The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-09-01

iEOUu your race, i fancy you vac one
who can find pleasure in the COM
pany of old people"
"YouN are right, sir" I replied,
"the company of old people who
have seen SO much of time, wit
messed SO many stirring events,
and withal are so rich in expert
ence, is a source Of great pleasure
to me; and for your most kind in
vitation, accept my sincere thanks.
/ was so struck with the home-like
appearance of your place that j
wished to form the acquaintance
of the people who lived here, and
turned in with the intention of
seeking accommodation for the
night, but your kind invitation
saved me that. You have q beau
tiful home sir; and from the simple
grandeur of that grove, L half eX-
pected to find here just such q man
as you appear"
"1t has been my custom for tho
past twenty years." said he as we
took seats on the porch, "to offer
the hospitality of my house to the
strangers who approached my
gate at sunset. Twenty years ago,
almost to a day, a stranger rode up
to my gate and asked to spend the
night. He appeared very tired,
nay almost ill. My daughter was
at the time very sick, and 1 told
him that under the circumstances
| could not accommodate him, but
he could get accommodation at the
next house, about half a mile dis
tant. When he reached there, he
had to be carried into the house,
having become so ill he could
scarcely sit his horse. For q week
his life was despaired OF. His
sickness, however, proved a bles-
sing to more than one in this COM
munity; for it prevented him from
continuing his journey for three
or four weeks, and we learned that
indeed an angel had been enter
tanned unawares. He was q Meth
odist preacher, and during all my
life 1 have never known q better,
more consecrated man. Since then
l have always invited the stranger
at my gate to enjoy the hospitality
of my house, and l have been more
than repaid"
"You have been cultivating that
grove for a number of years? Those
pines are, I suppose but n continue
alton of that noble pine forest 1
just passed through"
eyes, as man and boy, l have
been cutting away pines and plant
ing other trees for nearly four
score years. When / was a lad of
ten my father told me he would
give me this place for q home when
1 grew up, but advised me to begin
then to improve it. SO 1 began on
that grove, cutting all the little
trees and some of the larger ones
till my father told me he thought
I had cut enough. Most of the
trees are native to the soil there.
Just above here is another forest
Of oak. BY the time l was twenty
I had it nearly as you now see.
Yes, it's a grand old forest"
Thus the old gentleman contin-
ued giving me q history Of his
home and "reminiscences Of his
youth and early manhood, till sup
per was announced. After supper
we repaired to the sitting room,
and were presently joined by his
good lady. On entering the room
l noticed a large picture of a beau
tiful girl, hangins over the mantel.
An oval face, ru,ebud lips, a mass
of chestnut curls, and dark brown
eyes with an almost Heavenly
light, a face once seen to be
forgotten, onco loved forever to be,
cherished, AS / drew nearer l
saw written on a card stuck under
the frame the one word-Margic.
CONCLUDED NEWT WEEK.