Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-09-24

Year after year went away into nothing,
with great explosions and outcries in tho
cities on tho plain; red revolt springing mp
and being suppressed in blood; battle sway
ing hither and thithcr; patient astronomers
in observatory towers picking out and chris
tening new stars; plays being performed in
lighted theatres; people being carried into
hospitals on stretchers, and all the usual tur-
mol and agitation OF mems lives in crowded
centers. Up in wills valley only the winds
and seasons made an epoch; the fish hung in
the swift stream; tho birds circled overhead
the pine tops rustled underneath the stars;
tie tall hills stood over all and win went 10
and fro, minGing his wayslde inn, until tho
snow began to thicken on his head. His
heart was young and vigorous, and II his
pulses Eept sober time thcy still beat strong
and steady in his wrists. He carried ruddy
stain on either cheek, lilo a Tipe apple; be
stopped little, but his STEP was still firm,
and his sinewy hands were reached out to all
meu With a friendly pressure. His face was
covered with those wrinkles which are got In
open air. and which, rightly looked at, arc
no more than sort Of permanent sunburn-
ing; such wrinkles heighten the stupidity OF
stupid faces but to a person like VIII, with
lis clear eyes and smiling mouth, only give
another charm by testifying to a simple
and easy lifo His talk was full OF wise say
ings Ho had taste for other people, and
othor people had taste for him When tho
valley was full of tourists in tho season, there
were merry nights in wills arbor; and his
views, which seemed whimsical to his neigh
bors, wero often admired by learned people
out Of town and colleges Indeed, he had u
very noble old age, and grew daily better
known; so that his fame was heard OF in the
cities of tho plain; and young mon who had
been summer travellers spoke together In
cafes Of win o. the Mil and his rough phi
losophy. Many and many an invitation, you
may be sure, he had, bu. nothing coaJ
tempt him from his upland valley. Ho would
shake his head and smile over his tobacco
pipe with q deal OF meaning. "You cone
too late,n he would answer ~ am q deaj
man now; have lived and died already
Fifty years ago you would have brought my
heart into my mouth; and now you do not
even tempt me. But that is the object Of
long living, that man should cease TO care
about hfe.n And again; There is only one
difference between long lifo and good
dinner; that, in the dinner, the sweets CONT
last" Or onco more: "When was a boy
was bit puzzled, and hardly knew whether
it was myself or tho world that was curiois
and worth looking into Now, know it !,
myself, and stick to that
He never showed any symptoms Of frailty.
but kept stalwnrt and firm TO the last; but
they say he grew less laxative toward the
end, and would listen to other people by the
hour In an amused and sympathetic silenca
only when he did speak II was more to the
point, and moro charged with old experience
He dran, a bottle OF wine GLADLY; above all.
at sunset on tho hilltop or quite late at night
under the stars in the arbor. The sight CT
something attractive and unattainable sea-
soned his enjoyment, no would say; and he
PROGRESSED ho had lived long enough to admire
a candle all the moro when he could compare
1t with planet
One night, in his nd year. he awoke in bed
In such uneasiness Of body md mind that be
arose and dressed himself and went out 10
mediate in the arbor. 1t was pitch dark,
without q star; tho river was swollen, and
tho wet woods and meadows loaded the cir
with perfume. II had Numbered during the
day, and it promised more thunder for
tho morrow murky, sitting night
for man of 20, Whether It wa,
the weather or the wakofuiness, or
some littlo touch OF fever in his old limbs
Wills mind was besieged by turnaltuous and
crying memories. His boyhood, the night
with tho fat young man, tho death OF hIs
adopted parents, tho summer days with Mar
1ory, and many OF those small circumstance
winch seem nothing to another, and arc VI
the very gist Of mans own lifo to himself
tning9 seen, words beard, looks mlscons.sued
-aioso fron their forgotten corners ant
usuFped lis attention The dead themaeiyes
we're with hiia not msrely taking part IL
tbs thin chow OF memory that delilel hcior-
us brain but rovisltins hia bodily sonsas as
tAsy do N profound and vivid dreams Tie
lat yoanS nan laaned his elbows on tho table
opposite; liarioly came and won't with an
nproniul q flowers batwcau tho garden and
tho albor; 10 could hcsr tho old paraon
shocking out his p.pe or blowing his resonant
nose Tho tdo OF his CONSEQUENCES cbbed
and flowed; hc was sometimes hall asleep and
drowned IN his recollectiors OF the past,
and sometimes hc was broad awake wonder
'ag q himself. But about the middle