Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1870-10-18

NUMBER V.
The Three Little Chairs


The gray haired dame and the aged sre '
Dreaming of days gone by;
Ihe tear-drops fell on each wrlnkled cheek,
] They both had thoughts they could not speak,
And each heart uttered sigh
For their sad and fearful eyes deserted
Three little chairs placed side by side
Against the sitting-room WALL
Old fashioned enough as there they stood
Their seats of flag and their frames of wood,
With their backs so straight and tall.
Then the sire shook his silvery head,
And with tire n bling voice he gently said:
Mother, these empty chairsl 9.
They bring US such sad, sad thoughts tonight,
Well put them forever out of sight,
In the small, dark room up stairs"
But she answered: Father, no, not yet,
For L look a. them, and forget
That the children are away; rtr
The boys come back and our Mary, too,
With her apron on. of checkered blue,
And SIT here every day.
"Johnnie still whittles ships tall mast,
And Willie his eaden bullets casts,
While Mary her patch work sews;
At evening time three childish prayers
Go up to God from these little chairs,
So softly that no one knows.
Johnnie come, back from the billow deep,
Willie wakes from his battlefield sleep,
Tp say good night to me; ~ a.
Mary's vi lfe and u mother no more
And comes to rest at my knee.
$50 let them stand there, though empty now,
And every time when alone we bow
At the Fathers throne to pray; ~A
Well ak to meet the children above,
In our .Saviour's home of rest and love,
Where no child goeth away. H
Sr Alphabet of Proverbs t.raa
] A grain OF prudence is worth pounds of
raft. raa .-4....-T -r-.r
Boosters are cousins to liars. t,
Confessions of fault make half amends
Denying a fault doubles it.
Envy shooteth at others and woundeth- her
- dg-g 5u a atty51eE a4
Foolish fear doubles danger. @
God reaches us good things by our hands
He has hard work who has nothing 10 do
1t costs more to avenge wrongs than to bear
them. H91G
Knavery Is the worst trade.
Learning makes a man 6t company for him
elf
Modesty is a guard to virtue.
Not to hear conscience is the way to silence
it. sreE-rl
One hour to-day is worth two tomorrow.
Proud looks make foul work in fair faces.
Quiet conscience gives sweet Sleep
Richest is he that wants least
Small faults induiged are the little thieves
hat let in greater.
The boughs that bear most hang the lowest.
Upright walking is sure walking.
Virtue and happiness are mother and daugh-
fer ESQ At"
u Wise men make more opportunities than
hey lind
You never lose by doing good turn.
d al without knowledge is fire without light.
--s--
CHILD s THoUGHTs OVERHEARD BY
PENITENT MOTHER l Mamma don't know
how bad want |; ; she don think how long
the time is. 2 | cant keep from crying, my
hand hurts SO bad where the cat scratched me.
and mamma slapped me for crying and said |
lidn't have any business playing with the cat.
She wouldn t let me ge out doors to roll my
hoop, and said | must not make noise to wake
up the baby L didn't have anybody else to
play with but kitty. Mamma has turned kitty
our doors, ard says [ must sit in this old chair
ill L quit crying and get in a good hnmor |
can 60 to sleep | wish papa would Mt scold
me for moving about | feel so tired that |
want to turn over. [ wish it was day. [ am so
warm here. 4 | didn't 60 to do it; it slipped
,ut of my hand and broke | was trying to
put it on the table. | wish they all wouldn't
look at me SO; am so sorry. wish had a
ulate to give mamma. | do wish mamma
vonldn get mad at me. | didn' t go to do it.
5 was trying to get down buddy's playthings.
didn't know the chair wonId turn over
Mamma, LII hush I'll hush o, my head
wish mamma had not whipped me. my head
hurls me so bad where hurt it when fell. I
was only trying to get buddy his play-l things.