The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-08-21
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
Barlow Philosopher Talks About Mankind 4
Generally.
Atlantic Gonst;aitjou.
How naturally mankind adapt them {

How naturally mankind adapt them
selves to thoseo Of their kind, their
age, sex and mental condition. Birds
Of the same feather will flock togeiih.
er, and 30 these little grandchildren
will rpn away from me to frolic with
other little tots, and it makes me
jealous. Juss 80 the next set from 10
to IL years clan together. Then
comes the blushing school girls from
IL to 10, who have lengthened out
their dresses and ceased to pull up
their garters every few minutes as they
walk about. 1t is the same way with
the boys, and when they get to be
baseball experts with college attach
mcnt they talk Of their exploits in a
language that is heather Chinee to
everybody except themselves and claim
to be the elect. And SO it goes on
and on until we bave passed our ma
turity, and then VIC veterans take our
comfort in communion with veterans
and pay our tribute to the good old
times that will never return. We are
the elect.
believe it is true that nobody but
the old men and old women give praise
to the old times and the customs Of
their fathers, and so il every genera
tion Of old people believe that the age
Of their youth was the best; then the
times NUS: have degenerated awfully
since the days of the prophets. Have
they or have they not gotten better
instead Of worse? The answer is,
they are better in some respects and
worse in others. Public morals
were very looc, hundred years ago.
Andrew jackson was gambler, horse
racer and duellist seventy-five years
ago. Suoh 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.
imprisonment for debt was the law
generally, and so was fogging in the
navy. Whiskey was unknown, but
brandy and rum were kept in almost
every respectable household. Hitter
acy prevailed almost all over the South
except among the aristocracy. There
were 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 millior aires, no suicides or
robberies, and murder was rare
event and done in the heat of passion.
No doubt but that there are hundred
of these crimes committed now TO one
then according to population. Well.
then, why arraign the old people for la
menting that the good old times have
gone. Not long ago I heard gifted
and cultured minister Of the olden
time preach most charming and i'm
pressive sermon from the text in Jere.
m;ah which reads, "Stand in the way
and ask for the old pnths; which is tho
good way, and walk therein, and ye
shall 6nd rest for your souls" One
of the best tests of the strength of q
sermon Is your remembrance of the
text. When q 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. It
does not seem like the same scripture.
"The old paths, ""Walk ye 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 to
trust and old authors to read - And
Goldsmith said, II love everything
that is DID," King James used to
call for his old shoec when he was
tired.
There is something almost, sacred
about the old songs, such as s.Auld
Lang Syne," ''The Old Oaken Buck
et,' "The Old Arm Chail'' 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 reheH,Hsad at the bot
tom; that he bought homemade
pair of socks twenty-sevan years ago
and is wearing them still, though he
has had new feet knit 20 them three
times and new tops twice. He says
khok nora,,,c,. Jl1.,l y s. u