Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-09-15
fnn Ncspapruoo Q5rnero 1neuer eSurrsing Gerotut


And, thanks TO the Great Being who
gave us the commandment with promise,
now and then there stands up noble
man, trne to his inborn nature, who,
throwing Off the trammes of Fashion,
however wide the gulf which separates
him, in the eve of the world, from the
humble poverty Of his boyhood--who is
not ashamed to love, before, his fellows,
the humble mother who gave him birth.
"My mother--permit me to present
her to you" said an elegant dressed, no.
bic looking young man to friend for
whom he had crossed d crowded drawing
room, with his aged parent leaning on his
arm. There was dead silence for fully
five minutes. The moral beauty of the
picture pervaded every soul and melted
away the frost work from world worn
hearts. Twas the old foreground of
fashionable summer resort, whittier hosts
had come, with all their selfish passions,
to seek in vain for health and pleasure.
But here was variaion--a bit of truth
to nature--in the motley mingling of col
ors.
From a little brown farm-house--1ent
in by forests, way up in the Granite
State, that young man had gone forth with
brave heart and stalwart armstrong, like
his native hills, he had already made
name for himself Polished circles open
ed for him and gentle lips babe him wei
come. Yet none the less carefully did
his manly arm support his homcIy, tOtter-
ing old mother--none the less softly and
lenderIy did he call her--queer though
she look ed, tiny mother" amongst the
proud beauties who had striven for his
favor. Her dress was antquated, for the
good gifts of her son had been sadly mu
lllated by rustic hands--yet only one
hearless Girl Uttered, despite the broad
filled cap and well-kept shawl. Her voice
was rough, and often her expressions
course and inelegant. Used TO the social
mug at home, she asked for a neighbOr's
goblet at the table, and was guilty Of ma
ny like vuIgarltles. She was not an in
tereStng woman, save in her vigorous
age, and her beautiful love of her son.
Yet, for week, the son watched over
that mother, and gained for her kindness
and Difference, in the very face of fashion,
walked with her, drove with her, helped
her, like an infant, up difficult mountain
side of twenty miles, humoreG her every
caprice, and each day found some new
friend who he might thrill by those gentle
words, "my mother"
To him she was the gentle mother,
who rocked him TO sleep in childhood
and, true 10 the great commandment she
had taught him, he was making the path
smooth for her dependent years.
One there was, in the gay lhrong, those
eyes flashed haughtily, as they rested on
the homeIy, toil-worn woman--but she
was noble soul, and truth and right gain
ed an instant victory over lifelong preju-
dices. Quietly and elegantly she crossed
the room, laid her snowy lilde hand with
such gentle, thrilling touch, on the arm
Of her lover, and whispered word in his
ear.
VIII she ever forget the look Of love tri-
umph in his eyes, or the melting gentle
ness of his tones, as he presented his
beautiful, high bred berothed 10 his gray
haired, doaung mother Twas holy
sight--that of polished, glowing beauty,
grasping the hand OF wrinkled homely
age
When summer and summer guests had
gone, many a ore remembered and
watched that young man, whose ilal de-
votion had in it a moral subIimty. And
surely to him the commandment proved
with promise.