The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-10


proposals for a monument. The minister at
the obsequies reads Of the resurrection,
which makes the hearers fear that II the un-
scrupulous fnancier does come up in the
general rising he will try to get a "corner"
on tombstones and graveyard fences. All
good men ale glad that the moral nuisance
has been removed. The Wall street specu-
lators are glad because there Is more room
for themselves. The heirs are glad because
they get possession Of the long delayed IN
heritance. Dropping every feather of all bis
plumes, every Certificate Of all his stock,
every bond Of all his investments. every dol
lar OF all his fortune, he departs, and all the
rolling of dead March" in "Saul," and all
the pageantry of his interment, and all the
exqulteness OF sarcophagus, and all the ex-
travaeance OF epitaphology, cannot hide the
tact that my text has come again to tremen-
dous fulfllment, Men shall clap their hands
at him and shall hiss him out OF his place."
You see the claPping come before the hiss.
The world cheers before it damns So 1t Is
said the deadly asp tickles before Its stings.
Going up, is he2 Hurrah! Stand back and
let his galioping horses dash by. whirlwind
Of plated harness and tinkllng headgear and
arched neck. Drink deep of his madeira and
cognac. Boast OF how we'll you know him.
All hats of as he passes. Bask for days and
years In the sunlight OF his prosperity. Co.
ing down, Is he? Pretend 20 be nearsighted
SO that you cannot see him as he walks past.
When men ask you II you know him, halt
and hesitate as though you were trying to
call up dim memory and say, swell, yes.
yes, I believe I once did know him, but
have not seen him for long WHILE"
Cross different ferry from the ione where
you used to meet zv,al, him ,oI lest at.r+6S ne
life, he spoke a good word for you at the
bank. Talk down his credit now that his
fortunes are collapsing. He put his name
on two Of your notes. Tell him that you
have changed your mind about such things,
and that you never indorse. After awhile
his matters come to dead halt. and an as
signment or suspension or sheriff's sale takes
place. You say: "He ought to have stopped
sooner. Just as I expected. He made too
big splash In the world. Glad the balloon
has burst. Ia, hal" Applause when he
went up, sibilant derision when he came
and hiss him out OF his place." So, high up
amid the crags, the eagle frtters dust into
the eyes Of the roebuck, which then. with
eyes blinded, goes tumbling over the preci-
pice, the great antlers crashing on the rocks.
Now, compare some Of these goings out Of
life with the departure Of men and women
who In the drama Of life take the part that
God assigned them and then went away hon
ored of men and applauded OF the Lord AL
mighty. 1t Is about fifty years ago that In
comparatively small apartment Of the city
newly married pair set upa home. The first
guest invited to that residence was the Lord
Jesus Christ, and the Bible given the. bride
on the day Of her esposual was the guide OF
that household. Days OF sunshine were fol-
lowed by days Of shadow. Did you ever
know a home that for fifty years had no VI
cissitude? The young woman who left her
fathers house for her young husband g home
started out with parental benedtetion and
good advice so will never forget. Her
mother said to har the day before the mar
riage, "Now, my child, you are going away
from US. OF course, as long as your father
and live you will feel that you can come
to us at any time. But your home will be
elsewhere. From long experience find 1t
Is best to serve God. It is very bright with
you now, my child, and you may think you
can get along without religion, but the day
will come when you Ill want God, and my
advice Is, establish family altar, and, II
need be, conduct the worship yourself" :"
The counsel was taken, and that young wife
consecrated every room In the house to
God.
Years passed on and there were In that
home hilarities, but they were good and
healthful, and SORROWS, but they were COM
forted. Marriages as bright as orange bios
SONS could make them. and burrials In
which all hearts were riven. They have
family lot In the cemetery, but all the place
Is illuminated with stories OF resurrection
and reunion. The children OF the household
that lived have grown up, and they are all
Christians, the fathur and mother leading
the way and the children following. What
care the mother took OF wardrobe and edu.
cation, character and manners! How hard
she sometimes worked! When the head OF
the household WAS unfortunate In business,
she sewed until her fingers were numb and
bleeding at the tips. And what close calcu-
latlon OF economies. and what ingenuity In
ref1tting the garments OF the elder children
for the Younger and only God kept account
of that mothers sideaches and headaches
and heartaches and the tremulous prayers
by the side of the sick child's cradle and by
the couch Of this one fully grown;
The npighbors often noticed how tired
she looked, and old acquaintanees
without complaint she waited and toiled
and endured and accomplished all these
years. The children are out In the world
an honor to themselves and their parents.
After awhile the mothers last sickness
comes. Children and grandchildren. sum-
monad from afar, come softly into the room
one by one, for she Is too weak to see more
than one at time. She runs her dying
fingers lovingly through their hair and tells
them not to cry, and that she Is going now,
but they will meet again In q little while IN
q better world, and then kisses them goodby
and says to each, "God bless and keep you,
nv dear child" The day OF the obsequles
comes, and the officiating clergyman tells
the story Of wlfely and motherly endurance,
and many hearts on earth and in heaven
echo the sentiment, and as she Is carried of
the stage Of this NOR al life there are cries
of "Faithful unto death, "She hath done
what she could" while overpowering all the
voices Of earth and heaven Is the plaudit OF
the God who watched her from first to last,
saying, "Well done, good and faithful ser
want; thou hast been faithful over few
things, I will make thee ruler over many
things; enter thou into the Joy OF thy Lord!
But what became of the father OF thai
household? he started as young man IN
business and had small income, and having
got a little ahead sickness In the family
swept It all away. He went through all thd
business panics OF forty years, met many
losses, and suffered many betrayals, but
kept right on trusting in God, whether bus
mess was good or poor setting his children
a good example. and giving them the best OF
counsel, and never a prayer did he offer foi
all those years but they were mentioned IN
It. BE Is old now and realizes 1t cannot be
long before he must quit all these scenes.
But he is going to leave his children an In
heritance Of prayer and Christian principles
which all the defalcations Of earth can never
touch. and as he goes out OF the world the
church OF God bleSses him and the poor ring
his doorbell to SEQ if he Is any better, and
his grave is surrounded by q multi:
tude who went on foot and stood
there before the procession OF carriages came
up, and some say, "Thera will be no one to
take his place." and Others say, Who viii