The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-09-06
A Day With a Courteous Mother.

A Day With Courteous Mother.
During the whole of one of last summers
hottest days had the good fortune to be
seated in railway car, near mother and
four children, whose relations with each
other were so beautiful that the pleasure of
watching them was quite enough to make
one forget the discomforts OF the Journey
1t was plain that they were poor; their
clothes were coarse and old, and had been
made by inexperienced hands, The mothers
bonnet alone would have been enough to
have condemned the whole party on any
OF the worlds thoroughfares | remem-
bered afterward, with shame, that I myself
had smiled at the first sight of its anti
quated ugness /; but her face was one which
gave you sense of rest to look upon
1T was so earnest, tender, true and strong.
1t had little comeliness of shape or color in
it; it was thin and pale she was not young
she had worked hard; she had been evil
IDENTITY much i'll; but have seen few faces
which gave me such pleasure. I think that
she was the wife of poor clergyman; and
i think that clergyman must be one of the
Lords best watchmen of souls. The chill
dren-two boys and two girls-were all
under the age of twelve, and the youngest
could not speak plainly. They had had a rare
treat; they had been visiting the mountains,
and they were talking over all the wonders
they had seen, with a glow of enthusiastic
delight which was to be envied. Only a
word-forword record would do Justice to
their conversation no description could give
any idea of it, so Free so pleasant, SO genial,
no Interruptions, no contradictions, and the
mothers part borne all the while with such
equal interest and eagerness that no one
not seeing her face would dream that she was
any other than an elder sister. In the course
OF the day there were many occasions when
1T was necessary for her to deny requests,
and to ask services, especially from the
eldest boy; but no young girl, anxious to
please lover could have done either with
more tender courtesy. She had her re-
ward for no lover could have been more
tender and manly than was this boy of
twelve. Their lunch was simple and scanty;
but it had the grace of a royal banquet.
AT the last, the mother produced with much
glee three apples and an orange, of which
the children had not known. All ewes
fastened on the orange. 1t was evidently
great rarity. | watched to see if this test
would bring out selfshness There was a
little silence; just the shade of cloud
The mother said, low shall | divide this
There Is one for each Of you and [ shall
be best off for all, for l expect big tastes
from each of you"
"Oh, give Annie the orange. Annie
loves oranges" spoke out the oldest boy,
with sudden air Of a conqueror, and at the
same time taking the smallest and worst
apple himself.
"Oh, yes, let Annie have the orange"
echoed the second boy, nine years old.
Yes, Annie may have the orange, be-
cause that is nicer than the APPLE and she
Is lady, and her brothers are gentlemen"
said the mother quietly. Then there was a
merry contest as to who should feed the
mother with largest and most frequent
mouthfuls; and so the feast went on. Then
Annie pretended to want apple, and ex-
changed thin golden strips of orange for
bites out of the cheeks of Baldwins: and
as sat watching her ntently, she suddenly
fancIed she saw longing in my face, and
sprang over to me, holding out quarter of
her orange. and saying, Don't you want
taste, toO?" The mother smiled. under
standingly, when | said, No j thank you,
you dear, generous little girl. | don't care
about oranges"
AT noon we had a tedious interval of
waiting at a dreary station. We sat for
two hours on a narrow platform, which the
sun had scorched till it smelt of heat. The
oldest boy-the little lover-held the young
est child, and talked to her. while the tired
mother closed her eyes and rested. Now
and then he looked over at her and then
back at the baby; and at last he said con-
ndentlally to me flor we had become fast
friends by this time), Isn't it funny to
thlnk that L was ever so small as this baby?
And papa says that then mamma was almost
little girl herself"
The two other children were toilinp up
and down the banks of the railroad track,
picking ox-eyed daisies, buttercups and
sorrel. They worked like beavers. and soon
the punches were almost too big for their
little hands. Then they came running to
give them TO their mother. "Oh, DEAR"
thought l, "how that poor, tired woman
will hate to open her eyes; and she never
can take those great punches of common.
ladlng flowers, in addition to all her bundles
and bags. | was mistaken. "Oh, thank
you, my darlings. How kind you were
Poor, hot, tired little flowers, how thirsty
they look If they will only try and keep
alive till we get home. we will make them
very happy In some water; won't we? And
you shall put one bunch by papas plate and
one by mine"
Sweet and happy, the weary and flushed
little children stood looking up in her lace
while she talked, her heart thrilling with
compassion for the dropping flowers and
with delight in the giving of their gift
Then she took great trouble to get string
and tie up the flowers, and then the train
came, and we were whirling along again
Soon it grew dark, and little Armies head
nodded. Then | heard the mother say tc