The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-11-06
HONORABLE OLD AGE.
A Happy Celebration of the Seventeen
Birthday of MIR. Frank Greer, Sr.

About the big planation home
of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Greer,
Sr., located about Is miles from
this city in the Topisaw neighbor-
hood, there was unusual hurrying
to and fro on last Friday. For
weeks the good neighbors for
miles around had been making
ready for this memorable day,
and whispering together of the
surprise party they were to give
in honor of the 10th birthday of
their beloved friend or relative,
Mr.. F. Greer, Sr. Even the
mails and telephones in this pro-
gressive loaclity had been used to
draw once again together such of
''auld acq uaintance:' as still lin
gered, like the prospective host
of the day, this side the Great
Divide. When the first day of
November dawned and the time
for going to school arrived, little
grand children were hid away
from sight, SO that the good gray
head of the ever mindful grand
father might suspect nothing of
the honors and the Joys awaiting
him. 1t had been just 20 years
since similar ovation was ten
dered Mr.. Greer, and so oblivious
was he to the impending storm"
of this present time that, as usual,
in the strength and usefulness of
his three score and ten, he
wended his way to the fields
white unto harvest" that still
melt away before his ardent ener-
gy; and, later in the day, it took
a strong delegation to persuade
him that he must clay aside" and
spend the rest of his birthday an
niversary in feasting and rejoic-
ing.
There we're nearly two hundred
souls gathered beneath the hos
pitable roof in honor of the ocea-
sion; and, when Mrs. Ola Daugh-
drill, the popular photographer
of the interior, massed together
perhaps fifty little grandchildren,
many in arms, to have their pic
lures made," it was a sight not to
be seen many times in a lifetime.
Mr.. Greer has 64 living grand
children and 10 dead. Two of
these grandchildren, Mines. En-
mie and Myrtle Greer, of Brook
haven, added cheer and gratiica
tion to the occasion by presenting
to their honored grandfather a
handsome gold headed cane and
watch chain, respectively; which
flial and beautiful oppression OF
regard was appreciated not only
by Mr.. Greer himself and the
family, but by visitors, as we'll.
Great hampers of sugar and
spice and everything nice" were
joyfully spread under the shelter
ing shade of the trees at
1870 and, if there vas one, whl
was not at home" previous to
this, all with one accord found
fellowship aud communinn over
the sumptuous board from M,
Reub" and Brother Farrn down
to the smallest atom of humanity
present.
One, who knows of the splendic
life of the patriarchal host, and oil
the benaficence and beauty Of bis
old age, had prepared The follow
ling lines in his hon0r and read
them before the assembled com
paEy, who especially requested
their publication in heLeader:-
/ Lines in Honor Of the 70tt
Birthday of Mr. Frank Greer, Sr
The SHOWS of age fall lightly, but the,
never melt away;
TIE sun of youth shines brightly thro
all its life's glad day;
1t takes both shade and sunlight tx
make Life's flowers grow;
And so, there's naught amiss today
1 since God has made it so;
For age with its benianity, It's dignit,
and strength,
! Its wisdom learned in the school 8
life, that has compassed Time
full length,
And youth and love and joy and hop
and springtime hearts are here
To make his pathway brighter, tho th
shadows e'en are dear.
Love never sees the wrinkles III vel
beloved face;
The golden locks, as they turn to gray
il never seems to tracei
81 The once glad step may faltering GO
the hand may palsied be-
But Love triumphant holds its owl
! through all eternity,