The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-25

two pictures Will hang IN the nall OF your
memory while memory lasts, and you will
remember jus. how they looked. and where
they sat. and what they -said and at what
ngnre OF the carpet and at what doorstIl
they parted wisa you. giving you the final
goodby. Do not be embarrassed IL your
father come to town and he have the man
ners of the shepherd, and il your mother
come to town and there be in her hat no
sign OF costly millinery. The wife Of the
Emperor Theodosius said wise thing when
she said. ''Husbands, remember what you
lately were and remember what you are and
be thankful"
By this time you all notice what kindly
provision Joseph made for his father. Jacob
Joseph did not say: II can't have the old
man around this place. How clumsy he
would look climbing up these marble stairs
and walking over these mosaics Then he
would be putting his hands upon some OF
these frescoes. People would wonder where
that old greenhorn came from. He would
shock all the Egyptian court with his man
ners at table. Besides that he might get
sick on my hands. and he might be querulous.
and he might talk to me as though were
only boy when I am tho second man in
all the realm. Of course he must not suffer,
and if there is famine in this country-and
I hear there isl will send him some pro-
visions, but I can't take q man from
Padanaram and Introduce him into this
polite Egyptian Court. What nuisance it
Is to have poor relations"
Joseph did not say that, but he rushed out
to meet his father with perfect abandon OF
affection, and brought him up to the palace
and introduced him to the emperor, and
provided for all the rest Of the fathers days,
and nothing was too good for the old man
while living, and when he was dead Joseph.
with military escort, took his fathers re-
mains to the family cemetery. Would God
all children were as kind to their parents
If the father have large property, and he
be wise enough to keep 1t In his own name,
he will be respected by the heirs. but how
often 1t Is when the son finds his father In
famine, rs Joseph found Jacob in famine,
the young people make it very hard for the
old man! They are 50 surprised he eats
with knife instead of fork. They are
chagrined at his antediluvian habits. They
are provoked because he cannot hear as we'll
as he used to, and when he asks 1t over
again and the son has to repeat 1t he bawls
In the old ma G's ear, II hope you hear that"
How long he must wear the old coat or the
old hat before they get him new one! How
chagrined they are at his independence OF
the English grammar! How long he hangs
on! Seventy years, and not gone yet =!
Seventy five years, and not gone yet Eighty
years, and not gone yet! Will he ever go?
They think it OF no use to have doctor in
his last sickness, and go up to the drug
store, and get q dose Of something that
makes him worse, and econonize on coffin,
and beat the undertaken down to the last
point, giving note for the reduced amount,
which they never pay. have oficiated at
obsequies Of aged people where the family
have been so inordinately resigned to Provi-
dence that felt like taking my text from
Proverbs, ''The eye that mocketh at its father
and refuseth to obey its mother, the ravens OF
the valley shall pick it out, and the young
eagles shall eat It," In other words, such
an migrate ought TO have q flock OF crows
for pallbearers congratulate you II you
have the honor of providing for aged par:
ents. The blessings Of the Lord God OF
Joseph and Jacob will be on you.
rejoice to remember that, though my
father lived in plain house the most OF his
days, he died in a mansion provided by the
f1lial piety of a son who had achieved a for
tune. There the octogenarian sat, and the
servants waited on him, and there were
plenty of horses and plenty OF carriages to
convey him, and bower In which to sit on
long summer afternoons dreaming over the
past, and there was not q room in the house
where he was not welcome, and there were
musical instruments OF all sorts to regale
ulm, duQ When ul6 uou pitS5ou luo noiR
came out and expressed all honor possible
and cs-.ied him to the village Machpslah
and put him down beside the Rachel with
whom he had lived more than half GEN.
tury. Share your successes with the old
people. The probability Is that the principles
they inculcated achieved your fortune. Give
them Christian percentage OF kindly con-
sideration. Let Joseph divide with Jacobt the
pasture fields of Goshen and the glorles OF
the Egyptian court.
And here would liketo sing the praises
Of the sisterhood who remain unmarried
that they might administer to aged parents.
The brutal world calls these sacrificing ones
peculiar or angular, but II you have had as
many annoyances as they have had Kan
tippe would have been an angel compared to
you. It is easier to take care OF five roll.ck-
ing, romping children than OF one childish
old man. Among the best women are those
who allo wed the bloom ollie to pass away
while they were caring for their parents.
While other maidens were sound asleep
they were soaking the old mans feet or
mother. While other maidens were In the
cotillon they were dancing attendance upon
rheumatism and spreading plasters for the
lame back of the septenarian and heating
catnip tea for insomnia.
In almost every circle Of our kindredthers
has been some queen OF selfsacriiceto wEom
jeweled hand after jeweled hand was offered
In marriage, but who stayed on the old
place because of the sense Of filial obligation
until the health was gone and the attractive
ness of personal presence had vanished.
Brutal society may call such a one by nick
name. God calls her daughter, and heaven
calls her saint. and call her domestic mar
tyr. A half dozen or .inary women have not
as much nobility as could be found In the
smallest joint OF the little finger OF her left
hand Although the world has stood 5000
years, this is the first apotheosis OF maiden
hood, although in the long line ofthose who
have declined marriage that they might be
qualified for some especial mission are the
names Of Anna Ross and Margaret Brecktn-
ridge and Mary Shelton and Anna Etheridge
and Georglana Willetts, the angels OF the
battletelds of Fair Oaks and Lookout Noun
tain and Charlottesville, and though single
life has been honored by the fact that the
three greatest men OF the Bible-John ana
Paul and Christ-were celibates.
Let the ungrateful world sneer at the
maiden aunt, but God has a. throne bur-
nished for her arrival and on one side OF
that throne in heaven there i5 vase con-
tanning two jewels, the one brighter than the
Kohinoor Of London Tower and the other
larger than any diamond ever found in ths
districts of Golconda-the one jewel by the
!apidary of the palace cut with the words,
'Inasmuch as ye did it to father = the other
jewel BY the lapidary OF the palace cut with
the words, "Inasmuch as ye cid it to moth
er." "Over the Hills to the Poorhouse" is
the exquisite ballad Of Will Carleton, who
found AN old woman who had been turned
ofr BY her prosperous sons, but thank God
may find in my text ''Over the hills to the
palace"
As if 10 disgust Us with unfilial conduct,
the Bible presents us the story of Micah, who