Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-10-08

Providence that felt like taking my
text from Proverbs, 1.-The eye that mock
eth at his father and refuseth 10 obey
it's mother, the ravens of the valley
shall pick it out and the young eagles
shall eat it. " In other words, such an
migrate ought TO have flock of crows
for pallbearers congratulate you if
you have the honor Of providing for
aged parents. The blessing of 4he Lord
God of Joseph and Jacob will be on
you.
rejoice TO remember that though my
father lived in plain house the most
of his days he died in a mansion pro-
vided by the filial piety Of a son who
had achieved fortune. There the octo-
genarian sat, and the servants waited on
him, and there were plenty Of horses
and plenty of carriages to convey him.
and bower in which to sit on long
summer afternoons, dreaming over the
past, and there was not room in the
house where he was not welcome, and
there were musical instruments Of all
sorts to regale him, and when life had
passed the neighbors came out and ex-
pressed all honor possible and carried
him to the village Machpelah and put
him down beside the Rachel with whom
he had lived more than half a century.
Share your successes with the old peo-
pie. The probability is that the princi-
pies they inculcated achieved your for
tune Give them a Christian percentage
Of kindly consideration. Let Joseph di-
vide with Jacob the pasture fields Of
Goshen and the glories Of the Egyptian
court
Tribute to the Spinster.
And here would like TO sing the
praises Of the sisterhood who remained
unmarried that they might administer
to aged parents The brutal world calls
these self sacrificing ones peculiar or
angular, but if you had had as many
annoyances as they have had Xantippe
would have been an angel compared
with you 1t is easier 70 take care Of
five rollicl1ing, romping children than
Of one childish old man Among the
best women Of our land are those who
allowed the bloom Of life to pass away
while they were caring for their par
ents. While other maidens were asleep
they were soaking the old mans feet
or tucking up the covers around the
invalid mother While other maidens
were in the cotillOn they were dancing
attendance upon rheumatism and spread
ing plasters for the lame back Of the
septuagenarian and heating catnip tea
for insomnia.
In almost every circle Of our kindred
there has been some queen Of self sacrifice
towhom jeweled hand afterjeweled hand
was offered in marriage, but who staid
on the old place because Of the sense Of
flial obligation until the health was
gone and the attraetiveness Of personal
presence had vanished Brutal society
may call such a one by a nickname
God calls her daughter. and heaven
calls her saint. and call her domestic
martyr A half dozen ordinary women
have not as much nobility as could be
found in the smallest joint Of the little
finger Of her left hand Although the
world has stood 5000 years, this is the
first apotheOsis Of maidenhood. although
in the long line Of those who have de-
clined marriage that they might bequali-
fed for some especial mission are the
names of Anna Ross and Margaret
Breckenridge and Mary Shelton and
Anna Etheridge and Georgiana Willetts,
the angels Of the battlefelds Of Fair
Oaks and Lookout Mountain and Chan
cellorsville and Cooper Shop hospital,
and. though single life has been hon.
ored by the fact that the three grandest
men of the Bible, John and Paul and
Christ, were celibates
"Over the Hills TO the Palace"
Let the ungrateful world sneer at the
maiden aunt. but God has a throne
burning for her arrival, and on one side
of that throne in heaven there is vase
containing two jewels, the one brighter
than the Kohinoor Of London Tower
and the other larger than any diamond
ever found in the districts Of Golconda
the one jewel by the lapidary Of the
palace cut with the words, Inasmuch
as We did it TO father" the other jewel
by the lapidary Of the palace cut with
the words. "Inasmuch as ye did It to
mother. " "Over the Hills to the Poor
house" is the exquisite ballad Of Will
Carleton. who found an old woman who
had been turned off by her prospered
sons but | thank God may find in my
text, "Over the hills to the palace
As if TO disgust US with unilial con-
duct, the Bible presents US with the
story of Micah. who stole the l,l0O
shekels from his mother, and the story
of Absalom, who tried to dethrone his
father. But all history is beautiful with
stories of filial fidelity. Epaminondas,
the warrior, found his chief delight in
reciting to his parents his victories.
There goes Eneas from burning Troy
ON his shoulders Anchises, his father.
The Athenians punished with death any
unfilial conduct There goes beautiful
Ruth escorting venerable Naomi across
the desert amid the bowling OF the
wolves and the barking Of the jackals.
John Lawrence, burned at the stake ID
Colchester, was cheered in the flames
by his children, who said, "Oh, God,
strengthen thy servant and keep thy
promise. " And Christ in the hour OK
excruciation provided for his old moth
er. Jacob kept his resolution, II will
90 and see him before l die, - and
little while after we find them walking
the tessellated floor Of the palace, Jacob
and Joseph. the prime minister proud
of the shepherd
l may say in regard to the most OF
you that your parents have probably
visited you for the last time or will
soon pay you such visit, and have
wondered if they will ever visit you IN
the kings palace "Oh," you say, Il
aim in the pit of sinp' Joseph was in
the pit "Oh, you say, II am in the
prison Of mine iniquityp' Joseph was
once in prison. "Oh," you say, Il
didn't have fair chancel was denied
maternal kindness. Joseph was denied