The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-01-28
dShe has Oatlived her Usefulness.

Not long since good looking man, in
middle life, came to our. door asking for
.tbe minister When Informed that he
was out Of town. he seemed disappointfd
and anxious. On being questioned as to
his business he replied:
.sI have lost my mother, and as this
Place used to be her home. and my father
lies here, we have come to lay her beside
him.
eOar hearts rose with sympathy, and We
said, aYou have met with great loss"
sssWell-yes,n replied the young man
with hesi,ancy, "a mother is a great loss
in general. but our mother has outlived
her usefulness; she was in her second
chiidhood. and her mind was grown
as weak as her body, so that she was no
comfort to herself, and was a burden to
EVERYBODY. There was seven of US, sons
and daughters and as we could not find
anybody who was willing to board her,
weagreed 10 keep her among MS yearabout
Bot I've had more than my share of her,
fof She was too feeble to be moved when
my time was out, and that was more than
three months before her death But then
she was good mother in her day, and
atoiled very hard to bring us all up.'' . 3
Without looking at the face of the
heartless man, we directed him to the
house of neighborimg pastor, and return
ed to our nursery. We gazed on the
merry little faces which smiled or grew
sad III Imitation Of ours--those little ones
toswhose ear no word in our language is
half SO swee. as .sMother;" and we have
wondered if that day could ever come
when they would say of us, "She has out
lived her usefuIiness--she is no comfort
to herself, and burden to everybody
else!p and we hoped that before such a
day would dawn, we might be taken to
onr. rest, God forbid that we should out
live the loye of our children! Rather let
us die while our hearts are part of their
own, that our grave may be watered by
their tears, and our love be linked with
their hopes in Heaven. -,
When the bel ,olled for the mothers
burial. we went to the sanctuary to pay
our only; token of respect for the aged
stranger; for we felt that we could give
her memory tear, even though her own
children had none to shed. -
aSheI was good mother in her day
and toiled very hard to bring us all up;
she was no comfort to herself, and bur
den to. everybody else" These cruel
heartless words rang in our ear as we saw
ther0fin borne apthe isle! The bell toll
edzleng and loud, until its iron tongue hat
chronicled the toil-worn mother. One
two-three--four-fve. How clearly
aud almost merrily each Stroke told he
onees peaceful slumber in her mother
bosom, and of her seat at night-fall on he
weary fathers knees. Six-seven-eigh
--nine--ten rang out the tale of her sport
upon the green sward in the meadow, ant
blythe brook Observation-Disclosures
-Tfourteen-ffteen spoke more gravel.
of school days, and little household JOY
and cares n--seyeuteen--eigh
teen sounded out the raptured vision Q
womanhood, and the dream of early love
Nineteen brought before us the happ
bride. Twenty spoke of the young moth
er,awhose heart was full to bursting wit
the new-strung lore which God has awak
ened IN her bosom. And then stroke al
ter strok told her early womanhood--o
the love, and cares and hopes, and fears