Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-02-28


My Msthss Hair is Gray.
.one iamp-,hy ~ hsrs Iove--amid The s,am,
Shall liz lis pure asi6e clnngscss and before
The throne Of Gld1 1jirn 'hfouyh eternity
Holy-as !, was ,ltab a lent thee here" ~
"Pardon me, Miss Edwards, ! can.
not oeree with yob. To me gray hair is
beautiful. My mCtAer's hair Hgray.
A deep silence followed these words.
The low earnsst reverential tone in
which they wore ipoken, had impressed
the gaysst Of Of ~ goy young group.
The speaker Lail numbered moro than
forty years. He iwss above tho mcdi.
UNI height, his tame indicating vigor
and manly strength. rather than grace
or beauty. Tho face ,housh far from
handsome, at oneS inspired both conf
dence and respoc4 lis ordinary expres
sion was grove; smiles rarely visited it,
hut when they csine, the effect was like
bright beam Of sunshine in a shady
place. Around sas broad, high brow,
clustered graceful curls Of brown hair.
The contour Of Tho head was singulurly
bee eu,ful. and moro than redeemed the
plainness of the face. He was o man
Of great moral and mental power, to
whom his acquain,nnces looked up with
admi, alton that Was little short OF rev.
erencs. By the magic Of This cloquence
he could sway a4is,ening multitude, as
the leaf.burdened branches Of the forest
trees are swayed BY the winds Of heaven.
Tie had an enviable reputation as q
man Of learning, and he was one Of the
blessed few
Who gain The book 70 know,
Nor buy the knowledge with the heart.
His influence wys felt In the political
world. Offices OF smol olument were pres.
sed upon him, and he had but to listen
to the promp,ings Of ambition to scale
the dizzicst heights Of popular favor.
He was the pooi mans friend. The
widow and tho ofphan never claimed
his sympathy in yain. Kind words
words which are the true measure oil
bencvolencc,
I ''Fei from hlm, nose'ess as the snow,n
and made glad The hearts ol the needy.
He knew the names Of "Husband
and OF Fa,her." The brigh,cs. orna
ments Of the molrst cottage where he
had set up his household gods, were his
beautiful, sweet.voiced wife, and grouI
of fair haired children, who clusteret
like olive plants taround his table,
His absence from home was like til,
) withdrawal OF ths light from that low
; ing household Of which he was the head
his presence, when he returned SCENE;
) TO them
---''To brighten light. ....-.
Aud gave back sunshine with m added glow.
He was Chrisiian-not by profes
sion only, but in deed and truth. Hi
religion was not a dead letter, matte
Of formal belief, ard more formal p'ac
tice, but living, active principle whic|
regulated all his actions. He did no
wear it like Sunday coat, to be lai
upon the shell al the gonS down of tn
sun, but he wore i, through the week
in the hurry of business and the pursui
OF pleasure, in the house and by tn
u way.
That which, more perhaps than any
: thing else, gave grace and beauty to HI
: character, was the love he bore TO h
$ mother, the walch(ul care with whic
h he s,rcwed the path Of her dccling year
his unwcdIied devotion to her com(or
Z and the reverence with which he a
Q ways spoke Of her.
It "To me gray hair is beautiful. M
S mothers hair is gray" He could IT
member when that same gray hair wa
g dark and glossy as a ravens plume
y when the calm pale brow it shaded wt
u free from wrinkles-w when the now CO
y orlcss cheek was aushel with the ros'
j. tint Of health and happiness. He #
n membered how carefully she guarlo
,, his helpless infancy, cheerfully bearin
priva,on, WEAKNESS and suffering f
his sake-lhe gentle force with whic
she restrained him during the season
Q headstrong, impetuous youth-the prou
: affection with which she marked II
I noble development Of his MANHOOD
$ ana The deep, strong, deathless 10,
y with which, all his long life, she cove
: ed him as with garment. And to hi
now, in the pride and vigor Of his maj
= hood, even her gray hairs were beaut
u ful. Not hers alone-but every hes
which age had silvered o'er, was reve
enced for her sake. -.
!. In this busy, busting age ofthe worl
j. when the accumulation OF wealth, ar
}. the passion for public honors engro
| so large share Of mems time, ar
'r thoughts, reverence for the old is in da1
n ger Of being accounted an old fashhio
y cd duty, TO be laid aside with hoops al
IS furbelows, powdered wigs, and silv
o knee buckles. The command, "Hon
;. thy father and MOTHER" which to mar
s. minds savors too strongly Of things b
e yond the food to claim present obed
/ ence, is as binding now as on the d'
ID God uttered it from Sinai. Even in Il
l absence of direct command, eve
ID high and neble sentiment Of mans n
le ture prompts him to yield 10 his moth
" the homage Of love, il not as deep al
" tender, at least as pure and changele
= as her own. Pal
sr "To me gray hair is beautiful. N
10 mothers hair is gray" The words we
.. few and simple enough, but they fcves
" ed much. Thought how It would ha
or quickened the mothers languid pulse
b. and how the weary heart. now almo
10 home, would have !eaped with JOY, HI