Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-10-07
Z .1IVariety.
MY MOTHERS HAIR IS GRAY.

% One lamp-,hy mothers loye-amid the star'
Shall lin its pure fame ehangeless, and before
The throne Of God burn through eternity-
H9ly-as it was lit and lent thee hetc.n
saPardon me, Miss Edwards, ! can.
not agree with you. To me gray hair
is beautiful. My motaer'sAair is gray
A deep silence Rollowed these words,
The low. earnest, reyerealial tone in
which they were spoken had impressed
the gayest Of that gay young group.
The speaker had numbered more than
forty years. He was above the medi-
um height, his frame Indicating yigor
and manly strength, rather than grace
Of beauty. The face, though far from
handsome, at once inspired both conf
dence and respect. Its ordinary ex-
preston was grave, smiles rarely yisi;
ted it, but when they came the effect
wasllike albright beam of sunshine on
q shady place. Around the broad. high
brow, clustered graceful curls of dark
brown hair. The contour Of the bead
was sipgalarly beautiful and more than f
redeemed the plainuess ofthe face
He was a man Of great moral and menr
tai power, to whom his acquaintance
looked up with admiration that was II
he short of reverence. By the magi;
Of his eloquence he could sway a Lis
tenine multitude as the leaf burned
branches Of the forest, trees are swayed
byIthe winds Of heaven. He had an
enyiiable reputation as man of leart-;
ing, and he was one of the blessed fey
-sswho gain the book to knov,
Nor buy the knowledge with the heart"
His influence was felt in the political
world. Offices Of honor and emolumenl
were were pressed upon him, and he had
but 10 listen to the prompting of amsi
ton to scale The dizziest heights ofpub'
|lic favor. He was the poor mans friend
The widow aud the orphan never claim
ed sympathy in vain Kind words cos
the riysr nothing, and kinder deeds
which are the true measures of beney
olence,
nEsll ffom MIN noisslsss asthsnoS,'
and made glad The hearts of the needy
He knew the snames Of Husband
and Of Father" The brightest orna
ments Of the modest cottage, where be
had set up his household gods, where
Ibis beautiful sweet.yoiced wife and |
group gro Of fair.hairsd children, who clus
tered like olive plants around his table
His absence from home was like th,
withdrawal Of light from the loving
household Of which he was head hi
presence, when he returned, seemed t.
them. y gsaE
a-To brighten light . sisl
And give back sunshine with an added slow.'
He was a Chrislian-not6by profes
sion but in deed and truth. His reli
eion was not atdead letter; amatter o
mere formal belief, and mere forma
practice, but of living active principle
which regulated all his actions. HI
did not wear it Ikea Sunday coat, t
be laiduponthe shelf at the going dow
Of the sun, but he wore itthrought th'
week 10 the hurry Of business. and il
the pursuit Of pleasure, in the hous'
and by the way.
Tha. which more perhaps than any
thing else gave grace aud beauty to hi
character, was the love he bore hi
mother, tho wa,chfnl care with whicI
he smaoothed the path Of her Declining
wears, his unwearied devotion to he
comfort, and the reverence with whicl
he always spoke Of her. s.
aTo me gray hair is beautiful. N.
mothershair isgray,1 He could remsFmr
ber whent that same gray hair was dar
and glossy as ravens plume-whel
the calm brow it shade6 was free fron
w,rinkles-whenths now colorless chee
was flushed with the rosy tint Of healtl
and happiness. He remembered hoy
carefully she guarded his helpless in
fancy, ,chssrfully bearing privation, wes
riiness, and suffering for his sake-th
gentle force with which she resaine
him during the seasons Of headstroni
| impetuous youth-the proud atfectio
with which she marked the noble Dc
yelopemens Of his manhood-and th
deep, strong, deaihless love with which
all bis life long, she had covered him 9
with q garment. And TO him now, j
The pride and vigor Of bis manhood
even her gray hairs were beautiful
| Not hers alons-but every head whicl
age had silyered over was reverence
aud respected for her sake.
In this busy, busting age Of the worl
when the accumulation of wealth an
passion for public houors engross 9
large a share Of mems time and thoughti
reverence ,Stce for the old is in danger Of be
ling accounted an old fashioned duty, I
be laid aside with hoops aud furbeIowl
DOW dered wigs, and silver knee;bucl
les. The eomnand-" Honor thy fail
or and Thy mother which to man
minds sayo,s too strongly Of things b
II a ..I,n