The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-08

friends like DIR. Alexander and Evan
Howell and ]. Henly Smith and Cousin
John Thrasher and the Confederate vet
Grams generally. But George was the
chief attraction, the center of space
He was a friend in need and a friend
in deed. He granted his favors with
cheerfulness and a willing heart Some
times | wanted an indorser on a bank
note for few dollars and he always
said; ''Yes. yes, my friend, of course
7 will" If | shall ever need one again
I will not know where to go. | have
a thousand good friends in Atlanta, but
they are not of that kind.
| was Eliminating about the difference
between his domestic surroundings and
my own. He dies at home with wife
and all his children at his bedside. His
eyes can look upon them all, and per
haps his ears can hear their loving
voices.
But my wife and | are living out
our days in sad apprehension Of tie
coming stroke, for four of our dear boys
are far away-too far to reach us even
at the call by telegraph-one in New
York, one in Texas, one in Florida and
the baby boy, as his fond mother calls
him, is 5000 miles away in Mexico.
This is the hardest part of life-these
scattered children. Suppose that one of
the unmarried ones should approach the
door of death and his earnest telegram
should be for his mother to come to his
bedside and sOothe his last moments,
what could she do but stay at home and
weep? Oh. for another life In another
world where all is love without afflic-
ton or grief or separation.
Farewell. good friend. / would that
you might be spared to us yet awhile
SHARED to read your own epitapns and to
realize what noble life is worth to Il
man. Would that the rising generations
might learn a lesson from your example.
The approach of our dissolution is very
stealthy. When last | saw my friend
he was as bright and genial as a boy
and showed no sign of failing health. |
thought that he would outlive me, for
nowadays | get tired and when the
night comes / am the first to seek my
bed. Yesterday | was busy planting out
strawberry plants, and 1t was bending
work and ever and anon had to
straighten up slowly and carefully for
fear something would break or hitch or
give way. and then / would try il
again. / can't hold out like | used to.
What's the matter with me, anyhow
Why should wear out? Why shouldn
healthy man live on and ON? If he has
got to die why don't he die all over at
once and turn to dust like the one
horse shay? Why should the heart get
/ sick when all the rest is well? l reckon
| we will all know by waiting.
| This morning / went out early To
peruse my new strawberry patch and
| sure enough there had been a dozen
| dogs in there last night, and they held
a carnival and circus and played bast
| and tag and maddog all over my pretty
| beds, and tore up lot or my plants
| and now / am not calm ana serene, a1d
my wife won't let me put out strych
nine. for she says it isn't fairss MOI
neighborly, and so | have got to stretch
| more wire along the fence. There are
| about forty dogs within easy reach OF
my house and they are no account
| For in this town more dogs are found
Than ever you did see,
Both mongrel. puppy, whelp and hound
| And dogs of low degree,
| Confound 'em-dogon 'em.
BILL ARP.