The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-10-20
From Ladies' Home Magazine.
Forgotten Duty.
BY +. 8. ARTHUR.


"Mother ~
No answer
Mother! Mother, I sayr'
The lady vino was sewing upon child s
garment, did not seem to hear the voice.
"Mother" The tone had grown impa-
tient. "Mother Mother Motherr'
And now added to an imperative voice,
were pair of small hands jerking at the
lady's arm. And so attention was constrained
"What do you want?" now exclaimed the
mother, half angrily, as she let her hands fall
upon her lap, and looked with knit brows
upon her little annoyer.
Cant 60 to Aunt James tomorrow"
"No, you cannot. There, now, move away
and don't trouble me any more"
'Say, Mother! Can't go to Aunt James
tomorrow haven't been there for ever 50
long time, and want to go so badly"
Didn't l say no!' The lady frowned
severely.
But the child still fingered by her mother,
who. being too busy to attend to her any
further, pushed her firmly aside, and bent
down again over her work. Not three min
utes passed before the cry,
Mother" was ringing through the anart-
ment again. AS before, there was no re-
spense.
"Mother! Mother!"
Still no answer.
81 say, Mother, why don't you answer
when l speakY"
An angry spot was burning upon the child's
face, and her tones were anything but filial
"Anna," said the lady, looking from her
work, and addressing her child in an offend
ed voice, "Do you know to whom you are
speaking?"
"Why don't you answer me then ?''
"Hush this instant! You impudent little
girl; how dare you 2'
And there was an upward movement of
the lady's hand, as if she were tempted to
inflict blow. Somewhat frightened at The
threatened consequence Anna retreated
from her mother, who again bent over the
sewing in her hands. And what was the
work which so absorbed her attention that
she had no ear for her child-that the word
"mother," found no quick echo in her heart !?
We answer, a piece Of elaborate embroidery,
designed for garment to adorn the body of
this very child. There was to be little ones
party at neighbors, and Anna having re-
ceived an invitation, her mother more in
pride than true affection, had undertaken to
embroider for her skirt and body to be worn
on the occasion. The pattern was very rich,
and took more time for its execution than she
had at first thought would be required.
Many home duties were neglected for the
sake of this piece of needle work; sacred
home duties, that can never be omitted with
out wrong. The baby, not so well as usual,
had been permitted to lie for hours fretting
in its cradle, when it should have been nest
ling upon its mothers bosom; and worse
than that, the mind Of the child for the
adornment of whose body the elegantly
wrought garment was intended, had receiv-
cd many disfiguring marks. There had been
inattention to her requests, neglect of her
wants, and angry repulsion when she had
intruded those wants too impatiently. As
the garment grew in beauty under the moth
er's skillful hands, fretfulness, impatence,
anger, and disobedience were doing their
evil work upon her SOUL
For nearly two whole days, every thing
had been neglected for this bit of vanity; and
the greatest sufferers were the children
baby and Anna. Yet, so absorbed was the
mother in her work, that she had only dim
perception Of her error She did not, of
course, escape the jar of discord that ran in
disturbing pulsations through her household,
and so her own spirit lost hourly measure
Of selfpossession. Light causes disturbed
her; little annoyances fretted her beyond con-
tos even the smallest obstruction in the cur
rent Of her thought sent the hot blood to her
cheeks and temples. Her husband felt, and
was made unhappy by the change in her
temper. Her domestics were chafed by her
impatient way Of speaking to them; and we
have already seen something of the effects
produced on one of her children.
Little Anna, after being repulsed and
threatened, rctirei to distant part of the
room, and, crouching down in the corner re-
manned silent during long time The baby,
sfter having fretted in the cradle for half an
hour, loet itse|f in s|oen. And "a; the moth.