoud, seyefcd all the
ties which bound him TO his clildhood's q
home, and sought q strange land with .
view OF collecting more rapidly the goods Of
this world. When We parted with him iirss
he was robust in health, tuoyant IN spiv;s.
and flushed in tho hoye OF fv,ure gain :.
When we parted with him last his health
bis hopes, his energy had all LETT him. MANY
thousands OF the soriid dust Of ,earth had
rewarded his exertions and tolls in bis adopt
cd home, but ho was "gotng boss 10 disl''
All Of that mans worldly schcmes have
been more than fully realised. Foe him tho
tickle wheel Of Fortune knew no reverse
action. For many prosperous years, all Gu
dearing scenes Of his childhood were but a.
dim and shadowy reminisccnces Of the past:
less palpable, even, than the unsnbstantiai
fabric Of dream. But when the life-sands
in the glass OF Time were nearly run, we
found him vending his dresry. chcerless.
joyless way 10 the homes of his fathers, with
no sentence upon his lips, which seemed 10
be the offspring Of bis heart save ,sI am
going home 10 dieI"
Going home to diet" What IA.
what mournful, what O melancholy cosps
mentary Is contained in that simple sentence
How much like thetapping Of the sepulchsral
finger Of Time, upon the coiiin-lid Of buried
memories, does that sentence sound a. Il falls
from the pallid lips Of the half.dcad man
What volumes docs It speak In condemnation
Of the vanities, wishes, desires and ambition
Of the world
When health and youthful viRor usbefs ID
the dawn Of manhood, with what eass and
mental complacency, do we sever svcry lie
OF affection, aud sink into seeming oblivi6n
all tho treasured scenes Of early ~ L. ,Dus
when age, the grave chronicler OF the would
be forgotten pest, traces with IT, iron pen,
the furrowed lines upon the troubled brow,
the weary pilgrim on the path Of life, Graves
no earthly boon save'the melancholy pfivii.
cge Of ""going home to disl" fv~ oSgdad
Then, for the first time, to the weary wan
derer, who soon must lay his CALLED back
ppon bis mother earth, in dreamless rcpoee,
does the humble cottage in which he had his
birth, stand out in bold relief on n,emosy's
tablet; while In fancy's ear, he hears srsin
the voice of affection on mothers tongue.
mingled with the boisterous mirth Of guile.
less sister. Then for the first time, in fancy's
eye, does he chase again the painted butter
fly across the clover blossoms of tho we'll
known field, regaled by the song. birds va.
ried notes as they ring through the air Of his
woodland home. Then, for the time, per.
chance, does be bow the aged Knee, In hum.
BILE reverence, and petition for tl,s poor priv.
ilegc Of "gong bone to die
Who is there who does not wish TO y die
among his kindred 2" Who 10 there who
does not think that, when Lfes fitful dream
Is oer, that his mouldering remains cannot
better repose than beneath the same sod
which presses on the coiiin-lid Of bis saintcd
mother, or mingles its clay with the bones
Of veneratea father 2 Who Is there among
as, when bereft Of every earthly psospsct,
hope and joy, would not, like our dying
friend, consider It lenient a. well a 9
heart cheering dispensation of Providence,
to be able to say with him, :" I en- going
home TO DIET" sl'io'8 H'p 20" Wv