Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-10-07
v q rie { Y.
MY MOTHERS HAIR is GRAY.

"Pardon me, Miss Edwards, can
not agree with you. To me gray hair
is beautiful. My mothers hair is gray"
A deep silence followed these words,
The low. earnest, reveren,ial tone in
which they were spoken had impressed
the gayest of that gay young group.
The speaker had numbered more than
forty wears. He was above the medi-
um height, his frame indicating yigor
and manly strength, rather than grace
or beauty. The face, though far from
handsome, at once inspired both conf
dence and respect. Its ordinary ex-
preston was grave, smiles rarely visi-
led il, but when they came the effect
was like bright beam of sunshine on
n shady place. Around the broad, high
brow, clustered graceful curls of dark
brown hair. The contour of the bead
wa. siugularly beautiful and more than
redeemed the plaiuness Of the face
He was man Of great moral and men
tai power, to whom his acquaintance
looked up with admiration that was Ii
tie short of reverence. BY the magic
Of his eloquence he could sway lis
teuinc multitude as the leaf burned
branches Of the forest, trees are swayed
by The winds of heaven. He had an
enviable reputation as man of leara-
ing, and he was one of the blessed fey
-"who gain the book to kaou,
Nor buy the knowledge with the heart"
His influence was felt in the political
world. Offices Of honor and emolument
were pressed upon him, and he had
but to listen to the prompting Of amsi,
ton to scale the dizziest heights of pub.
lie favor. He was the poor mans friend.
The widow and the orphan never claim.
ed sympathy in vain. Kind words cost
the eiver nothing, and kinder deeds,
which are the true measures OF benev'
olence, 80.
YEuFcll from him noiseless sthssuow,na =
and made glad the hearts of the needy
He knew the "names of Husband
and Of Father" The brightest orna-
ments of the modest cottage, where he
had set up his household gods, where
his beautiful sweet.voiced wife and q
group of fair.haired children, who cius'
tered like olive plants around his table.
His absence from home was like the
Withdrawal Of light from the loving
household of which he was head; his
presence, when he returned, seemed to
them.
"-To brighten light,
And give back sunshi ne with an added glow"
He was u Chrislian-not by protes'
sion but in deed and truth. His reli.
gion was not dead letter; matter OF
mere formal belief. and mere formal
practice, but of living active principle
which regulated all his actions. He
did not wear it like Sunday coat, to
be laid upon the shelf at the going down
of the sun, but he wore it through the
week in the hurry of business. and III
the pursuit Of pleasure, in the house
and by the way.
Tha, which more perhaps than any
thing else gave grace aud beauty to hi:
character, was the love he bore his
mother, tho wa,chiul care with which
he smoorhed the path of her declining
years, his unwearied devotion to hel
comfort, and the reverence with which
he always spoke Of her.
ITO me gray hair is beautiful. My
mothers hair is gray" He could remem'
Der when that same gray hair was dark
and glossy as a ravens plume-wher
the calm brow it shaded was free from
wriukles-when tho now colorless cheek
was flushed with the rosy tint Of health
and happiness. He remembered how
carefully she guarded his helpless in
fancy, cheerially bearing privution, wea
riness, and suffering for his sake-the
gentle force with which she retained
him during the seasons of headstrong
impetuous you,h-the proud affection
with which she marked the noble de-
velopement of his manhool-and the
deep, strong, deathless love with which
all his life long, she had covered him as
with garment. And to him now, IL
the pride and vigor Of his manhood
even her gray hairs were beautiful
Not hers alone-but every head which
age had silvered over was revcrenced
and respected Tor her sake.
In this busy, busting age of the worll
when the accumulation Of wealth aud
passion for public houors engross SC
large share Of mems time and thoughts
reverence for the Ole is in danger Of be
ing accounted on old fashioned duty, II
be laid aside with hoops and furbeIows
pow dered wigs, and silver knee.bnck
les. The command-" Honor thy faith
or aud thy MOTHER" which to many
minds savols too strongly of things be
yond the flood to claim present obedi
ence, is as binding now as at tho daI
God uttered it on Sinai. Even in The
absence Of n direct command, over,
high and noble sentiment in mans M
ture prompts him to yield to bis mother