Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-12-11
srIrrt TaIt.


better than seven children can take care Of one
mother" old Casimer was accustomed TO say
He was shfewd old peasant. and had gone
about the world, and had seen a great deal
But bis son Jacob thought him in the wrong
in that expression.
"see," said Jacob, al am only one person,
aud would do for you everything that could
would work until the very blood came out
Of my finger. ends sooner than you should not
get everything that you needed. Now, how
much better it would be for you, II you had
seven boys instead Of one and how much bet
ter they could take care Of you than you could
take care Of them"
Cashier laughed, and shook his old fur cap
from one side of his head to the other, and
answered:
SNOW, let me give you an example Of the
truth Of what say. You know old Madden,
who goes around and washes clothes for rich
people. She was once very nice-looking wo-
man, though she always worked hard from
morning till night, to take care Of her seven
children and she took care of them well, for
they did not want either food or clothing with
out getting it. SO long as she was young,
everything went on well but when her seven
children grew up to be men, her strength had
left her, and now it was their turn to take care
OF her. But not one of them seemed dispos-
ed to pay her special attention, or to offer her
a comfortable home. They were all in good
circumstances, and each had a thriving busi-
ness. Their mother was old and very homely,
and the truth was that they were very much
ashamed OF her. They little thought how kind
she had been to them, and how she had spar
ed no pains to improve them. lfher days wa
ges did not go far enough to supply her seven
children with food, she would sit up in the
night, while other people slept, and would
make waistcoats and shirts for dealers in cloth
ing. 1t was astonishing how this woman could
make money out OF almost nothing. Broken
needles, bits of thread, or blocks of wood,
were carefully saved by her e; for she looked
upon every thing as worth something. But
having raised her children, and seen them COM
fortably in business, she said to herself, Now
am getting old in years, and am almost worn
out with hard work, aud it is high time that
my children should take care Of me-
zone Saturday evening she invited them to
her little house, where she gave them a sup
per ofhard crackers, tea and prunes, and then
she represented her case to them.
"My dear children, l cannot live great
while and have quite lost my strength. The
food place before you is very nice compared
with what usually eat. know my appear
ance is Objectionable to you, but it seems to
ME quite right that you should take care of
me-
"with the greatest pleasure they cried
all together.
1.-The eldest, who was goldsmith, said:
MY dear mother, will do nything in the
world for you. Come to my house. and you
shall live in the parlor all the time
The old lady appointed secretary just
then to take down the promises, and the name
of the eldest son, who had just made that
promise.
"The next one who spoke was the tailor
He said to his mother: My dear mother,
would drink up the Rhine would go though
a raging FIRE l would leap down from church
tower-all for you-for you. my mother.
sand that promise was taken down. And
each one made promise Of doing just as great
things for his mother as those two had done,
and having finished them, and the promises
having all been written down, they all sang
together and departed for their several homes.
"The next day, Madden, their mother, went
to the goldsmith's with her budget OF clothes.
She thought what happy time she would now
have. But one week was sufficient; for, by !
the end Of that time, she found that she was
not welcome in the house, though she had no
doubt her son loved her very much. His chill
dren did not seem to be fond of her, and in
deed the whole family seemed to consider her
burden rather than pleasure. She next
went to the tailor's who had told her that he
would drink up the Rhine, go thro' great
FIRE, and leap down from a church tower, for
his mother. Alas! for his promise. She had
not been there four days before she learned
that she was not welcome at his house. And
30 she went through from one house to the
other, until she had made visit to all her
seven sons, and there was not one Of the num-
Der who seemed to enjoy her presence. That
they all loved her, l have no doubt but at the
same time, she did not seem to be welcome,
and she felt that she was not at home"
"All this 10 very true, father" said Jacob !;
"but, at the same time, is it right for sons to
treat their mother so :"
"Oh, no y replied old Casimer az have not
said that it is right: it is very wrong. But
il shows us how much better our parents
have taken care Of US than we take care OF them.
What would have become of me if had not
had kind mother to take care Of me, and
what would have become you If you had not
had good mother to look after your interestsi
"But, father" replied Jacob, 81 think you
nave chosen rather an unusual case 10 teach
me this lesson. Do you suppose it is gener-
ally so with people throughout the world :"
As far as have seen" said old Casimer,
81 think it is general truth. Come now
want to show you how it is with smaller be-
ings than man. Do you not know that in
our birdcage there are just seven little birds,
now just old enough to fly about little p
The old bird takos care Of them every day,
and we leave the door open, you know, for
her to 60 in and out, and bring them worms,
and whatever else they wish. The cage is
hanging up by the bean-vine, at our back
door. Let us see how that old bird and her
seven young ones manage. There she goes
right in at the open door, taking them some
thing to eat. See how they cluster round
her, and how they love her What in the
world would they do without her Every
one Of them would die. Now, let us see how
she would get along il we let themISo sYv, q
of her."
Then old Cashier took all the little birds
out Of the cage on his lap, and fastened the
old bird up.
Let us see how soon they will bring her
worm, and do some act of kindness for her.
One little bird jumped off his lap upon a
pile Of lumber that was lying near the door
another one jumped down in the door third