The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-11-30
BILL ARP GETS LEFT
Porter of the Hotel Failed To Wake
Him.
REACHES HOME AT DAYLIGHT.


"S!E-l cca Ike IL. Last FRIDAY
night closed my mission down in
Alabama most delightful week with
oalmy weather. moonlight nights and
good people TO cheer me. / retired
happy 70 dream OF home and the little
grandchildren and the light that
would be shining in the window for
me on Saturday night.
The porter was To call me I'D in
time TO take the o'clock train for
Chattanooga. but alas, he did not do
II, and | awoke 10 find that the train
had passed and VAS left. left, left
Oh. the misery OF IT, Shakespeare
says that there Is no philosopher can
endure the toOthache patiently, and I
VIII add, or being left by train when
far from home. There is a goneness
about it. for the train has gone
The next train would not connect at
Chattanooga and l would have to stay
there I'LL another o'clock in the
morning. But alls we'll that ends
well. About daylight | reached my
home. All was still and silent. The
good cid dog was lying at the door and
gently wagged his bushy tail. The
door was locked, but the window sash
was not, and | raised it slowly and
softly, and was soon in the sitting
room, where there was a good com
Portable sofa. l knew that the door
to our family bedroom was locked.
and ! heard some faint familiar nasal
sounds that assured me all was we'll.
The diagnose was right In a few
minutes | was asleep and playing on
the harmonican myself My heavy
base echoed to the tenor in the other
room and awakened one OF the girls,
who whispered: Mamma, mamma
there is somebody in the front ROOM"
It's your papa said she. II know his
trombone-be still and let him sleep,
fer | expect he is almost worn out"
1t was O'Clock when somebody kissed
NE while | was dreaming of the SOL
der boys drilling and the officer said
left, left, left at every step. ROusing
up | received the family embraces,
and two little children came running
in and climbed all over me and made
me happy-Oh, it beats war, or pcli-
tics, Or a dog law, or anything | was
escorted into the dining room to break
fast and saw at a glance that the room
had been repapered with tinted olive
green paper and the boarding match
ed it beautifully. The doors to the
parlor were wide open. and that room
had been repapered. too. and was
lovely.
Next day | made acar aintance with
conductor on the Alabama Great
Southern and he comforted me by say
ing that my letters gave good eX-
ample and good cheer and pictured
what home ought to be. Said he, I'VE
have nine children at our house-all
under age, and my greatest pleasure
Is in meeting them when my run is
Off. and in helping them and theil
mother to fight the battle Of life and
be contented and enjoy what we have
got and be thankful to God for his
tender mercies. Running a train half
night and half day is hard work, but
l enjoy my home and my family all
the more when l get with them, and
they are all the gladder to see me-
| like that man and that kind OF
talk. When cur people realize that
home is the best place on earth, and
the mother is it's dearest inmate we
will have an ideal commonwealth.
Cosoridge says:
"A mother is a mother still
The hottest thing alive
Lyttletcn says:
The lover in the husband may be lost
But the wife is dearer than the bride"
All the great poets have paid tribute
to the home and to the mother, for
nome is not home without mother
Or course there are many married wo-
men who are net mothers and do not
wish to be. With them children are
intruders, and the pity is that their
mothers had rot been CT similar mind.
In New England and fashionable
northern circles the maternal instinct
has been smothered, and has gone
into an ''innoxious desuetude" as MI
Cleveland would say. And good gen.
tie Tom Howard said that a Boston
mother wouldn't have but one or two
children, and she wouldn't have any
if she didn't want an heir to inherit
the estate.
But the highest heaven is reserved
for them. and an eternal fame that
will not pass away like that the great
men acquire in this changeable world.
Alas, poor Dewey; how soon did his
garlands wither. But We still have
Schley and Brumby and Hobson left
and host Of lesser lights that illumi-
nate the southern sky.-Bill Arp in
Atlanta Constitution.