The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-08-16
e5lst+e From the National Era.
A Short Story With q Moral.
sY ELLEN C. HOBBS.

as beautiful in i,s exemplificalion as glorious
in its conception. A mothers lips first breath
ed INTO our ears those words Of Holy Writ,
and explained their general import and from
the time when the story of gray-hsired Elijah
aud his youthful Knockers first excited my
young imagination, up to mature womanhood,
the respec, then inspired for the white aairs
of age has grown with my growth, and
strengthened with my strength. We sigh as
we think of the days when the young were
wont 10 bow before the hosry head, and, by
gentle, uucaled for assiduilies, s'reT roses in
the old mans totiering path. = vft rt
But those kindly customs OF our puritan an
ceslors have passed away. The world grows
selfish, as /, grows old; and age.dimmed
eyes mus, turn homeward for Stays 10 their
trembling hands aud toiiering limbs. Here
should they find the fulflmeut Of the first
commandment with promise.
No true, wornanly soul ever Withdrew her
gentle hand from her poor old father or moth
er; no manly heart ever forgot the home loves
of his wayward childhood, or ceased to hear
the echoes of a fond mothers prayers. Of
ten The cares of this world, and the ieceitful-
ness of riches, may choke up the Unborn af-
lections OF narrow souls; but few and far be-
tween is the fondly loved child, who can be
so untrue to him self or his Maker, as wholly
10 forge, The mother who bore kim
Yet even with the hottest dictates Of our
reasons and souls, as with tho wider applica-
lion Of the commandment, has Fashion in
sinualed her poisonous influence; and the
son, perchance, who left his fond parents
humble home reluctantly and tearfully, TO
make his way in.ihe world, forgets, when
fortune favors, 10 welcome his rustic mother
10 his own luxury, with The same cordial en-
brace with which he left her in his child
hood home. Her dim old eyes, perchance,
did not catch readily the meaningless courle-
sizes OK life nevertheless, they look none the
less lovingly upon her child than when they
watched over his elpless infancy. Her with
cred hands may be large and bony, and new
er have known jewel; but none the less
gently did they smooth the weary pillow, or
bahe the heated brow, in the dependent
days of boyhood, All she's the same fond
mother still; her age and wo:k.bent form,
clad in rustic garb, conceals hear! full Of
never-dying love, and ready for new .saofi-
Aud, thanks 10 Inc Great Being who gave
us The commandment with promise, now and
then there stands up noble man, true 10 his
Unborn nature, who, throwing off the iram-
els of Fashion. however wide the gulf which
separates him, in the worlds eye, from The
humble poverty of his boyhood- not
ashamed 10 love before his fellows, the Eum.
bic mother who gave him binh.
"My MOther--permit me 10 present her 10
sou )" said an elegantly dressed, noble.look-
ing young man, 10 friend for whom he bad
crossed a crowded drawing-room, with his
aged paren, leaning on his. arm. There was
dead silence for full five minutes. The
moral beauty of the picture pervaded every
soul, aud melted away the ftostwork from
world worn hearts, 'Tis The old foreground
of fashionable summer resort, whittier hosts
had come, with all their selfish passions, 10
seek in vain for health and pleasure. But
here was varia,ion--a bit of truth 10 nature
lin the molly ripgling Of colors. =, a.s.
From little brown farmhouse, penl in by
forests, way up in the granite State, that
young man had gone forth with brave heart
aud stalwah arm strong, like his native hills,
he had already made name for himself
Polished circles opened for him, and gentle
lips bade him welcome. Yet none .he less
carefully did his manly arm support his home
ly, toaering old mother; none the less softly
and tenderly Gid he call herAqueer though
she looked, ''my mother" amongst the proud
| beauties wi.o had s;riven for his favor Her
dress was aniiquated, Tor the good gifts Of her
son had been sadly muiillated by rustic hands;
yet only one heartless girl Uttered, despite The
broad -fled cap and we'll kept shawl. Her
voice was rough, and often her expressions
coarse and nelegant. Used TO the social mug
at home, she asked for her neighber's goblet
at table, and was gully Of many ffke vulgar
lilies. She was moi an interesting 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 def
ereuce, In the very face offashiou, walked
with her, drove with her, helped her, like an
infant, up q difficult mountain side OF twenty
miles, humored her every caprice, and each
day found some new friend, whose heart he
nigh thrill by those gentle words, "my moth
ef.n ~ 3g n ssf
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 pathtsmoolh for her de-
pendent years. 5 i@.4 .t,'. =
One there was, in the gay ihrong, whose
eyes flashed haushtily, as they rested on the
homely, ioil-wom woman ;Abpt she was a
noble sonl, and truth and right gained an In
slant victory oyer lifelong preiadicss. Qui-
ely and elegantly she crossed the room, laid
| ~. ....-..,., I,,st.n hani rr ifh anch n gantla