The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-30
atlanta Constitution.

off to q Distant City.
atlanta Constitution.
These arc solemn times nowhere is
nobody dead or sick, but there
ifa lost child, and that is nearly as sad.
We know where she is, for we sent her
there; but it is hard on the old folks to
send their youngest child away, especial
ly when she is girl and the last of the
litter. It took us few days to realize
that she was gone. Sometimes she goes
to spend night with a aschoolmate, and it
seemed like she was there and would
soon come back, but she doesn't. Her
piano is closed, and its dark rosewood
case looks darker now. There is feeling
of sadness around the house. The sewing
machine is having a rest, for she made
her own clothes, and she cleans up the
house and sets the table and lights the
lamps and helps her mother, and when
the cook quits she can mako as good a
biscuit as can. She loves her home and
loves me, and when I am grunty or sad
she knows it and rubs my head with CO.
logne and combs my back hair and cheers
me up, and get we'll, but I am sick now
and she isn't here.
I was in hopes we could finish her
schooling right here, but we can't. We
have no college and the high school is
limited by poverty. We are taxed enough
in all good conscience to have everything
we want. I am paying now about one
hundred dollars year for other peoples
children, and have to send off my own.
There are many parents here who are do.
ing the same thing, and to my mind 1t is
all wrong in principle. Our county pays
1000 to the school fund Of the State and
we get back only 81 900 Of it. The other
$4,000 is scattered all over the State to
educate black and white. Our town pays
out 81, 900 year to educate the negroes in
the corporation, and we get no thanks
for that. All this tax is based upon the
idea that we get it all back in making
good citizens out of the children as they
grow up. If that is really so, we will try
and be content, but the whole system is a
strain upon our philanthropy. Every
community would like to keep their
money at home, and if 1t Is not spent right
we can make fuss about it. Our town
pays $4,000 for school tax and our county
pays $4,000 more, and we can't help
thinking that if we could keep the $40, 900
that is sent away what home college we
could build in our own community. Ten
thousand dollars a year for an income
would give US first class institution, and
it would save US big lot of money, be-
sides $1,000 year that is going away
right now from this town to other female
colleges. That makes $4,000 a year
that we are out Of pocket, and our people
are not happy. But alPs we'll that enus
well.
Our Jessie has gone to the Agnes Scott,
at Decatur, to finish up. We had to send
her somewhere, for she couldent climb
any higher at home. And besides, 1t was
thought best to send her away for rest
and repose. A number of our best girls
have been sent away recently for repose.
The boys of the town don't seem to have
very much to do, and they indulge in the
delightful employment of visiting the
school girls, and this disturbs their tran
guilty and distracts their susceptible
minds from study and wholesome reading
and meditation. By day and by night
they are coming and going, getting up
parties and playing tennis and baseball
and other hilarities, and as it couldent be
stopped without bad manners it was
thought best to send the girls away and
let them stay until their minds came back
to them. I heard one afflicted parent say
that he was afraid his daughters mind
was clean gone. We are not troubled
about Jessie on that account, but she
does need some time that she can call her
own. Some time to read and study and
devote to her music. She is gone now
and the boys will frequent these parts no
more, reckon. No more will we be en-
tertained with the thrilling narrative Of
baseball and tennis, and the heroic
achievements Of the Cedartown nine and
the Acworth nine, and the Cartersville
lawn tennis club that cost SO for its
equipment.
I heard Sam Jones preach a sermon
once to parents about this same trouble,
and he stretched forth his hand and said {:
"Now, boys, see you here and I want
you to hear mo. want you to keep away
from my house until I tell you to come.
My daughters are at school, and don't
want their minds distracted from their
studies. I like you and like your faith
ers and mothers, but there is q time for
all things and you must keep away from
my house. Well, Of course, If you come
will treat you politely and invite you
into the parlor, and I'll send for Bob and
Paul to come in and entertain you, and
If YOU can make ANYTHING off of Bob and