The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-06-12
MRS. BILL ARP'S BIRTHDAY
His Wife Has Reached Three
Score aud Ten Years-S She is
Still Very Active.


Score and Ten Years She i
Still Very Active,
Atlanta Constitution.
Birthdays arc very common thing
in this sublunary world. There ar
sixty millions of them every year ane
that means about one hundred ant
fifty thousand every day or slx thous
and every hour. Just think of it
every minute one hundred mortal souls
come into this wOrld-tO live and die
for good or for evil--for happiness OF
misery. AS far back as we have any
history, sacred or profane, kings and
princes have celebrated their birthdays
with feasts and wine and song, and
even the humble and the poor take
note of their annual return. Pharaoh
celebrated his in Joseph's day, and ii
was on Herod's birthday that the
daughter of Herodlas danced before
him and asked him for the head of
John, the Baptist.
was rumiuating about this because
today is a notable birthday in my fam
lily. The maternal ancestor has at last
reached her three-score years and ten
the allotted age of man and woman
kind, and from now on every day she
lives will be one of grace. David says
that the days of our years are three
score years and ten, but if by reason of
strength they b. four score years yet is
their strength labor and sorrow. Poor
OLD man, he did have troubled life.
lie slnned and he repented in great
anguish, and he exclaimed, my SIN
is ever before me-" Solomon saith,
" The day of ones death is better than
the day of his BIRTH" And Job said,
"Cursed Is the night when was born."
Jeremiah's life was one ui l.,iiicniution.
The maXims and preccps of these old
prophets and preachers are wonder
fully beautiful and have never been
equalled, but great men are not always
wise, and even Solomon fell from grace
and died accursed. The man who
said, "Itejoice in the wife of thy youth
and be thou always ravished with her
lovc,' forsoOk his own and cOnsorted
with thousand Others of all nations,
creeds and colors. lie reigned eighty
years and died disappointed, dis
honorcd, degraded and miserable old
man. But old age is not necessarily
unhappy. The poet speaks of
An old age serene and bright,
AS lovely as Lapland night"
and another poet says: "The world
is very lovely. Oh, my God, 1 thank
Thee that live" Our old age is very
much what we choose to make it. 1t
is sad thing to be weary and tired
with the weight of years. 1t is pitiful
to look upon an old man who never
smiles, who has outllved all social
pleasures and whose company is neith-
er sought nor desired. For the sake
of our nelghbors and friends it is our
duty to be cheerful in their company.
We should sometimes smile even if we
have to force it. Let us grow old
gracefully. l have now in mind just
such an one--a hale, healthy old time
gentleman Of four score years, whose
presence ls always welcome and whose
children, grandchildren and neighbors
and friends give him glad greeting
when he comes. He will be missed
when he dies, for the world is better
that he lives in it. HIS Christian faith,
his moral conduct, his good example
and his chee, full disposition are bene-
diction to the community.
But was thinking about my wife's
birthday. There are thirty-seven
birthdays in our family, and she knows
them all and never forgets them. They
average about three q month, but this
one of hers is very notable one, for
she ls the maternal ancestor, and this
day fultills her years and crosses the
line. Seventy years ago she was born,
and not long after that the stars fell.
Of course they did. Seventy is mum.
eral Of sacred significance. There
were seventy elders Of Israel and
seventy wise men compiled the Old
Testament. The Jews were kept in
captivity seventy years. The Lord
sent out seventy of his disciples to
preach and teach The people, and
seventy years is the allotted age of
mankind. But my wife is not old !.
Time has written no wrinkles on her
brow nor burrows OH her cheek nor
silvered her raven hair. If the long
war had not interviewed she would not
look more than fifty years now.
But the wear and tear Of the war
and anxiety while fleeing from the
foul invader, with six little hungry
children tagging after her, made years
of months and weeks of days. But
women, especially mothers, can endure
more distress and suffering than men.
The maternal instinct keeps them up
They can suffer and be strong. II
looks like the motherhood of ten child.
rem would wear woman out, but they
seem to thrive on it, and late in life
they take on flesh and round up all thu
corners. But they never stop work
My wife has made over five thousant
little garments and Is still making them
for the little grandchildren keep com
ing on. Her reputation for nice needle
work and making buttonholes has bee,
long established, and she is proud O
it. She never stops sewing until sh
loses her spectacles, and then she Dor
rows mine. No, che is not old.
James Russell Lowell said of Jul,
Ward Howe on her. seventieth birth
day thati was better to be seyent
years young than forty years old.
Is this endurance, this cheerfulness 1
adversity that makes the women on
live the men. There are three time