The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-01-10
BILL ARP AND HIS CHILDREN
he Has Good Time Watching
the Grandchildren Play With
Their Toys.

He Has a Good Time Watching
the Grandchildren Play With
Is Their Toys.
This Christmas is like "lengthcncd
sweetness long drawn out" at oul
mouse, for the boys have gathered
from the four corners and brought
their love and their rations with them.
New York brought huge box of dc.
corations for the Christmas tree. II
was beautiful beyond description.
Dolls of silk and satin and paper, all
covered with glittcring pangles-little
angels with pearly wings suspended by
threads of invisible rubber, golden
harps and hearts and wrealhs of spun
glass in rainbow colors--scorcs of little
waxcn candles to illuminate The scene.
Oh, it was like a fairy vision, and
every limb and twig Of the stately long
leaf pine was burdcned with Christ
mas gifts Tor old and young. There
were wenty-four of the family present,
and it took half the night to unite and
unfold the surprises, for all were re-
membered over and over again by old
Santa, Yes, all, even to the venerable
Old patriarch.--the "Paterfamilias,n the
antique ancestor, for he brought me a
bal and monkey jack and some
candy, because nc had heard that |
was the boy--the only boy-ohont the
house. But later OH | discovered 4
silk cap and pair Of slippers, some
handkerchiefs and an inkstand thai -'h<,
little grandchildren can't spill Ii
out of if they do turn it over. y
Little Mary Lou, who is Jcssie's
child, got so many dolls and rreti.
things that she looked tired and, draw
ing long breath, said: "Ganpa, it's
too much, and can't hardly stand it,"
There were toys and books, and vases
and perfumes, and baskets AMI gloves,
and jewels and other gifts too Dumer,
GUS to mention. Mexico brought a
beautiful handwoven Castilian shawl
for my wife, and she struts around as
1.-THE and gay as Eden's garden bird.
My boy brought ii from Mexico,"
she says, forty times Il day. " My boy
and my children" are always on the tip
of her tongue. Well, that's all right.
They are her boys, sure enough, and
she knows it. There may be some
doubt, sometimes, about who is the
father of child, but everybody knows
who is its mother. Downstairs has all
been clothed with misllctoe and holly.
GeraEiuu,s from the pit are placed all
around, and some beautiful roses lift
up their lovely forms from beautiful
vases that old Santa Claus brought.
lunches Of mistletOe hang from every
chandelier, and every time these merry,
mischlevous girls find me standing
under one, they slip up unawarcs and
claim kiss. Even Mrs. ARP lost her
normal dignity and: coming s)yly be.
hind me, suddenly wrapped tho drapcry
Of her Castilian shawl around me and
claimed mistletoc kiss from my con-
aubial lips.
But the old marble clock that for
nearly fifty years has stood upon the
III. SCI ticking The moments and re-
coro.ng the houls as they pass did not
stop Oh Christmas night, and at mid
night the happy group retired to rest
and happy dreams. Next day came
the feast-the Christmas dinner. Every
leaf was placed on the long extension
table. AT each end was large we'll
Drowned, well"donc turkey, and all the
intermediate space crowded with luXu-
rles for the inner man and woman.
Eighteen of the family were the wei
come guests at the table, while SIX of
the infantiles surrounded smaller one
nearby. l never asked a blessing with
moro grateful heart, for Providence
has been kind, and since last we met
no alfliction or calamity has befallen
lis. Verify, the lines have fallen TO us
IN, ,>1ao pt ,>lon l,ot
kindred and frjends-yes, would that
every family in the land-thc rich and
the poor-coulu have a like happy and
unclouded Christmas. AS l survey
the happy scene it is enough to look
upon tho serenity of the maternal an
cestor as she gazcs fondly upon her
boys-yes, her boys, who have come
so far to give hel joy and comfort. Oh,
ye boys -ye young men and middle
aged, whom fortune or fate has re-
moved far from good old mothers
tender care and solicitude, don't forget
her yearnings and if you cannot go to
her at least once year, write to her
every month and comfort her with
your loving letters. The papers are
full of crimes of all descriptions, but
In my opinion, there is none that will
more surely provoke the curse of God
than for man to neglect or distress
his mother.
Yesterday the boys with their moth
er and sisters visited the old home
stead-the farm in the country, where
our children grew up to manhood and
womanhood--wh those scattered
boys worked and plowcd aud planted
and reaped where they had sown;
whore they labored bard by day and
hunted coons and 'possums by night;
whero they went 10 the naboling mill
and lished in the pond while the gust
was grinding; where Carl and Jessie
went to school and crossed tho creek
on o slender footlog, and gathered haws
and maypops and wild strawberries Oh