The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-12-11
OUR HOME.

memory floats back over me with o
shower of emotions and thoughts to-
ward whose precious fall my heart
opens itself greedily like q thirsty
flower. 1t is n home among the hills
humble and homely-but priceless
in its wealth of associations. The
water fall sings again in my ears, as
it used to sing through the dreamy
mysterious nights after the rains.
The overlooking shade trees at the
gate, the rose at the window and the |
dahlias that stood by the walk, the
orchards on both sides Of the hill, the |
old locust, the machinery of the storms
and showers, the little smithy under
the hill that famed with strange light
through the dull winter evenings,
the puncheon walk botwixt the house
and the kitchen, the tall chestnuts
and stately oaks beyond the crystal
spring, and the dim blue haze upon
the retiring monntains--all these
come back to me with an appeal
which touches my heart and moistens
mine eyes. [ sit again in the door
way at summer nightfall, eating my
bread and milk, looking off upon the
dorkcning landscape, and listening
to the shouts Of boys upon the hill
side, calling OF driving homcward the
reluctant herds. 1 watch again the
devious way of the dusky night hawk |
along the twilight sky, and listen to
his measured note, and the breezy
boom that accompanies his head long
plunge toward the earth. Even the
old barn, crazy in ever timber and
gaping at every joint, has CHAINS for
me. [ try again the breathlcss leap
from the great beams into the straw
/ sit again on the threshold of the
widely open doors-open to the soft
south wind of sprine.~-and watch the
cattle whose faces look half human to
me, as they sun themselves and peace
fully ruminate, while drop by drop,
the disolving snow upon the roof drills
holes through the wasting drifts be-
meath the caves, down into the oozing
otlal Of the yard. The first little
lambs Of the season tcddle Ey the side
Of their dams, and utter their feeble
blcatil.g, while the flock nibble at the
straw-rick, or pair of rival wcathers
try the strength of their skulls in an
encounter, half in earnest and half in
play. The proud old rooster crows
upon his dung hill throne, and some
delighted member of his silly family
leaves her nest, and tells to her mates
an to nc that there is another
egg in the world. The old horse
whinnics in his stall and calls to me
for food. look up 10 the roof and
think Of last years swallows soon to
return again--aud hear the tortions
of their musical morocco, as it wraps
their young, aud catch glimpse of
angular sky through the diamond
shaped opening which gave them in
@rcss and cgrcss. How, [ know not,
and care not; but that old barn is
part Of myself-if has entered into
my life and given mo growth and
wealth.
Eut I lccll Into the house again
Where the life abidcs which has ap-
pr"priatci these things, and finds
among them lis home. The hour of
evening has come, the candle is
lighted and a good man in middle
life though cid he seems to mc--
takes down thc wcll-worn bible and
l'ads a chapter from its hallowcd.
pages. y sweet woman sits by his
side with my sleepy head upon her
knee, and brothers and sister are
grouped rcvcrcntialiy around I do
not understand the words, but /
Lave been told they arc the words of
God, and 1 believe it. The long
ch"ptcr ends and then we all kneel
down ana the good man prayed. I
fa asleep with my head in the chair
and tnc next morning. remember
nothing Of the way in Which [ went
70 bed. Again and again is the wor-
ship repeated through all the days Of
many golden years. The pleasant
converse Of the Grside, the simple
songs Of homo, the words Of eneour-
aGcncnt rs / bend over my school
tasks, the patient bearing with
the Freaks Of my restless nature, the
gentle counsel mingled with rcproofs
and arrrovals, the sympathy that
meets and assuagcs every SORROW
and swcctens every little successful
these return to me amid the rcspon-
SiLIiiticS which press upon me now,
and l feel as if l had once lived in
heaven, and straying, had lost my
way.
That good man bade that family
farewell. Hc left with blessings on
his lYs for me. His ashes lie be-
meath the Old Domilion's s consecrated
sod, and the wife of his youth has
met him bcyond the river. Those
who called him father have scattered
and dwell in new homes, and the old
house and barn, and orchard, have
passed into the possession Of strang-
cls. They have changed, pulled
down and rcmodcllcd buildings, and
iurDpl thp l,y IN fbs, onJ ,.Do,I, ,,,.,.,.