The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-07-23
OLD Felix's EXCURSIONS.

Of al the popular social occasion
of the year, as they roll round, tn
Old Folks Excursion stands on
beautifully bright, full Of sugges'
tiveness Of the gFandast benevol
ence, charity, humanity and o:
that noble sentiment 30 earnestly
commanded and feellngly com
mended in the Good Bock-lovt
and veneration for the aged. The
thought, when it cams years ago &c
the minds Of the gentlemen whose
names have since been associated
with this annual event, was as
happy ss it was beautiful, and
marked the best qualities of the hui
man heart and a training in the
school of the noblest humanity; and
the manner in which the plan is
executed lie grandly broad, knowing
no narrowness of sentiment, 10
meanness of disposition. no small
ness of soul; the one idea embraced,
the one object sought, is the enter
tainment OF the aged-the scattering
Of the flowers of love in the pathway
of the weary-the shedding of the
bright rays of affection athWart
walks that are becoming darkened
by the shadows of years-<he lifting
of the burdens that are bearing
down heavily upon bowed and
aching shoulders. Do what and all
we may for thenns the paths of the
fathers and mothers toward the
grave Will be more or less broken,
rough and clouded. The best Illus
mination is that which comes from
love, for IL is melted by the
thoughtfulness that makes its pene.
trating power most searching, and is
deprived of the glazing rays which
come when good deeds are prompted
by formal duty rather than sug.
gested by natural affection. The
doing out Of cold charity to the
venerated men and women VINO
have toiled, suffered and denied
themselves that we might be and
thrive, has In it little that is noble
and less that is beautiful; but the
affection that is fun of thoughtful
ness for the oppressed, that is
.abounding in suggestions as to what
viii best pleaseits objects. is full of
the purest and MODEST and most IN
selfish generosity; it comes from the
heart rather than the head: it is the
act OF the nobler inner men.
These annual events have now be-
come q feature Of our social system.
Hundreds look forward to item
from year to year, as the great days
when the little world around them
is given up ard devoted exclusively.
to their entertainment. The excur-
sion is the occasion which encour>
ages them first and sustains them
after. 1t is hoped that the
custom will never be pers
mitted to fall into despetude,
but as the years follow each other
in rapid succession, each hiding
beneath the soil the cares and brok-
en- forms of veterans who sink be-
meath the weight of years, and
bringing others nearer the brink of
that grave which will hide them
forever from mortal eyes, the old
folks excursion will grow and ez~
pand in it's completeness and mission
until it becomes permanently es-
tablished and fzmIyfxed institution,
taking within it's loving embrace
all the aged in the commonwealth,
and paints IN it's beauteous colors
and illumines by its glorious haIo,at
least one day of the few remaining
three-hundred and sisty>6ves left to
the sires and DANES who have full
TOO many of the cares and troubles
of this life.