The Van Buren press., 1859-11-11
The Mothers Last Lesson.

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"Will you please learn me my verse,
mamma, and then kiss me, and bid me
good night ?" said little Rodger l., as
he opened the door. and peeped cautiously
into the chamber of his sick mother. al
am very sleepy, but no one has heard me
say my prayer"
Mrs. L. was very i'll indeed her attend
ants believed her to be dying. She sal
propped up with pillows, and struggling 70,
breath-her lips were white-her eye was
growing dull and glazed. and the purple
blood was settling at the end of her cold
attenuated fingers. She was q widow, and
little Rodger was her only, her darling child
Every night he had been in the habit Oh
coming into her room, and sitting upon
her lap. while she repeated to him passages
from Gods Holy Word, or related to him
stories of the wise and good men spoken Of
inIits pages. She had been inldelicate healtl
for many years. but never too i'll to learn
little Rodger his verse, and hear his prayer
Hush hush % said lady who was
watching beside her couch your deal
mamma is too i'll to hear you say YOU,
prayers. tonight. will put you in bed -
and as she said this she came forward and
laid her hand gently upon his arm, as tho
she would lead him from the room.
Rodger began to sob as if his little heart
would break
=" cannot 60 to bed without saying nv
prayers. indeed, Icannot''
The ear of the dying mother caught the
sound. Although she had been inscnsible
to nearly everything transpiring around her,
the sound of her darling's sobs aroused her
from her stupor, and turning to friend,
she desired her to bring him to her couch
and lay him on her bosom. Her request
was granted. and the child's rosy cheek and
golden head nestled beside the pale, cold
face of his dying mother. Alas, poor fel-
loN !. how little did he realize then the ir-
reparable lost which he was soon to sus-
tain
Rodget, my son. my dsrling Child, -
said the mother" repeat this verse after
me, and never, never forget it When
my father and mother forsake me, the Lord
shall take me up!'" The child repeated it
distinctly, and said his little prayer. He
then kissed the cold, almost rigid lips, be-
fore him, and went quietly to his little
couch.
When lEarose in the morning, he sought
as usual his mothers room, but he found
her cold and still That was her last lesson !
He has never forgotten it-he probably
never will He has grown to- be a man
good man-and now occupies a post of
much honor and distinction in Massachu
setts. l never could look upon him with
out thinking about the faith so beautifully
exhibited by his dying mother. 1t was not
misplaced. The Lord has taken her darl-
ing up
My little reader, if you have God for
your friend, you need never fear father
and mother may forsake you-the world
may seem to you like dreary waste, full
of pitfalls and thorns; but He can bring
you safely through the trials, and give you
at last golden harp and snowy robe, like
to those the purified wear in heaven He
can even surround your ieath-bed by angel
visitant. He is all powerful-an ever pres
cnt help in time of trouble. Will you not
then seek his friendship and keep his COM
mandments
ADVICE TO MARRIED PERsoNs-Frem n
recent English journal we select the follow
ing suggestions which are entirely too good
to be lost. Much good may be accom-
plished by following them:
TO speak or write disparagingly of hus
band or wife, is not only criminal, but con-
temptible. People of good sense always
desplse the man or woman who is guilty of
it. Married persons should keep all their
difficulties, if they have any, to themselves
In fact if they desire te secure harmony and
peace, all the occurrences of the domestic
sanctuary should be kept secret, unless in
regard to Indifferent subjects. Even in re-
lation to father mother, brother and sister.
this rule should extend. The conduct and
conversation of husband or wife should not
be communicated by the one OF the other,
to relatives or friends, for fault finding or
censorious purposes. /: is never safe or
prudent to do SO. Scandal lies on the
winds. How can a husband trust in wife,
or wife in husband, if everything said
or done is tattled to relatives, or so called
confidential friends 2 Such conduct will
jar, if not break tho cords Of love.
EE Our little Mary being the youngest,
is the pet and darling of the household
AS she has reached the age of five years
she concluded to commit Sabbath school
lesson and bringing me book, few
days since, said
4Aohiuuo, WhA y OW ACoA NY AOccVu
l smilingly assented. Whereupon she
placed her chubby little self just in front
Of my chair, and prepared to be catechised.
I Who was the first man asked.
Adam, she answered, unhesitatingly.
And who was the first woman con-
tinued.
She opened her large eyes, and after hes
itating a moment, replied
l reckon Adams mother was the first
aconsan, wasn't she
~ A young urchin, employed to cleanse
chimney of a house in Maccles6eld, and
having ascended to the " summit of his pro-
fession," took a survey. This completed,
he prepared to descend, but mistaking the
Aue, he found himself on his landing, in
the private study of limb of the law,
whose meditation on some obstruse point
vas put to flight. The sensation of both
parties it is impossible to describe the boy
terrified lest he SHOULD be punished, stood
rivited to the spot. and the lawyer, struck
dumb. started from his seat. the verv image