National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-08

hiOIhSi hnSl tLeI meet again Only IttN
child" but it is written, "of such are the king
dom of Heaven" .r.----...--- --7r-.-.
-.@E- e-'iIII. -r--.--. 49, .
The FIRST deathin the family circle is sad even
one long to be sorrowed over; one never to b
forgotten: 1t is the second great epoch found il
the history of home a. 20 -.ale s
From it the time Is counted at was in the yea
baby died, signs the mother The spring before
! baby was taken from us we were so happy" muir
murs the father. /" Just after baby died grandm.
came to see u.s. the children say and so the year
and the days weeks and months of the years art
numbered as time adds link after link to ths
elastic chain stretching on toward eternity.
By and by the childish forms put on the gar
ments of youth, and anon blossom out into the
full, rounded proportions of young manhood and
womanhood. 80 .-- ~
The father and the mother, growing old, behold
their lives renewed in their children. They see
them taking up the burden of living cheerfully
hopefully, iOyouSly. They see them like the swal
lows whose nests are built underneath the caves
fly away, one by one from home upon voyages OF
discovery, and watch out for them as they return
ladened with the sights and sounds picked up in
| the great outer world.
Ere long comes ON the great event. Kitty, OF
| Winnie, or Lulu is to be married. The day is set
| Then there are mysterious consultations among
the girls and heaps of fnery are scattered about
throughout the house
The "boyS" cndeavor to treat the matter with
high disdain; but they only succeed in disclosing
the deep interest they feel in the approaching
mony They grurnble and growl at so much hustle
and confusion las boys will when they feel them
selves ignored) and yetare ever ready to make any
sacrifice to advance the important event and
help make the arrangements for it complete in all
respects .-
| Time passes rapidly, and the suspicious hour
comes, heralded by the bright, rosy bushes of a
| perfect dawn. Everybody is up betimes.
The golden sun rises majeStically above the hor-
lion and sets his crown Of glorious light upon
mansion garlanded with flowers Nature puts on
her sweetest smile the daughter of the house,
leaning upon the arm of her betrothed walks into
the broad, comfortably furnished room where she
played as little child years before The paror Is
richly and tastefully decorated with the choicest
offerings from garden, field and forest and sweet
perfumes toy with soft, ripping melodious strains
ofmusic as the young couple stay their steps before
the man OF God who is to make them as of one
flesh. All eyes are upon them, and especially upon
her-the daughter, sister, friend, and wife that is
10 be. $50
As she stands robed in white and crowned with
orange blossoms beside her hearts free choice the
mother gazes upon the fair picture through mist
of tears.
At one leap her memory has bridged the gulf of
more than twenty years. She is herself the bride;
her husband is the bridegroom.
Then the scene changes; and instead of the
bridal party she beholds darkened room-feels
again the mortal agony, followed by the ecstatic
bliss of living as when her firStborn babe was laid
in her arms. All, what visions pass before the
mothers eyes! Surely, it was only Yesterday"
she murmurs that bore her upon my bosom
felt her sweet lips drawing at my heart! And now
she is being married! Bless me! how time fies!"
The ceremony proceeds; the nuptial benedic-
ton Is said and the nuptial songs are sung
The wedding-cake is cut and eaten, or treasured
away by the girls against the day when the charm
which it is supposed to contain shall have worked
itself out, or been exercised by some potent
power.
- az IIo II r;azdz- .,,a LII
ones cluster around. Sweet kisses fall from trem-
ulous lips upon checks wet with tears The last good
byes are spoken with faltering voices and the
young bride leaving the old, goes forth into the
world to help build herself a new home with
"God-Speed" from those she leaves behind ring
ing in her ears.
After the wedding the house seems strangely
still and deserted. The father sits in his y-chair
wrapt in thought; the children withdraw them
selves from sight; and the mother moves silently
from room 10 ROOM while memory with busy fin
remembrances and mementoes of the one now
gone from her, perhaps orevermOre.
All, how much like % after the funeral" is after
the wedding" to many hearts. There is vacant
place everywhere; and especially is it thus after
the first wedding the third great epoch chronicled
in the book of home. Other weddings may occur,
but they not like this. viii and Tom. and
Susie may go out from beneath the home-roof, but,
although dearly beloved and greatly missed, there
is not such void created as when Kitty left
With the " first wedding" new chronology is
established, reckoning from that event. Charlie
was born in the winter and Kitty was married the
next spring." says the mother, " and that was five
years ago" That settles Charles age So with
all other questions of time.
The mother may etmany things, but that one
particular occurrence never. Years AFTER when
the family has dwindled down to an aged couple
sitting alone, while sunset shadows cast soft
radiance over their wrinkled faces and frosty
locks, the finger of maternal love yet points out
upon the dial of her heart the year. month, day
yea, the very hour when her first-born took upon
herself the VOWS of welded life.
And as old age gently leads the father and the
mother down the slope of time the events mark
ing the three great epOchS in their lives come to
them again and again, reminding each of the
actors who helped them in those bygone days to
build up such holy, enduring memories of the
past.
Kitty may be resting beneath a grassy mound
built to shield her dearly cherished form when the
home of her selection reluctantly compelled to
give her up; yet, to the old people she seems to
come again and again a smiling babe to rest in
the mothers arms.
So it is with the little one that died so come
back the scenes of that first bridal
VIII and Tom, brave, manly fellows may lie
sleeping beneath the flowers streHn upon the
graves of those who died in their c0unryS service
Charlie may be making valiant fight against the
cares, perplexities and sins of the world Susie
grown a matron-Inay be practicing the laborious
but sweet lessons of motherhood; but yet to think
of either only brings back the bright spring morn
ing, the flowers the solemn service, the laughter
the tears, and the goodbyes of that first wedding
day.
The wedding day" recalls to mind the sad |
event preceding it, and that reminds the mother |
of the time when the crowning gift of maternity
was added to her welded bliss
And thus 1t is thus VIII it ever be in life even
until its close: and mayhaps, when the twilight |
deepens and eyes grow dim to scenes of earth |
Spirit visions will come, revealing another home |
where smiling faces are waiting and reckoning |
for the aged pair, and where time shall be no |
more reckoned by epochs, but by the effugeIt orb |
that shines forever in the land where love pre- |
walls
GENERAL NOTES.
For the first time in three years the Cuban |
tobacco crop is good one.