Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-01-22
Rhrarp.
The FretfuI Mother.

you may read at your leisure, without being both
cred by the sunlight jolts and fine print. True
causes the eye to ache and the heart too sometimes
but it is no fction-and it is profitable to be pain
ed by truth sometimes. Human nature is offer
spread open before us when are travelling, AMI
person has time to turn leaf or two Of it in
riding upon the cars the short distance from Hud-
son to Cleveland. sa ee
A few kays since, l seated myself in a car. nv
attention was attracted to group who occupied a
seat opposite to me- 1t consisted of a lady and two
children one beautiful little boy of three or four
years. the other pale, puny babe Of eight or ten
months. They had evidently been travelling for
some time, for they seemed very weary and the
lady looked sad and careworn. My sympathies are
always excited at the sight of delicate woman,
travelling alone with two three children depend
ent upon her care, and had begun to feel consid-
| cradle pity for the weary mother, when she mani
tested such spirit of impotence that turned my
sympathy towards the poor little children upon
whom she wreaked her petulanee 'Henry, keep
your feet off my dress.' said the mother contract
ing her features into mass of wrinkles and strik-
ing at the intrudng morocco-"sit stillr' yocifer-
ated the same shrill tones. MA, are we close to
ohiO?" said the child in anguid drawing tone
''Sit still and quit asking questions" was the IN
gentle reply. At this moment the infant who had
been sleeping upon the reserved seat awoke with a
plaintiye cry-a cry that went to my heart and
onged to see the poor helpless babe, weary from its
long journey, peevsh, of course-what child is not,
when taken from its quiet home its soft cradle and
familiar amusements; toted about over the country
rocked in the steamer cabn-jolted over the rail-
road and fed on hap hazard fare at irregular hours
of the day or night. 20 dear,' sighed the mother
catching it up and shaking 1t angrily. The child
screamed-spat! spat came the maternal hand up
on its delicate limbs I could scarcely retdin nv
seat my heart bled for the poor little defenceless
thing thus committed to the care of such mother.
Ma. want to look out of the window" "Hen-
ryn and the ejaculation could not have been more
emphatic if he had hung threatening preci-
fi4H that "A."aAaat" 40 AAar" snhhad the little Eel
low Il want to get to Ohio" 'Let the baby alone,
exclaimed the mother as little Henry smilingly of
fered il toy, and for moment forgot his grief on
the pleasure Of the infant, who gazed with baby
wonder upon the little earthen dog and stretched
get him into teaze, s'pose-keep your playthings
to yourself, or I'll take them all away from you,
and give them to him" said the dmiGble mamma =
Great way to teach those children to love one an
other, thought l. ask your mother if you may
come over and sit with me-" said to the little boy
May go mar" "Yes, go along if you want to-
| never did see such uneasy child" l drew
long breath wher the mothers consent was obtain
ed, she seemed so determined to make the child
miserable, that feared she would not grant his re-
quest.
took the little fellow upon my lap; fortunately
MY dress not too nice TO come in contact with
his feet. gave him part of my boquet, and asked
him if he loved flowers. Il yes, pretty flowers"
said he.
We soon became very good friends. We could !
look out of the windows now, and his enthusiastic
shouts at sight of drove of cattle or a flock of
Sheep proved quite contrast to the whining tone
of few moments before II directed his attention
to the beautiful Cuyahoga, the green woods, the |
meadows from which We could hear the music of |
the sharpening scythes, the bright winged birds and
every ether object which thought would interest |
him. l am sure that child was happier during the
few moments that We sat together, than he had /
been for many day. l know he would have |
preferred going with me when the cars arrived |
at the depot: but had no claim upon him, and |
so consigned him to the rightful owner, wishing |
with Fanny Fern, that was the mother of all the
little Borrowing ones. rs rf e-E .
This page of Human Nature has too many
cOunterparts. Many feeble, fretful woman, wears
the maternal mantle unworthily OH who but a
mother shall smoothe the thorny path of the little
child know that there are many flowers therein;
but childhood hath its gries and they are as great
in proportion to the baby-shouder, as the crosses
of manhood to the athletic arm of midde-ape -
Who but mother can bear with infantile faults
and waywardness, and who can be expected to be
patient and kind, and gentle, and affectionate if
mother is not. -....-. ....-..-
| shudder when look forward through the life
of little Henry and his little brother Will they
love each other? Who will teach them? VIII they
respect and honor their mother? What is she doing
now to build for herself throne in their Young
hearts? Will they love the beauties of nature and
delight in scientific research, VIII her silence OF,
petuant replies 10 their innocent inquiries, foster
the inquisitiveness of their expanding souls2 Who
will be ungrateful, if, weary of the quayres. and
frowns, and bitterness Of such house as that moth
viii make for them, they seek pleasure elsewhere
and leave the lone widow by her solitary, desolate
hearth, to rsaect on the past. sown thickly with
thorns by her own careless hand?
Oh! the wine cup, the gaming table, the haunt
of vice, the dungeon, the galIows-how MANY of
their victims driven into their Jaws by the hand
that should lead them into ways of pleasantness.
and with IFS magic touch throw such attractions
and alurements around home as to stay the wan
deripg saat, and keep the gem of virtue pure in the
fresde casket. l.a
Oh mOthersl if you wisd to live in the fond menu
DRY of your children be gentle aud patient towards
them in their early years. Do not ALLEVIATE them
from you by moroseness or impatience. Answer
their childish queries, arouse curiosity and stimu-
late investigation in their young minds. Let them
know that you desire nothing so much as their hap
piness and welfare. Be to them the fond, faith
full, judicious mother whose kind forbearance and
gentle guidance the stern man shall have to look
back upon with tears Of affection, and emotion of
respect Make the hearth Of home place of re-
II