The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-09-19

How like 8 butterfly our thoughts
fit from flower I'd flower feeding upon
the ever.chapging mental foods. Some
times they soar to heaven or nestle
among the stars, but their home is
here among our people, our friends
and kindred and the concerns Of our
daily life. Who has not wondered
how he came to be thinking Of this
thing or that aud traced it back to
something wholly irrelevant, but lead
ing on by shadowy lines. But little
while ago I was sadly thinking about
the sudden death Of three more Of my
good friends-friends whom / loved
and everybody loved who knew them.
Mr.. Moore, of Auburn; Colonel My
matt, Of Atlanta, and'Dr. Goetchius,
of Rome, left us on the same day.
They we're good men and the world
was made better by their presence.
was thinking especially about DR..
Goetchius, the preacher, whose jour
ney and destination was 60 suddenly
changed, for he had bought his ticket
fer Tallulah Falls, there to spend his
vacation, and was to take the train at
o'clock. lie rose from his bed Iat 2
and at 3 he was dead and his spirit
soaring heavenward. Then I thought
about Mrs. Barbauld's 8 lines that fit 80
we'll:
Life we have been long together
In pleasant and in cloudy weather,
lis hard to part when friends are dear,
Perhaps twill cost sigh or tear.
Then steal awsy-give little warning;
Choose thine own time, r
Say not goodnight, hnt i: son1e brighter
cline
Bid me good morning."
Then ruminated about that won
derful woman. How she was the first
to write story books for the children
and hymns for the church and how
her life was spent in the schoolroom
among the children that she loved.
And then I recalled that beautiful
hymn that she wrote:
"How blest the righteous when he dies,
When sinks the weary soul to rest,
How mildly beam the closing eyes,
How gently heaves the expiring
breast"
And then I thought Of the words Of
Balaam, upon which that hymn was
founded. "Oh! may I die the death
Of the righteous and may my last end
be like His And this reminded me
Of those other words Of Balaam:
What hath God wrought" That was
the first message sent over o telegraph
wire. It was sent from Washington
to Baltimore by Miss Anna Ellsworth,
the daughter Of the commissioner
Of patents. She had been very Aind
to Professor Morse and he had prom.
ised that she should send the first
message. This was sent on the Oath
day Of May, 1874, and two days later
the second message was sent from
Baltimore to Washington, announcing
that James X. Polk had been nomi-.
mated for president. I remember all
this, for l was in college then. But
still the people were inoredulous and
waited for the mail train to bring the
news. Then / ruminsted ON the hard
lot Of great inventors, and how Morse
spent all Of his small estate and re-
ceived but little encouragement, being
so utterly poor that he had to 60.
without food at times for twenty-four
hours, and how he pleaded with Con-
gress for three years in vain for an
appropriation to help him perfect and
build a line TO Baltimore-and how at
the very last, when he was in despair
and had given up all hopes, Congress-
did at midnight, on the last. day Of the:
session, pass the bill for s3O, 900, end
Anna Ellsworth came running to him
III oellghted haste and told him the
good news. What On agonizing life
he had led during all these years, for
he had been refused help at home and
had been 70 England and 20 France in
search Of il and found it not. Nov.
just think Of it. After he had built
his first lines and his success was
established he offered his patents to,
the United States for 500, 600 and it
was refused and he was constrained to
sell to private parties, al invention
that soon came 70 be- worth one hun
dred millions. But he died full of
years and full 81 honors. and avsn.
France made him q donation 81 400, COO
francs. Whats Honderfui man per-
aaps the gfsatoass ali around man that
ever ~, lived for no vas 8 painter og.
distinction and renown. I tho Dnnil and
q maze -