The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1901-10-17
Mrs. Arp Pays a Visit TO laughter
and Grandchildren.
HER HUSBAND TELLS THE STORY,
The Barlow Philosopher Discusses
TIatters That Might Please the
Good Woman When She Returns.

spend the day with enc Of our daught-
ers and her children. We expected her
to return that evening. but got mes
sage that she would spend the night
and the next day and maybe Longer.
Thinks | to myself, she wants me 10
send her word to come home. and |
wont 1t has been long time since she
runaway. We missed her. but made no
sign. Her chair was vacant. Her famil-
lar voice was no longer heard. The
pantry keys hung silent on the nail.
Nobody called me from the window 10
stop working in the garden and rest
while the sun was so hot. Nobody to
say the flour is out or the hominy o.
the lard or something else, for some
thing is always out at our house. Lit
tie grandchildren come to see us and
don't Stay long COS gamma amt here. y
Everything looks like funeral Lone
some isent the word for it. There isn't
any word for the feeling when the ma
ternal ancestor is not cruising around:
when We cant hear the rustic OF her
dress, nor the sound of her voice nor
see her stitching away on some infan-
tile garment or reading over again
the last letters from the far away
boys
But the girls gave me a hint and
said now was good time to paint the
kitchen and surprise her, for she has
been talking about those old dirty.
dingy. smoky walls ever and anon
I
my big heart and little purse and sent
for The painter to come early IN the
morning. He came and did a nice JOB
OF it in day. The kitchen looks like
parlor. The cook woman caught on %
the surprise party and secured the ia
bles and tin ware and then went h2me
AND nrt IN clean. new dress. Nv
wife came home this morning. We gave
her a kind welcome. but made no sign.
She was glad to get home aid INDUCED
in more hiliarity than usual. She cru!S'
ed around looking at familiar things
and places. Soon she wandered to-
ward the kitchen and We kept in hall
ing distance and watched her. Sudden
~ there was a scream OF delight as
she looked in at the open door. We'll.
| do declare Did | ever. That IS all
she said just then. for she turned ard
come hastily to me and kissed me-
She took me by surprise, for she QUIT
kissing me years ago. That Kiss more
than paid for the paint and the paint
ing. These little sweet surprises are
the best part of domestic life. They
beat wealth and high life and political
honors and fame and are the next
thing to religion. for they are founded
in love.
"All thoughts. oil passions. all delights
Whatever stirs this mortal frame.
All are but ministers OF love
And feed it's sacred fame
These are the songs Of birds in the
trees-the flowers by the wayside that
comfort us in the journey OF life. song
birds and flowers! There is nothing IN
the wide world that gives such empha-
sis to the love Of God for His creatures.
We need food and raiment and, of
course. the human family would perish
without them. But birds and 1owecs
the extra gifts to minister to our SEN
ses. our emotions. How fortunate Tor
lis that as we grow older we love them
better. When | was very busy man
and had ambition to rise in the Worlo
and advance my wife and children
cared little for birds or flowers, out
now they are my especial pleasure.
Now understand the meaning OF that
beautiful verse, Consider the lilies
how they grow. They toll not, neither
do they spin, yet Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one Of
these" He who provideth food for ra-
yens and takes notice OF every spar
row that falls to the ground Will surely
take care of us il we trust Him. be-
ueye there are but two kinds OF flowers
named in the Bible-the rose OF Sha-
ron and the lily Of the valley-ana
these two stand preeminent TO-DAY 1or
beauty and fragrance. OF late l have
been watching the rosebuds as they
unfold their leaves and open into Deau,
tv How wonderfully they are foIdeo
unon the little cone and every layer Is
waiting for it's time and turn to come
forth and breath the air and take on
colors from Gods sunlight. No human
fingers could refold them and make a
bud again. The birth of beautiful rose
is a miracle. 1t passes comprehension
and excites our wonder only. Just so IS
the feather of bird. the microscope
shows the most wonderful mechanlsni
in its delicately woven fabric-lts
strength anG it's gossamer hghtness.