The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-03-15

children came early and some of the
neighhorS' little girls found ont they
were here. They always tind out. and
80 they came over and joined the pro-
ccSiSon and il was Hn unhrOkcn frolic
al the day long The little oicS brought
their dolls along for the maternal in
Stnct begins early. They made play
houses under the trees ana PLAYED
mumblcpe= with my two knives. and
rode in the hall and vcrandl on the
tricycle. and dressed up III all the fine
old clothes my wife could find in the
trunks and closets. and parad"d mp
stairs and downstairs and outdoors with
their trains dragging after them. and
they played going to call aud receiving
calls. When the dinner bell rang they
all came running and it took all my
time 10 wait OF them. and their grand
ma 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 more cake
and crackers and pie.
Some of the little ones got hold of
some chalk and cOlored crayons and
marked all over the verandah and tried
to make pictures Of dogs and horses and
monkeys on the walls. and then they
called for scissors and fashion books ami
tureS and scattered them al over the
room. They got hold of my mucila 20
bottle and pasted things all about and
even venturcd to ny little table to write
letters while | was working in the
garden. and all their Granma said was.
You had better watch out. your
garden, and all their grandma said was
en- sometime when she is not about
But in due time they had to 30 home,
for
The day was done and the darkness
Fell from the wings Of night
Our own girls went visiting after sup
per and my wife and | were alone and
not sound was heard in all the house
save the ticking Of the clock upon the
mantcl. The contrast was SO great that
it 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 gazed upon the fire
and ruminated. For some time we had
been in silent. serious rcvcrie about
those little. happy children and breath
ing :: prayer that they might always be
happy and that no calamity or affliction
! might befall them. and then our minds
turned to our absent boys. who are scat
tered far and widc, from New York
to Mexico. and we hreathcd another
prayer for their health and happiness
ANA their return to us some of these
IlyS-ycS. some Of these days before
we die they will come, we know. but 1t
may he to Il funeral instead Of feast,
We were ruminating about all this
in silence. when suddenly my Wife seem
ed startled and Whispered Il heard 4
footfalI at the window. There is some
body there Before | could ans Wpr.
the sweet, sad strains Of minstrel music
began low and soft and tho violins and
guitar played to the fitting song Of "Old
Folks AT Home The minStrcIs. had
rccounoitcrcd and found that only We
were 1T home. They gave us but one
! song and were -one-but these little
episodes SWc~tcn the passing hours and
comfort ll,> in our golden age. Forty
nine years ago today VIC were welded.
It is like reversing Il telescope t. look
back 10 that day and time, when the
glow Of youth and health and beauty
was upon my CrpoI" maclcn's checks
When gems adorned her raven hair.
when the evening light was on her brow
and pearls upon her breast She stood
beside me at the marriage altar. 1t is
like looking through Il Kaleidoscope to
| recall the days and weeks and months
and years that have interviewed since --
4 Kaleidoscope that at every turn Of the
sands Of time presents another picture
of life, its joys and sorrows. its trials
and its blessings. What changes. what
surprises. and III the midst of it I'll a
War-a long and hOrrid war that always
looms up before our memories and cclip-
SeS ali that was before or after. But on
the whole the lines have fallen to us in
pleasant places and We have had more
Joy than sorrow. more comfort than dis
trrSS. God gave rs five children before
the war and five more came after and
We are thankful that only we. the pa
rents Of them. shared and suffered all
til" long anxiety and they knew it not.
God grant that neither they nor their
children shall be 50 tried. 50 troubled.
strained in mind and heart for four
| long years. while the days $ emcd weeks
and the weeks months. But we endured
it all and thousands Of others endured
ana suffered more. What is it that-m
and wife cannot endure when their chill
drcn are at stake. The poet says:
They who JOY would win
Must share it. Happiness was born Il
twin
And it is tho same with grief and
afflction.
| have had some most delicionS read
ing lately. 1t is the address delivered
by Dr. Hunter Mcclure on January
Ind last past at the St. Denis hotel.
New York, at the engbth annual banquet
Of the confederate veterans camp Of
New Ork city. 1t must be. | know. the
most beautiful and thrilling tribute to
StCnewall jackson ever written or
spoken by any man. DR.. McGure was
Jackson 5 medical director and most con
tdentlal friend and has told in this al
dress more touching incidents connected
Mitn the great geueraIS MILITARY career