The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1889-09-11
"8AL ARP" PICTURES 4 Happy NOME.

~ oAo Adi lucI ~ 10 ne ell
Wed. The other day my wife and
| were invited out to our friend
Billy Hoods to eat grapes and
melons, and we went. He lives
at the foot of the mountain, two
n lies from town, and We found the
front yard swept out, and the back
yard toe, and the water pail and
wash pan had been secured, and
the children had put on clean
clothes, and everything was in ap>
pie pie order, for that is the way
country folks do when town folks
are coming to see them. We
kaow all about that. But it is
rather embarrassing when town
company takes them unawares on
a wash day or cleaning up day. l
remember that on one occasion my.
VIE could hardly get one of the
girls to go to the door, and when
she did 50 she opened it and got
behir d it and asked the company
TO walk into the parlor until she
could change her garments.
Billy Hood is my ideal of old
Agurs prayer, give me poverty
nor riches. " lie is just comfort.
able and has TO work hard to keep
so. He is always cheerful and so
are his wife and children. Ills
good old mother lives not ,or away,
and his married daughter is in
sight. He lives in cottage that
is shaded by some large oak trees.
The well with its old oaken bucket
is in the back yard and the garden
is near at hand. Chickens of ell
sizes are meandering around, and
The ash hopper and the dairy and
cider press show signs of clean
things and good things. There is
nothing fne enough to be afraid of
nothing poor enough to excite
your sYmpathy-everything is com
Portable and that is all.
"And | said if there's pace to be
found in the world
A heart that was bundle might
hope forit here
Billy Hood was good solder
n the war ana he is a good farmer
n peace. He always has his
premium acre in cotton and in
'orn. ] thick that he can safely
count On two bales of the one and
lXty bushels Of the other this |
'ear and his whole crop is nearly |
IS good. lie is a good citizen and |
lever grumbles about his taxes or
having to work the roads. He is
good Christian and his children
ONE to Sabbath school aud he al
Ways pays his full part to the
PREACHER on the first day OF every
month. What if the world was
ull of such familleg, such fathers
nd mothers and children.
Their best companions, innocence
and health,
Their best riches ignorance of
wealth.
low blest is he who crowns IN
shades like these
\ youth OF labor with an age of
ease
Beautiful'luscious grapes lined
he garden fence or every side. /
'egan at the gate and eat all the
way round, and after brief inter-
'al | had to sample the melons.
nd IN course Of time a few pears
nd peaches we're packed on top
nd then the cider ~as brought
onward to make the repast con-
,lete.
But | got home safe, and as we
lad had only lunch for dinner
he girls had prepared an extra
God supper with a green corn
budding attachment. When the
ioctor lett me next day he thought
was asleep, but / heard him
Whisper to my wife that he thought
here was chance for mo TO pull /
trough, for my constitution was a
.ood one, considering how hsd
imposed on it. Many inquiring
riends called to see me, and while
he morphine was working II
bought | heard somebody say
he hearse had come. and | clucth. |
d the sheet to see if l was really
II a coffin. 1t took me about a
week to get streight again, but
here is some good with the bad. |
found that / had more friends |
han knew of, and | have re- |
:eived lots OF congratulations. es, !
)ecially from the agent who in.
nred my life. Sunday Constit,s>
ion.