The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-03-27
Letter from Old Timer.

crepit, folded his robes of ice yes
terday and to-day miss spring comes
smiling in, bidding love and fidelity
to the world, with bright sunshine,
bright flowers, beautiful songs of
birds, little chickens calling for the
mother who has unwittingly left it
after some bug or fly, clucks loudly
for the little wanderer who soon
hears the familiar sound and joins
the happy family, racing to and fro
in the bright sunshine. How bright
the little boys and girls with joyous
steps and smiles I 'eet an old man
who hates to own up to aches and
pains still lingering in his bones from
| winter, forgets them as these dear
little tots run and one eXclaims, Il
am six years old to-day and to-mor-
row l can go to school, Happy child
hood, whose sorrows, like spring.
showers, are soon over Then can We
welcome spring so soon to be a maid
en- dressed in living green. Now the
tender buds are opening on every
tree, the grass is springing, and
already old Brindle and Rose browse
on it all day, feeling all the better for
the meal and hay in the evening, by
| the appetizing tender grass.
And Easter tomorrow! How busy
the mas are to-day fixing and dress
! ing the eggs, some blue, others pur-
pie, then red, and flowers painted on
some; still others all full of striper
and dots and dashes, all to please
the children and bring back to the
minds of men the day of days that
meant so much for the world. Watch
the little tots, how eager their faces
on Easter morn as they run to the
garden, searching every part, until
one exclaims, Here it is, I have
found it, A rabbits nest full of
eggs, every hue of the rainbow found
there. See the happy ones as they
run and Jump and look with fond
hopes and pride, I'VE have found it,"
That is JOY unalloyed, and to mar
that JOY is crime. Take away the
joyous expectation of childhood, the
romance of love as they grow older,
then what is life, for too soon, alas!
they learn life is real, life is earnest,
and things to us are not what they
seem. Then make the children hap
py, for this is their due, for the morn
ing of life is like spring: beautiful to
behold, all too soon the heat of sum-
mer and the SHOWS of winter will
make little boys and little girls like
garment grow old. How interest
ing are they, like a flower see them
unfold to a sterling young man or
woman, then how much comfort or
JOY to the aged. Only last week
charming young lady was here: she
soon learned that an old man, after
plodding, in the fields for an hour or
two, enjoyed a cup of fragrant cof-
fee. How soon she had it served
and notice given, your coffee is
ready; 1 know it will do you good"
and it did in more ways than one.
For the young to be so thoughtful
and kind for an old man made his
heart we'll with kind feelings and
best wishes for her. How pleasant it
is to be thrown with the young. Last
evening was spent in their midst,
with music, recitations and acting,
all done in a manner to please every
one and to the credit of all who had
parts in the same, all showing the
care and thorough training given by
their teachers. Little aunt was there
who was mistaken by her nieces to
be first a country cracker, then a
confidence woman who would have
set back for pull back on the nieces'
dresses; then John, the darky who
done things according to orders,
from roping the house girl to scour-
ing the whole place, and hiring five
hands to dig ditch, said five hands
composed of three men, and the egg
walk won by a little girl and boy
who were the lucky ones before. Two
little girls came to the old fiddler,
caught hold of him saying why
didn't you stop the music while we
we're on the line?' The old man
promised to do better next time. The
above was only part of the pro-
gram, for the Gypsy queen was there
and the class of spelling, too, as we'll
as the old man who wanted a young
wife, but the girl eloped with a young
one. A most enjoyable and profit
able evening was spent. Such scenes
and places are the oasis on llfe's des-
ert. Beautiful spring and happy
youth! Grouchy must the old man be