The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-05-11
BILL ARP'S BY.GONE DAYS.
The Joys and Sorrows That Must
be Experienced by Youth.

. Atlanta Constitution.
"Oh carry me baok"-not to cd Vir.
ginny, but to the scenes Of my youth. /
met an old friend in Atlanta the other
day, and soon we were talking OF our
youthful frolics, when the rosy blush OF
life was upou as and the world was
bright and beautiful and We had great
expectations Of s,ill happier days to
come. But they never, never cs me, and
now it is sweet though sad consolation
10 let memory 60 back and for time re
fresh us with the pleasures that will new
er retorn. Whist pity, what . pity that
youth does not realize her own enjoy.
ments We look upon our children as
they plsy and frolic around us, and re
joice In their innocent pleasures, and it
grieves us to think, yea to know, that
there is trouble 10 store for them all.
wlsh that we could avert it, but we can
not. and the best We can do is to prepare
them for it as gently and as tenderly as
We can. "By and by, my boy. l will
leave you, and then you will miss me !;
sDd then you will have TO fight the battle
OF life alone, and DO, have me 10 lean
upon. You will riss my love and coun.
sci and nv companionship; and then the
wrold will seem cold and lonely FOR
awhile until you get used to it. want
to live TO good old age for your sake,
my boy, 30 that you may have at lesst
one friend when trouble comes" This
is sll / cay, and do not cay 1t often to
nv children, for it ssddens them. and .
big lump ge,s 10 nv throat, and ] change
the subject quickly to drive the cloud
away.
MY good old father died many years
ago, and wss = child until he left me
a child of 8fy years, and l realized that
my prop Was gone. New loves hsd
come; wife and children we're near aud
desr; but the love and devotion and
counsel Of q good old father bas no sub
stitute iu this life. When misfortune
comes, and friepds forsske and enemies
asssil, and the world is indifferent. the
father is the bnlwark, the refuge; and ]
miss him now.
My friend and we're talking about q
country lie for the boys, and he said be
wss going to send his boys away from
Atlanta and put them upon The same old
farm he grandfather owned, near Deca
,ur, where he spent 90 many happy days
where he worked and where he played,
where he plowed, And hoed corn, and
drove the wagon and went to mill. and
where be had hunted and ished and scln.
ed and damned up The hranch, aud made
flutter. mills and climbed trees and played
hull-pen and'roly hole and pull over'the
mark-where be went to school with his
dinner bucket ell 6xed up so nice by his
mother, With fried chicken and the giz.
zard never omitted, and old.fashioned
homemade ssussge,and two hsrd.boied
eggs, and little paper OF salt and pep.
per already mixed. and some beat bis
cults with no soda in them, and two turn
over pies on top to cap the climax OF
good things. 81 don't believe" said be,
"that ! an dong my duty by my chill
dren 10 raise .hem in town for tbev will
never have the good time had II keep
them here"
Well, that is so, exactly so. Or course
the boys will miss q great many good
things that happen every dsy and every
night in Atlanta, hut there is time enough
time enough for all that. They will &c
10 Town once or twice while and see q
show, and to my opinion one show i.
ELK months does boy more good than
six shows 10 one month, and costs q
heap less money. We can eat pie until
we get tired Of pie. Marcellus Thorn
ton ate thirty paIt-idges in thirty days,
but they say he has never eaten ono
eipce. / had Carl with me in Atlanta,
and that night we went to hear the min
st'els, for ] wanted to go about as bal
as be did, but l didn't let on, and be
thinks till now that made great sac
rihce to please him. enjoyed the music
and the dancing and the fool things the
darkies SAID, hut I enjoyed my boy't
wonder and delight siill more, and SIT
willing to risk all the hahn that 1t vii
do to him. Minstrel music always hsd
charm for me, and 1t ls just human to
love it. Music is the only thing in o.
nsture that is as sweet in old age as 4
was in our youth. The esr 10 more en-
during in It's enjoymen,s than The taste
or in fact any OF the Other senses.
don't care any thing about ginger cak'
now, but good music is as delightful q
ever. Madame de Stael said that musi