The Forrest City times., 1899-03-31

many Otner charms WAS auucu that
grace and modssty which is so much
admired by the sterner sex. The little
girl Of whom we write spent only If
teen years OF her life at her birthplace,
When, upon reaching this period OF
her existence, her father, being man
of progress. and hearing the many fab
ulous tales of the grand aud glorious
Western country, and the fertile re-
gious which lay along the banks OF the
great " Father OF Waters. l." where a
man could possess himself of all the
land he wanted for the mere asking.
decided 10 bring his little family into
that then UNEMPLOYED region for the
purpose of building for them fortune
and home, that he might pass the
reclining years of his existence in ease
and conten,ment. To think WAS TO
act with this man. :nd Accordingly the
spring Of $50 found Anderson Bsars
and his family settled in Murray coun.
ty. Tennessee.
Dame Fortune smiled upon the eff
forts Of this ambitious pioneer, and he
accumulated steadily, and the star of
his hopes was almost at its zenith when
the civil war broke out. 1t is useless
to recall the terrible scenes enacted
during that bloody period. How well
every Southern gentleman remembers
the decentralization which preceded
and the devastation which followed
that great strife The best homes and
| fortunes in The land were laid waste
and sacrificed and thus were the ef-
forts OF Anderson Byars swept from
existence rs il they had been chalk
mark erased from blackboard. Per.
ished hopes. blighted ambitions and ad-
versily did not break the noble mans
spirit, and he died rs he had lived-a
Christian and gentleman.
But, to return to the little girl. She
had seal cely reached that much cher
ished period in the life OF young lady
Sweet Sixteen, !" " hen "A lover came
"a wooing."
Sturdy John was handsome lad,
prosperous, hardwOrking farmers boy
and was 50 persistent in his admiration
so outspoken in his affection and
love that he had soon won the heart of
tie fair young Virginian and had
sweet Lucy's promise TO be his bride.
| Twas ever thus with that willy little
God OF love.
| Accordingly the hearts and hands of
John and Lucy were Joined for better
or worse in 1888. The happy union
was looked upon with pleasure by the
parents of both bride and groom. and
married life was begun under. the most
favorable auspices. not Il cloud Of dis
content appeared to mar the brightness
of the domestic sky. John and Lucy
lived at their Tennessee home sur
rounded by friends and loved ones
twenty-seven years after marriage,
when the conditions brought about by
the cruel war, OF which We have just
spoken, broke into and changed the
family plans, and in the fall of 1865,
John Crippen and his wife came to this
state. landing in Forrest City, and set.
ting near the site of the old Baptist
church
After spending nearly four decades
together. Lucy and John, and raising
IA family of seven healthy children
two boys who fought nobly for the lost
cauSe-1ucy WAS left u widow.
The bright little girl with whom we
became acquainted nearly sixty years
lago Was now "a lady of mature years,
having passed through the many try.
ing vicissitudes and hardships which ex.
isted back in the early eos; she was
At this time called upon tn part with
her life companion. and John WAS laid
To rest 10y loving hands amid sorrow
aud tears but the fortitude and pa.
thence with which this noble, christian
llady bore the supreme trial of her life
twas grand and beautiful, aud as she
turned away, heartbtoken, from the
sacred spot where slept the beloved re-
smains of her husband, she made the
heavenly resolve, that ilasmuch as she
had ben II good helpinate to John. she
would devote her remaining days to
his children. How. Well she has car
ried out her Intentions is clearly dem
onstraied inthe fact that she has lived
to see her descendants Of the second, ,
third and fourth generations gathered
around her today with their hearts
overflowing with love and veneration,
and The greatest pleasure of it all are
the happy voices going out to her in
that ope. tender word aud expression
=" Grandma.
Doubtless many of our readers have
guessed before reaching this paragraph
of our story, the identity of the person