Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1855-10-18
A SHORT STORY WITH A MORAL.
BY ELLEN o. HOBBS.

the Hrst commandment WIN pFnDlse-d
promise as beautiful in it's exemplifcs.ion
az glorious in i.s conception. mothers
lips first bres,hed into our ears those words
of Holy Writ; and explained their general
import; and from the time when the story
|of grav-haired Elijah and his youthful mock
ers first exci'ed nv young imagination, the
respect then inspired for the white hairs OF
age, has grown with nv growth and strength
|eped with nv strength. We sigh as we
Hink Of The dsvs when the young were
won. 10 bow before the hosry head, and by
gsn,e. unc,lled for as~ihulies, strew roses
in the old mans tn,iering path.
Blu, those kindly customs OF our Puritan
ancestors have passed away. The world
grows selfish ss j, grows old-snd age
tinmed eyes must turn h"meward for stays
70 their trembling hands snd ,ouerIng limbs.
Here lhev should find .he ful6Ilmenl Of The
f:st c"mmandmen, with promise.
N" Hue womsnly soul ever Withdrew her
gentle hand from her poor old father or mo.
iIe'; u" manly heart ever forgot The home
' Ives Of his wsyward childhood, or ceased
30 hear the echoes of fond mothers pray
ers. Often The cares Of this world and the
On born sffrc,ions of narrow souls; but few
and far between is The fondly loved child,
who can be so untrue to himself or his
Maker as wholly TO forge. the mother who
bore him.
Yet even with The holes, dictates Of our
reasons and souls, as with the wider appli-
cation OF the commandment, has Fashion
li>lnus.ed her poisonous influence; and the
son. perchsncp, who has lef, his fond pa
ten,'s humble home Reluctantly and fearful
Is, To make his way in The world, forgeis,
when fortune favOrs, to welcome his rustic
mother To his own luxury with the same
cordial embrace with which he left her in
his chldhood. Her dim, old eyes. perhaps
do not catch readily The meaningless cour-
tesies Of life, bu. .bev lo"k none The less
pvinglv upon her child 'hsn when they
wa,ched over his helpless infancy. Her
w,!hered hands may be large and bonv, and
tnsver have known jewel, bu, none The less
|ernily did they smoo.h The weary pillow,
Itr ba,he the heated brow, in the dependent
- ! rff-iu izru1M Aht-she's the same mo-
,her s,i!l-her sged and work ben, form,
clad in rustic garb, conceals q heart full Of
never-dying love, and ready for new sac
rsfice.
And, thanks to The Gres. Being Who gave
us the commandment with promise, now
and then there stands up d noble man. true
TO his inborn nature, who throws off The
trsmmels Of Fashion, however wide The gulf
which separates, in The worlds eye, from
the humble poverty Of his boyhood-who
I .cba / bofn fol
the humble mother who gave him birth.
"JNy Mother, permit me I" present her 10
vou," said an elegantly dressed, noble look
ing yonny man to a friend for whom he had
crossed d crowded drawing room. with his
aged parent leaning on his arm. There was
. dead silence for full FIVE minutes. The
moral beauty Of The picture pervsded every
soul, and melted away the fros, work from
world worn bearts. Twas the old fore
ground Of fashionable summer resort.
whilher hosts had come. with all their sci
fish passions, to seek in vain for health and
pleasure. But here was a varialion-a biz
of truth TO na,ure-in the molly mingling
of coots.
From 9 little brown farm house, pent in
the forests, away up in the Granite State,
that young man had gone forth with brave
heart end s.slwart aIm-sIrong, like his na-
live hills, he had already made name for
himself Polished circles opened for him,
and gentle lips bsde him welcome. Yr'
none the less carefully did his manly arm
support his homrly, totse'ing old mother
none The less softly and ,enderlv did he c.lI
her, queer though she looked, ''nny mother"
smongs. the proud beauties who had s",ven
| for his favor. Her dress was antiqus,ed, for
the gifts Of her son had been muulalsd by
rustic hand>; vet only one hearlless glrl lit
tered, despite the bros d-frlIeh cap and well
kept shawl. Her voice was rough. and Of
ten her expressions coarse and ineIegsnt.-
Used 10 The social mug at home. she ask ed
for her neighbours gobIe, al the liable, and
was guilty Of many like vulgsrities. She
as an unin,eresting woman, save in her Vi
gorous age, aud her beautiful love for her
son.
Yet for a week the son watched over that
mother. and gained for her kindness and de-
ference, in the very face OF fashion; walked
with her drove with her, helped ber, like On
on infant. up difficult mountain ride of 20
miles, humored her every caprice. and each
day found some new friend, whose hear. he
might thrill bv those gentle words, "my
mother" To him she was the gentle mo-
,her who rocked him 10 sleep in childhood;
and, true to the great commandment she had
laugh. hlm, he was making the pslh smooth
Tor her dependant wears.
One there was in ihe gsy lhrong, whose
eyes flashed haugh'iIy, as they rested on the
homely, ioil-worn woman, bu. she was q
noble enul, and truth and right gained en-
inslan! victory over life long rrej"diees.-