Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-12
The Old Folks.

Most everybody is dead. That u.s. all the old
folks. There are mighty few left of the old stock
that used to move around so lively and take the
lead in business and public affairs Some of
US are getting lonesome now The ranks keep
fillng up, but we don't know the new recruits.
Oid Father Time is a cOnscript officer, and he
won't take any substitute nor give anybody a
bomb-prOof place. There are no guartermasters
nor commissioners nor potash getters i'm this
war, but it is fight, fight, fight all the time
Sooner or later all of us have got to 60 We
can't desert, nor dodge, nor play sick, nor shoot
finger off. and there are no furlouyhs and no
pensions and no discharge. There is not even
promotion for good conduct or noble daring
There is nothing but to do and die. Well it's
all right, l know. or it wouldn't have been so.
but 1t grleyes me to hear the bell tOlling all
about and TO see the old stock passing away.
Thirty-twO years ago moved to Rome. and it
was right smart town of 5000 people. They
are not there now. What are LETT | can count
on my fingers. hardly dozen Of the old set
tiers. and they move about very slow Old
Mother White died the other day. The oldest
OF them all. She was always going about doing
good or trying to. She Outli1ed her old
''maun." the ScOtchman. and she outliyed her
children, but she never surrendered to grief or
trouble. These old Scotch people have habits
and principles like cast iron. They never
change. The old 'maun," as we called him,
was always merry, and always at work making
time to eat. and to sleep, and to pray, and to
sing, and to read the Bible. and his time to work
and he never neglected the regular program.
Old maun White couldn't sing, but he thought
he could and he considered it as much duty
as to pray. He was always in his seat at the
church. He was heavy man. but he waddled
up the hill to the meeting house with alacrity,
and took his seat like he meant business and
he did mean business. He said amen and
amen all through the preachers prayer, and
q hio hyyrn hon Il Until
and stood up in front OF the choir and sang
| from away down. He tried to follow but was
sure toget little ahead for he enjoyed it and
wanted to do more than his share. The rest did
their best to smother him, but they couldn't.
His bellows was strong and blew loud His
kind OF singing wouldn't have been tolerated
from any other man. for he was ALWAYS a little
mp or little down. and he tapered off. His
voice was good deal below bass, and came I'D
like there was a cOg-wheel in his throat. But
everybody that knew the old man enjoyed his
singing, for 1t seemed to do him so much good,
and at times when the words were very tender
the Old man would say "Amen" at the end of
the stanZa
remember that one time when Henry Cart
rell and George StOvall were leading music the
old maun turned two leaves in his hymn book
and got from long into short meter, and the
words didn't fit the music. There wasn't
enough of them, and the old maun shook his
head and gave grunt and filled out with a
couple OF amens. He heard a litter behind
him. and, looking round, muttered audibly.
''Thars snmthin wrong about here" We
joked him about it next day. and he laughed as
he said, "Ah. well. you know that David said
sing unto the Lord new song and deed it,
Yes. deed it," | wonder how many children
old Mother White has taught in SUNDAY school,
She has had a class OF little ones ever since I
knew her, and she taught them all the same
thing, to love God and tell the truth and do
right. don't think she ever improved on that
She didn't know anything about the science of
religion or the evidences of christianity and she
didn't want to know. 1t was enough for her
that she loved her Maker and loved everybody.
and her Maker loved her. Her faith was iron
clad; she lived in it and died in it. If l could
trade in chances for heaven would be willing
to trade for hers. She is there. reckon, and
some of the children she taught are there too.
and they gave the old lady welcome that was
heaven enough for her.