Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-11-16
Sons Tribute to a Veteran Father.

Inc confederate reunion brought
rarc, sweet experiences to mo. The
marching Of the old gray veterans on
Broad street sent thrill through tho
blood that had never been felt before.
The reunion brought special joy
that was oven sweeter than the sight
Of old veterans marching to the
music OF "Dixic." Among that
great throng of grand mon was one
who to me was pre- eminent. a
modest old man he was, with bent
form and furrowed face and gray
hair, now nearly eighty years old (;
but with loyal heart and unconguercd
spirit, still loving his comrades and
the cause for which they fought
with yearning Tenderness my own
father.
How glad and proud was to have
him with me 10 walk beside him
and feel the pressure Of his arms to
see the flash Of eye and glow Of face
as old friendships were renewed and
old memories recalled
And then at evening, on the We
randa of our home, to have him sit
with us as the honored guest and
hear him tell Of tho old days that
tried mems souls, was a privilege and
a delight that cannot be put into
words.
II When bedtime came | whispered
to my wife that | wanted to sleep
with him, as I used to do in child
hood days. With woman's quick
perception she understood this desire,
and slipped away to prepare the room
and fix the bed, SO everything would
be fresh and sweet for this guest who
comes to us so rarely, but who il 80
deeply loved. And after we were in
bed she came again, softly and
quietly, to make sure we were snug
and comfortable, and to'kiss us good.
night!
After the stir and excitement Of
the day the old veteran slept well.
In the far hours Of the night awokc
and found his arm about me, rs it
used to be when | snugglcd close to
him i'll the long past baby days. |
could hear his deep breathing and !
knew he was sound asleep. | think
he must have dreamed about
his boy and placed his arms uncon-
sciously about me.
Memory got busy then, and re-
called the first time had ever seen
my father to remember him. 1t was
one night in sixty three or four, after
the little family was all in bed, that
old Rover gave an unusual bark, and
my mothers quick ear caught
familiar foot-f fall on the walk, and
she was up like flash. remember
how | was suddenly awakened, with
the glad exclamation, "Children, your
fathers come p And was caught
up out Of bed by tall, rugged man,
dressed in o gray uniform, and wear
ing cap, who huggcd me until was
almost brcathlcss, and called me his
baby! How grand he looked in my
childish eyes that night, an. how
clung to him in wonder and / ght
This was the father who had been
to the war, of whom my mother
daily talked and sung, and for whom
she nightly prayed, and who was to
come back some day to mako us
glad!
All this, and more, came rushing
back to me last Thursday night, as |
lay there in bed, with that Same dear
fathers arm about me in loving en-
brace and there came to ME a bap-
tism Of sacred JOY not often youch-
safcd to men in middle life. retnem-
bcred the couplet:
Backward, turn backward,
Oh, Time, in your flight,
And make mo q boy again,
Just for one night"
And to me the prayer Of the poet
was fully realized =; | was Just child
again, resting happily against my
fathers bosom
No wonder the tears c;..ne in that
silent hour, and the heart beat fast
and the blood lcaped and thrilled
in my veins! 1t was to me q happy
time that bathcd and refreshed the
soul, and brought grateful thanks