The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-06-05
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
WILLIAM IS GETTING TO DE
SOMEWHAT SENTIMENTAL
He Indftes an Interesting Epistle on
the Subject of Flowers.

home" in the sweet, sentimental
meaning that we attach to it. There
are words enough that mean dwelling
house, an abiding place, but home has
broader compass and includes all the
emotional surroundings-the garden,
the well, with it's old oaken bucket, or
the crystal spring Mt the foot Of the
hill-the vines over the door and on
the lattice-the shade trees, the land.
scape view from tho window, the era
die and the old arm chair; the clock
on the mantle, the pictures on the
walls, the faithful watch dog, the play
full kitten, and ever the crickets' CHR
rup on the hearth. But more than all |
these arc the loved ones who meet us |
and greet us ut 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 it 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
from the cares of a busy world. 1t is
one OF my constant regrets that there
are 80 many good people in this great
big world who have no home-not an
acre on Gods green earth they can coll
their own. If every family had
home the children would grow up bet
ter citizens, better patriots; the par
ents would hold up their heads aud 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-flowers that are tho smiles of
God upon sin.cursed world. The
poet says:
"The world has nothing to b,stow;
From our own selves our joys must fov,
And that dear placc-'our home.'"
1 was ruminating about these things
as 1 sat in my verandah in the shadow
of the vines-the Virginia creepcr, the
madeira and cinnamon vines that by
day and by night are climbing aigher
and, charging and unfolding their
tender leaves that will soon cover the
trellicc. 1 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 tho vines
cling close to the perpendicular poles,
but are not allowed to send out any
horizontal shoots. This gives us ample
vision CT the outer world, and / sit
daily there in my big arm chair and
rest my feet upon the railing and rum
inate upon life with its blessings and
am thankful that live.
Just IL word about that railing. It
used to be about three feet high and
studded with upright balusters, the top
rail too high aud the bottom one too
| low for good foot rest So when |
bought the property the first thing /
did was to reform the long verandah.
1t cost but tride to take out the up
right pieces and lower the top rail ana
run 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 nn
old man choice of three elevations for
his feet and gives modest woman
choice Of two. / have already observed
in my brief life that there are two
classes of people who like to elevate
their pedal extrcmitics when in state
| or lnnocuous desurtuhc-old men and
lazy lawyers. Old age is eXcusable,
Tor his legs are tired, especially when
his corporoSity increases with adj
vancing years, or he is bosscd around
the flower garden by his loving wife;
the average lawyer is excnsable, too, /
suppose, for it is the brain that quick
ems the flow of blood to tho extremI-
ties, and if the brain has nothing to
work on-no cases, no clients-the legs
get sleepy and must have rest.
can tell a town loafer's age pretty
well by his posture when seated. An
old, confirmed loafcr wants two
] chairs, one to rest his feet upon. If
I he is lawyer he prefers table.
But am off the subject again. I
was thinking about the howers-the
new and beautiful flowers that Mrs.
Arp got from MIR. Bcrckmnn-thcse
| cnnnng Tint nrn so nnrnnnnul,, l..u.l.r