The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-24
BILL ERP'S LETTER.
He Sends His Girl AWAY to School and He
il Sad Because She IL Gone.
Atlanta Constitution.

Atlanta Constitution.
These are solemn times nowhere
is nobody dead or dying, but there is a
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, es-
pecially when she is girl and the last
of the litter. 1t took US a few days to
realize that she lad gone. Sometimes
she goes to spend night with a school,
mate, 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
rest, for she made her own clothes,
and she cleans up the house and sets
the table and lights the lamps and
lelps her mother, and when the cook
quits she can make as good biscuit as
I can. She loves her home and loves
me, and when 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 1 am
sick right now anG she is not 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 Lifted by poverty. We are taxed
enough in all good conscience to have
anything we want. am paying now
about one hundred dollars a year for
other peoples children, and have to
send off my own. There are many
parents here doing the same thing and
to my mind it is all wrong in principle.
Our county pays $1,000 to the school
fund Of the State and we-get back only
$1,000 Of it. The other $4,000 is scat
tered all over the State to educate white
and black. 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 sys-
tenn is strain upon our philanthropy.
Every community would like to keep
their money at home, and if it is not
spent right we can make fuss about
it. Our town pays $4,000 for school tax
and our county pays $1,000 more, and
we can't help thinking that if we could
keep $4,000 that is sent away, what a
home college we could build in our
own community. Ten thousaad dol
lars year for an income would give us
a first-class institution, and it would
save US a big lot of money, besides
$1,000 year that is going away right
now from the town to other female COL
leges. That makes $4,000 a year that
we are out of pocket, and our people
are not happy. But ALPS well that
ends we'll.
Our Jessie has gone to the Agnes
Scott, at Decatur, to finish up. We
had to send her somewhere, for she
couldn't climb any higher at home.
And besides, it was thought 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 so they indulge in the delight
full employment Of visiting the school
girls and this disturbs their tranquility
and distracts their susceptible minds
from study and wholesome reading and
meditation. By day and by night they
are coming and going and getting up
parties and playing tennis and base
ball and other hilarities, and as it
couldn't be stopped without bad man
ners it was thought best to send the
girls away and let them stay until their
minds come 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,
T reckon. No more will we be enter
tanned with the thrilling narratives of
baseball, aud tennis, and the heroic
achievements of the Cedartown nine,
and the Acworth nine, and the Carriers
vile lawn tennis cIIb that cost $40 for
its equipment.
heard Sam Jones preach sermon
to parents once about these same
troubles, and he stretched forth his
hand and said: "Now, boys, see you
here, and I want you to hear me. I
want you to keep away from my house
until I tell you to come. My daugh-
ters are at school, and / don't want
their minds distracted from their
studies. like you and I like your
fathers and mothers, but there is a
time for all things, and you must keep
away from my house. Well, of course,
if you come 1 will treat you politely
and invite you into the parior, and III
send for Bob and Paul to come in and
entertain yea, and if you can make
anything off of Bob and Paul you are
welcome to it, but you shan't see my
daughters"
Well, it's right hard to drive the boys
away, for they come with good intent
and never saw mother who was moi
pleased with attention to her daughter
and I never saw daughter who was
offended at it. and so we lust had tC