Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1920-01-02
Christmas, 1o1s--The Vacant Chair.

The day before Christmas was on my
way to spend the season with an uncle,
Mr.. George 7. Waters. at the old Waters
farm in Montgomery county, Maryland,
where my great-grandfather, SURGEON in
the Revolution" died in 1892, and where
my father was born in 1922. and to visit
in the neiehborhood where had passed
my childhoods happy days. and particu-
larry for the gathering of four generations
an uncle at 81. the oldest, and grand
nephew. aged 7, the youngest. And the
scenes and the doings of this occasion will
always be fresh in memory. and how that
old age and childhood took to the Christ
mas tree with its toys and decorations and
the presents spread out under it in like
spirit. for, as my uncle said, Harry, the
last time saw Christmas tree was when
you were year old, just before your father
took you to Cincinnati in 1885," This
uncle and another Dr. Somerset R. Waters,
OF Carroll county, passed away last spring.
and they were the last of that generation
of our branch of the Waters family.
The accommodation train leaving Wash
ington late in the afternoon had standing
room only" but the merry laughter and
the bright smile and the good-natured
temperament of the passengers, many of
whom were soldiers and sailors, had BAN
ished all thoughts of Inconvenience or
crowded conditions. The numerous large
bundles and baskets foretold coming events
in the homes, and what might be expected
when Christmas dinner was spread and all
was enjoyment around the festal board,
for the good country people had gone to
the camps and hospitals and were now
taking somebody's dear boy to home COM
forts and associations. What though he
was not their own boy They trusted to
Providence that their boys lover there"
were being cared for. and this confidence
was reflected in their faces and echoed in
the sounds of voices. You could see these
people were not trying or straining to be
happy, for they were already there. the key
note to their heartstrings had been sounded
and the music was now playineof its own
accord, seeming as though our Heavenly
Father. seeing this thouehtfulness and love
Of fellow-men. had whispered to these
good folks, "Inasmuch as We have done it
unto one Of the least Of these. my children,
We have done it unto me-" 1t was such
little thing to do, but what pleasure and
satisfaction to the host that he should be
able to even partly satisfy heart hunger
ing for affection. love and home.
Many passengers left the train, as did.
at Gaithersburg, and saw the merry groups
enter conveyances and hurry away to their
homes There was one picture that shall
never forget. AS see three persons ap-
proach and pass by, the center figure was
lady in deep black small in stature. and
possessing a countenance and eyes full of
motherly love and sympathy. On each
side Of her was a soldier boy-one with
the right arm gone and deep scar on the
side of his face where bullet had ploughed !;
the other boy had lost his left arm and the
|
chatting very merrily. learned later that
the lady had gone to Washington. visited
one of the hospitals. and sought out these
two boys for Christmas companionship. for
her boy had died lover there" for his cOun-
try. for her, for the two boys she was en-.
PERTAINING, for you, for me. and for pos
terity. | fear that many of US had nc
conception of the immensity of the under
takings of the Allies and the problem tC
be solved. Slavery to Germany or wal
until victory and freedom from the menace
of the grip of the iron hand was assured
and proclaimed. Reused to the full sensi-
bility of the price of life and liberty. purity
and happiness, the prayers of these dear
mothers. wives. sisters and sweetheart'
accompanied others to the throne Of grace
and the Almighty in his wisdom provided
the world victory of the might of right. IT
the act of these good people throughout
our land. and especially in the particular
case of this mother, recognize the yearn
ing for the companionship and association
of the dear absent one who had answered
to his country call, and recall the verse
I'VE shall meet, but we shall miss him
There will be one vacant chair,
We shall linger to caress him,
When we breathe our evening prayer.
He sleeps. possibly. on the battle-ground
of France. there resting peacefully under
field of daisies so pure, or a field Of
peoples whose bloom shrouds the graves al
cloth of gold renewed and more radiant
with the return of each summer. and tc
the memory of the true and the brave who
sleep on until the last trumpet shall sound
and each and all of our dear ones shall
stand with us before our God. And ther
these dear boys will hear the welcome
plaudit: You fought good fight in a cause
that was just-there is prepared for you a
crown of rejoicing.
Upon the loved ones at yuletide the spirit
breathes the prayer, The Lord gave. the
Lord taketh away. blessed be the name Of
the Lord" Home, Sweet Home" is where
we find the vacant chair Of the absent ont
most prominent at Chrstmastide. where thu
dear ones from near and from far assemble
for the festal anniversary. and other vacant
chairs remind US of the passing of those
whose undyins labor Of love for their dear
ones and happy realization Of answers t
prayer that life be spared to them so the,
might see children and grandchildren grow
up to be men and women established and
settled down to social and christian duties
'Tis here we aged love to linser and see
the children come into home and feel the IT
grow into our hearts and become so inter
estine and so loving that we play viii
them in the sand, gather pebbles and shells
along the shores OF the unknown seas. anC
without realizing il we "becOme as it'll