The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-02-23
A Birthday Dime Feb. 18th, 1876
AvIsIoN.

| To-day twenty years ago was
full of a soft warm light. The per.
June of the violet was in the air
| Crocuses peeped oct to greet the
sun in It's splendor. Dsndelions
starred the green swar.i like new
gold coins and bees ,oycd and
hummed around them. The birds
reveled among the trees and sung
songs OF gladness, to-day twenty
years ago! To-day, the clouds are
dark and the wind sohs and walls
without. The fire burns low be
meath the white ashes and IL sit
alone with book in hand which
have forgotten to read. The sweet
angel Of memory comes and unbars
the gates that lead back to the un
fading past; spans the chasm oil
years marked with their milestones
of black gray and white; and my
soul travels back to gaze upon IN
forgotten scenes and faces until my
room grows fairly luminous with
the presence of those,
| "Whose names have been carved
For many a year on the tomb"
Yes, twenty summers have drop
| ped their soft dews and twenty win
ters have sent their white SHOWS
since tiat memorable d.y that
comes now in its beauty and lin
gers before my unclaimed vision
| lis like one OF the soft tinted
paintings of Rembrandt that are
shaded SO exquisitely that the eye
never wearles looking Ga their glo-
rious beauty and supreme excel
lence! Alb, would that | could
throw the vision, as | now see it,
with brush on canvass and hold it
there wreathed in immorteles un-
fading as an immortal Rembrandt.
or a glorious Guido.
In an ohlong room ihto Ahich
the warm mellow rays of Februa
Try sun fall ,ftly through the
parted curtains are few gentlemen
seated around a table spread with
every delieacy Of the S. ason, enjoy
ing birthday dinner given by the
host to his friends Of and near his
own age. How distinct each face
comes before ne in the subdued
light Of the room. Like the clear
sharpness of fine photograph
see them as plainly as they sit
there as did on that memorable
day, twenty years ago! | hear
again the buoyancy Of their CONVEX.
sation. The gay salIies, mirth, wit
and repartee. The jingle of glasses,
the CHATTER of knives and forks. ]
see again the glow of features be-
meath frosted browS, not often seen,
but so pleasing to look on when
the dear faces are growing gray
with age, and nearing the unseen
boundary line OF time and eternity.
The host, Mr.. j. A. j., defferen-
tial, noble. conscientious, obliging
and agreeable, never turning his
back on a friend in the hour OF
need, sits at the head of the table,
his hair thrown back from his
brow with a glad satisfied smile
frightening his eyes as he looks
around at the pleasant faces of his
guests whom he delights to honor in
bestowing the bountiful hospitali-
ties of his table. Among his guests
l note the Rev. Mr.. r. C, the ripe
scholar, the polished gentleman and
popular clergyman and for years oc-
cupying the first pulpit and minis
tering to the largest congregation
in our city. The Rev. DIR. G. T., a
man of the profoundest feeling, a
man of the tenderest susceptibility
and those that grasped his hand
were the better for the contact.
Mr.. Nee, man with an unblem-
ished life, cultured, refined and
sensitive; never bending the knee
to Mammon, or permitting misfor
tunes to harden his heart, or en-
bitter his life. Judge E. w. r.,
combining the tenderness of a wo-
man with the courage and loyalty
Of a man. Generous to O fault, and
devoted to his family and friends
Mr.. G. c. A., one in whom there
was no guile, a man of principle
and moral worth; a combination Of
cumulative qualities, man to whom
the t5wn went to time tLeir watches
and as true In all things as his
watch to point the hour of time
and the life long friend of the host
| Col. r. D., With his warm, rollick.
ing nature, full of jest as Hood
even in the most trying moments
and always ready to do favor fol
his friends without making then
feel the obligation.
The goodly company assembled
are alive with cheer and kindly
feeling for each other. Long they
tarry at the table and not a sal
word or thought mars or shadow
their bright faces, The feast ha,
no spectre; no handwriting peepe'
out in warning letters from. anon,
the wreathes OF evergreens on tn
walls; no sad note whispered amids
) the glowing flowers that sent thei
r sweet perfume to greet them, tn
sad words-'Tis the last.
The vision fades away. I'll
gone. OF the number gathered tc
gether on that memorable day G
twenty years ago, only two renal
with US to day. One by one the
!, have dropped away from US into tb
hush of the tomb. The host frs
and within few months, to en-
): counter the dark secret in ia s
. enee and its mystery.
The clouds hang low and heav
e to-day and the wind sobs and wal
without. The fire is dead beueat
the white ashes, and l.
sit by myself,
u hear the rain patter;
And down in the embers
The fire light is dead.
Il sit by myself,
l heed no.. the matter;
Ny eoul bpt remembers
The tears that are fed.
| sit by myself
n The dream and the sorrow