The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-07-02
BILL ARP.
When A~basbuerus was king OF Per-

When Ahashuerus was king Of Per-
STA he got so mad with Hannah one Cay
that he walked out into the garden ID
let his choler down-not his shirt col
lar, but to cool of his anger, for lear
he might do something undignihet.
Then he came back and had Hannah
hanged on the gallows he had built for
Mordecai.
Well, l walked out in my garden
yesterday, the first time in a month.
but I was not mad with anybody. In
fact, l am pleased that l am allowed
once more to walk outdoors and perusc
the flowers and vegetables and PICK a
few strawberries. My wife and the girls
watch me and have kept me penned up
for months while the east wind chilled
the air, but now they help me down
the steps and up again and arm ME
around among the flowers. They are
very beautiful from the window, brt
more so when you are near to thenl.
We never had SO many beautiful pop
pies before-all colors-all sizes
double and treble and as large as saul
GERS. We had Jul first mess Of straw
berries April "a and had a good mess
yesterday, and have not missed a day.
Cur vegetable garden supplies tie
table bountifully. but the garden Is not
mine. The girls planted it and with
a little help have grown everything.
The world was sad, the garden was a
wild;
And man, the hermit, sighed till wo-
man smiled"
We are enjoying the fruits Of their
labor every day for we have potatoes,
beans. peas, sQIashes, onions, beets
and asparagus every day If We waEt
them or have company. A little bacon
with the beans and two spring chick
ems completes the first course, and
then comes strawberry shortcaSc.
which Is always welcome. We live
well at our house, and are not extrava-
gant either. A bountiful dinner for
twelve persons costs not more than 81.
and the grandchildren consume hall Of
that, bless their hearts. / do love to
see them enjoy a good dinner, and they
love to come here and always have 3
kiss for poor old grandpa.
l was n years old Monday. June Is
full Of our family birthdays. My wife
was II on the 1st and I was Il on the
18th and my oldest grandson, who has
my name, has my birthday. My moth
er has the oath and our granddaughter,
Caroline, is named for her and has her
birthday. And there are some more In
June that I have forgotten. Two little
granddaughters brought ne some nice
linen (h'd'k'fs) before breakfast. These
little gifts are sweet and help smooth
the wrinkles from an old mans brow.
Our little 2-year-old loves to climb on
my knee and pat my old cheek n call
me "g'an pa" and that gives me
pleasure than a gold mine. May the
Lord keep the little ones under the
shadow OF His wing.
Oh, the horror Of horrors away cut
in Oregon. viii cloudburstS and frs
and foods and shipwrecks never cease"
Every day brings some e disaster,
some wreck of innocent child life. some
mother torn away. Lord, good LORD,
have mercy upon the people and or
give all their sins. Like the poor FISH,
erman l would say. Lord, good Lord.
I am a fool to speak to Thee, but save
the children from storm and food and
fire and pestilence." When read the
days disasters my old heart throbs
with pity and like the weeping prophet
I exclaim, "oh, that my head were
waters and my eyes a river OF tears
that I might weep day and night for
the slain OF the peopIe"-A. 46, loo.
200, 400. Every day adds to pain aid
misery and anguish and desolaticn.
Loved ones are gone and hores
Somthow when I look around me al ali
these happy hearts and faces and the
flowers lifting their petals to the sun
and the pigeons bathing in the pool
and see the young people playing en-
mis- down in the court and the content
ed negro blowing my n%eishbor's corn
and the COW grazing in the pasture. l
feel like it Is almost a sin to be happy
while so much grief and heartacne
abound all around US. 1t did not use
to be so. In my youth we had no
cides: murders were rare; no crazy
people to fill the sanitariums; no chain
args; no crime Of any consequence.
What is the matter with the world.
and the people? Even women have got
to handling pistols and poison, and
grave diggers have gone on a strike
and we will have to dig our own graves
before We die. Lord help Us all. Now
let all the people say Amen.-Bill Arp,
in Atlanta Constitution.