The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-12-26
An Old Mans Christmas Party.
BY WILL CARLTON.

BY WILL CARLTON.
Trim up the parlors, good-wife, and make
=, Them extra gay;
For I'm TO have party, on this cold Christ
mas day:
The friends that are invited will be here-do
IN go myself and bring them, unless they'll
come without.
Oh yes you've been guessing, perhaps
10 do;
The first whose invitations have all been left
tome:
You're not quite sure concerning the guests
you're going TO see.
Our chIdrene.No, not this time; they've
children Of their own,
Whose Chrlstmas-trees are bending with pres.
ents newly grown;
They've got their life-vines planted. with
l0ve.fiowers all about
lust what aOe worked so hard for, when we
first started out.
Our cousins? well, not this time: 'tsnt
what the plan intends;
They're all quite earthly prosperous, with
any amount Of friends
The world Is always offering success an up
But Christmas wasn't invented entirely for
the rich.
Our preacher and his family ?-7neyre work.
Ing HOW like sin,
A.sor ting out The slippers and other gifts sent
in;
One turkey that know of is on their kitchen
blaze;
A CHEEKY, popular preacher has good times,
nowadays.
You don't know who you've cooked for?-
Well, that Is most too bad
Or course you've no cur'osty-no woman
ever had!
But still, your hands and heart, wife, have
u0nnn well nigh Sosss gone ,sovn to war? S,,.,o
knows who it's for?
I'll tell you one: "a cripple that you and
Is living in small hut half buried in the
His body bravely struggling to coax his soul
10 stay;
I'm going to get that cripple, and keep him
him here all day. g..
And ones poor old woman we've never
called our friend,
But whose sad life grows heavy while strug-
CLING to Its end
Without merry Christmas for twenty win.
tiers drear! ..
To-day she'll have picnic to last her all the
year.
And ones an old.style preacher; brimful OF
heavenly truth, ..-
his youth; 49,.
And younger men and prettier, with fiowery
words came nigh;
And SO the various churches have stood the
old man by. .'
He tried bis best to please them and serve Je-
hoyah too
something news"
They wanted elocution, and curvey. .gestured
speech!
And now this grand old preacher can't get
place 10 preach.
But I've strong opinion, that angels crowd
up near
That man.deserted leader, his God-llke
thoughts TO hear;-
We'll have Bible-chapter made over good as
When he to-day talks Gospel, and asks the
blessing, too!
"And who else ?"-I have sent word 10 all in
my minds way,
Who can't afford dinner that equal to the
Aud some good prosperous friends too, will
come with smiling face,
To Keep those poor from feeling that they're
aseparate race.
nd one of them's a neighbor; who, though
sincere. no doubt,
Once coaldn't quite understand me-and so
we two fell out;
And every Sunday morning we've passed
each others door,
And have not known each other for fifteen
years or more:
I went 10 him last evening, and said, "Old
friend see here:
We're both tip-top good fellows now, doesn't
1t strike you queer.
That we're assisting Satan to SOW the grain OF
strife?
Come over, sure, tomorrow, and bring along
your wife.
Just come and help up, helping some poor
ones draw their loads,
Who've stalled upon the side-hills Of Life's
uneven roads,"
He looked at me IN wonder-then stood mo-
ment still
Then grasped my hands. and whispered, my
dear old friend, will"
think you're with me, good-wife, from what
your features say;
And that's the kind OF compny we're going
10 have to-day
Through which hope true love for all man.
kind may roam;
A sort of Christmas party where Christ would
feel al home