Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1867-07-19

without recurring in mind to the lnstl-
sutton Of which he Is an AIumnus-to
Aie literary Mother, III whose kind
embrace he nestled during his mental
infancy, and upon whose nourishmcnt
he subsisted, until he attained his in
telicctual manhood.
And who in memory can traCci
oacl, to his College days, and minSle
in tho scenes cf tho campus, tho
xasitnR room, the debating hail:
"a remain nnmoved? Who
p tho history of his Alma
= rom tho date of be" origin
~ moment OF his present lnu.
Sf8SE noting remarkable occur
zenees, births and deaths, tho veal
or woe attendant upon those whom
she has placed upon the ti:catcr OF
life, ard not be inwardly stirred. Oh,
WHO could contemplate the lovely !
form Of his proud and fostering Moth
er, weak, cnaciatcd, prostra:e, gasp
ing for life, nay, almost il: death
,hro:s, ant not Lc :roni head to foot,
convulscd with emotion?
h;um;,, of Ersllinc: You arc CEcc
more On vi~i: at the material resi-
irE2s-ynu arc again t:.cadin:, i:tinil-
iar walils-ycu ere moving within
!r;r:ldly halls, what ~ this hHUr !s
ti,c peculiar type Of your feelings?
Are yours The emotions Of those at q
banquet? Are you eager for the
sound and tho step C music and Of
dancing? Are you exulting in the
health AID vigor, and zenith bloom Of
tho Appropriateness ofthesc grounds
Tic graceful occupant of the mansion?
Pray, when last were you hero to
make ilial obcisance? What has been
tho lapse Of time? What tho cause
Of absence? does contrast strike the
eye?
For many wearisomo days these
grounds were unfrequcnted-theso
halls were closed-thesc buildings drap
ed in mourning. For many sorrowfuI
months, tho sacred stiffness of this
classic grove was unbroken save with
the song of the mocking. g.bird-the
chirp Of tho wren-the cooling Of tho
dovo-tho hooting of the owl. Fo,
six long years this enclosure wa:
gloomy, dreary, dismal-with naught
by day to penetrate it, but tho genia
sun-ray, finding no one TO warm, o.
animate, and naugLt by night, bu
Ae silvcry moonbeam, vuinly il
- search OF somo ono to comfort and t.
8 cheer.
Why was it that for years ou
Mother did not bold her annual ban
quets? Why was it that for years
she invited not her sons to flock hitl
CT from tho cast and from the wes
from the north and from the south, I
feed upon her t;.t things, and to cnjo
her "tcasts of reason and her flows {
soul" Why wasit, that for year
her gates wore closed, and her doc,
were barred against her votaries, he
friends and the world? Why was
that for years she refused to be seen
The truth is, our Mother has bee
in sadness-sbe has been in the pr
foundest grief-she has been sick mig
unto death with sorrow.
,"In Ramah was there voice hear
lamentation and weeping and gre
mourning; Rachel weeping for Ii
chiidren and would not be comfort
because they are not"
!. This tells the pregnant story:
this answers our anxious enquiries
this opens to US the mysteries and r
veals the secrets lately enveloping t
homestead. Our Motaer has been sOe
eng for her children, and suould not be co
torted because they gro not.
The Herod of war, with his g
ments rolled in blood, has been abro'
He sept forth and slew thes childz
Of this region and in all the 90