The Republican journal., 1897-07-15
FIFTY YEARS.


BY MRS. VIM. T. PARTRIDGE.
Who can portray in feeble rhyme
The lapse of years, the flight of time?
What joys and griefs, what hopes and fears
Are crowded into fifty years!
How little did this couple know
When married fifty years ago,
That this half century held more
OF great and strange events in store
Than many ages gone Iofore
With all their long forgotten lore.
Yet they kept on from day to day
The even tenor of their way,
Content, with eye of faith to scan
The working of Jehovahs plan,
That neer has changed, since first the eartl
From chaos had its wondrous birth.
Dear children, sent their home to bless,
Received their parents fond caress
And ever felt, though near or far
Parental love their guiding star.
Respected, honored and esteemed,
This worthy pair have long been deemed
Bright jewels of society,
Strong pillars of community.
Like every humble child of God,
They've passed beneath atf1icton's 8 rod,
But all their trials bravely bore
With faith that falters never more.
AS true and loyal man and wife,
Through fifty years of married life,
Both side by side, and hand in hand
Together they have toiled and planned
Their faithful hearts have beat as one,
When dawn proclaimed the rising sun;
When twilight told the day was done.
And now this aged groom and bride
To their past record point with pride.
And looking back o'er life again,
They feel they have not lived in vain.
For battles fought and victories won,
The welcome plaudit is, well done!
This is the promise of the Lord
They shall receive their great reward.
Now, on this golden wedding day,
We all as guests assembled here,
Do most devoutly hope and pray
That these, our friends, so near and dear,
With life and health may long be blest
That their last days may be their best
Then, in behalf of the friends at the Camp
Ground, Mrs. Murphy presented Mr.. and
Mrs. Wilson with seven ive-dollar gold
pieces, and Mr.. Wilson responded very feel
ingly. Rev. II. W. Brown of Warren, r. l.,
read a short sketch of the life and labors of
the aged couple, the substance of which is
embodied in the account given below. Two
poems, written for the occasion, were then
read as follows
FIFTY GOLDEN YEARS
BY LANTA WILSON SMITH.
Turn backward the pages of fifty years,
10 mem'ry how vivid the scene appears!
Two lives are united with hand and heart,
"For better or worse till death US do part"
Then swiftly the changes of life sweep on,
Till half a centurys space is gone.
Though burdened sometimes by life's tolls
and fears,
Vo< ofi f,,J
How beautiful, only Gods angels know;
How Golden, the records of heaven show.
For bravely the mission of life to meet
These toilers went forth with glad, willing
feet,
With courage and faith most true and strong
10 battle lifetime with sin and wrong.
Each God-given vict'ry the world reveres;
All. yes! they are beautiful. golden years.
Look backward Today DER life's winding
road,
Its shifting scenes and oft-changing abode
By ocean and mountain, on hill and plain,
Are homes that fond mem'r ry may see again,
Where still to their coming glad greetings
wait,
And words of endearment, not sent too late
While undying friendship the past endears-
They surely are beautiful, golden years.
No life is so sheltered that Sorrows hand
Ne'er sewers the ties of its cherished band.
So out OF the circle that love enshrined
Some precious ones slipped from the arms
entwined-
From turmoil and danger to Gods sweet
rest;
But faith rose triumphant-God's will is
best.
Though Sorrow her sacred marble rears,
Still, still they are beautiful, golden years.
Why measure the journey by fifty years?
The past but fragment of time aDDeara
Look backward no longer, but here to-day
Rejoice in the guerdons that cheer your way.
God grant that the sunset may pave with
gold
The path to the city that never grows old
There crowns of rejoicing replace all tears,
When fadeless shall dawn heavens golden
years.