Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-04
+ IL Al PIETY .

What. another lecture2 Yes, girls another
lecture L thought, long ago, that should
have TO read you a long one about mnding
your mothers. OF course you know the divine
command, " honor thy father and thy mother,
but very few obey it. An undutiful child Is
an Odlous character, yet few young people feel
the affection for, and show the respect and obe-
dience to, their parents that are becoming,
right and beautiful. Did you ever SIT and
think about the anguish your mother endured
20 give you beingl Did you ever recount the
the days of care and anxiety you cost her!
Did you ever try TO measure the love that sus-
tanned your infancy and guided your youth?
Did You ever think about how much more you
owe your mother than you will be able to pay?
If 20, did you look sour and cross when she
asked you to do anything? did you ever vex-
ever dlsObey her? If you did, it is a sin of no
common magnitude and a shame which should
make your cheek tingle every time you think
Of il. 1t is a sin that will be sure to bring
ats reward in this world. / never know an
undutiful daug ghter make a happy wife and
mother. The feeling that enables any one to
be unkind to n mother will make her who in
dulges il wretched for life.
II you should lose your mother you can little
dream how the memory of every unkind look or
undutiful word, every neglect of her wishes
will haunt you. / could never tell how l
sometimes feel in remembering instances Of
care, / had the name of being n good child.
She told me, shortly before she died, that
had never vexed her by any act of fdisObedience;
and L would not resign the memory of her ap-
probation for the plaudits of world, even
though / know IT was her love that hid my
faults and magnifed all that was good. 1
know many things l might have done to add to
her happiness and repay her care, that 1 did
not do, but the grave has cut of all OppOrtuni-
ties of rectifying mistakes or atOning for neg
lects. Never, never lay up for yourself the
memory of an unkindneSs to OF neglect of your
mother If she is sick, how can you possibly
get tired OF waiting on herr How can you trust
any one else to take your place about her?
No one could have filled her place to your
reeviSh infancy and troublesome childhood
When she is in her usual health, remember
she Is not SO young and active as you are.
Wait upon her. Ii she wants her knitting,
bring 1t to her; not because she could not get it
herself, but to show that you are thinking about
her, and love to do something for her Learn
10 comb her hair for her sometimes II will
make you love to be near her. Bring her n
drink, nix her cap, pin on her kerchief, bring
her shoes, get her gloves, or do some other lite
things for her. No matter how active and
healthy she may be, or how much she may love
TO work, she will love to have you do any little
thing that will show you are thinking of her
How should love now to get down on the
rOOr and put the stockings and shoes on moth
er dear, fat white feet, or to stand half an
hour eombing and toying with her soft, brown
hair. Girls, you do not know the value of
your mother, if you have not lost her. No
body loves you, nobody ever will love you, a
she does Do not be ungrateful for that love.
do not repay it with GOODNESS, or a curse of
coldness will rest upon you, which you can
never shake of. UnlOved and unloving you
will live and die, if you do not love to honor
your father and mother.
One thing-never call either :" old man. or
old woman" 1t is quite habit in the coun-
try for young people to have their parents thus.
Any aged person Is an old man or an old woman.
There should be something sacred, something
peculiar in the word that designates parent
The tone Of voice in which they are addressed
should be afectiOnate and respectful A short,
surly answer from a child to a parent falls
harshly on the ear of any person who has any
idea of flial duty Be sure, girls. that You
each win for pOurself the name Of dutiful
daughter.-Letters to Country Girls.