Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1898-03-24
BILL ARP'S FOUNDATIONS
Led His Creole Maiden to the AL
tar just 40 Years Ago.
4 Lock backward over Dark Dsy-
and DriEh, Day. Of That Hail Gem
fury OF Married Life-A
Happy Froitc.


Yesterday was d long aud happy day
IT our house. Tor a lot Of the grand
children came early and some of the
neighbnrs' little girls found out they
were here. They always lind out, aud
50 they came over and joined the pro-
erosion. and IL was an unbroken frnlIc
alt the day long. The little Ones brought
their dolls along. for the maternal in
stinct bcgins early. They made play
houses under the trees and played mum
blep.g with my two knives and rode in
the hall and veranda ON the tricycle.
and dressed up in all the fine clothes
my wife could find in the trunks aud
closets. aud parsdsd upstairs and down
stairs aud outdoors with their trains
dragging after them. and they played
going To call and receiving calls. When
the dinner bell rang they all came run
ming and IL took all nay time to wait
on them. and their grandma got out
every good thing she had in the house,
and about the middle OF the afternoon
they wanted to give little party and
had to have morn cakes and crackers
and PIE.
Some Of the little ones got hold of
some chalk and colored crayous and
marked all over the Veranda and tried
to make pictures OF dogs and horses
and monkeys on the walls. and then
they called for scissors and fashion
books aud cut cut dolls aud ladies
and other pictures and scattered them
all over the room. They got hold 81 my
mucilare bottle and pasted things
an about. and even venture'l to
my little table to write letters while
I was working in the garden. and all
their grandma said was: 'lou had
better watch out. your grandpa is com
ing" I'm going TO lick 'em sometime
when she Is not about. But in due time
they had to Fp home. for
The day was done and the darkness
Fen from the winEs q night"
Our own girls went visiting after sup
per and ms wife and were alone and
not sound was heard in all the house
save the ticking Of the clock upon the
uautel. The contrast was 50 great that
/ i; was impressive and we felt lonesome
and almost sad. Each Of us had our
corner and table and lamp and tried
/ To read the war news but our old eyes
were TIRED and we gard upon the fire
and ruminatvti For some time we bad
/ been in silent, serious reserie about
those little. happy children and breath
ing a prayer that they might always
/ be happy and that no calamity or afilic-
/ ton might befall them. and then our
I minds turned TO our absent boys. who
are scattered far and wide. from New
/ York 10 Mexico. and We hreafhed an
/ other prayer for their health and hap
I piness and their return 90 us some OF
/ these days YES. some Of these days
before we die they will come. We know.
bu' il may be TO a funeral instead of a
/ feast.
We were Illuminating about all this in
silence. when suddenly my wife seemed
startled. and whispered: Il heard a
football NJ the window. There is some
hndy th-rc" Before could answer.
the sweet sad strains Of minstrel music
began low and soft. and the violims and
| g.ifar PLAYED TO the fitting song Of odd
EoikS n Home" The MINISTRIES had re-
/ eouuoiterr,t and found that only we
were At home. They gave us but one
song. and were gone but these little
/ episodes swreten the passing hours and
comfort us in our golden age. Forty
| nine years ago to-day We we're welded.
/ II T. like reversing telescope, 70 look
I
glow 81 youth and health and beauty
WIS upoa my Creole maiden's cheeks.
| when gems adorned her raven hair.
When the evening light was on her
brow and paris upon her breast a she
stood beside me NJ the marriage altar
II is like looking through kaleido-
scope 70 recall the days and weeks and
months and years that have interviewed
siucr-a Kaleidoscope that AT every turn
Of the sands OF time presents another
| picture Of life. its JOYS and sorrows. its
trials aud its blessings. What changes.
what surprises. and in the midst of il
all a war long and horrid war that
always looms mp before our memories
and eelipses all that was before or after.
TO MS in pleasant places and We have
had more JOY than SORROW. more com
| fort than distress. tod gave Us five
children before the war and live more
came after and We are thankful that
only We. the parents 81 them. shared
aud suffered all the long anxiety and
they knew il not God grant that
neither they nor their children shall he,
80 tried. 50 troubled. 81 strained in
mind and heart for four long wears.
while the DAYS seemed weeks and the
works months. But We endured IL all
gnd thousands 81 others endured and
suffered more. What is IL that man and
wife cauuot endure when their children
are ~ stake The poet SAYS.
"Thsy Who Joy would win
Must show H.
| Happiness was born a twin
And il is the same with grief and
affection.
have had some most delicious read
Ing lately. IL is the address delivered
by DIR. Hunter McGuire ON January az
last past NJ the 81. Denis hotel, in New
York. NJ the eighth annual banquet OF
the Confederate Veterans camp of New
York city. IL must be. know. the
most beautiful and thrilling tribute to
Stonewall Jackson ever written or
spoken by any man. DIR. McGuire was
Iaclson's medical director and most
confidential friend and has told in his
address more touching incidents con
nected with the great generals military
career than have ever found and they
are beautifully. charmingly told. Every
page of this little booklet is adorned
with them. II is not often that medical
men indulge in biographical literature
but DR.. Mcclure is certainly man of
rare culture. read this address aloud
to my wife and daughters the other
evening and at times | could not read
l had to pause and wait for my heart
10 be still and my voice to come back "a
L.