Year: 1874

dear old home on the OK Creek, and
count the days before Thanksgiving, for
I never allowed one to pass without
going home. Nothing could prevent me
from meeting father and mother once
year, if not oftener. Mary is married
to good man, and Harriet remains at
home, the comfort and solace of our
aged parents. How it lghtens my
daily duties to receive letters from
Harriet, telling me all about the
place" and what daily occurs, and
how my heart warns when l open
little piece of paper always PECULIARLY
folded, enclosed in Harriet's letter,
which invariably commences "My dear
child" and closes with "Your loving
mother" My heart throbs "God bless
my mother" and when do 60 home
and fold my loving mothers form to my
breast, and cover her cheeks with kisses.
am no longer a man calloused with
the tolls of life, but little child again,
sitting on her knee.


And when I tell her of my adven-
lures, of the cares am daily subjected
to, how her loving eyes look upon me
in all compassion, and pity my sorrows
and when at Thanksgiving we all
gather around the family table, sea- ed
at the head is father, Mary, VITO her
good husband and two .c,,e bows :
mother sits opposite fo...ner to pour tea,
while Harriet and / occupy the side,
looking to Ma.Iy and her family. I am
always elected to do the honors of the
tab ie. and I feel as highly honored as if
wele carving at tho Presidents BAN
quet. No national dinner ever can
have the relish to me that does the din
ners ct home on the Sidney Place. l
could not tell you all that mother and
sister have prepared, but their cata-
lGgue could not be surpassed.


shall visit home again this Thanks
giving should providence spare my life
and if Heaven extends its blessings to
us, shall again kiss my dear parents,
shall talk over the past and calculate
upon the future. I shall find Harriet
and Mary with her little family shall
see father and mother at each end OF
the table, and l shall again carve the
turkey; and when the visit of the day
is over, we will sing our evening songs
together, thanking Him for His bless
ings, and bid each other good night,
while each repair to their several
apartments to dream of the golden past
and happy future. =.


Would that all who read this could
boast of as good home and loving
parents as 1. The world would be
much happier, and the burdens of life
borne with more fortitute, looking to
the happy future for an annual re-
union at the dear old home.


But that cannot be. Timc, wit
his living movements, is making
changes daily. Households are sepa-
rated, families and friends divided.
Some are laid away to rest until the
last day, while others wearily wander
upon strange ..---::tt2r,-, with no pros
pect of reunion at the old homestead.
Thanksgiving after thanksgiving pass
and no reminder of the once happy
days passed at home, unless it is to
see others enjoying the same blessing
which few years will take from them,
and they like the rest of the world gaze
upon the reunion of friends with a
longing heart and sigh for the good
times passed beneath their own cottage
roof.


Heaven bless the wanderer, and may
parents long live to offer up prayer
for those who are separated from kin
dred and friends, with no bright,
CHEEKY hope of an annual reunion. Lis
ten to the toll of yonder church bell as
another dear friend is laid away be-
meath the willows, and another house
hold made desolate by the death of one
of their family. No re union for them
until the last day, when all shall meet
face to face with the long departed,
and the spiritual reunion only equalled
by the joys tasted here upon earth,
where no separation occurs, where all
is a perpetual thanksgiving and praise
to Him for blessings past, and the
golden home already prepared.