Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-12-29
THE BIGes RBuNIoN.
Happy Gathering of Parents and
Children Once More.


One of the most notable fam-
! lily gatherings in this section was
held last Tuesday, lice. l3, when
Senator NJ. II. X. Biggs and Mrs
Biggs. of Farber, had gathered
with them their eleven children
who, with their husbands, wives
and children, aggregate a party
Of forty-three. The day was au
ideal Missouri one. crisp, and Of
IA crystalline, sparkling clearness
BY an early hour the entire fam
lily was gathered under the farm
lily roOftree. and the hours sped
away in happy Renaissance. ii,
jest and song and an occasional
tear, for however hoppy these
great occasions of reunion there
is that solemn undereurrent of
thought which knows the inevir-
ableness of parting, the uncer-
tainity of life and the chilling
fear of the broken circle. 1t was
too large a party for one table
and dinner was served on small
tables scattered throughout the
house. Never, but once before
in their lives, for the older sons
and daughters were married AMI
gone when the younger ones were
born. had the father and mother
had gathered about the family
board all of their eleven children
And. it was no wonder that when
Senator Biggs spoke the blessing
his voice should break and tears
fill the eyes of the children, now
fair women and stalwart men.
A Missouri dinner!--a -at once
the Imagination of the favored
elect sees it in the minds eye
Delicate turkey, baked and deli
cious ham, crisp salads, golden
butter, delicate cakes, haky pas
tries, coffee like wine, ana great
procession of dishes, all good
things shaken out by the lavish
hand of Opulent Missouri and con.
verted by her famous housewives
into sybaritic feasts. The Biggs
women by birth and marriage are
notably fine women and excellent
cooks and on this occasion they
eXcelled past perfection. And il
was not to be wondered at, that
the party fingered over the feast
or that this material blessin ,
added to the happiness of the
day
The long afternoon was all too
short for the flood of talk. This
was pmctuated with "Don't yoa
remember" and on this mfor-
gettable day parents and chill
dren re-lived many days of Their
younger years, and with the
mature Judgment of men and
women, realized as never before
the significance of the parental
regime and the strength and
sweetness of family ties.
1t was late hour when the
party diSbanded. To each il had
been wonderful day, for the
sons ami daughters, n day of ben,
} ediction. for the grandchildren, n
day of vivid impression to make
, rich all their life, and to the par,
ents, day where it was the fruit.
ion of life and of hope. For sons
and daughters and grandchildren
constitute the crown of age and
the glory life. 1t was indeed an
inspiring sight to see the parents
whose three score years and ten
have touched only lightly, SUR.
rounded by their eleven children
Iall in splendid and mature man.
hood and wOmanhOod, the eldest
being fifty-seven years of age and
the youngest thirty-two. These
! are NJ. R Biggs, Oregon; Henry
= I'iggs, Canada; Jno. Biggs, Kan
sas; Robt. Biggs, Auxvasse; Mrs
j. N Smith, Monticello; Mrs
J Will Hall, Hannibal; viii Biggs
{ Mrs. Geo. Adams, Mrs. Oscar
lIostetter and Mrs. d. d. Tanner
Farber and J. NJ. Biggs, Van
dalia.
Senator Biggs is a native o
Pike county. having been born
there July 25, 1892. His father
r VIM. Biggs, was a Virginian b,
; birth moving to Kentucky he wa
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