The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-08-19

A writer in the Winston-Salem
Union Republican contributes this
which We would burn into the minds
and hearts of the young were it pos
sible to do SO:
For several weeks our letters have
been about old people and things of
long ago, and We want to talk about
old folks again this week-grandpa
and grandma.
| was going up street not long ago
and | saw an old lady, who seemed
to be about so, coming down on the
opposite side of the street. Her form
once erect, was now stopped. Her
hair once as black as the ravens
wing, was as white as the drifted
snow. The step that was once quick
and elastic, was slow and shutting.
She was blooming for the grave She
was standing on the very brink of
the dark river We cell death, ready
to cross that unknown state of ex-
istence that lies beyond this vale Of
tears. As | stood there with my
hat off, IA little girl came tripping
along and said, Can you realize
that yonder old lady was once Il lit
tie babe in her mothers arms and
then little girl just like your" She
looked up at the old woman for II
moment as she shuffied along, staff
in her hand and a basket on her arm,
and then, gazing up into my face
with Il bewildered expression on her
face, she said, "Was II"
Friends, children and older ones
too, let me burn this one thought
into your very souls. Just as sure
as you live your time is coming and
whatsoever you SOW now you shall
reap hereafter. You may worry, vex
and annoy your grandmother, your
own mother or even your mother
in-law" if you will but remember that
with what measure ye mete it shall
be measured to you again"
A young man was going to the
>poorhOuse with an old man on his
back. The young man became very
tired and sat down the old man on a
stone to take rest. While resting
the old man began to weep bitterly.
You may cry as much as you
please" the young man said, 'but to
the pOorhOuse you shall go, | will
not be bothered and burdened with
you any longer" Then the old man
said, 81 am not weeping because you
you are taking me to the poorhouse
my son, but because of my cruelty tC
your grandfather. Thirty years age
this day | was carrying him OIL my
back to the poorhouse and rested
him on this very stone. He begged
me to let him stay with me the few
days he had to live, promising to
rock and nurse the little ones and dc
anything he could / Knocked hin
and turned II deaf ear To his cries and
tears and took him to the poorhouse
1t is the thought of my poor old dea
father that makes me weep. NJ,
punishment is just; l must reap az
have sown. As soon as you are
rested let us be going"
| realize that, naturally, there il
little congeniality between youth and
extreme age especially when brough,
in too close or too constant contact
How we enjoy the company of grand
ma when she lives to herself and We
visit her occasionally, but when SHE
moves into our own homie and be
comes member of our family it be
comes another matter entirely. HUI
man nature is the very same to-day
as it was when Shakespeare wrote:
Grabbed age and youth
Cannot live together -
There il not II creature in the Who'll.
animal kingdom that does not pro
vide for it's young according to tht
cn11rSa nf naftrro until itc vnnno 4,