The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-06-28
Bill A,p's Peace Picture.
The Philosopher Looks at Flowers
and Birds.
He Agrees with Bishop Heber That
"Only Man is Vlle"-An English
Editor Makes Him Mad.

was singing-makipg sweet music to
comfort his mate who was broodipg
upon her nest. This morning he is
singing again and seems supremely
happy as he makes his little fights
upwards and returns to his perch
without a break in the song. There
is tiny wren not far away whose song
is very sho,t, but just as sweet, and
he, too, is comforting his mate.
Down in the pasture that fronts
our grove I see the mich cows graz
ing peacefully. Iu our front yard
there is hydrant and the crystal
water is allowed to leak just enough
to keep basin full and it overaows to
little grass hidden pool where the
pigeons drink and bathe, and where
the jaybirds and thrushes and Eng
lish spsrrows come and sip and 60
and never contend. Sometimes the
peacock wants drink and the birds
retire from his magnificent presence
and awaits his lordship's pleasure.
A neighbor's parrot has left his cage
and is cswing in one Of our tree tops.
A neighbor's chickens are scratching
in the leaves nearby. Fleecy clouds
are passing overhead and give US al
ternate sun and shade. hear the
distant whistle of locomotive and
the tumbling, rumbling sound Of the
train as it crosses the river bridge. |
see children dressed in their Sunday
clothes going happily to the city hall
to take their part in commencement
exercises. Along our fence the varia-
: gated cannas lift their proud hea|s
in peaceful beauty, and not far away
is row of fowering peas arrayed in
rainbow colors and exhaling sweet
odors to the air.
Apple, geranium and lemon verbe-
mas sweeten the breezes at our win
dow. Looking northward from the
verandah where I sit, the distant hills
are piled against each other in regu
lar irregularity, while more distant
mountains give back ground of
cerulean blue to the beautiful picture.
Here I am ruminating-calmly and
serenely happy in big arm chair.
Half a hundred magnificent oaks
stand like Gods sentinels in the
grove before me, lifting their leafy
branches toward the sky in alteration
of the creator. The twining madeira
vines and Virginia creepers Inheritance
the trellis at my hand and shelter
me from the sun, while two dear lit
tie grand children are merrily swing
ing in the hammock not far away.
There is nothing in sight this morn
ing but peace and beauty. Innocence
is in the air, the sky, the fields, the
trees, the birds and flowers and
children-as the good Bishop Heber
wrote:
"Here every prospect pleases.
And only man is vile"
Only man; not women or children,
or beast or birds or fowers-only
man is vile. What a contrast to the
view before me is found is the
columns Of the morning paper,
which has just been handed me.
How shocking are the big head lines
that tell of single days misery and
disaste,!>. When, oh, when, will al
these horrible things cease to BE-?
Oaly man is vile. If he was made
in the image OF God, why should he
be doing the things of the de7i.? The
cost of crime in money is fearful
sum. The cost of courts and pris-
ons, and guards, and police; the cost
in loss of time and labor; but this is
nothing compared with the cost in
grief and misery. Here is letter
that is but sample Of what comes
to me in my daily mail, for the poor
creatures think I can do something:
"Lebanon, Fia.-My Dear Sir: Will
you please give me the name and ad-
dress of some orphan asylum in Geo.
gia that would probably take three
poor little orphan gills into their
home.
Their mother is dead (died of a
broken heart) and the father is IN
Jail sentenced to be hanged. He is
much distressed about his children.
and begs that you get them into
some orphan home. The family are
of no kin to me, but I sympathize
with the poor little orphan girls II
their very sad condition.
'Pleasc answer me very soon and
let me know if they will be shut ou'
because they live out Of your State
&C. c.. Gaines.
"Postmaster at Lebenon."
N- NJ. u,r,rh;ll end Mr. Grpm