The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-12-18
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 always liability,
when sons and daughters have gone away from
the home of their childhood, and have formed
homes of their own, gradually to lose sight of
tons to their parents which were so easy and
natural in the olden time. New associations,
new thoughts, new cares, all come in, filling,
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 left
behind. You have everything new, everything
that is attractive at present and bright in the
future their hearts cling to the past they have
most in memory. When you went away you
know you knew not, and never will know till
you experience it, what it cost to give you up,
nor what vacancy you left behind. They
have not, if you have, any new loves to take
the place of the old. Do not, then, hear:'essly
tention and love.
Visit your parents If you live in the same
place, let your steps be, perhaps, daily, famil-
Jar one in the old home; if you are miles, yea,
many miles away, make it your business to visit
them. In this matter do not regard time nor
expense; the one is we'll spent and the other
will be fully, yea, hundred-fold repaid
When 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. / 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 the grief of great bereavement,
they have what is almost as bad, the bitter
conciousness that they are notin mind enough
even to call out a few poor lines from one
whose infancy and early years they watched
with sleepless love. Sons are very often guilty
of this crme-I cannot call it less-from sheer
neglect or Incidence. While an hour, per-
haps few moments, would suffice to write q
letter which would give unspeakable salts
faction they let months and even years slip
away in utter indifference to all the pain they
were causing. Oh, how full is q many q
mother. heart of sorrow and foreboding,
when Just few words from an absent son
would fill it with joy and praise Such in
difference and neglect is shameful and wicked.
One need not wonder that sons that are guilty
of it are not prosperous that they wait in
vain for those turns of fortune which will send
them home as they dream to surprise 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 write
when something important is to be told; do
not say, "No news is good news" If it be
but few lines, write them; write if it be only
to say 'I am we'll - if it be only to send
salutaton that says they are "dear," or the
farewell that tells 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 warm
hearted son:
'The hills may tower, the wares may rise,
And roll between my home and me:
Yet shall my quenchlesS memories
Turn with undying love to thec," '.. a
In the passing of human life there frequent.
ly comes time when mutual duties of child
and parents are reversed. Advancing years
bring childhood to one and the care of the child
hood to the other To the aged father and mo-
ther the days of labor ale over the work oflife
has been done. Now attentive kindness be-
comes the duty of those who once received it
all themselves, while those are dependent upon
it who once gave it ALL Now the parent is
the child, and the child is the parent. The
watchfullness and care of many years is to be
repeated over again only that the giver then
is the receiver now. To true-hearted child
here is a return of love which it is good to
make. There is deep satisfaction in being
able to repay by words and looks the lavished
love of by-gone times. .....aaf