The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-03-13

I "O'iiiA5 VI tiIc ustsSIbe tHl0Q tlaG n
habited it. I was so proud of his
head; it had such magnificent con-
tour about it. A thousand and a
thousand times have I pressed it to
my heart and blessed the gray hairs
that crowned it He looked great /!
He was great Why wait. to hear
from others what men have said over
and again? Why not say fer N.Y.
self that which gives me such pro-
found happiness to utter, and which
no man dares to deny? The fore
most intellect of his time with the
simplest manners and the grandest
heart, well may we be prouder than
the proudest that he was OURS.
When nay father would be called
away from home it was always a time
with US for tears and regret. I can
not recall difficult task which call
ed for application or emulation that
the watehword was not, "By the
time your pa comes home" MY
mother was the best Of mothers; the
best of wives From being a gay
and elegant woman of fortune and
fashion she subsided into the demur-
est of matrons-sinking her identi-
ty utterly and forever in the future
Of her husband aud her children.
His praise was always the incentive
to our youthful achievements. And
never once did he pass them by with
Indifference. He always, always re-
membered. 1t was favorite book,
pretty vase. silver cup, a jewel,
a much priced riding horse, new
saddle, misunderstanding al
ways which came as the guerdon
when We had won the goal. AS long
as it lay in his power to crafty our
every desire never once did he deny
us. In great things and in small
things it was the same. He always
forgot himself in his love for US. L
have known him more times than |
can count come home with a hand
some fee which he would immediate
ly divide cut in this wise: Here is
hundred for you; Fan, twenty-five
for you; John, ten for you; Annie,
five for you; Humphrey, ten for you,
and so on till each Of us had receiv,
cd a gift. Never thought or him
self! He would give away the last
dollar; then holding out his empty
hands, or fumbling in his empty
pockets, would laugh and say, Now,
who will lend me five cents? I'm
dead broke" What loving hands
were outstretched with their coveted
treasures can we'll he guessed. Years
ago the greatest enjoyment used to
be our happy little fishing parties.
In them every member of the family
assumed prominent part. from pa,
with his wonderful "fios," and silk
en- lines, and silver and brass-ribbed
rods, down to all the little darkies
with their sappling switches and
pawpaw poles, with cord and thread
for lines, hottle.stoppeFs for corks,
and bent pins for hooks. It would
usually be announced at breakfast
that he intended TO go a-fshing. ac-
compauied only by my elder broth
ers, an uncle, or friend. and finally
with great laughter and fun and
much begging and protesting. the
entire family would find themselves
en- route for the "shoals'' where the
best fishing was to be had for the
seeking. Usually the girls--Fan.
and I-were left in charge of the
lunch basket, and knowing our faith
er's fondness for the good things of
earth, we would wait until they had
everything arranged, and silence en-
sued (Which was usually attained by
The male members of the party row.
ing across the river and leaving US
on the hither side to gather grasses
and shells,) then we would call out:
Come to dinner" and make a show
of serving lunch. And he was sure
to come tugging the boat back. laugh
ing and jesting over our nonsense,
but always taking it in good part.
When we had won -him,-we never
cared for the rest. One of our fa-
vorite home pastimes when he was
with US was to play "Old Maid" IA
game of cards we'll known years ago.,
in which we would always cheat him.
and cheat him, and finally compel
him to wear a large ruflied cap We
kept in the card table drawer for that
purpose. Our greatest delight. and
evidently one OF his own en- njoyments,
was to set at the table after supper
and talk. Often have I known diff.
ferent members to eat supper over
again while they listened, and he
frequently did so himself. And such
talks We have travelled over Eu-
rope-and taken a trip to China and
home again in those excursive con
veFGations. | remember distinctly
his description OF the Dusseldorf
gallery in Berlin. How / wished for
the art of the photographic as
listened. When he was in Europe
and China he used to write to my
mother every day in the form of a
journal. We highly priced bis, letters,
but they we're eonfscated when his
library went ''under the hammer"
Tor, rather, my mothers library, for
he had given it TO herr by command
Of the Government. lie had q de-
lightful home; it was replete not
only with comforts. but elegancies
and Injuries he brought from over
the seas. He was generous to fault;
lie thought nothing too good to serve
US. All that he asked in return was
that we should do i" honor to our
name and our mothers teachings.
He loved old fashioned customs and
old fashioned people. ] think no be-
ing ever lived unless ! except my
seif-who had as thorough contempt
for the noUedltG eltrtches as he had.
He never denied merit, wherever it
appeared. but he despised the pre-.