Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-08-15
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
R-r.cT Philosopher TaSs About AaE.
Lind Generally.
re HAS A JEALOUS STREAK ALSO.
Old Times and Customs Of Past DAYS
Are Praised Only By These Ad-
Sanced In YEARS.

How naturally mankind adapt IN em-
selves TO those of Their kind. their
age. sex and mental condition Birds
o. the same feather will fock together.
and so these little grandchildren will
| run away from me TO trolic with other
little tots. and il makes me jealous.
| Just so the next set from 10 TO IL years
clan together. Then comes the blush
| ing school girls from IL 10 Is. who
have heightened out their dresses and
| ceased to pull up their sarters every
| few minutes as they walk about. 1t Is
| tie same with the boys and when they
| get TO be baseball experts with a coll
| lege attachment they tak OF their ex-
ploits in 4 language that Is heather
Chinese to everybody except thems elves
| ard claim to be the elect. And SO it
goes on and on until we have pass d
| our maturity. and then We veterans
| t6fo Or comfort in communion with
veterans and pay our tribute 10 the
good old times that will never return.
| We are the elect.
| believe 1t is true that nobody but
| tie old men and women gives praise
| ID the old times and the customs OF
| their fathers. and SO If every genera
tioa of old people believe that the age
o. their youth was the best. then the
times must have Gegeneratei awfully
, s.nce the days of the prophets. Have
| tEey or have they not gotten better in
stead or worse? The answer Is, they
are better in some respects and worse
in others. Public morals were very
loose a hundred years ago. Andrew
Jackson was gambler, horse racer
and duelst seventy-fvo years ago. Such
| a man could not be elected president
! now. Foreign missions and Sabbath
schools were almost unknown The
slave trade with Africa was in full
blast in New England, and New Eng
land rum was the purchase money. In
p.isonment for debt was the law gene
rally. and SO was fogging in the navy.
Whisky was unknown, but brandy AMI
rum were kept in almost every respect
able household. IllitoraCy preva lie |
almost all over the south except among
tie aristoCraCy. There were but few
hooks to read and fewer newspapers.
There were no railroads or tc.cgraphs
or sewing machines. But the people
we're generally honest AMI religious.
There were no trusts. NJ strikes, NJ
millionaires. no suicides or rObhCIiCs,
and a murder was rare event a1i
done in the heat of passion. No doubt
but that there are a hundred OF these
crimes committed now TO one then &C.
Cording to population. Well then. why
arraign the old people for lameH In :
that the good old times have gone? Not
long ago | heard a gifted and cultured
minister of the olden time preach a
most charming and Impressive sermon
from the text in Jeremiah which reads.
Stand in the way and ask for the Old
paths. which is the good way. and walk
therein, and ye shall find rest TO-. your
souls" One of the best tests Of the
strength of a sermon is yOIr remem-
brance Of the text. When a gifted and
scholarly minister is done with it and
with holy hands says. Let us pray
what a solemnity fills the place: and
the text fingers with You for years to
come 1t does not seem like the same
scripture. The old paths" walk ye
in the old paths" has been ringing in
my ears ever S.ncc.
| know that Lord Bacon was grow
ing old when he wrote, "Old wood to
burn, old wine to drink. old friends to
trust, and old authors to read And
Goldsmith said, Il love everything that
is old" King James used tO cal TO-.
his old shoes when he was tired.
There is something almost sacred
about the old songs, such as Aud
Lang Syne" The Old Oaken Bucket" "
The Old Arm Chair" and even "Old
Grimes is dead, that good old man.
Ny friend Tom Sawyer, Of Florida,
writes that he still clings TO his old
clothes; that he has worn his pants for
years and years and had them half
soled in the seat and reinforced at the
knees and rehemmed at the bottom {;
that he bought a home made pair OF
socks twenty-seven years ago and is
wearing them still. though he has had
new feet knit to them three times an1
new tops twice He says that Governor
Bloxham dearly loves the old tn n"s-
OLD heir-looms, etc, and boasts that he
has an old barrel that has been in the
family ever since Columbus discovere
Amortization he brought It over with
him full OF brandy. and is has had good
liuuor of some sort in ii ever since;
that his great great grandfather put
new slaves in 1t, and his great grand
father put new heads and his father
put new hoops on il, but the same Old
bung-hole still remains and when the
fluid is drawn the same old sound goes
gOodle-gOodle-gO -gOOdle. Tom says he is
going to take the bung-hole and the
eoodle to the Atlanta exposition and
exhibit them as the only relics Of
Christopher Columbus.
But about old friends. Every veteran
has them and it gives pleasure to see
them honored. The very prospect of
seeing Henry G. Turner in the govern
Or's chair gives me pleasure. for ] know
him well and love him. Maybe ! woIld
love Colonel EstiIl or Pope just as we'll
if | knew them as well. | have great
respect for them and am proud OF their
records. | believe that either woTld
dignity the gubernatorial chair but az
Judge Underwood said TO me in the
long ago, Major, let ne tell you why
! would like to be governor OF Georgia.
You will admit that knowledge Is a lit
tie better than faith. There are many
good men whom / believe would make
A gcoi governor, but / don't know il.
Now / know that ] would; and there
a difference between faith AMI know
ledge. Don't you perceive" Just so
| believe that Colonel Es:ill or Pope
Brown would make a good governor
but | know that Henry G. Turner
would AID knowledge is better than
faith. Don't you perce!rs?" II be is
rot an incorrupuble. unselfsh, b-ainy
statesman, we have nonee Let his name
be presented and ] believe the verdict
will be as the king said Of Mordecai.
Thus shall ii be done unto the MN
whom the people delight to honor"
Bill Arp in Atlanta Constitution.