The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1901-09-12
Barlow Man Discusses Old Times
and Shows a Jealous Streak
BIRDS OF AFEATHEU FLOCK TOGETHER
Aud Lang syne Customs Arc only
Praised and Upheld BY
Those AdvaneedNln
Years.

same feather will flock together, anu
so these little grandchildren will run
away from me to frolic with other lit
tie tots, and it makes me jealous, Just
so the next set from 10 to IL years
clan together. Then comes the blush
ing school girls from IL to 10, who
have heightened out their dresses and
ceased to pull up their garters every
few minutes as they walk about. 1t is
the same with the boys, and when
they get to be baseball experts with
college attachment they talk of their
exploits in a language that is heather
Chinee to everybody except them
selves and claim to be the elect. And
so it goes on and on until we have
passed our maturity, and then we vet
Grams take our comfort in communion
with veterans and pay our tribute to
the good old times that will never re-
turn. We are the elect,
| believe it is true that nobody but
the old men and women give praise to
the old times and the customs Of their
fathers, and so If every generation OF
old people believes that the age Of
their youth was the best, then the
times must have degenerated awfully
since the days of the prophets. Have
they or have they not cotton better
instead of worse? The answer is,
they are better in some respects and
worse in others. Public morals we're
very loose a hundred years ago. An
drew Jackson was gambler horse
racer and duelist seventy-fve years
ago. Such 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 England rum was
the purchase money. Imprisonment
for debt was the law generally, and so
was fogging in the navy. Whisky
was unknown, but brandy and rum
were kept in almost every respectable
household. Illiteracy prevailed al
most all over the south except among
the anstocracy. There we're but few
books to read and fewer newspapers.
There were no railroads or telegraphs
or sewing machines. But the people
were generally honest and religious.
There were no trusts, no strikes, no
millionaires, no suicides, ON robberies,
and a murder was a rare event and
done In the heat of passion, No doubt
but that there are hundred of these
crimes committed now to one then &C
cording TO population. Well, then, why
arraign the old people for lamenting
that the good old times have gone?
Not long ago heard a gifted and cul-
tured minister of the olden time
preach a most charming and impress.
sive 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 We
shall find rest for your souls" One
of the best tests of the strength of
sermon is your remembrance of the
text. When gifted and scholarly
minister is done with it and with holy
hands says, Let us pray" what a sol
emnity fills the place, and the text
fingers with you for years to come.
1t does not seem like the same scrip.
ture. THE old paths" walk We IN
the old paths" has been ringing in my
ears ever since.
| know that Lord Bacon was grow.
Ing old when he wrote, "Old wood To
burn, old wine to drink, old friends 10
trust, and old authors to read" And
Goldsmith said, Il love everything that
is old" King James used to call for
his old shoes when he was tired"
There Is something almost sacred
about the old songs, such as "Auld
Lang Syne," "The Old oaken Bucket
THE Old Arm Chair" and even "old
Grimes Is Dead, that Good Old Man"
MY 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 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 and
new tops twice. He says that Gov
ernor Bloxham dearly loves the old
things-old hei7looms, etc, and boasts
that he has an old barrel that has been
IN the family ever since Columbus dis
covered America--for he brought il
over with him full Of brandy, and IL
mas had good liquor OF some sort In
u ever since; that bis great great