The Lincoln County herald., 1870-12-08


thus wipe out from the dead and the
living the stain which rested on them.
Don't Forget the Old Folks.
Let me say few words to children
who have gone out from their old homes
but who have parents still. There is al
ways liability, when sons and daughters
have gone away from the home Of their
childhood, and have formed homes OF
their own, gradually to lose the old at
tachments and cease to pay those atten
tons to their parents which we're SO easy
and natural in the olden time. New
associations, new thoughts, new cures. all
come in, filing the mind and heart, and,
if special pains be not taken, they crowd
out the old loves. This ought never to
be. You should remember that the
change is with you and not with those
you left behind. You have everything
new, much that is attractive in the pres
ent and bright in the future; their hearts
cling to the past, they have most in
memory. When you went away, you
knew not, and will never know till you
experience it, what it cost them to give
you up, nor what vacancy you left be-
hind. They have not, if you have, any
loves to take tho place Of the old. Do
not, then, heartiessly deprive them Of
what you still can give of attention and
love.
Visit your parents If you live 10 the
place, let your step be perhaps daily, a
familiar one in the old home if you are
miles, yea, many miles away, make it
your business to 60 to them. In. this
matter do not regard time nor expense ;
the one is we'll spent aud the other will
be fully, yea, q hundred.fold repaid.
Whom some day the word reaches you,
flashed over the telegraph, that father or
mother has gone, you will not think them
much, those hours Of travel which last
bore you to their side. -
Write to your parents. l have known
father and mother wait with sick hearts
through weary months, longing that some
word might reach them from an absent
son. They have watched the mails till in
despair they have ceased to expect any
more, and while they may not have tho
grief Of great bercavmcnt, they have
what is almost as bad, the bitter concious.
ness that they are not in miud enough
even to call out few lines from one whose
Infancy aud early years they watched with
sleepless love. Sons are often guilty Of
this crime-I can not call it less-irom
sheer neglect or indolenco. While an
hour, perhaps few moments, would
suffice to write letter which would give
unspeakable satisfaction, they let months
and even yeare slip away in utter differ.
ence to all the pain they are causing
oh, how full is many mothers heart OF
sorrow and foreboding, when just q few
words from On absent son would fIl it
with JOY and praise! Such Indifference or
neglect is shameful and wicked. One
need not wonder that sons guilty of it
are not prospered, that they wait iu vain
for those turns Of fortune which will
send them home, as they dream, to sur
prise the old neighborhood with their
wealth. Their thoughtlessness has been
productive only OF disaster.
Keep up your intercourse with father
Or mother; do not deem it sufficient to
wrlte when something important is to be
told do not say, mo news 10 good
news" If it te but few lines, write
them: write, if it be only to say. II am
we'll" If it bc only to send the salutation
that says they arc "dear," or the farewell
that tells them that You are ''affectionate"
still. The little messengers shall be like
caskets Of jewels, and the tears that fall
fondly over them will be treasures for
you. Say With q warn, hearted son
"The hills may tower, the wave may rise,
And roll between my home and me;
Yet shall my quenchless memories
Turn with undying love to thsei"
In the passing Of human life there fire.
quently comes q time when the mutual
duties Of child aud parent are reversed.
Advancing years bring . childhood to
tho one and the care Of childhood to the
other. To the aged father and mother
the days Of labor are over the work
of life has been done. Nov attentive
tenderness becomes the duty. OF those
who once received il all them selves, while
those are dependent upon it who once
gave it all. Now the parent is the child
and the child is the parent. The watch.
fulness and care Of many years ago is to
be repeated over again only that the
giver then 10 the receiver now. To .
true hearted child here il . return Of
love which it is good TO make. There 10
. deep satisfaction 10 being able to repay
BY words and looks the lavished love Of