The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-04-08
SHE HAS OUTLINED HER USE
FULNESS.

A>oS iohS5 d Soou looNlhS
in middle life, came to our door asking
for 1.-The minister When informed
that he was out of town, he seemed dis
appointed and anxious. On being ques
toned as to his business, he replied:
II have lost my mother, and as this
place used to be her home, and my faith.
lise here, we have come to lay her be-
side him.. - r. {
Our heart rose in sympathy, and we
said, "You have met with great
loss.'
well yes, /" replied the strong man,
4 with hesitaney, "A mother is Il great
Toss in general; but our mother has out,
lived her usefulness; she was in her sec.
ond childhood, and her mind was as
weak as her body, SO that she was no
comfort to herself, and a burden to ev-
crybody. There were seven of us, sons
and daughters; and as we could Eot find
any one who was willing to keep her,
we agreed to Keep her among us, year
about. But I've had more than my
moved when my time was out, and
that was more than three months be-
/ fore she died. But then she was "a good
mother in her time, and toi!cd hard to
bring us all up"
Without looking at the face of the
heartless man, we directed him to the
house OF nei@hboring pastor, and re-
! turned to our nursery. We gazcd upon
the merry little faces that smiled or
grew sadin imitation Of ours, those lit
! tie ones to whose ear no word in our
language is half SO sweet as "Mother.n
and we wondered ifthat day would ev-
er come when they would say to u.s.
''Shc has outlived her usefulness, she is
no comfort to herself aud burden to
everybody elsc.!' and we hoped that
i before such day would come we might
be taken to our rest. God forbid that
!, we should outlive the love of our clril-
dren! Rather let us die when our hearts
are part of their own, that our graves
may be watered with their tears, and
! their love linked with our hope. of
heaven.
When the bell tolleu for tho mothers
burial, we went to the sanctuary to pay
our only token Of respect for the aged
stranger; for we felt that we could give
her memory a tear even though her own
children had none to shed
"Shc was a good mother in her day and
toiled hard to bring us all up. She was
no comfort to herself, and burden to
every body e!Se.' These cruel heartlcSs
words rang in our ears as the coffin WAS
borne up the isle. The bell tolled long
and loud until its iron toungue had
chronicled the years of the toll worn
mother, One, two, three, four, five
How clearly and almost mcrriy each
stroke told Of her once peaceful slulnbcr
Oh her mothers bosom, and of her seat
at nighttall Oh her fathers knee. Six,
seven, eight, nine, ten, rang out the tale
OF her sports upon the green sward, in
the meadow and by the brook. Eleven.
, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen,
spoke more gravely Of her school DAYS
, and her little household joys and cares.
Sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, sounded
out the cnrapturcd visions of maiden
hood, and the dream of carly love-
Nineteen, twenty, brings before Us the
| happy bride, the young mother. whose
heart was full to bursting with the new,
strong love which God had awakened
in her bosom. And then stroke after
stroke told of her early womanhood, of
the love and cares, and fears, and tolls,
! through which she passed during those
! long years, till fifty rang out loud and
| harsh. From that to sixty each stroke
| told of the warm hearted mother, living
over again her own joys and sorrows in
those of her children's children. Every
family of all the group wanted grand
mother then, and the only strife was
who should secure the prise. But harll!
the bell tolls on Seventy, seventy one
two, three, four. She begins to grow
feeble, requires some care, is not always
patient or satisfied. She goes from one
! child's house to another, 50 that no one
place scenes like home. She muruers
in plaintivc tones, ard after all her toi
and WEAKNESS, it is hard she cannot be
allowed home to die in: that she must
be sent rather than invited. from house
to house. Eighty, eighty one, two
three, four,-ah, she is now a chill,
again; now "she has outlived heruseful
ness and is no comfort to herself, and :
burden to every body eise;p that is, sh,
has ceased to be profitable to her eartl
craving and money grasping children.
When the bell ceased tolling, til,
stranger minister rose in the pulpit
His form was bent and his head wa
silvery white. He read several passage
of scripture, expressive of Gods com
passion to the feeble man, and especial
ly, when gray hairs are upon him, ant
his strength faileth. He then made
some touching remarks on human frail
ty, and of dependence on God, urging
all present to make their peace will
their Maker while in health, that the,
might claim his promises "when hear