The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-04-02

For the Free Trader
Then and Now.
After an absence of eight years return to the
home of my childhood, and among the familiar
friends of old times one of the most welcome
which greet Is you, dear old FREE TRADER
You we're friend of my early youth, and con.
t'nued steadfast in maturer years. Many hours
have We held sweet converse, and 1 think one of
the strongest ties of my affection consisted in
that you were willing to be a silent listener,
that trait considered by every female heart to
be so essential in bosom friend. find that
the town, not exactly of my nativity, but of my
early adoption, has twice arisen Sphynx.like
from the ruins of its former beauty, and each
time with added splendor. The building in
which formerly school-ma'med, received tear
from me, dropped into its ashes. all that was
left of that once temple Of learning. The little
boys who sat restlessly out the long summer
days in that school room, when the skies were
SO blue, the grass 80 green, the sunshine 80
bright, the woods so near and the waters of In.
dian creek 80 tempting, and who little later
endured martyrdom in coming the long columns
OF spelling with their skates hanging in full
view, and such ice they have grown to learn
that "Life Is real-li!e is earnest" That fame,
fortune, position, everything, in short, worth
having must be fought for.
The little g,rls that were have grown into the
dignity OF wife and motherhood. But where
are the schoomates, friends Of my happier days?
But eight short years have passed, but o relent.
less time, how cruel has been thy devastation!
In that time has been waged the greatest war Of
right With might the world has ever known,
and the idols of our households have been offered
upon the altar of liberty. How many fond hopes
went down with that son who fell in that
great charge
where the missiles odeath crushed the souls out of
The lover whose last thought was of her whose
heart he took with him to the CORY field the
brother who shared our childish sports into
whose heart our own patriotism had been ,nstill.
cd, AID who had asked our prayers for the I'm.
dertsking; the husband whom years had drawn
closer, whose loves, hopes and aspirations were
identified with our own.-they died as heroes
ever die. whether in peaceful homes or tumul.
"NA" N''''i0 'ic'u ueicuulnS Lue IlXnC, S0nCClne0
by that love which beauties life and lives be.
yond the grave. They are the blessed. Hence.
forth life to US has different meaning. But who
will look back over his life, be it never so full Of
heartaches and WEAKNESS, with never so much
dearth of love or thwarted ambition, and saw
here would erase the memory of mans perfdy.
there would wipe out the recollection of futile
aspiration. Here would tear from nv heart
the memory and accompanying influence of
wounded love. It was reality while it lasted,
but It's DER. Twas very sweet. 1t tinted all
nature rosy-hued. What an interest it bestowed
on oil the pursuits of life. How insignificant
was PAIN! How light tell What blessing
was mere existence
The way Is long, my children long and ronph
me moor are drcary and the woods are dark
nut MN, ~, VINO goes from cradle 10 the grave,
uhsklled save In the fowcry paths OF fortune
HAS Missed The discipline of noble hearts,"
If, friend TRADER you show proper appre.
citation OF my efforts at renewed acquaintance
and exchange OF views, will try your patience
again. shall always continue 70 "sit at YOUR
feet and got instruction." even if you do not
accede to 'Se that point in etiquette which says
one to be good conversation ais. must be
good listener Fnr.
EARLvlIlE, March 2S, 1870.