Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-10
aTHE MOTHER TOUCH"
Mothers GeneraIIy-Their Useful
ness Very TOuchingIy Expressed.

w OIherS NeueraIS-Ineh OSeAuu@
ness Very TOuchingly Expressed.
How soon the house shows its alb
sence How little the lack of her eXecu-
tive watchfulness is realized till, like the
plants that drOop for water, everything
about the house has somehow a wilted
look For was it not "mother" who
moved about instinctively placing a
bright-colored vase just where the bright
light would most effectually fall on it,
and raised a curtain or drew it aside from
the same artistic impulse! who opened a
window here, or closed it there, Just at
the right moment, to make the tempera-
ture of the house agreeablc2 who, pass
ing into the room, Strengthened a cloth
that was ever so little awry upon the ia
bile, or put out of the way some care
lessly placed footsteol, over which some
strange foot might have stumbled; or put
sofas and chairs in such neighborly and
comfortable proximity that it was really
quite wonderful how they could help
carrying on q conversation with each
other.
Was il not mother who, seating
herself at the table, saw on the instant if
the proper geographical positions of the
dishes were respected? And did she not,
how weary soever with her frittering life
of detail, see to it that the unities were
harmoniously preserved, in spite of Erin's
unteachable proclivities to the contrary,
and all with a glance of her eye, or a
whispered word, or q touch of her magic
finger-tipsl
And the childrenl The button is never
Of L.. Of m lifflo
where insidiOus Group essays to creep In.
The tnny mittens are nicely mended, and
no shoulder strap is so tight as to impede
motion or cut the tender skin till the
justly irritated child gets boxed ear at
school, which should, by right, have beer
administered to the person who planned
and put on its abominable clothes-rufiled,
mayhap, and embroidered, but nl-ftting
and rasping as the hair cloth shirt of the
deyOtee.
And who but mother remembers
whether 'that poor child ate any break
fast this morning." or needs the interven
ing and comforting bit of bread and but
ter, for lack of which, again, its ears arr
uniustly boxed at school And does sht
not plan her shopping" and ''calling" 81
that when the little ones come back from
school or play, the house may not seen
empty, who else soever may be there, be
cause ssmOther' is outl No little nose il
her house is flattened on the window pan
hour after hour, watching for the pres
ence which alone fills the house with sun
shine-which settles all grievances, o
kisses them away; and always for tn
tired little feet substitutes soft slippers il
lieu of the heavy boots; and who, a
night bathes the heated forehead anC
flushed face, and cOols off the little hand
before they are folded to say, "NOw
lay me-" and leaves a kiss on lips tina
falter with sleep at the last unsaid sylls
bic, for it may be that in this world
will never be finished. ''MOther" thin
of that
And now ''mothern is ''gCne!" Oh
how much is in that little word! Thel
is a ''bedy" down stairs, but that 500
will 20, too. For the grown people
leaves behind there may be a solace, b
alas! for the little child, who cannot con
prehend why, when mother is ''doW
stairs" she can at the same time
s'gonc !'-who knows not how, from tn
narrow grave, she can ''get up" to the f
heaven, where they say she has flow
Alas for the little child, who now owe
loaded with clothing when it is war;
and has on far too little when more
needed who goes hungry when food
imperative, and is overfed when digestiC
clamors for a respite; who breathes 6
night an already exhausted atmospher
and sits, perhaps, in a deadly draug
next morningl The little child W
touches mothers desk, and ''mother''
dresses, but never can find her! who go
to sleep with sigh in place of smi
and wakes up to a lonely house, thou
filed with voices! In all the wide VOL
there is never so empty a spot as that
tie heart. FANNY FERN.