The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-01-14
One Of the Uses Of \ Child.

Selfshnesss-the love of self and the liv-
ing for self-is the root of most of Gfe's
miseries; and anything that helps to get
rid of that must be of use.
/ once, knew o couple who started in
life determined to think and to do for
themselves alone. They knew no better;
and they found before they had been long
married that all was not as comfortable as
they; expected it to be. The truth was,
they each thought only of self; neither
thought of giving up to the other; they
sought their happiness only in self-enjoy-
ment; and they soon began to rub against
each other, and to wear off some of the
varnish and gliding of the wedding day.
And they might have lived on all their
lives in this style, had it not been that
they were cured of their selishness
by a child When say "by child" l
mean by Gods use of child He meant
children to teach US; and He made that
child teach them Mary Fletcher was an
only daughter and she had all her life
long been accustomed to have every
thing her own way and she had no idea
of giving up to anybody or for anybody
until her baby was born. When the
baby came it brought its love with
it; and there was scarcely an hour in
the day but Mary found she must think for
another, and about another, and give her
self up to and for another; and new life
seemed to open before her. 'Twasnt
all playing with the baby: twas as /
said, caring and thinking for and giving
herself up to it; and that not once or
twice, but all day long and sometimes all
night long too. People who knew her
character might have wondered at this,
but that babe had charm for Mary; and
though it couldn't beckon with its little
hand, and couldn't whisper any soft,
sweet words of counsel, still it led her
away from self; and its feeble lit
tie cry was always talking to her and say
ing, There's one leaning on you, one
looking to you no mother belongs to her
self but to her child" At first, Mary
Fletcher did this without thinking much
about it but all people have their think
ing times, and mothers as well as others.
Ay, mothers have thoughts peculiarly
their own; God meant them to have; and
this one used to think as she sat at work
with the child across her lap or N the
cradle at her foot. One day dropped in,
and / saw the young mother ripping some
work of some of her own things-they
were some of her wedding clothes, too,
that she had been proud of not so very
long before. She was near the end, and
had only about three or four inches to rip
off; so thought, "Tll Just wait and see
what she's going to do withit; I'm certain
she's going to put it ON something for the
child y and sure enough she was. 1t was
scarcely off her own dress before it was
sewn on to the child's.
MARY" said 1, looking into the cradle
and giving the child kiss, for l knew l
might say anything after had kissed the
child =" Mary" said l, "this child's
giant"
"Neve-," said the mother; ats fine
child; but Toms family and mine are all
small; 'twould be very strange if we had
q giant amongst u.s."
al don't mean in size" said :" but in
strength"
"Why, he can't stand or do anything for
himself" said she.
"No; but he can do something for you"
said I she's just now been knocking you
down."
"Why, the child's asleep."i
LAY, ay, and you're awake; and it's all
the more wonderful that he should knock
you down while you are awake"
81 think you're crazed, MIR. Martin,
said she.
"Not bit of it," said 1. "You know,
Mary, you used to be vain and make
great deal of being smart and now see
you're stripping yourself for another"
"But then tits for my child, Mr..
Martin"
Exactly so; and that's just one of the
uses of q child-to make us give up TOR
another; and if only we follow out the
lesson the child teaches Us, we shall say TO
ourselves, If it is pleasant to give up for
this child, twill be pleasant to do 80 for
Others Also This babe makes you find
your happiness in giving to another; and
when it grows little older and is able to
enjoy happiness in its childish way-in
toys, and little play, and few sweeties,
and some little stories, and 30 forth-dont
you feel as though you'd be very happy
when you are making it happyf"
"Yes; I'm looking forward to that
time" said the young wife; "I don't feel
shall want anything for myself if / can
get everything for the child"
"But you used to be all for SELF Mary"
"Oh, that was before the baby was
born, but / feel quite different now
Bnitish Workman.