Show A young fillmore boys letter to his uncle my dear uncle I 1 suppose that in the lives of all naoh men there are times when existing fail to satis afy that intense craving for congenial companionship com pan io enship which comes to one while in reflective mood who even tho surrounded I 1 by throngs of people falls fails to find fl nd in their association that sat isif ying element so essential to human happiness congeniality so it is with me to night I 1 have an intense longing to see and talk with those who understand me who are acquainted with my life my hopes and my ideals I 1 iong to talk with those whom experiences P perien erien ces in life justify me in listening to and following their words of counsel who can encourage in me e and inspire within my soul now new hopes new ideals and new ambitions whose loving ng words may perhaps direct me e safely over pathways that otherwise might prove treacherous ol 01 contain stumbling blocks over which weary footsteps unguided u aided would fall and in falling lose forever the power howerto to continue on the upward path to eternal happiness and contentment I 1 often think of you and the many many good times and talks that we have had how bow I 1 I 1 have listened with eager hungry soul gra aping at the words of inspiration as they fell from lips as drops of pure sparkling 9 water falls from the crevice in the mighty cliffs which r upward as it were to the very sky from whence they derive their supply of that elifet savin fluid that we so little appreciate I 1 would aike to live those days over again for often your words came to me as manna came to the starving Isrea lites the more I 1 travel about mixing 0 with all classes of people meeting all social conditions that exist taking part in the everlasting war of competition whose ultimate result means the survival of the fittest the can appreciate the spirit of the man who wrote the immortal home sweet home and the more I 1 come to understand conditions as they exist in the world the more I 1 appreciate my home and the which has surrounded my life by the efforts of my beloved mother if I 1 am moral if I 1 am clean and pure in in boby and in soul if I 1 am temperate and god fearing to her belongs the credit h I 1 can truthfully say as some great men have said before me iball all thal thai I 1 am all that I 1 ever hope to become I 1 owe to my d dear ear old sainted mother that such evils as I 1 have implied are no temptation to me is is of no credit to myself because my mother daucy taught t ht me to despise and shun th then en the following lines were written under a similar inspiration on july 1910 and will give you a faint idea of my reve reverence renoe for my mother and the influence influent ce she has brought to bear upon my life all alone to night I 1 linger neath the star spangled bespangled be sky and a dream of home and loved ones days spent with them now gone by happy hours while they lasted aasted happy memorie 0 now they bring to those tender recollections my lonely soul tonight doth cling I 1 remember how the twilight found us gathered in our home father mother brothers ssi sisters none there were who cared to roarn roam I 1 ren remember ember how the hours were spent with song and music gay how in reverence all united we knelt in love and faith to pray now how my mother called me to her taught my simple evening prayer father abhor love and guard thy children with thy I 1 rind kind protecting care and the lesson that she taught roe me truth is nobler than a crown honor love and cherish virtue strive all evil tn put down honor father honor wol mother lier serve thy god and lo 10 love ve all mer men follow in the sav rs footsteps taught thorn them oer nd oer again I 1 recall the hours of parting how it thrilled me thru and thru when my mot her told me proudly 1 I will not 01 41 worry for I 1 trust you think thin kyou you ld id betray her trusting think f you I 1 could go astray with her words my soul inspiring 1 t I trust you boy while your away 0 such faith and sacred trustin trusting I 1 value far above a crown th the e confidence and love unspoken better far than rich renown so I 1 linger enger neath the heavens so I 1 dream the hours away longing waiting looking ever when I 1 shall return to stay and andi 1 I am g to be worthy of her faith and trust in me seek ing higher nobler ideals to be bhe man id ought to be 1 I 1 assure you farther that it is a prea great t pleasure to me to tell 3 ou e that millard co is the cleanest county morally that I 1 know of in this broad land I 1 am so colad ela that conditions that exist in er towns where I 1 have been are almost entirely absent in the social life of fillmore I 1 am grateful t hat I 1 had the opportunity of spending a goodly part of my young manhood there because those early influences will remain r with me forever I 1 some times have a great longing to accomplish comp com something in this world I 1 that is really worthwhile worth while something behind mo as a bonu ment to future generations something that will make the world better for my having liv ed f I 1 often feel like the following lines written just recently after A I 1 had read some of the writings aa of our great american poets will suggest 0 god inspire within my soul the power thy praise to sing singa 0 waken all my slumbering gifts ill make the earth with music ring could fondest hopes be re lazed could ideals high be mine 0 lord id sing for all the world orld and an d all the love and praise be thine inspiring words for toiling ones who strive to raise above the common world of ignorance noran ce to dwell mid realms of I 1 love for plodding onos my song would breathe the commonplace id sing to teach content contentment mont love and f peace sweet happiness to th them em i id bring the godless ones would hear the tale of till all thy wonderous love till wicked hearts would turn from sin and seek thee lord above I 1 have written a longer letter r 8 than I 1 had intended and I 1 fear I 1 have wearied you T am getting along nicely and I 1 trust that al all I 1 is well with you and yours yours give give my love to ail all the full a i and accept a large share for yourself with best wishes I 1 am affectionately 3 yours S 5 |