The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-02-14

Inc throe ply would not last month In
the dining room, where so many people
walked
The long porch that ran around three
sides of the house shaded i:.a ,yiu;:ows
half the day, and the creaping vines on
the other side defled the hottest rays of
summers heat; and then at night, when
the lowing cows have been placed in the
pasture. and thc duties Of day were
done, mother and si>ters sit on the front
porch and sing an evening hymn, ac
comaanled by the guitar, played by
brother John =; father, in his stocking
feet elevated to the railing Of the porch,
with pipe in hand, directing the har
mony, for father in his younger days
had played the violin with cou,i!e Fable
kill
Old Tower and would be sitting
AGAR tho edge Of the porch III mute
rcvcrie, listening to the low gentle tones
of Mothers sweet sophrauo, tho mezzo
OF Harriet, and tho contra!to of Mary
Joh.a occasionally assisted with we'll
cultivated bass, Which completed the
quartctte. Then we would all ask
mother to sing love sun,; when,
placing her hand in fathers open palm,
she would sing about the loves Of youth,
unbroken affections: the ordeal of life,
and deaths separation. Oh, hew the
inlld, bright, sanity face of mother ap
pears bclorc INC as writc-appcars be
fore NE as in days gone bye, before the
frosts OF sixty winters had left its time
mark upon her raven tresscs, aud as the
lingering teues Of the song died away,
father Would press her to his nosom, aud
imprint loves token up,r her cheerful
face. Is MT this pretty picture, nj
though ho .sely drawn7 but fancy will
not allow me to overdu H.
Those were happy days, ynl my heart
Iigh'ens wlrea revert =, them. Often
IN manhood when struggling with the
world, will my mind go back to the dear
old home on the Ok Creek, axd count
the Jays dciore Thanksgiving, Tor |
never allowed one to pass without going
home Nsihirs caull prcwent NE FROM
niccting father aud III ,thcr once Il year.
II not 'elteucr. Mary is married to IA
good m!an, and llurrict remains at home
the comfurt and solacc Of our aged par
ents. How 1t lishtcus my daily dutie,
to receive Letters from Harriet, telling
.se ;nll about the "placc," and what daily
occurs, and how my heart warns when
open little piece oil paper always
peculiarly folded, enclosed in lIarri.ts
letter, which invariably commences My
denr child" aud closes with Your
loving mother" My heart throbs &c cd
bl.ss my mother" and when do 20
home aud Iold my loving mothers form
to my breast, and cover her cheeks with
kisses. am to longer man calIouscd
with the tolls of life, but little child
again y tin OH e. knee
And when tell her of my adven
lures, of the cares am daily subjected
to, how her loving eyes look upon me in
all compassion, and pity my sorrows aud
when at Thanksgiving W. all gather
around the family table, seated at the
head is father, Mary, with her good
husband and two little boys, mother sits
opposite father to pour tea, while liar
riet aud | occupy the side, looking to
Mary and her family. am always
elected, to do the honors ofthe table, and
feel as highly honorcd as if were
carving at tho Presidents banquet. No
national dinner evol can have the relish
to me that does the dinners at homo on
the Sidney Place. could not tell YOU
all that mother and sister have prepared.
but their catalogue could not be surpass
ed.
shall visit home again this Thank
giving should providence spare my life.
and if Heaven extends its blessings to
us, shall again kiss my dear parents,
shall talk over tho past and calculate
upon the future. shall find Harriet
and Mary with her little family shall
SEQ father aud mother ut each end Of
the table, and | shall again carve the
turkey; and when the visit Of tho day
is over, we will sing our evening songs
together, thanking IJim for His bless