The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1901-10-25
BILL ARP'S LETTER
Discusses q Visit Of Mira. Arp to
Daughter and Grandchildren.
TALKS m A HIGHLY PLEASING STRAIN

Rsvsrts to Many Matters that Will Re
Joies HE Setter Half When
| She Returns Home.
Ny wife went on to the country r.
spend the day with one Of our daugh
ters and her children. We expected
her to return that evening. but got q
message that she would spend the
night and the next day and maybe
longer. Thinks to myself, she wants
me to send her word to come home.
and l won't 1t has been q long time
since the runaway. We missed her.
but made no sign. Her chair was va.
can't Her familiar voice vas no long.
er heard. The pantry keys hung ST.
lent on the nail. Nobody called me
from the window to stop working in
the garden and rest while the sun was
so hot Nobody to say the -four il
out or the hominy or the lard or some
thing else. for something Is always out
at our house. Little grandchildren
come to see us and don't stay long
COS granma Amt here" Everything
looks like . funeral. Lonesome isent
the word for It. There isent any word
for the feeling when the maternal an
cestor IL 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 infantile gar
ment or reading over again the last
letter from the far away boys.
But the girls gave me q 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 once
or thrice In awhile. So I opened my
big heart and little purse and sent for
the painter to come early in the morn
ing. He came and did . nice job of It
lin q day. The kitchen looks like q
parlor. The cook woman caught on to
the surprise party and secured the tn
bles and the tinware and then went
home and put on q. clean, new dress.
My wife came home this morning. We
gave her . kind welcome. but made
no sign. She was glad to get home
and INDUCED in more hilarity than rs
Ial. She cruised around looking at f.
miliar things and places. Soon she
wandered toward the kitchen and We
kept In halling distance and watched
her. Suddenly there was q scream Of
delight as she looked in at the open
door. well. do declare Did ever"
That Is all she said Just then, for she
turned and came hastily to me and
kissed me-. She took me hy surprise.
for she quit kissing me years ago. That
kiss more than paid for the paint and
the painting These little sweet sur.
prises are the best part Of domestic
life. They beat wealth and high life
and political honors and fame, and are
the next thing 70 religion. for they are
founded In love.
IAN thoughts. all passions. all delights
Whatever stirs this mortal frame.
All are but ministers Of love
And feed it, 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 IL nothing in
the wide world that gives such emphar
sis to the love Of God for His crear
lures. We need food and raiment and,
of course, the human family would per-
ish without them. But the birds and
flowers are extra gifts to minister 70
our eensea our emotions. How forum
ate for ~ that ~ We grow older We
love them better. When was q very
busy man and had ambition to rise in
the wcrld and advance my wife and
children I cared ...tle for birds or 6ow.
ers. but now they are my especial
pleasure low understand the mean
Ing Of that beautiful verse, Consider
the lilies how they grow. they toll
not. neither do they spin. yet Solomon
Ia all his glory was not arrayaed Ike
one OF these." He who prov,ueth food
for the ravens and takes notice Of ev. |
cry sparrow that falls to the ground
viii surely take care OF us II We trust
Him. believe there are hut two kinda
OF towers nance In the Bible-the
rose Of Sharon and the lily Of the val
loy-and these two stand pre-eminentI
today for beauty and fragrance. oil
late l have been watching the rose,
buds as they unfold their leaves and
open Into beauty. How wonderfully
they are folded upon the little cona
and every layer b waiting for. it time
and turn to come forth and breathe
the air and take on oolors non GodS |
sunlight No human fngers could r..
Told them and make Z bad again. TIE
birth Of beautiful rose u : miracle. |
Il passeth comprehenslon aad excitaa /
bar wonder only Just % h TIE team
" CT bird. The microscope shovu
ne most vonderful nschanism n IL
zelicately woven fabric-its strenetn
IND IT. goesamer lgh>nos1. Then
oak carefully Il the frame WORT q ~
'ted pods hat sheet y frum ~ a.,
lellon. Hnman nnoosB ennnot a.