The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-08-20
A FAMILY GATHERING AT
HOME MR.. J. ED SENN

A FAMILY GATHERING AT
HOME MR.. J. ED SENN
Il would not care to sit upon a
throne,
Or build my house upon mountain
top
Where l must dwell in glory all alone
And never friend come in or poor
man stop"
These beautiful lines express my
sentiments more clearly and strongly
than l am able to do myself. have
always preached the doctrine that
we keep apart too much III this world.
We do not. get together often enough
in a friendly sort Of way. Families
are formed. Homes are established.
The children grow to manhood and
womanhood and they in turn one by
one go off and establish other homes
and soon they are scattered to dis
tant parts. 1t is a portion of the
economy of nature and right and
proper.
But the point is that it is helpful
and pleasant for the several families
thus formed to meet together occas-
ionally at the old home, or if in the
course of human events the old home
is broken, then to gather at the home
of some member of the family and
with friends and other relatives come
together, and in friendly and social
sort of way, and get better ac-
uuainted one with the other, and talk
over the happy days of childhood,
and the many pleasant recollections
that will come unbidden back to
mind, and it will make US feel better
and be better men and women. We
keep ourselves too much apart from
one another in this day of unrest and
commercialism.
It was my pleasure to attend a
family gathering at the home OF Mr..
and Mrs. J. Ed Sem on last Wednes-
day. The old home of the parents is
no more. so the gathering properly
was at the home of the oldest son.
The father, Mr.. George W. Sem died
in January, 1887, and the mother IN
1905. So the place of the father had
to be taken by Mr.. J. Ed Sem, the
oldest boy as we'll as the oldest child
and it was pleasing to. the visitor to
see how highly the other children re-
gard him.
Mr.. and Mrs. George W. Sem were
married in 1866. Mrs. Sem before
her marriage was Miss Lou Cannon,
the daughter of Mr.. David Cannon
The home of Mr.. George W. Sem
was on or near Bush river not far
from the old Peister mill, though MS
father lived and he was born on the
same place on which Mr.. Ed Sem
now lives.
It has been the custom Of this fam
ily to have these gatherings from
year to year, but the time for this
one was set in order to have it while
a brother, DR.. D. C. Sem, is on a
visit from the far distant state OF
Texas where he went some 28 years
ago, and this is only his second visit
in all these years, and the other
visit was 20 years ago. He set up ms
household in that distant state taking
unto himself helpmate from among
the good women of Texas. Accom-
panying him on this visit is daugh-
ter now charming young lady, and
I know it must be a great pleasure
to her to meet and to know the many
fine relatives of her father whom she
met for the first time.
Mr.. Ed Sem has an ideal country
home just about four miles west OF
Newberry and everything about the
place bears the evidence of gooc
manager and successful farmer
The table was spread under a beau
tiful china tree and the good things
that were placed upon that table
would tempt any one and would sat
isfy the appetite however keen II
might be, and it was served beautl'
fully by Mrs. Sem and the young
ladies assisting her. There was the
best barbecue hash and barbecue
meats and chicken salad and frlec
chicken and almost anything yor
could think of that is good to eat