Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-01-20
4 SHORT STORY WITH a MoRAL.

the first commandment with promise
promise as beautiful in its exemphfca
tons. as glorious in its conception. A
mothers lips irst breathed in our ears
those words of holy writ, and explained
their general import and from the time
when the story Of grey haired Elijah and
his youthful Knockers first excited my
young Imagination, the respect then in
spired for whire hairs Of age, has grown
within my growth and strengthened with
my strength. We sigh when we think OF
the days when young men were won't to
bow before the hoary head. and by gen.
tie uncalled for assiduities strew roses in
the old mans tottering path.
But those kindly customs have passed
away. The world grows selfish as it
grows old, and age dimmed eyes must
turn hoineward for stays to their tremb
ling hands and lettering limbs. Here
they shall find ful6lIment of their first
commandment with promise.
No true womanly soul ever withdrew
her gentle hand from her poor old father
and mother no manly heart ever forgot
the home loves Of his Maynard childhood
or ceased to hear the echoes of fond
mothers prayer. Often the cares of this
world aud the deceitfuneSs OF riches may
choke up the Unborn affections of narrow
souls but few and far between is the
tohdIy ioNed-ehild, who eau be so uiitru
to himself or his Maker as wholly to for
get the mother who bore him.
Yet even with the hottest dictates of
our reasons and souls, as with The wider
application of the commandment, has
Fashion lnslnuated her poisonous infiu
ence aud The son, perchance, who left
his fond parents home reluctantly and
fearIully, to make his way in the world,
torgets when fortune favors, to welcome
his rustic mother to his own luxury with
the same cordial embrace with which he
lett her IN his childhood home. Her dim
old eyes, perhaps, DO not catch readily
The meaningless cour csleS oflile, but they
look none the less lovingly upon her
chlId, .han When they watched over his
he plug infancy. Her wllhered hand may
ue large and bony, and yer had known
Il Jewel, but none tue less gently did they
smooth The weary pillow. or bathe the
heated Lrow, i'll the dependent days OF
10y hood. All she's The same fond luoth
or stIii-her aged and work-beut form,
CLAD Ill rustic garD, conceals heart full
of never dying love, and READY for a nav
sacrifice.
Aud thanks TO the Great Being who
gave US the commandment with promise,
aud now and then there stands up noble
ulau, true to his Unborn nature, who
throws off the trammeis OF Fashion, how
er wide the gulf which separates, in the
worla,S eye from the humblest poverty #
his boy hood-w is not ashamed to love
before his fellows. the humble mother
who gave him birth.
T" My Mother, permit me to present her
to you, said an elegantly dressed, noble
looking young man TO friend, for whom
ne Lad crossed crowded drawing room,
with his aged parent leaning on his aru.
There was a dead silence for full five
minutes.
The moral beauty of the picture per.
yaded every soul, and melted away the
frost work Of world worn hearts. Twas.
the old fore ground Of fashionable sum.
mer resorts WHITTIER hosts had come, with
all their selfish passions, to seek in vain
for health and pleasure. But here was
yarlation-a bit OF truth to nature-in
the motley mingling OF colors.
From a little brown farm house, pent
IN the forest, away up in the Granite
State, that young man had gone forth
with brave heart aud stalwarth arm
strong, like his native hills he had already
made maze for himself. Polished Cir
cles opened for him, and gentle lips babe
him welcome. Yet none the less careful
~ DID bis manly arm support bis HON ~,
totlefing old mother; none the less softly
and tenderIy did he call her, queer
though she looked, my mother amongst
the proud beauties who had strlven for
his layor. Her dress was antiq 1ated, or
the gifts OF her son had been mutilated
ny rustic hands yet only one heartleSs
girl uttered, despite the broad lilled cap
aud well kept shawl. Her voice was
rough, aud often her expressions coarse
and lnelegant. Used 10 the social mug
at home, she asked for her neighbor
goblet ut the taoIe, and was guilty OIL
many vulgarities. She was an uninter
estiug woman, save in her vigorous age,
aud her beautiful love for her son.
Yet, Tor a week, the son watched over
that mother, and gained for her kindness
and Difference, III The very face OF fashion,;
walked with her, like ali infant, up diff
hcult mountain side OF twenty miles, hu
mored her every caprice, and each day
Lound some new friend. whose heart he
nlght3tArhl by those gentle words my
mother. TO hun sue was the gentiel
mother who rocked hiAl TO sleep III Guild
hood !; and true to The commandments she
had taught hiul, he was making the pain
70 her lndes eudent years.
Ons t"ere was in the gay Thong, whose
eye flashed haughuly, as they rested OH
Ine homely, toll worn woman, but she
was a noble soul and truth aud right
gained all instant, VICTORY over life long
HeJudiceS, Quick y and elegantly she
;tossed the room, iaid hlr hand with such
i gentle, thrilling touch on The arm OF
ler lover, whispered word in his ear.
VIII she ever fsfget the look Of love
triumph IN HIS eyes, OF the smiling gen.
Lieness OF his tones, as he presented bis |
beautiful hlgh,bred betrotAed to his gray
haired dotlug mother.