Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1920-11-13


nelp IN their solution
concerned herself much with the affairs
and the problems of boys and girls.
With keen interest, during the forty
past years she has watched the BOYS and
girls of this community grow to man
hood and womanhood, glad in their
successes sad in their carelessness, in
doence and failure. Many baby boy
or girl of forty years ago, whom she
held in her arms, in whom she took
more than passing interest, are now
fathers and mothers whose children are
growing up, who perhaps have little
thought that this woman has taken
thought of them during the past years
but she never forgot them; they were
always Her Boys, Her Girls.
We have all heard the expression
Growing Old Gracefully, but in this
woman we have better type. For she
did not grow old at all. AS | haye oc
casionally conveTsed with her during
the past five or six years, | could see
that her body was showing signs Of age,
the house was growing old and tumbling
down, but the spirit of Alice Crary who
dwet within vas as much of girl at
seveuty-fve as at eighteen. What was
the secret of it? Why, she never ceas-
ed to think she was always q student,
her mind never stopped broadening
AS one of her dear friends who was with
her much during her last days said she
loved Life, she saw SO much good to live
for. During the past year she felt and
frankly expressed to her friends, that it
would be much better if she could pass
on, yet life all about her was Just as
beautiful as ever, and every passing
incident Of any note aroused her inter
est.
Size lived very close to the Great
Highway of Life, and watched with a
kindred's interest the passera-by and
who that has felt her touch has not been
helped thereby ! think | may well
read a. a tribute to her some lines which
seem to portray hex life's motive, and |
believe | may not apologize for these
lines because of their having been read
on many other occasions, any more than
| need to apologize for reading the l4th
Chapter of st. John, especially since
this poem has been requested by num-
Der of her friends.
''There are hermit souls that live apart in the
peace of their sell content.
There are souls like stars that dwell with
drawn in a felloweSs ornament.
There are pioneer souls that blaze path
where highway never ran.
But let me live by the side OF the road
And be a friend TO man
Le, me live in "A house by the side Of the road,
Where the races OF men 20 blythe men who
are good and the men who are bad,
AS good and AS bad as |.
1 would not sit in the ScOrneTS 5 seat, nor hurl
the cyuc'S ban,
let me live in a house by the side OF the road,
And be "a friend 10 man.
see from my house by the side OF the road,
by ihe side of the highway OF life,
Men who press with the ardOr OF hope,
And men who faint with the strife,
But 1 turn not away from their smiles and
their tears,
Both parts of an Infinite plan.
Let me live in house by the side OF the road
And be a friend To man.
know there are brook gaddened meadows
ahead
And mountains of wearisome height.
That the road passes on thru the afternoon,
And stretches away 10 the night
But still rejoice when the travellers rejoice,
ana weep with the strangers that moan
Nor live in my house by the side OF the road
Like man that lives alone.
Let me live IN my house by the side of the road
Where the races of men go by,
They are good, they are bad, they are weak,
they are strong, wise, foolish, 80 am L.
Then why should sit in the scorner's seat,
or hurl the cynic's ban?
Let me live In my house 10y the side of the road
And be a friend to man.