The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-09
Bill Arlp's Letter.
Bill Takes Passage on Another Line and Got
Home an Hour Late.

more are being built Bountifnl
, springs from the mountain side fur
nish abundant pure water for every
thing There is a dairy farm nearby
and vegetable gardens and everything
moves like clockwork.
Prof. Lowrey is a man OF untlrin9
energy and SAYS that work is his best
recreation. He took me on a romantic
drive to the top of the mountain and
the village graveyard. and when we
returned he called for his little four
children. including the baby, and took
them to ride | liked that. 1t does
not take me long to diagnose a good
husband and kind father. There was
no barber in the village and he
brought to me- his fine lawn mower
razor that cost So. and when he saw
how awkward and nervous | was, he
said: "Oh, let me do that" and he
moved the gray stubble off in min
ute. Ever hear of a college president
doing that? / was specially interested
in young man, Ernest Clayton, The
only boy in college. He is totally blind,
but is getting a first class education
through his ears. He listens eagerly
to the recitations, keeps up with the
foremost and is now studying latin.
His mother or sister reads to hlm
every night and the family are az
proud of him, for he is not only brioh,
mentally. but cheerful and handsome.
He told me that being blind never dis
tressed him and he was happy all the
time, for everybody was so good to
him. How kind Providence is to the
afflicted.
Those Mississippi woods are full of
Georgians. Scores of them sought me
and with natural and earnest pride
told me where they came from, and
who they were kin to. | was amused
at one old man who said he came here
from Cass county before the war, and
he asked me where Barlow county
was. He had never heard that the
name of old Cass was changed to Bar
tow in honor of our General Barlow,
who was killed at Manassas.
An unknown friend has sent me a
poetic gem called THE Change in Far
mer joe" by Sheldon Stoddard. | wish
that it could be read by every husband
in the land, for it tells in beautiful
and pathetic verse how Joe had long
pursued money for moneys sake and
gave his loving, long suffering wife
few comfort and none of the luXu-
ries or ornaments that brighten up a
woman's home. For years she had
from time to time limited that she
would like new carpet for her room,
for the old one had been turned and
patched and beaten until it was faded
and threadbare. and the window
shades We're worn out But he had
said no. he couldn't afford it, and he
worked early and late and was ac-
cumulating money. The poem tells
how he left her one morning and no.
ticed a tear in her eye as it dropped
down on her pale check. and he got to
thinking about it in the corntield. and
that tear haunted him and he recall
Ell the long years OF their married life
and how patient she had been with
him and the little children and nursed
him when sick and watched them by
night and by day. Suddenly he came
to himself and stopped his mule in the
middle of the row and hurried home
and hitched up the buggy and went
to town like he was going for a doctor.
He bought a nice carpet and some cur
tains and other comforts and drove
home like ,Jehu and tumbled them all
ut the front door. Here, Sally, come
here. bless your dear heart: you shant
cry any more" And he hurried back
to the cornfield. Well, ] liked that,
and / feel now like going to town and
buying a new carpet for my wife. We
men forget that a woman has to stay
at home all the time. She loves orna-
ments. for God made her so. and if
she can't have these things her house
is not a home. but a prison.
BILL ARP.