Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-04-07
MIScEIIAHEnus.
Farm for Sale,n

A sweet homo place, aud turned to look
again. An old farm cottage among the trees.
the hazy hush of Summer afternoon over all
the golden sunlight drifting through the
leaves, resting in cleaning patches on tha
grass and hlOssompg clover, tossing tho
shadows hither and thither A sweet. voiced
bird chirPed in the maple by the gate as We
passed, and the pale lips of locust blossoms
peercd forth from eafy nests. In the diss
lance spriDgins grain waved in tiny biIlOws
like the peaceful flow of tiny seas, and the
dancing footsteps of little strean, left gleam.
ing line across the green meadow. A beAu1
tiful home farm.
'FARM FOR SALE"
Yes, these were the words in rough chalk
letters above the gate, "Farm for salc."-
Why sell the farmY Have hands grown tired
of plough aud sickle and the hoe, hearts
wcaricd with oft-returuing seed timo and
harvest! Has ambition cast her apple of dis-
cord in the midst of your sweet content,
whisperings of riches and honors md splen-
dOrs Jared in upon the hearts mu.ic Have
visions Of yellow gold aud the worlds prnud
shows shadowed with their delusivo wings tha
simple hopes, the every day hap?incss which
besses at the lIttle farm?
Why sell the farm? Have danciu: tcct
one by ono passed out at the little gate. ta
como no more as OF old? Has even tue bab7
the last darliGg-twined the womanhood
upon her brow, aud taken the blessing oil her
love and presence To adorn and sanci,rv
another home, passing ike tho rest up tho
path leaning on another arm. bcnring the
blessing, yet leaving tho old house so very
dcsoate, with only the haunting memory
pacing up aud down through the lonely aislcs
Of the beartY
Why sell the farm2 All! Istherc a grave;
has Death cut deep down through the blossom.
ing sod, poushing up n grave SO deep. 10
chill, SO dark, that from its shadow your heart
can be lifted never more? Has she-the
dearest, most blessed even the home mother
lain down TO restY Has the light gone out
from those gentle eyes-the light Of that soul,
the embodiment Of love aud peace, and faith
and patieuce-has it passed on to tho await
ing glory? Is it thy desoIation, oh Death,
that has compelled the Farm for Sale Z"
All! how many "Farms for Sale," and
with what longings will hearts that go out
from these farm homes crowned with joy. turn
back from the summit of mnuy years to look
upon the dead face Of that Old-time joyous
ness, wondering at the strange happiness OF
the farm child wondering that never more
is sky so blue, never sunshine so gorgeous,
never earth full of music as before thar
"Barm for Sale" HG~wiitiii -SSiiFeAA-ge pspfg
mid the dust Of life's Highways. acI5f1e ~
press the whispering grass beneath tho Ioonsts.
aud hands hard with counting gold, pine 10
pull again the ViOlets down bv the valley
spring How will heads girdled By tborns OF
care, rest again in dreams on the soft moss,
swept SO of: by child ourIs in the long ago,
and hearts, we1ry hearts, and longing souls
will pause in the great world strife to catch
again tho far-of laughter of those waters in
the meadows, aud the singing of the bird
lings in the naples And how will eyes
grow tear-dimmed in this farseeing, as q
vision sweeps by. revealing above the little
gate, Farm for Sale."-NearM and Home
GEN ROBERT f.. LEE-Hou. Benz H.
Hill, of Georgia, thus sketches the character
of Gen. r. f. Ice E.:
"When the future historian comes to sur
vey the character Of Lee, he will find il rising
ike huge mountain above the ubdulating
plain Of humanity. aud he will have to lift his
eyes high towards heaven to catch its summit
He possessed every virtue Of the other great
commanders without their vices he was .
foe without hate; friend without treaehery;
soldier without cruelty. and victim without
murmuriDg. He was a public officer without
vices; private citizen without wrong; DeighboT
without reprosch; Christian without hy-
pOcrisy. and q man without guilt. he was
Caesar without his ambition; Fredrick, with-
out his tyranny Napoleon, without his self
ishness, and Washington. without his reward
He was obedient to authority servant. and
royal in authority as n true king. He was
as a woman in life modest and pure as 4 vir-
gin in thought; wstchful Roman ve-tal
in duty submissive to law "a Socrates. and
grand in battle as Achilles !"
D~Tbe stockholders of Berkeley County
Agricultural and Mechanical Assooistioo
have elected the following officers for tho en-
suing year: President, Hon C. J Faulkner;
vice>President, B. CushEa; recording secre-
tary. J. n. Wisoer corresponding secretary,
H. Fl. Blackburn treasurer, C. j. Faulkner,
Jr.
-Puuch defines the Home Circuiv" as
walking about with the baby at night.