Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-08-08
A MOTHERS LOVE

Who is there that does not acknowledge
and bow in reverence to a mothers love -
What IS 1t that causes the eye to fill? that
refuses utterance to speech, and overwhelms
with utter loneliness in the midst Of life p
Deny it not, truant heart; it is the sacredness
of a mothers love-felt through long years
it may be, yet always pure, ever sacred,
blessing and refreshing! Gentle mother
tenderest, truest, best Of ffiends constant
in love, in veal or wo-in infrmity or health,
IN honor or shame, through evil and good
report-thy affection knows no change nor
the shadow of turning! Blessings on thee !!
Earliest memories Ink together and throw
holiness on thy name.
Such were the refiectioas suggested BY
an incident in the great drama Of life. A
poor victim of intemperance was staggering
homewards-no, he knew not WHITTIER
when he fell heavily to the earth. Stunned
and bruised by the fall, he lay for a moment
insensible, but assistance soon returned him
to Consciousness and a sense Of degradation.
4 thank you, gentlemen said he, faltering
ly, 1t was a hard fall, but I am better now
l have had many such. 1t is nothing when
you get used to if-and he half laughed as
ne prepared to start again on his way.
What a pity remarked a spectator, that
you should thus debase your manhood by
selfish indulgence in strong drink
You're a temperance lecturer, I suspect
sneered the inebriate.
No, friend replied the gentleman, I am
not a temperance lecturer-at least, not one
professedly. But I neglect no opportunity
to speak a wordin favor Of that honest cause
You're a preacher, then, may ber
No.
We'll, whatever you are, I want none Of
your ADVICE
i merely meant it for your good mildly
answered the gentleman. Are you married.!
No
You have sisters and brothers?'
Yes, but they don't know Lne now
Have you a father?'
No, he died long since
"A mother?'
There was a deep silence.
'You do not answer. Have you a mother?'
The silence was broken by the sobs of the
wretched man.
% God oh God! he exclaimed, she. too
is dead l broke her heart many years ago.
by my misconduct Sogood, so kind, so gen
tie and forgivingf' and he smote bis breast in
the bitterness of his anguish. Unhappy man
oh how unhappy at that moment Through
all the vicisitudes of life, a mothers love had
followed him-entrea;ing. urging and implorine
him to forsake evil, and cling only to that
which is right. In vain had she striven. He
had gone on blindly, perversely, recklessly, till
now he was broken down in health, fortune and
reputation, an outcast from society, disowned
by his own flesh and blood! Yet in the midst
of this accumulation of Indebtedness, there
came reproachfully, though full of love, across
the weary waste of years, a mothers voice,
sweet and sad, and the heart bowed in grief to
its mute appeal.
Honor to woman! Without her smiles. the
world would lose its brightness-societys
charm would exist nc Observation-Disclosures
would languish without her aid and approval
In whose principles said the diving daughter
Of Ethan Allen to her skeptical father, sn
whose principles shall I die-yours, or those
of my christian mother?' The stern old hero
of Tieonderoga brushed a tear from his eve as
he turned away, and with the same rough
voice which summoned the British TO surren-
der, now tremulous with deep emotion, sa1d,
sin your mothers ehild-in your motber's."
Sacred to the heart, is the memory Of a
mothers love.