Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-01-28
..she has ou,Iiyed erUselulnes>.

''She has outIiyed her Usefulness"
Not long since, good-iookng man. in middle
life, came to our door asking for "the minister -
When informed that lie was out of town, he seemed
disappointed and anxious. On being questioned as
TO his business, I've replied: 81 have lost NV moth
er, and as this place used to be her home, and nv
father lies here, We have come to lay her beside
him."
Our heart rose in sympathy, and we said. You
have met with a great loss"
sWcll-yes,' replied the strong man. with hest
tancy,"l mother Is great less in general but our
mother has outlivcd her usefulness; she was in her
second childhood and her mind was grown AS weak
a. her body so that she was no comfort to herself
and was 4 burden to everybody. There were seven
of US, sons and daughters; and we could not find
anybody who was willing 70 board her, we agreed
10 keep her among us year about. But | have had
moro than my share of her, for she was too feeble
to he moved when my time out; and that was
more than three months before her death. But then
she a good mother in her DAYS and toied very
hard TO bring us all up.
Without locking az the face of the heartlcss man,
We directed him 20 the house of neighboring pas
TOR. and returned to nursery. We gazed on the
merry little faces which smiled grew sad in imi.
tation of ours-thOse little 10 whose car no
word in our language is half 80 sweet as ''MOther
and we wondered ifthit day could ever come when
they would say of US, ''She has ontlived her useful
ncss--she is no comfort 10 herself and burden to
everybody ese!' and We hoped that before such a
day would dawn. we might be taken to 0urrest. God
forbid that should Outve the love of our child
rem. Rather let US die while our hearts are 4 part
OF their own, that our grave may be watered with
their tears. and our love linked with the hope of
heaven-
When the bell tollcd for tie mothers burial we
went ID the sanctuary to pay only token OF res
pect Tor the aged strangers for We felt that could
give aged memory tear, even though her own
children had none 70 shed.
''She was good mother in her day, and toiled
hard TO bring W all up-she wae ~ comfort to her
sell, and a burden 10 everybody else. The cruel,
heart.ess words rang in our the cot
TN borne up the aisle. The bell tOeled long and
loud, until its iron tongue had chroncied the wear
OF the to.l-woTn mother, Overwhelmingly
i've. How clearly and almost merrily each stroke
! t,d o: her once peaceful s,umber in her mothers
bosom, and finer seat at NC dtlail on he weary
! father knee. Sx-sevclr~-esh t--n.Ie--,en rang
on: tile tale Other sports upon H. ereenssard II
meadow, and by the brook. Eeven--twelye--
I hirteen--fourteeu-hiseen spoke more grayely oi
school days, and lille household joys and earcs.--
Sixteen--seventeen-eig htccn soandedi out the en-
raptGved visions OF maidonhOod, AMI the dream o.
early love. Nineteen brought before rs happy
oride. Twenty spoke OF the young mother whose
full 70 bursting WIKI til. new strong love
which God had awakened in herbos0m And then
stroke after stroke told her early womanhOod-of
the love and cares and hopes and fears ard tolls
through which she passed during those long years
till ATTY rang out harsh and loud. From that ~
sixty each stroke tod OF TIC warm hearted rloth-
CT and graud-moheT, living over again her JOYS
anu s0rroTs III those OF her children and cIilren's
children. Every family c: all the group wanted
s.Nadm0ther then, and the only strife was who
should secure the prize; bat haik. the bell tolls on
Sev.n;v-segs-ty- One--.wo-th. e--four. She
begins to grow feeble, requires some clre Is not NJ
wSys perie city patient or satisfied; she goes from
one ciild's house to another, so that one place
seems like home she ,.luFs III plaintive tones,
that after ali her toll and WEAKNESS, it is hard she
cannot be allowed a home 70 die in that she must
be sent, rather than invited, from house to house
Eighty-eighty-onc-t ali, she Is
now a second child; now ''she has outlived her
fitness; she has now ceased 20 be comfort to her
self OF any body" that is she his ceased tobe profit
a.e 70 iicr earth craving and money graspng chill
Ten.
Now so,gds out, re5crbCra.ing through our love
H. forest; ana cciloAo back from our mill of the
dead" Eighty.h.He. There she now lies IN the
coffin, cold and s--*ae makes no trouble now,
demands nc love- no soft NHrs, no tender litto Of
fces A look OF patient ea1gr> nee, etanc'ed also
All expression as grief tor unreqh.sd love, sat ON
her MAJ bic features. Her children ware there,
CAD in the weeds Of woe, and in m irony rcmem.
bcred the strong mans words, she Was 6ooc .
mother in her day"
When .he bell ceased tollns, the strange minis.
and bis voice strong, but his hair svery white
he read several passages OF Scripture expressive OF
Gods compassion 70 feeble nan, and especially oi
His tenderness when grey hairs are on him. and his
strength fleth. He then made some teaching re-
marks on human raility, and Of dependence on God,
urging all preseut % make their peace with their
Master while ia health that they might claim Ills
promises when heart and flesh should fail them
Then, ne slid, ''the eternal God shall be thy re-
fuce, and beneath thee shall be the everlasting
arms" Leaning over the desk and gazing intenuy
: Oh the coiined form before him, he then said rev
eren,iy: from little child have honorcd the
aged; but never till grey hairs covered my own
mead did know truly, how much love and syIupa
thy this class have right TO demand OF their tel
! low creatures Nov | feel il. Our mother" h.
added most tenCerlv ''who now lies in aeath before
us, wls a stranger 10 me- as are all these, her des
cendan,s. All know Of her Is what her son told
me .o-day-thal she was brought to this town from
afar--sixty-nne years ago happy bride--that here
she passed most OF her life, toilins only mothers
ever have strength 10 toll. until she had reared
LARGE family Of sons and saughteTshat she lett her
home clad In the weeds OF widowhood, to dwell
among her children, and that ill health AID rIgor
I left she lived for you her descendants.
! You, who together have shared her love ana
her care, knoS how well Won have rcquited her
God forbid that,conscicuce should accuse any Of you
d ncrlttudc Q. nuGmuring, account OF the care
she had been to you of late. HAeD you go bacA
70 your homes, be careful vi your words before
yoir own children, for the fruit Of your own doirgs
you will surely reap from them when you yourselves
utter on the brink OF the grave. ontTeat you a.
q friend. "a one who has himself entered upon the
evening Of fe that you may never say IN the pres
lencc Of your families nor OF heaven, Our mother
has outiyed her uso!ulncss--she WIS burden 70
igs.' Never, never; mother cannot llEc 60 long
rs that. no; when che can 10 longer labor for her
children nor &c. for herself, she can f,l Ike
3 precious weigh, on their bosoms and call forth
By her heplessness all the nohle generous feelings
.of their natures"
Adicu, then, poor toil-wom mother, there sre no
more seepess nights, no more days OF pain for
thee. Undying sigor and everlasting useiulnes'
are part OF TIE inheritance OF the redeemed
Feeble thou vert earth. thOn wilt be no bur
den on the bosom Of Infinite Love, but there shalt
.hou fnd thy longod for rCei, and receive elorous
sympathy from Jesus and his ransomed field.
Row Eni- Yiilioms became n nductnr