Weekly Trinity journal., 1860-01-14
NEother Made Et.D


A few weeks since. while in one Of the beaut-
fnl inland cities of Wisconsin, an incident occur
red which awakened in my mind train OF reHec-
tions which possibly may be written and read
with advantage,
was hurryinr along the street when my at
tention was arrested by the appearance ofa little
boy on the side of the pavements selling candy
He was not really beautiful nor was he decided
ly the reverse. His age was about nine years
his clothes were old and faded, hut well patched
His candy was spread upon coarse white cotton
cloth, neatly stretched over what had been
iapanned server He was surrounded by small
group of boys, evidently belonging TO different
grades of society,
As came nearly opposite to him The oftreit-
Grated interlude--" Candy. sir :" fell upon my
ears, and, although opposed to the excessive use
of candy, | stepped aside to patronize the light
haired, pale, freckled, homespnn little represent
ative Of trade. | purchased of him, partly for
his encouragement, but with particular reference
10 the friendship of the little folks of the family
with whom was temporary guest.
The candy was as white as the cloth beneath it,,
being free from the poisonous coloring ingrcdi
ents so extensively used in the confectionery art.
| tasted, aud found it delicately favored and We
ry nice. "My boy" said !, your candy is We
ry good let me have little more"
l Immediately saw that my remark had ava
kened in his young heart emotions which in
themselves, were quite abstract from the candy
trade. His countenanco beamed with Joy as he
raised bis large eyes, sparkling with delight, and
observed in reply " 1t is good, isn't it? Mother
made it,
In these few words was embodied an uncon-
scious exhibition Of character Here was spOn-
tancous outburst of Glal affection. Now this
incident, in itself, was riiing. but the spirit of
the language carried my mind back through life
more than thirty years. and at irregular intervals
bade me pause and apply the sentiment to some
item connected with my own history.
Before making the application, however, I wish
to disabuse myself of the charge which such APP
pcaton may incur Of approprating to myself
the nobility Of character which | have above
attributed to the candy boy. Holding myself
exempt from this arrogance, would simply say,
| am not ashamed of the profession Of affection
for my parents, and | hope may not outlive
that profession.
When was a little boy, at school, and carried
my dinner in satchel made Of calico, some OF
my school mates carried theirs in fashionable
willow baskets, and sometimes teased me because
| carried mine in poke' ! felt vcXcd, but
reconcled myself with the recollection that. if
did carry a calico poke" mother made it," In
| less than twenty-five years after that time, one
OF these same sch0ol-mates was glad to avail
himself Of the privilege of sending his children
to my school to receive gratuitous instruction,
prollered in view Of his extreme poverty. His
children came to school without any dinner.
They had no nice willow baskct--thcy needed
no calico poke"
William Foster ruled his copy book with a
pencil set in fine silver case. lie said he would
not carry such great ugly club of n pencil as
mine. ! compared the pencils His was the
haadsomost but no better than mine. ] had a
good lead pencil, hammered out of piece oil
/ lead. 'Mother made it," and | was satisfied
I wit /, : rtar IN ho
/ Foster came to me to calculate interest on sma
note at six per cent. per annum he carried
/ pencil worth four cents. J lad no gum elastic
ball but | had one made Of wooden Taveling,
and covered with leather. Mother made it,"
When in my twenty second year. left home
to attend school in j.. There were in schoo
some fast young men, the sons Of wealthy pa
rents, There We're others whose good sense wa
not annhlated by pecuniary advantages o.
/ the former class was one John Strokes who wore
very fine hroadcloth. My best coat was not 50
fine, the cloth cost two dollars and fifty cents q
yard my mother had traded tow check OF hc
own manufacture for it, while was working I,
assist my father in raising his family She pai,
fifty cents for getting the garment cut out, an,
made it herself John Strokes came one day Il
my desk, and, holding out his arm, compared hi
coat sleeve with minc and inquired ronicall,
| where ! got such Il tine coat? ! proudly toll
him "Moiher made - lie feigned great sur
prise, and sarcastcally observed that he ha'
taken it for imported goods; he wished he coul
get such fine clothes, and wondered if mothe
would get him up fine coat
A short time afterwards, while in tailorsho
one morning with a fellow student, John Strokes
fine coat was brought IN by lad with instrul
tons to scour and press it, lie was not in hi
class that day he had been seen the night pre-
vious. on Water street, rolling in the mud, a
drunk as Baccbus. lie left the school in disgrace
and he now lies in drunkard's grave.