Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1901-01-02
TIME FOR REUNION
Arp and His Children About the
Fireside.
ALL HIS BOYS ARE AT HOME
Bill Has Good Time Watching the
Grandchildren Play with Their Toys
1.-The Dinner.

This Christmas is like heightened
sweetness long drawn out ct our
house. for the boys have gathered
from the four corners and brought
their love and their rations with them.
New York brought a huge box OF dec
orations for the Christmas tree. 1t
was beautiful beyond description.
Dolls Of silk and satin and paper. all
covered with glittering spangles-lit-
tie angels with pearly wings suspend.
ed by threads OF invisible rubber.
golden harps and hearts and Nreaths
of spun glass IN rainbow colors-
scores Of little waxen candles to IL
Illuminate the scene. Oh. it was like 4
fairy vision, and every limb and twiC
of the stately long leaf pine was bur
dened with Christmas gifts for OLD
and young. There were twenty-sour
of the family present, and it took nalf
the night to unite and unfold the sur
pr!ses, for all were remembered over
and over again by old Santa Yes. oil.
even to the venerable old patriarch
the "Paterfan:lias.' the antique an
ccstor, fo- he brought me 4 ball and n
monkey jack and some candy. becaus-
he mad heard that | was the boy--thc
only boy-about the house. But later
on | discovered a silk cap and Il pair
OF slippers, some handkerChiefs and an
inkstand that the little grandchildren
can't spill the ink out OF if they do
turn it over. Little Mary Lou. who is
Ie5Sie's child, get so many dolls and
pretty things that she looked tired
and, drawing a long breath, said:
"Ganpa, it's TOO much. and cant
hardly stand it," There were toys and
books, and vases and perfumes. and
baskets and gloves, and jewels and
other gifts too numerous to mention
Mexico brought beautiful hand
woven castilian shawl for my wife and
she struts around IS 1.-the and gay as
Edens garden bird. My boy brought
ii from Mexico" she says. forty times
day, My boy and my children" are
always on the tip Of her tongue. We'll.
that's all right. They are her boys,
sure enough, and she knows it. There
may be some doubt sometimes. about
who 5 che father of = child hut every
body knows who is its mother. Down
stairs has all been clothed with mis-
tlotoe and holly Gcraniums from the
pit are placed all around. and some
beautiful roses lift up their lovely
forms from beautiful vases that ola
Santa Claus brought. Bunches of mis-
''NSOc AAOii NNCi anu
every time thoce merry, mischievous
girls find me standing under one. they
slip UP upawaIes and claim kiss
Even Mrs. Arp lost her normal dignity
and coming slyly behind NE. suddenly
wrapped the drapery of her oastilian
shawl around me and claimed a mis-.
tletoe kiss from my connubial lips.
But the old marble clock that for
nnarlV haS
mantel ticking the moments and re
cording the hours as they pass diu not
stop on 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 ex-
tension table. AT each end was
large well-brownod. well-done turkey
ana all the Intern euiate space crowd
ell with luXurieS for the inner man
and woman. Eighteen OF the family
were the welcome guests AT the table,
while six CT the infaLtiles surrounded
a smaller one nearby | never asked
blessing with more grateful hcart.
for Providence h2, beer kind. ana
since last we met no afflictiun or
calamity has befal!eu US Verify. the
lines have fallen to us in pleasant
places. Would that all our Kindred
and friends-yes. would that every
family in the land-thc rich and thr
pcoy-could have like happy and un-
clouded Christmas As I survey the
happy scene it Is enough to lock uDon
the serenity OF the maternal ancesto.
as she gaAes fonGly upon her boys
yes, her boys. who have come so fa,
60 give her joy and comfort. Oh. We
boys-ye young men and middle aged
whom fortune or fate has removed fal
from good old mothers tender care
and solicitude. don't forget her ynarn-
1nss and If you cannot 50 20 her at
least once year. write to her every
month and comfort her with your low
ing letters. The papers are full OF
crimes OF all descriptions. hut n nv
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 chsldren grew up TO manhood ana
womanhOod- where these scattered
boys worked and plowod and planted
and rcaped where they had soyyn:
where they laborcd hard b. day ana
hunted coons and poSsums by night:
where they went 10 the naboring mill
and fshed in the pond while the grist
was grinding; where Carl and Jessie
went to school and crossed the creek
on slender footing. and gathered
haws and maypops and wild straw
berries on the way. These boys and
their sisters wanted to revisit the old
Ill. Il.