A Silver Wedding Day.

The readers of THE EXPRESS have often seen notices as the following:

Married, in this city, January 11th, 1853, by Rev. W. H. Evans, of the Georgia Conference, Mr. C. H. C. WILLINGHAM and Miss LETITIA ADELINE PRUITT, all of this city. – Atlanta Intelligencer.

The above notice means that tomorrow is our silver wedding day.  It means that the editor of THE EXPRESS has been a Benedict for twenty-five years.  Well, that is sometime in the life of man.  How many live to see their silver wedding!  And yet one can hardly realize that so long a time has elapsed, especially if he feels vigorous and as young as ever.  To live to see one’s silver wedding day is one of the favoring dispensations of Providence that any should feel most grateful for.  How many happy couples have started out in the world that both have lived to see their silver wedding day!  The number is comparatively small.

It is an occasion worthy of celebration if convenient to do so.  The children that have grown up around us since that time admonish us that age is creeping on, and that they are to take our places, and that we shall soon be remembered no more except by those who are nearest and dearest to us.  But few of us can hope to see the golden day of married life.

Well, tomorrow will begin another quarter of a century of married life for us.  What are its hopes?  Will those who have grown up around our fireside live and prosper?  That question is the absorbing thought of the mind to those who are parents.  We all have our hopes and many of us our fears as to those we love best.  The tempter may vanish our fondest expectations and dash the cup of happiness in old age from our lips.  Or, one by one may be taken from us, while we may live on and life becomes to us one of gloom and mourning.  None of us who pass our silver wedding day can know that the golden day may end as happily as the silver day.  These things are in the future that none can penetrate.

Well, such is life, and we shall endeavor to be cheerful tomorrow and resolve to live better in the future than in the past.  We shall expect no splendid gifts.  The day must pass as all other days must pass with us.  We shall be thankful and as content as possible, and struggle and toil on with the star of Hope as our guide and inspiration.