Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-02-07
LETTER
Mrs. Julia C. Aldrich Sends Greet
ings and Appreciation to Her Full
ton County Friends After Having
Passed Her Eighty-fifth Birthday
NV Dear Friends.

My Dear Friends:
The past week has brot me mex
pressable pleasures and vet all linked
with some of the saddest memories
of my life-so many dear ones have
passed on before me. from far
away relatives and friends letters
and messages came early Fearing
mail might be delayedl with assur-
ances that January 28th 1919, was a
dste when they should especially be
with me in thought, hoping the bless
ings of health, happiness and dear
friends with me would make the day
a joyous one-all tbs has come true,
and on that date a perfect food of
remembrances and birthday greet
ings from the friends of my own
Ohio, showing that friendship IS still
keeping the home-fres warmly burn
ing. But two of the friends Of
pioneer days are left to remember
our coming to Fulton County, in 1853.
But their sons and daughters have
a heritage from them, the self-reliant
strength, courage and noble princi-
Pile that st sred their parents to
strike out from the elegant homes of
New York and New England, and
was then, the wilds Of Northwest
ern Ohio. Many of these "sons and
daughters were pupils under my
care when a teacher. a young woman
Of twenty years. Thru memory
see their. trusting, youthful faces
vet so clearly. 1 have always felt a
loving interest in their prosperity
and happiness; and that the interest
is mutual, is evidenced by the many
remembrances sent by them on this,
my eighty-fifth birthday.
I would like to respond to each
one by letter, but present conditions
make it impossible. The epidemic
seemed to make Detroit speciality,
that followed close aftes the war,
has kept its people in tempest of
anxiety the whole season. For the
last five weeks some Of our family
have been under its haleful spell.
My granddaughter, Miss Julia May,
was the first to suffer but had suffi-
GENTLY recovered to make January
18th 1919, a memorable occasion N
the family. A grand dinner with
superb birthday cake which told the
years without being overloaded with
candles eight being grouped and link
ed with a golden band TO five less- +
ones, that said plainly, IS, these.
with the later day lights turned off,
glowed with an old-fashioned, sub
dued light, by which we could look
back into the long ago." thru gen
erations of birthday cakes, VIII lie en-
toying the luxury of this, with the
accompanying Neapolitsn ice cream
supposed this the last course; but
lust then, as if by magic, present-day
lights came back and the crowning
joy of the day was brot to the table
the days NAL for me. Heaped on
a decorated server, and there you
were. all of you, with me, you car
never know the thrill of joy your
presence. gave; how It brightens
Life's Sunset Way!
There is much In the opening year
1919, to cheer and brighten the way
for young and old-our dear ones
coming back to peaceful life with
minds strengthened and enlarged by
experience and Fa th assures us that
those who do not come back are reap
ing the rewards Of sacrifice fol
Right and Justice. Believing that
the losses and crosses of the Earth
life lead to greater joys beyond, lei
each go forward in duties that con
science points out as theirs and they
will be able to say when the messen
ger comes, go, Death, where is thy
sting? o, Grave, where is thy vic
torv?"
Hoping your birthdays may b.
pleasant to the last I am with high
regards,
Your loving friend.
JULIA C. ALDRICE