Mexico weekly ledger., 1881-05-26

in the Mount Sterling (Ky.) Demo-
crat headed "Reminiscences" by Col.
John A. Joyce, M. C. Col. Joyce
once went to school to B. F. O'Rear
Of this county, and spoke of him in
very flattering terms. Mr.. O'Rear
replied to Col Joyce's "reminiscences
with the following letter, which may
be of interest to our readers: T..
To the Editor oHthe Mount Sterling Democrat
MEXICO, Mo-, April 8, 1881.-In
your issue of April 1st l see a letter
from John A. Joyce. I was glad to
learn that he is still in the land of
the living and in Washington, D. G.
l must compliment him on his inter-
esting letter. How wildly he pictures
characters and scenes! how life-like!
how natural! How the long train
passed before my mind as in some
heaven-granted vision. I could not
restrain the tears as they came un-
bldden. His letter stirred up the
very depths Of my soul. Where are
those happy young people? A great
many of them gone, gone, gone to
that bourn from whence no traveller
returns.
l distinctly remember young Joyce,
bright, prococious lad, with black
hair and sparkling eyes; with what
alacrity he came forward to recita-
tions, his prompt and ready answers,
and another lovely trait, beautiful in
pupil and highly appreciated by the
teacher, his perfect pollteness of feel
ing and action on all occasions, and
then his readiness at defamation and
composition! He says-"If Doc
O'Rear' Is still alive, he doubtless
remembers my antics" am alive,
and do most emphatically remember
some of those antics. 1 take pride
that l had for short time the train
ing of SO bright and naturally good
mind, and what is strange, the lady
l afterwards married was also his
teacher at the "Frog Pond' Acad-
emy, in the Gatewood district. I
lost trace of him before 1 left Ken
lucky. The Beatty school was the
last taught in kentucky. 1 return
ed frem California in August, 1855,
and that fall commenced teaching at
the "Beatty College," l had, previ-
Gus to going to California, taught at
four other districts around there,
twelve districts in all. We were mar
ried in 1858 and came to Missouri in
the spring Of '59. We have since
lived in the same county, except two
years during the war which We spent
in Kentucky, Ohio and Massachusetts.
So we have been here twenty-five
years this spring. Last winter after
an absence of twenty years since we
first left, revisited the old home,
the haunts of boyhood and the scenes
of the first thirty years of my life.
The same old-fashioned hospitality
still prevails and the fine dinners as
of yore still grace the tables of old
Montgomery's hospitable citizens. I
saw good many of the persons men,
toned by Mr.. Joyce. wonld aspec-
tally mention that whole souled, good
nstured Asa Mcgowan, with his trick
mare he used to ride into saloons.
Asa has long since quit his wine-cup
and trick horse and friyolhes of early
manhood, and is now one of old
Montgomery's solid farmers. l was
truly glad Asa had reformed, and
was, as he told me, a staunch tenn
perance man. 1 had very pleasant
visit to kentucky-as pleasant as kind
friends could make it. But still there
was sadness connected with it-so
many Of my old friends, associates
and neighbors had gone. Not soli-
tary old man, old twenty years ago,
was now left, and those who were
then fifty or sixty are now tottering
on the verge of decrepitude and
shall see them no more. What a
commentary on human life! Wha,
vicissitudes! What crushed hopes,
desires, loves! What changes from
lower plane of life to higher and
from higher to lower! Twenty years
and twenty-five have wrought wonder
ful changes. What medley of con.
tradictions is human life, and We,
how real and how true, and through
all the vicissitudes of life, earth's gain
or poverty, pride or humility, there
is longing desire in every heart tha,
this world cannot satisfy.
Dear old pupil: may your aspira'
tions and hopes with mine be anchor.
ed close to the throne of the great
Eternal in the Heavens, where, if not
in time, we may strike hands on the
other shore. Your letter brough,
many "reminiscences in panoramic
view to my mental vision which had
long slumbered, but were still in the
store-house of my mind. Hoping te
hear again from that ready pen,
respectfully subscribe myself bis
'teacher Of the old log school.
house." B. F. O'REAR.
s The great invention known as the