The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-06-05
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
WILLIAM is GETTING To BE
SOMEWHAT SENTIMENTAL
ne luditea an Interesting Epistio on
che subject of Flowers.

TO 4 thero ia no language but ours that
daa q word or expression signifying
homo" ia the sweet, continental
meaning that We attach 10 IL. There
are words enough thatmean q dwelling
house, an abiding place, but home has
a broader compass and includes ali tho
emotional aurroundings-the garden,
the well, With ita old oaken bucket. or
the crystal spring nt the foot of the
hill-the vines over the door and on
the iattice-the shade trees, the lnnd-
scapo view from the window, the era
die and the old arm char; tho clock
on the mantle, the pictures on the
walls, the faithful watch dog, the play
ful kitten, and ever tho orickets CHR
rup on the hearth. But more than all
these are the loved ones who meet us
and greet MS at the threshold.
The wise man tells us of the time
when man goeth to his long home and
the mourners go about the streets.
Our home here is very brief, we know,
but 1t is the dearest spot on earth. and
should be loved and cherished by
every one who goes out from its sacred
portals or returns within them TO rest
irom the cares of a busy world. 1t is
one Of my constant regrets that there
pre- so many good people in this great
big world who have no home-not an
acre on Gods green earth they can call
their own. If every family had a
home the children would grow up bet
ter citizens, better patriots; the par
ents would hold up their heads and be
thankful to God for his blessings.
The good wife and daughters would
treasure the vines they planted, and
the flowers they grew in the front
yard-howers that are the smiles of
God upon a sin-cursed world. The
poet says:
''lhe world has nothing to bestow;
From our own selves our joys must flow,
And that dear place our home.'"
was Eliminating about these things
as l sat in my verandah in the shadow
of the vines-the Virginia creeper, the
madeira and cinnamon vines that by
day and by night are climbing higher
and, charging and unfolding their
tender leaves that will soon cover the
trellice. love to watch their daily
progress built the framework for
these vines and am proud of it, even
though my wife did boss the Job, and
me, too. Twas she who made me set
the posts out two feet from the edge of
the verandah floor and brace them to
the top of the columns. Twas she
who suggested canes from the cane
brake-long canes that were stuck in
the ground and their tops cut even
and fastened to the crossbar. These
canes are just one foot apart
and are interlaced with horizontal
canes, also foot apart, and the basket
work keeps the whole fabric good and
strong. Strong and vigorous vines
have already climbed and twined
around every cane, but she said there
must be windows in the lattice, so that
we could sit in our chairs and see the
trains 60 by and the carriages and BIZ
cycles and funeral PROFESSIONS and pic
mic parties and the children going to
school and look at our neighbors who
live across the way. So there is a
space Of three feet where the vines
cling close to the perpendicular poles,
but are not allowed to send out any
horizontal shoots. This gives us ample
vision of the outer world, and 1 sit
daily there in my big arm chair and
rest my feet upon the railing and run
mate upon life with it's blessings and
am thankful that live.
just word about that railing. 1t
used to be about three feet high and
studded with upright balusters, the top
rail too high and the bottom one too
low for a good foot rest. So when
bought the property the first thing
did was to reform the long verandah.
IL cost but trife to take out the up
right pieces and lower the top rail and
run a middle one and then put short
square pieces between them and alter
nate them like a road to Jericho. This
makes the cheapest and most comfort
able railing in the world, and gives an
old man choice of three elevations for
. his feet and gives a modest woman
choice Of two. I have already observed
in my brief life that there are two
classes of people who like to elevate
their pedal extremities when in a state
Of innocuous desuetude-old men and
lazy lawyers. Old age is excusable,
for his legs are tired, especially wher
his corporosity increases with adj
vancing years, or he is bossed around
the flower garden by his loving wife
the average lawyer is excusable, too,
suppose, for it is the brain that quick
ems the flow of blood to the extremi
ties, and if the brain has nothing tt
work on-no cases, no clients the Leg
get sleepy and must have rest.
I can tell town loafer's age pretty