The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1875-05-06
The Heart and It's Relics.

Thirty-three yesterday. No, it isn't
so very old, but then | felt a little
pang of sadness as put the figures
together. I'd rather be sixteen than
thirty-three, though time was when
would have gladly reversed the fg-
ures There's few quail tracks"
around the corners oil the eyes, few
gray hairs intermixed with the brown,
and I'm getting flying pains and stiff
| joints, and sometimes feel as cross as
an old watch dog at farm house
gate.
dreaded it all day, but yet feel
1t 4 sort of a duty to SIT down At my
desk after the rest OF the house was
asleep and examine the contents of
certain pigeon holes and drawers.
believe it is foolish in me TO treasure
these old relics spread on the table
before me, yet if were woman I'd
have good cry over some of them.
I've looked them over every birthday
SINCE ! was twenty FIVE, and | sup
pose ! shall keep them as long as
| live.
Here's kid glove, faded and worn
aud old. Let's see? yes, it's full fif-
teen years since blue eyed Jennie left
it on my desk at school. loved her,
of course, and manv's the pang I've
felt when | remembered that the win.
ter storm aud April rains were beat
ing upon her grave. | keep the glove
hidden awav, and the secret is with
me alone. When am dead they may
toss it where they will or destroy it
altogether, but il any one should
harm it now would be his enemy
throrgh life.
Here's an old knife You'd hardly
carry it around for the service it
might do,yet it is worth its weigh, in
gold to me. Poor Burr. We sat on
the same seat at school. planned to-
gether, knew each others pleasures
and sorrows, and when meet face
on the street which reminds me of his
| can't keep the lump out of my
throst. It's womanish, know, but
if keep my relics locked up, and pre-
serve their history in nay own heart,
haven't right to sit down sometimes
and forget that am man?
And here's an old red penny, dated
way back in the long ago, and the
rust Of time has almost hidden the
words circhng around it. guess |
have had it twenty years, aud | al
ways handle it as if it was frailest
glass. When il was bright and new
blue ribbon was passed through the
hole near the rim and little boy
wore it for watch There were toys,
and whips and little dresses to divide
up among us when he died, and this
old red penny fell to me. When the
snow lies deep over his dust, or tho
bleak winds wave the willow over his
grave, it soothes me to know that |
have this relic of him and it he elps me
to recall his brown eyes, chestnut
curls and dimplcd chin. In the rush
aud hustle Of the world we'd have al.
most forgotten him by this timc if it
wasn't for these little treasures.
There's lock Of gray hair here
among my relics, aud .always lock at
that first. Each OF US children has
one IN place of mother. There are
other graves beside hers and others
yet to he made, and some day the
gray locks will sll be collected togeth-
er and he who holds them will have
his heart full of sorrow. 1t would be
pleasant TO look back from manhood
to cailahool if there were not so
many funeral shadows and bitter
tears,
And here's simple white card
with name traced in pencil. A
stranger would toss it away, but |
could not part with it, for tho hand
which traced the name has been dust
for these many long years. There are
other relies, but all are sad. They
take me down dark lanes and along
shsdowy paths, and my eyes are bin.
ded. shall pat them away an1 write
no more, though tomorrow, and next
day, and every day of my life, | shall
remcnbcr that have them; aud in
remembering my own shadows and
sorrow5 | shall feel more tsnder-heart-
ed toward the whole world, and have
mare strength 70 keep my road-"M
Quad in IreSide Friend.