Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1911-04-21
TIE OL.D FO KS,

folks, your father and mother Ar,
they well, happy, prosperous
When did you hear from them last
Yes, and when did they hear from
you last? Do you remem Der? saz 4
Last night The Herald told o.
the application of an aged woman
to the ST. Louis county poor com
missioners for admission to the
poor farm. The story was pathetic
She had lived with her husband on
q farm that they had purchased ID
ftheir younger days: Can you pic.
ture those days? Can you imagine
the thrill of pride az these two
looked over: the few acres of land
and realized that it belonged to
them? Can you imagine the dream
OF the future that rose before. their
minds? 80: :: - {
Then, after time, there was son,
a little baby boy, and the father
and mother could look ahead into
the future, to the time when he
would he big enough to help with
the work. And: then his brother
came, aud there were two boys who
some day would be big enough to
share with the parents the burden
of caring for the place, tilling the
soil, looking after stlch stock as
they might have. Two boys, who
some day would grow up to be
young men, and who would he able
to look after the old folks when the
time came for them to lay down
the active work of life.
Well, the boys grew up, as boys
will if they have plenty of food and
fresh air and proper care generally.
But they did not take kindly to the
farm and it's restrictions and it's
work. They were restless. They
wanted something different. And
finally one of them went away to
seek prosperity and fortune some
where else. It was day of sadness
for the parents, but they believed
in their sons ability aud hoped for
his success. The other boy was left
with them, but after awhile he too
went away, and they were left alone
once more. It was hard to lose the
boys, but would not the boys sue.
coed somewhere else, and were
there not years to come in which
the parents would hear from them
from time to time, and when they
SO~AN1 H~AA0 P01 VASAS SAS0S OOyS AL
their own homes?
years passed there came fewer and
fewer letters. The boys were ont
in the world somewhere. They had
new interests, new occupations, and
they grew careless about writing
to the old folks. The father weak
ened with age and was unable to
keep the place up. Finally he died,
leaving the mother burdened with
a rundown farm and a load of
debts. And then she found herself
to sell what little there
was left and accept the assistance
of others.
Today that mother is in the poor
house, dependent on the county for
her food and clothing and place
in which to sleep. The boys, whom
she loved and cared for and from
whom she had reason to expect
some help in her old age-where
are they: Nobody Knows, and they
do not even know that their mother
needs them. They have drifted
away and forgotten their par
ents and the old home-not
wilfully, perhaps, but just care
lessly. If they were here, if they
even knew of her circumstances
they would do something. Not
much perhaps, but even a word of
and love would mean
40 much to her. But they are not
here. Nobody knows where they
are.
The old folks-vour father and
mother-how are they? Where are
they? Where are they? When did
you hear from them last? Yes, and
when did they hear from you last?
IN Won rou,ornhoro