Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-05-06
" 0utlived Her Usefulness.

Not long since good looking man, in mid
die life, came to our door, asking FOR " the min
ster" When informed that he was out of
town, he seemed disappointed and anxious
On being questioned as to his business, he re-
Piled 81 have lost my mother; and as this
place used to be her home, and my father lies
here, we have come to lay her beside him. -
Our hearts rose in sympathy, aud we said:
" You have met with great loss"
Well-yes," replied the strong man with
hcsitancy, "a mother is great loss in gener-
al but our mother has outliyed her usefulness;
she was in her second childhood and hor mind
was as weak as her body, so that she was no
comfort to herself, and was burden to every
body. There were soven Of US, soh5 and
daughters and, as We could not find anybody
who was willing to board her, we agreed to
keep her among us q year about But I've
had more than my share of her, for she was
too feeble to be moved when my time was out;
and that was mora than three months before
her death. But then she was good mother in
her day, and toiled very hard to bring Us up"
Without looking at the face Of the heartless
man, we directed him to the house of a neigh
boring pastor, and returned to our nursery
We gazed on the merry little faces, which
smiled or grew sad in imitation OF ours-thoso
little ones to whose car no word in our Ian
guage is half so sweet as mother" and won
dcred If that day would ever come when they
would say of us" She has outlivcd her use-
fulness-she is no comfort to herself, and
burden 10 everybody olsol" And we hoped
before such day would dawn, We might be
taken to our rest. God forbid that we should
outlive the love of our children Rather let us
die while our hearts are part of their own,
that our grave may be watercd with their tears,
and our love be linked with their hope Of
heaven.
When the bell tollcl for the mothers fuuer-
al, we went to the sanctuary to pay our only
token of respect for the aged st1nser; f9r we
fe,t that we could give hcr memory q tear.
even though her own Children lad none 90
shed
"Slo was a good motlcr 20 her Joy. and
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which Cod had o,votcr,5 q, t.- -,
And then stroke after st-ol.o told orto- o,.l,.
wonanbood-of tho love and Cares and bo,c.
and tolls through which she had passed dnr-
inc these LONG wears tIl frtv-rang ont ,arsb
81 lo,,l rr,,, ,I.,t o .;.t.. ell
warm hearted mother and rra1d,no,ber rvirc
over aco;n her own iors and eorror,s ., .,o.o
Of her children and cbildron's cbildror Eco
~ family Of all th, oropn wanted cr,,d,ro,b-
or tbon end tho orIv strir, ,r,s ,vho s,,orl5
so,r-o ,bo ,r;zo b,t borl., tho roIl .o1r.on
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sbo beGirs 70 cro., footlo roo,,;ros .,,,o oo-o