The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-04-02
CHAPTER FROM REAL LIFE.
An Incident in Connection With the
Worlds Fair.
[Bellefontaine (Ohio) Examiner.l

While in attendance at the late At.
lan,a, Georgia, Exposition, we were
looking one day at a representation
in miniature, of the Worlds Fair, that
was on exhibition, in company with a
Philadelphia gentleman of culture and
intelligence. In the course of con-
versation he said: 81 always make it
a point never to look upon the face ol
dead friend, if l can help it. l wan,
to remember my departed friends al.
ways as they were before disease and
death LETT their ravages.
"Afler the Worlds Fair grounds
were visited by that disastrous fire
which soon followed the closing of the
great exhibition, l happened to be in
Chicago: and l went out to the
grounds one day in company with
some friends, and as l looked at the
once beautiful Perisytle almost in ruins,
the sensation to me was much the same
as that of looking on the face of a
dead friend, for the Peristyle was sacred
to me, and l will tell you why:
"Three years ago lost my father
by death. 1t was a terrible blow to
me for we were attached to each other
more strongly than fathers and their
sons generally are. felt that l could
never recover from his loss, it seemed
so irreparable to me.
"My father was clergyman, and
the world was better for his having
lived. He lifted humanity up and his
sole mission seemed to be to do good.
He lived for some purpose and his life
was one of usefulness. When l was
twelve years fage he called me to him
one day and said: my son, you will
soon enter your teens, and life hence
forth will be beset by many trials for
you-little ones they may be for a
while, but trials nevertheless. | want
you to take me into your confidence
and l will take you INFO mine. When
you have troubles at school, or cares
and vexations of any kind, come to
me with them and | will be your
friend, and you in return must be
mine From that time on my father
and l were companions, and he was
everything to me and to my life. And
SO when he was taken from me, was
in the depth of unhappiness. l thought
of the miserable wretches who are per-
mitted to live on, from year to year
to no purpose, while he who was
so useful and did so much for the
worlds betterment, was taken away. l
couldn't understand why it should be;
[ was rebellious; was bitter, oh, so
bitter over it! True, my father had
reached the ripe age of seventy-four
years, but it seemed to me that his life
and labors we're closed all too soon.
81 had planned to take my father
with me to the Worlds Fair, and
had anticipated so much pleasure a
the prospect of being with him there
and of showing him the many exhibits
Of wonder and interest.
"One day about ten months afte
his death, while in attendance at tha
Fair, l came out of one of the build
ings and stood and looked all aroune
me. l was unusually heavy hearted
and while standing there, thought te
myself: 'Oh, if father were only herr
with mel and my heart seemed to sinl
within me with regret. Just then
ichanced to look at,the Peristyle, and a
! | looked the sun, which had not beer
)shining continuously that day, cam
out suddenly, and shone across it
snowy columns, gliding that work o
art most beautifully, and like fash 3
passage Of Scripture from the secont
chapter of Corinthians came to m,
mind: Eye hath not seen, nor ca
heard, neither hath it entered into tn
Iheart of man, the things which Coo
i2ath prepared for them that love him.
= For the first time in ten Ion,
fmonths found myself reconciled tt
my fathers death; the only ray Of con
ISOLATION in all that dark time had come
and the load on my heart was lifted
/ commenced to think earnestly for tn
first time, of all that my father. OF
quitting earth had entered into Heaven
and threw off my gloom forever. AM
SO the Worlds Fair Peristyle is O
beautiful memory to me, and will eve
be. | have never, though, ceased t
miss my fathers companionship, an,
whenever go to my boyhood home
l take the old dog-my fathers dog
with me, and spend time at my fath
er'S tomb"