The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-16
AN APPEAL 20 YOUNG MOTHERS.

l | Al L L
t am an old woman; I have only
: fe| threads more to weave when th
. pattern will be completed and the Mas
l ter viii fold it up and lay it away. It il
an imperfect piece, full of broker
threads and wrong colors. / do no
, like to look upon it I would like K
, take it all out and weave it over 6gain
But no, it must go just as it is. But
: will try to add a few good threads ana
right cOlors that the finishing up ma
be better aQd as the garment is folded
up may they appear upon the outside,
and, meeting the gaze of those Just
weaving their piece, teach them what 10
put in their pattern.
Mothers, young mothers, listen to my
story, and learn a lesson therefrOm.
You do get so ont of patience with that
boy of yours. He is never quiet
whistling, singing, stamping, some kind
of a noise all the time. You think you
cannot bear it, your nerves are 50 weak,
so you send him away, out of doors,
anywhere that you may not be so an
noyed. Don't do it any more.
Come with me to yOnder cemetery.
| Here in the corner, under the willow.
lies my boy, Earnest Clinton, aged
! twenty-One" Sit down with me near
his grave and will tell you about him.
He was a beautiful babe. How I did
love the precious blue-eyed one How
| cunniDgly he would twine those little
arms around my neck, and press his
! little cheek against mine Every mo-
ment of his little baby-life was Joy and
! comfort t. me- Soon the little feet began
! to tOddle round and he would run TO
mamma for safety. Then the childish
| prattle came, and how sweetly he would
lisp my name, and, looking in my eyes,
say : g / 'Ove 'Ou, mamma
O Earnest, my precious boy, come
back again and be once more a babe on
| mothers knee Let mother try again
Bat the little fellow kept on growing,
and soon arrived to the dignity of his
first pair of pants. How proudly he
strutted round and called himself
mammals man." Bat I cannot follow
him along step by step. He soon be
came the school boy; and how I used to
get ont Of patience with him as he came
rushing in from school, so noisy and
boisterous I would sc0ld him. and Try
to keep him quiet by seating him in q
chair. After awhile he would not come
directly from school, but would play by
she did not take much heed of her boys
seeking pleasure away from home.
When be was a little fellow I always
went with him when he went to bed.
read to him from the Bible, knelt by
him while he said his evening prayer,
talked kindly to him about any wrong
he had done through the day. How
tender his little heart was at those |
times, all ready to receive impressions |
for good. And how he used to enjoy |
those bedtime talks. But as he grew |
older, when bedtime came 7 would feel |
tired, or be busy, and would send him |
away lone. He felt badly at first, and |
would kiss me over and over again be- |
fore going but after awhile he would |
go without saying anything, or even |
kissing me. / did not then think much |
about the change; my mind was oc- !
cupied with work, which seemed more |
important than anything else.
Thus he gradually drifted away from .
me. When he was naughty I would get |
all ont of patience with him, instead of |
kindly and firmly reproviDg him. I
would dread vacation-time, and permit
him to go from home 60 play ] could
not stop to amuse and interest him at
home, and it was such a relief to have
him away.
But why need go on? The loving,
atfectiOnate boy was weared from his
mother, and every year found him farther
away. RumOrs began to come to the
ears of his father and myself of his be-
ing wild. We talked with him ; he felt
very badly and promised to do better.
But, alas the chain of love which
should have bound him to his home and
mother had been severed and other
chains, woven by wicked companions,
had been thrown around him and held
him fast. We sent him away to school
I wrote many letters TO him. I tried to
get my influence over him back again,
bat it was too late. He ran away from
school, and for five years we heard
nothing from him. Mothers, just
imagine those five long, weary years,
with no knowledge whatever of my only
son
One evening we sat before the fire
talking of our absent boy. The storm
own hearts could not be stillcd. |
thought l heard a timid knock at the
door. I went, and there stood my
long lost Earnest. But what change!
Was it possible that this was nv blue
eyed, curlv-hajred oaby-my robust,
ruddy-checked son ? A pale, emaciatcd
young man stood before me.
Earnest, my boy, I cried, sis this
you ?"
Yes, dear mother, it is Earnest;
may l come in? I have come home to
die"
We did everything we could for him,
but could not save him. Those five
years of dissipation had ruined his
health, and he only lived a few months
Mother" he would often say, 81
am only twenty one, and have got 10
die. I have wasted the past years OF
my life. and cut off the future, which
might have been mine to use for good"
Bitterly did he reps Mt, and we believe
was forgiven. which is the only drop Of
comfort my cup of sorrow contains.
He dropped asleep very peacefully.
and We have laid him here to rest tIll
God shall bid him rise. But my heart
was broken then, and bitterness and
sorrow have been my companions ever
since. God gave me that boy to bring
up and l was responsible for his future.
There was in him the germ of noble
and I crushed it.
The heart of my child was mine, but,
instead of making an effort to keep thai
heart, I permitted it to slip from my
grasp.
I never see a little boy low but that
want to go to the mother and Oh bended
knee to lmplore her to so love that boy
that she will be patient with him; that
she will so win and retain his affections
that his love for mother shall be :,
shield of safety in the darkest hour Of
Dear young mothers, bear with the
noisy boys better few headaches now
than the dreadful heartaches that will
come IN after years. Make home pleas
ant for them. No matter if the work Is
not all done to your satisfaction; the
eternal welfare Of the child is of fat
more Importance. Lay aside your work
sometimes, and enter into their sports
and games. Question them about their
doiDgs at school rejoice with them
when they are happy; sympathize with
them when they are IL trouble. Let
them see that mother is a true friend
to them. At the same time be firm and
insist upon implicit obedience. They
will respect You all the more for that
Make bed time a happy hour for then,