The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-12-26
The MOther's Remorse.

ed were an exceedingly trans
parent skin, and the most
mournful blue eyes. l had
been trained by a stern, strict,
conscientious mother. / was
a hardy plant, rebounding al
every shock; misfortune could
not daunt, though discipline
tanned me. | fancied, alas! that
| must go through the rou.
tine with this delicate creature;
so one day when she had dis.
pleased me exceedingly by re.
peating an offence, l was de.
termined to punish her severely
| was very serious all day, and
on sending her to her little
couch, said
Now, my daughter, to pun.
lSh you, and show you how
very, very naughty you have
been, | shall not kiss you to-
night"
She stood looking at me, as.
tonishment personified, with
her great mournful eyes wide
open. l suppose she had for.
gotten her misconduct TIL then;
and | left her with big tears
dropping down her cheeks, and
her lip quivering. Presently
| was sent for.
90, mamma! will you kiss
me; | can't so to sleep, if you
don't" she sobbed, every tone
OF her voice trembling, as she
held out her hand.
Now came the struggle be.
tween love and what | falsely
termed duty. My heart said,
give her the kiss of peace; my
s ern nature urgel me TO persist
IN my correction, that | might |
impress the fault upon her
mind. That is the way / have
been trained until was a sub
missive child, and | remember
how often | had thanked my
mother since for her straight
forward course. / knelt by
her bed and whispered
"Mother can't kiss you Ellen,"
though the words seemed to |
choke me. Her hand touched
mine, it was very hot; but |
attributed it to her excitement.
| blamed myself as the fragile
form shook with suppressed
sobS, and saying, Mother
hopes Ellen will mind her bet.
ter after this" left the room for
the night.
1t might have been about
midnight when | was awaken
ed by the nurse. Apprehen-
Slve, | ran to the child's cham
Der. | had a fearful dream.
Ellen did not know me. She
was sitting up, crimsoned from
the forehead to the throat, her
eyes SO bright that | almost
drew back aghast at the glance.
From that night a raging fever
drank up her life-and what
do you think was the incessant
cry poured into my anguish
ing heart? ooh! kiss me, moth-
er, do kiss me! ! can't 60 to
sleep. | won't be naughty if
you'll kiss me. Oh! kiss me,
dear mammal! l can't 60 to
sleep"
Holy little child, she did 60
to sleep one grey morning,
and never woke again-no,
never! Her hand was locked
IN mine, and all my veins icy
with its gradual chill. Family
the light faded out in the beau.
tiful eyes-whiter and winter
grew the tremulous lips. She
never knew me, but with her
last breath she whlspered.--"I
will be good, mother, if you
will Only forgive mel"
Kiss heE God knows how
passionate and unavailing were
my kisses on her cheek that IA
tai night. God knows how wild
were my prayers that she might
know, if only once, that l would
have yielded up my life couldI
have asked forgiveness Of that
sweet child.
Well, grief is unavailing now.
She lies in her little tomb; there
is a marble urn at her head, and
a rosebud at her feet-there
grow sweet summer flowers;
there waves the gentle grass;
there birds sing their mathis
and vespers; there the blue sky
shone down to-day, and there
lies the freshness of my heart.
Parents, you should have
heard the pathos in the voice
of that sad mother as she said:
.There are plants that spring
into great vigor if the heavy
pressure of a footsteps crush
them; but oh! there are others
that even the pearls Of the light
dew hpnd To the earthn Moth