Spirit of the age., 1861-06-26
& Mothers Love.

W no IS there who does not, acknowledge
and bow in reverence to mothers love
hhat IS that causes the eye to fill, that re-
fuses utteTance to speech, and overwheims
win utter loneliness in the midst of life p
Deny 1t not truant heart, it is the sacred
ness OF mothers love-felt through long
years It may be, yet always pure, ever sa-
cred, blessing and refreshing Gentle mo-
ther! truest and the best of friends con-
slant IN love, in veal or woe-in deformity
or .heaith, In honor or shame, through evil
and good repoFt-thy affections know no
cnange nor the shadow of turning! Bless
lngs upon thee Earliest memories link to.
gether and throw holiness on thy name
Sacred to the heart is the memory of a
mothers love.
SUCH were the reflections suggested BY an
incident IN the great drama of life. A poor
victim OF intemperance was staggering home
ward-no, he knew not whither-when he
ieil heavily to the earth. Stunned and
bruised by the fall, he lay for moment in
sensible, but assistance soon restored him to
consciousness, and to sense of his degra-
dation.
thank you gentlemen said he falter-
insiy, 1T was hard fail, but am better
now I've had many such. 1t is nothing
aleer you get used to it. and he laughed as
ne prepared to start again on his way.
nat pity, remarked spectator, that
you should thus debase your manhood by
suen seilish indulgence in strong drink
You are Temperance lecturer. I sun
pose, sneered the inebriate.
No, friend, replied the gentleman. Il am
not temperance lecturer-at least nos one
professedly; but neglect no opportunity TO
speak world in favor of that honest caise,
No ' w.
We'll, whatever you are, I want none of
your advice
L merely meant it for your good mildly
answered the gentleman. Are you married ?
You have sisters aud brothers !?
les-but they don't know me now
Have you father?' 2
No, he died long since
"a mother?
There was a deep silence.
Il ou do not answer; have you mother p
Iae silence that ensded was broken bv
the sobs of the wretched man.
on, God! oh, God 7 he exclaimed she
too is dead? | broke her heart MANY wears
since by my conduct. My..poor, poor mother
so good, SO kind, so gentle and forgiyin, y and
he smote his breast in the bitterness of his
anguish.
unhappy-oh, how unhappy at that mo-
ment. Through all the vicissitudes of life
mothers love had followed him, entreating
Urging. imploring him to forsake evil. and
cling only to that which is right In vain
flesh and blood Yet in the midst Of this
accumulation of wretchedness, there came
reproachfully, though full Of love, across the
weary waste of years, mothers voice,
sweet and sad, and the heart bowed in grief
to its appeal.
Honor to woman! Without her smiles
the world would lose its brightness, socie-
tvs charm would exist no longer-Christi-
anity would languish without her aid or ap
proval. In whose principles, said the dy-
! ing daughter of Ethan Allen, to her skepti-
cal father, shall die, yours or those OF my
| Christian motherY The stern old hero Of
Ticonderoga brushed q tear from his eye as
he turned away with the same rough voice
| that summoned the British to surrender, now
| tremulous with deep emotion and said
In your mothers, child, in your mothers