The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-14
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
HE RUM. ATES ON THE TEMPER
ANCE FATHER TIME.
The Old Man is Slow, But He is I'm
erringly Sure.

y
hand and nothing on but his bones,
but he is a good doctor. Long before
he cuts us down he begins to soften
and soothe the passions and asperities
Of life and to prepare our better ma
ture for the only solution of life's prob
lem. which is love to God and to our fell
low men, but very few old men carry
bitterness to the grave. One day L
observed an old man for whose talents
the community had great respect talk
ing to a friend. His eyes flashed and
every lineament of his face betokened
anger. AS he struck the end of his
cane to the pavement he said: 81
ought to have killed the scoundrel."
Cautiously approached and inquired:
Had a difficulty with somebody,
colonel?" "Ob," said he, 81 was
just telling Brown about little affair
that happened about-let me See
yes, Just forty five years ago." But
even ne mellowed down some years be-
fore he died. Now, if we lived as
long as Noah or Methusaleb, or even
as long as Abraham, we might feed
and cherish bitterness for numbered
years, but three score years and ten is
too brief time to be wasted in pas
siOns.
Thirty-one years have passed since
the war, and I was ruminating over
the difference between now and then.
We veterans remember when We were
all accused of treason and many of our
leaders had to flee the country for fear
of arrest and trial and condemnation
and death. When to possess or exhibit
confederate flag provoked imprlson
ment; when we had to defend the lost
cause or lament its failure in whispers,
and when every man who was worth
$40, 900 had his property contiscated
unless he petitioned for pardon and
paid we'll for it. The pardon brokers
at Washington made millions out of
our wealthy citizens.
But Time has diluted the bitterness
of those who were our most malignant
enemies. Reflection has tempered the
| preiudices of our northern brethren,
and now we see General Gordon and
| NtutIul given Soiuh anu
willing welcome as they discourse tenn
perately and truthfully of the war, it's
causes and its results. Nowhere is the
carpet bagger who figured in recon-
stluction time S more denounced and de-
spised than at the north. More than
all this, monument has been built on
northern ground in memory of the
confederate dead. Brothcrly unions
of the blue and the gray have been
held at various times and places, and
thousands of the grand army are NOV
ing southwark and fraternizing with
our people. There is only one sore
that does not heal, and that is the hard
fact that while we pay our own pensions
we have to help to pay theirs and get
nothing back. The estimate is that it
takes half million annually for Geor-
gia to pension her confederate widows
and disabled soldiers, and ten times as
much to pay her part of the union pen
sions. This five millions goes into their
hopper and we get no toll. But even
this will pass away. Old Father Timeis
slow up there, but he is sure. Unpen-
stoned soldiers don't live as long as
those who feed on government pap,
and there are not near ns many OF
them. We see it stated that there are
now less than one hundred thousand
} confederate survivors. | told that to
q federal general in Florida not long
ago, and he ruminated over it some
time and said "You rebels fought sc
hard and endured so much you broke
down your constitutions. StonewalI
Jackson's fool calvary, | know, must
have worn their legs off up to theil
: knees, like Munchausen s famous hunt.
ing dog"
But after so long time the heroisn
Of the south is looming up and the los
cause shines before the world in s
clearer and more lustrOus light. Nc
zane man speaks of us as traitors now
and we are permitted with kindly
: grace to honor our dead and builc
monuments to our heroes. Patriotism
and courage are honored everywhere
There are, of course, a few heartles
souls in every community who care
nothing for the sacred memories OF th
war, and with pjons junction exc'a'm
"Oh, let the dead past bury its dead
Look not back, hut forward. We hav
no time for sentiment. Such me
will never defend their country nor hel
, TO save state. A people withou
sentiment will never have any heroe:
DR.. Johnson, the greatest philosophe
that ever lived, said: "Ihat man
little to be envied whose patriotisI
would not gain force upon the plain
Marathon. Even religion, which
animated only by faith and hope wi
glide by degrees out OF the mind Ill
less it be iDv;gorated by calls to wo
q ship and the salutary Influence of 6:
D ample" Never wos anything MOI
! truihfully said. The good citize
s must keep his patriotism alive
f chrrishing the memories OF the wars
n which they or their fathers were @
d gagged. Over two the u.and years ha
passed since tbs Athenians defeats