The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1879-12-02
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We cannotwrite tonight, Charlie;
our inspiration is gone--a star has sci
in our firmament-a light has gone
fout incur house-a shadow has
crossed our pathways skeleton rat
ties nlour closet nothing but winter
(,dark and dreary reigns in this bosom
Ben Croft has moved-his house il
desolate; the owls and bats h old higl
carnival where once all was bilariiy
and joy. His old watch dog barks d
deep-nIouthed welcome to him over
IN Trigg-hences these tears-hence
This arid desert in This bosom. For
''sen long years we have lived in a
stones throw Of him, have known
him in sunshine and shadow known
him when prosperity smiled aud ad-
versity howled; have known every
dream of his soulAevery aspiration
.of his heart, and we never knew q
better man. 1t is. the great deep,
broad heart in mans bosom that
makes him-that shinesout in all his
transactions with his fellow-man.
His heart is as broad, comparatively
speaking, as the Universe, as tender
as a wouian's-a blooming perpetual
Summer. T.i
''ESThere was always an affinity be-
wccn him aud us Wencver differed
but once, and that'was on the Green
back question. We both wanted
greenbacks, but We differed widely
as to the manner of getting them.
He believed in agitation; we believed
in work; he agitated, we worked,
and now the Summer is past, the
harvest ended, The crops garnered
away, and we got 500 Tor our corn
and he got what the little boy got
whipped ior-nothing.
He Is a poor man; money getting
has not been the aim and object ofhis
life. lie has lived for something
nobler, better, higher. But what he
possesses he got honestly. Noruined
homes, nor aching hearts, nor widows
tchrs, nor orphans signs follow in its
wake.
vKind reader can YOU say as much !?
NEou money KINGS who run rough
shod over the poor and oppressed,
CAP you1cross your scented couches al
night and swcetly sleep, knowing all
the while that your pathway is COW
tered with tleruhied wrecks of help
hess imnocencep M
lie Is no tatller; no tale of SANDER
Loft wrecked homes ever trembled
ion his lips. If lis neighbor fell, lie
had no greater sympatllizer than Ben.
lie can allow more for The frailty OF
poor human nature than any man we
ever knew; he never cast man OIL
while there was single spark OF
manhood left in his bosom, but
always exerted himself to WOO and
win the fallen back to the path OF
rectitude. He could differ with you
and not come Immediately to the con.
clusion that you are fool. Did you
ever notice how many men you meet
that SO soon as you differ with them
have nothing more 10 do with you
This is all wrong, woiully wrong
men may differ as widely MS the
North pole is from the South pole
and neither be fools.
lie is religious man, not fanatic
not man ready 10 burn you at the
stake IL You donot attach yourself ia
his creed but man who believes IL
practical religion, who believes IN
feeding the hungry, clothing The
naked and making the world better
aud brighter. Bat enough, we can
not do him justice in one short article
There is no stopping place unless W,
sion suddenly, so here goes.
Now, old friend, here's our hand
may the lowering angels watch owe
thee and thine, and should we NEE
mo more terrcstially, we hope to- clasl
yours redeemed aud regcncrated be
meath The shining plumes of. angel
wings in that beautiful city above
whose builder and maker is God.
HIRAM.