The Southern herald., 1888-12-22
An Interesting Occasion.
THE GOLDEN WEDDING OF
ROBERT T. AND LOUISA RICE.

oay IN the country with friends
upon an interesting testal occasion,
such as seldom occur in southern
latitudes, where SO many atmos-
pheric changes take place having
an influence upon the health and
consequently longevity of the peo-
pie, in an age too when the average
of human life is only thirty three
years. By special invitation we
spent the day at the. residence Of
our venerable friends Robert 7.
Rice and his excellent companion,
Louisa Rice, whose golden wedding
was this day celebrated by the in
gathering Of most Of their children
and grand children, and other rela-
tives and friends, for whom
splendid dinner was prepared,
which was highly appreciated by
all present upon the occasion. This
happy couple were married on the
18th day Of December, 183S-just
fifty years before this Celebration
and during this long period of time
they have resided uninterruptedly
on this place. Here they have rails
ed their children to maturity, for
whom they have provided for each
one an excellent home, and now
have the consoling reflection that
all of them are doing well, and
occupying positions in society Of
which they have great cause to be
proud. A brief history of this
family presents an example worthy
to be followed by the lads and lasses
ofthe present day, who contemplate
marriage, not only on account Of
the long and happy married life Of
this excellent couple, but because
Of the thoroughly consistent
course they have pursued in all
the relations of husband and wife,
father and mother. On the 1st day
of March, 1917, Robert T. Rice was
born on the place he now owns and
lives upon, and upon this farm his
father lived for more than ten years
before the present owner was born.
This shows an unbroken chain ol
title TO this old farm in the Rice
family for SO years, and arrange
ments have already been made to
perpetuate the ownership of this
homestead and adjoining lands in
the same family for an indefinite,
and, we hope, long future. The
experience Of the past shows as a
rule that families thatretain longest
the homes of their ancestors are
ever among the very best and most
influential citizens Of any country,
and in some of the older nationali.
ties, as in Great Britain and Germa-
ny, the fact of family permitting
the homes of their ancestors to pass
into strange hands is looked upon
as a shame, not to say disgrace;
and ere another half century is
added to the past, such will be the
sentiment OF those who come after
US in this great and new empire.
We hope to see the day when there
will be a generous rivalry among
our young people to secure part
and parcel of the parental home
steads or surrounding lands as their
future homes, and when the prevail
ing sentiment at present of seeking
homes among strangers will be
abandoned, and all secure perma-
nent home as near as possible to
the place where they first saw the
light. Let every one strive to build
for himself a home and reputation
that will stand the strictest scrutiny
where they are best known, and not
have to acknowledge themselves
to be failures by removingto strange
communities in search of social
companionship and friends who
will only accord it upon the ground
that they know nothing either for
or against them. A GUEST.
Dec. 12, 1888.