Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-08-23
INV Mother,s Hair Is Gray.

T
M, The throne Of God burn through eternity
" Iioly--as it was lit and lent thee here.n
4. "Pardon me, Miss Edwards, cannot agree
with you. TO me, gray hair is beautiful Ny
mothers hair is gray"
a deep silence followed these words The
low, earnest revereBtial tone in which they
we're spoken had impressed the gay young
group.
The speaker had numbered more than forty
years He was above the medium height, his
frame indicating vigor and manly strength
rather than grace or beauty. The iace though
far from handsome, at once inspired both con-
iidence and respect Its ordinary expression
was grave smiles rarely visited it. but when
they came the effect was like a bright beam Of
sunshine in a shady place. Around the broad,
high brow clustered ourls Of dark brown hair.
The contour Of the hair was singularly beauti-
fnl, and more than redeemed the plainness of
his face. He was man of very great moral
and mental power to whom his acquaintances
looked up with admiration that was little
short of reverence BY the magic of his elo-
quence he could sway q listening multitude as
the leafburdened branches of the forest trees
are swayed by the winds of Heaven. He had
an enviable reputation as a man of learning,
and he was one of the blessed few
Nor buy the knowledge with the heart"
His influence was felt in the political world
Offices Of honor and emolument were pressed
upon him, and he had but TO listen to the
promptings of ambition to scale the dizziest
height of popular favor. He was the poor
mans friend. The widow and the orphan
never claimed his sympathy in vain. Kind
words viii ch cost the giver nothing, and kind
er deeds, which are the true means of benev-
olence,
"FelI from hlm nolseless the snow"
and made glad hearts Of the needy.
He knew the names of Husband and Faith
err The brightest ornaments Of the modest
cottage where he had set up his household
gods, were his beautiful, sweet-yoiced we and
a group of fair-headed children, who clustered
like olive plants around his table His alb
sence from home was like the withdrawal of
light from the loving household of which he
was theihead; his presence when he returned
seemed to them
aro brighten light
And give hack sunshine with an added glow"
lie was christian-not by the profession
only but in deed and truth His religion was
not a dead letter but matter of active prin-
cipe which regulated all his actions He did
not wear it like a Sunday coat, TO be laid up
on the shelf at the going down of the sun
but he wore it through the week, in the hurry
of business, and the pursuit of pleasure, in
the house and by the way.
That which more than anything else gave
grace and beauty to his character, was the
love he bore his mother: the watchful care
with which he smoothed the path Of her de-
clining years, his unwearied devotion to her
comfort, and the reverence with which he al
ways spoke of her.
"To me Gray Hair is beautiful Ny moth
er's hair is Gray" He could remember
when that same gray hair was dark and CLOS
sy as a ravens plume-when the calm pale
brow II shaded was flushed with the rose tint
of health and happiness. He remembered
how carefully she guarded his helpless infan-
cy, cheerfully bearing privation, wearness,
and suffering for his sake-the gentle season
of headstrong impetuous youth--the proud
affection with which she marked the noble
development And TO him, now in the pride
and yigor of his manhood, even her gray hairs
were beautiful. Nor hers alone--but every
head which age had silvered DER was rever-
eneed for her sake.
In this busy bustling age of the world, when
accumulation of wealth and the passion for
public honors engross so large a share Of
mems time and thoughts, reverence for the
old is in danger of being accounted an old
fashioned duty, to be laid aside with hoops
and furbeows, powdered wigs, and silyered
knee-buekles The command "honor thy
father," which to many minds savors too
strongly of things beyond the food to claim
present obedience is as binding now as on
the day God uttered il from Sinai Even in
the absence Of direct command, every high
and noble sentiment of man nature prompts
him TO yield to his nsther the homage of a
love, II not as deep and TENDER at least as
pure aud ehangeless as her own.
"Io me, gray hair is beautiful My moth
er's hair is gray" The words were few and
simple enough but they revealed much.
thought how ii would quickened the mothers
languid pulse, and how the weary heart now
almost home, would have leaped with Joy, had
they fallen on her ears lnyoluntarily, as il
were, the man whom the world called great
had offered this tribute Of ilial affection, and
expressed his reverence for the crown which
gray hairs become, 10 those who are found In
paths Of righteousness
Many mother lives whose gray hairs have
no beauty IN the eyes OF her children, and claim
no reverence from those for whose welfare