Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-01-31
Ese lainG 10 the Aged.

I
There is something 1;xprcgsiby beautiful
to nc, in thosc a&cd oGcs who hnvo passed lb
boundaries OF youth and middle ago. sn1iiogs
"ith ia'tctitg STEPS upon Tho chergcl ,ss 10Th
or shcrc."
halo @! repcSG seems to surround theu
and their every movement and word soema tc
| suggest tho idoa uf patient wai'og.
They haV5 fought lifu's r1vah hll;lc, ani
cirquGrod many ioc.
The blossoms Of youthful HOPES have, 70,
them, bud6cd, bloomod, faded, snd drclyad,
The fruits OF these blossoms only they know
Hho waited so impaIienty for tho unfolding o
the 11w5r.
All this is forever past, and in o1o grave
have their paii!n hearts turied sl their disap
polntrcDt, all their faded hopes
Now they are WaIIiag for tho pale boptman
to signal them, and taka them tcfcss The chill
waters, beyond which lies the Escrpal Citv, al
nest in view nov-hiGdea only by the shadovy
nlsts that fell ike veil between es.ih and
Heaven.
Aged fjrms, bcat With tho weight of Years.
pause for us. rs VIC hurry by, busy with the
cares OF Ike, beneath tho pressure of whicb
they crce hurrici ns NO do nov.
Trembling, withcred hands ure folded mct xiv
across the siaH-illeir isbour is oer.
Eyes, dim with he glare OF l!fo's sun, watch
US Oh NO 60 on cur busy way. add sigh when
they think how little we shall fi.d at the end Of
the race t6 repay US lor our tell.
What have they found
a sras1n OF rest, and ct patieat waii6g for
The cuG.
Who. then, cau sneak uakipdy 10 ono OF
th: 3, tg.d pi:grius?
She has cu;lyed her usefuIoess |" ssil q
@trdlE man. in speaking to On acquaintance of
bis mother
"Outliycd her usefulness ~
S"eet. patient old lady, with pl.od laeo |!
And her son could colily ssy that.
Well for her heart that sgo has brcu2h. deaf,
ness to her ears
l wotdsr it that Is why all old people arc
deat-that they may not he,r the uukisd re-
marks mado abou. them
Ao old Dao, with silver s!rsyiue locks, sat in
tho thado Of grand old tree that he had plant
&c 10 his childhood beside tho door of his faith
cr's house, aid thought how beautiIrl vas
Tho pic'urn ho made, sitting with hands clasp
cG up;n bis staff. AID head boHcd upcn bis
hauts
"llG Is 70 u:m!oyt 10 lusrli nor auytoiy
else J. ,xc'aici a sharr, bard vnico beside
mr.
It was ;ho sons wife, herself husiiog n,a-
tran Of ferry five.
"P1Gr old man - viglcd, ihioking OF tho
year, hG haa knoWn, tho s;Iusgi.a he bad had
With i!avtr!y. aud the Ge,HciiEl, toll he had ell =
duTcG c: :hH sake q educating his macy q bill
drcp, mud ac;onu!2tirg q little properly 10
leave ,hgm when he Ahduhi bid adieu to tnrth
Aud for what?
10 bu ttl lsacd. nnlg, under his owa roof,
and t k1rs9 that his Children cJbsdered HIM
Il burden, aud of "na uvmf1ri to hins.lf nor
airy h.dy Else"
There il lime i, l:p life Of every person
when ,hcy :hnt lhci: 4 her AID their mother
tho hest. wi;cst, aad handSumast man ant VIC
m:n 10 the world.
God HrGnt th,t die emile 1lg ohil ircu look
TINS upnn nne. h. FIRE h,c)ine hnricn TO
them.
70 b. H. Id III sIoh remembrance, br them
could ka worth lu3sc Than Eli the gesrs between
that tlaip ard the years when | should have
"onlliVad m2 usoiu!nosa. and become of mo
uUlu'ort 10 thcm.'
10 nc it setms as il tha blessing of q cd res Ia
upon that Eoof where lwelts 40 agcd pilgrim,
pt se& plowlf down lies d:oliyity, iHto tho
s;ey hn;tnd,
!HaH J. CI0GCl U0uSrStahu nov any D0r5Cn
can treat cnh CT these aged o1es WITH unkiod
nis.
Nor csn imagine tho iacugs of that parent
who has reared family Of c6ildran. to lind 10
the heorls and homes CT them no cordial, loving
wolc >mr; 10 be. perhaps, permitted to 90 from
ono to the olhcr, for stated time, living az it
were Oh suiltance; being like Is burden tquoly
divided between several hearers
Bat more c;acl Than all tho re8t i. Tue heart
| TINT con cI5aant to an aged aod iuG:m parent
bting taken to the tlns house TO Gi,.
llaw strange that tho weary cid hearts do
not bredk, and save their c"iItr,n the trouble
| Of rarrylGg i!lcm hcyond the dearest tomb
| should think il would seem like niDistcriep
| to tho angels 10 hhvd the clro Of oue CT thosc
| dear cd people, so rcnr tho Kingdom Of lea,
son
| Alas hearts grow oold TO ivory impulse o
goodness. aud obly By dullsrs and c,ots d. VIC
estimate our blessings.
Cad graut my Iray6r to dio bitoro [ bcctm:
burden to those whose duty it shall ba to cart
for me alter shall haVe passed my labor, ant
give mo heart willing to do my duty to thos
who shall llok 10 me for protection in their old
| ego. Ii. II.
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