The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-08-02
Last night bride was to the altar led,
and the Sue lake lay sleeping heath their light
The Unguarded Moment.

Inc UngudIu6Q MOIu6uL'
1t is thirty years. ago to-night-three
nights before Christmas-and, though l
have never forgotten it on one Of these
anniversaries, still do not think have
had the courage to mention it before
l am now 50 old that this may be my
last Christmas; therefore, l feel COM
PEELED to record it, hoping it may save
some other mother from all that have
suffered
Thirty years tonight! But, as l
close these weary, faded eyes, hear the
tramp of little feet come skipping down
the stairs, come leaping up the steps.
Listen: there is new fallen snow, and
the boys-my boys-are coming home
from their first frolc in it. They are all
mother boys; they will not make me
one extra care; they are shaking it off
on the steps. Don't you hear them /!
How they laugh and shout. And yet |
know the hush in their voices, and |
hear Ned say:
"Be gentle now, boys don't worry
mother"
Dear Ned, he was a man when he
went, and God never took home no.
bier, or better. Don't worry mother"
No, they never worried me,--never,-
but on that one night.
Six of em,-tour boys, two girls.
Twas pretty sight then; it is prettier
and fresher to me nova picture God
painted on my heart, and its colors new
er dim. Sometimes, | think they grow
brighter as the light from the other
world streams over them. They come
in so softly, the boys from their frolic
and the girls from their plays in the
nursery above. 1t was just at tea-time,
the hour they loved best of all the day
the hour too, when their father came
home from his days work and looked
80 happy as he gathered the little group
close about hiln-Isa always in his
arms. Dear little bird, she nestled
there as if no other spotin all the world
had such a charm for her.
But, tonight, he was unusually
weary; business had been unusually
perpexing and the children, after a
few words Of welcome, left him to his
paper, and quietly resumed their plays.
| was very tired, too. This week be-
fore Christmas was, to me, the most
wearing one of the year. We loved and
kept the day. but our means were linn
tied, aud that Christmas tree cost me
many a nights sleep and many an
overtasked day. Still, they always had
it. How love to think of il now!
After a little while, Isa began to be
noisy. hushed her several times, -
80 did Ned,-but the child's spirits
seemed perfectly uncontrollablei she
would be quiet for m instant, and then
she would burst forth wilder and noisi-
or than ever,
"Cant you stop that child'" said my
husband, looking up at me, with his
weary face, over his paper.
I spoke again, more harshly than was
my wont,-ior my own tired nerves
were bounding and tngling under the
noise and the child's disobediencei lsa
was generally so gentle, the easiest to
manage of them all, She cowed under
my unusual tone, with grioyod look
in those great brown eyes l bad never
seen there before, and, sitting down,
pressed her little hands together tight,
with an effort at self-control. Here she
sat silently for very few minutes,
abashed and almost frightenedi but
words about Christmas reached her from
the children, and dartiug up, she was in
their midst, clapping her hands, aud
fairly shouting:
'Tell bout merry Twistmas, Tom
my, tell Ii won't never tell nobody
one bit"
And Tommy caught her up, and
whispered something in her ear which
drove the memory of everything else
out Jumping down, she caught up
my large scissors, and, striking each
object she passed with all her childs
strength, she came to me, shouting
again.
"Oh, mamma. mamma! know n
merry Twistmas, merry! merry!
merry Twistmas but | can't tell you
May |, Tommy, please, --jist mamma,
Tommy"
BY this time my husband had spoken
to me againi and, even to this day |
cannot confess it without pang, felt
that he should relieve me little, Il
was SO very, very tired, and had no
change to rest me, in the coming home
and the paper, as he had. My temper
rose, and my spent nerves refused to
controlit. As Isa came to me, ] struck
her. on Her little upturned cheek. oh,
tho look that came into that child's face
as I said: "Mind me when speak to
yon, and keeplst.ll." ] can see 1t now {:
fhc shock, the grief the inorticulate