New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-10

NJ ArSCne IIOusSaye has had the MISFORTUNE lose HIS
mother: sic was a true home-noIher The daughter OF
FRANCOIS MIillccr, cousin ~ Condoreet ana eNtaor
nary Commissioners OF the executive Dreciory sne was
married a. Frar cois Hyussaye, who was Tor long ue
Mayor ofryees as were also his father and Ills second
son, Edouard HOussaye.
Thisis tie reason why VI. Arsene Houssaye did not
send you his March letter Bnt from his Aemoires,
which will be published year hence, he detacbes
these touching pages, concerning the mother OF the
family. They form quite a little picture OF patrI-
archal life.
The father is father, but he is master What
may be his kindness toward the child the latter
never forgcts that there severe eye behind tile
tender glance.
But the mother-if the image Of God is visible on
earth it is truly in the form of mother. what
abandonment is in her love! She gives her soul, her
heart she gives her all to her child. with no other
thought but to live and die for it. The mother,
rather than tine sweetheart has the sole right to say
"Thou art myself The mother, when she is the
mere de fanlle, abdicaos the joys Of the woman III
favor of the joys of the mother.
That which gives the Christian religion such
profoundly human character, under the aureole OF
Divinity is the presence of the Mother OF Jesus. III
is her worship for her S0n,-her grict,-her trans
Gguration. have never understood why the Prot
estanis should suppress this admirable symbol OF
divinity in the mother For my part, have always
adOrcd the Virgin because L have never seen her
without thinking my own mother And
/ have never looked upon my mother without hnd-
inc III her. in her tenderness for her children some
thing of Mary playing with the bambino "A
woman who looks upon you even though II
be woman who loves you, never I'M
walls in her eyes the furthest horizons of
her soul it is if she represented only
the days of unrcs,raint; but n mother has no mask
,h, f,ri VIZ r,s tn
to Heaven, to God If we have found an admirable
symbol for Charity, 1t is in the image of Il mother
snckng child. while holding anotior on her arm,
and folding third in her mantle, a mother for all
three. for those who have come and those who may
vet come to her
have seen my mother in this delightful attitude:
she had but four children, but she regretted not
having had thirteen, like her mother. In that case
the number thirteen brought no misfortune, since
NV mother was the thirteenth child, and she lived
beyond her eighticth birthday, still wearing all
her crown of blonde hair her forehead. Her love
for her children and grandchildren preserved her
youth. And yet-with what prodeality did she
give TO us her milk and her time! And what nour-
shing milk We drlnl!-the physicians said she
would die from such bounty, but she answered
cheerfuly: " What odd, if die, 50 live IN themF
Then she went ON to give us the spiritual life. II
WHO taught us 10 Ifll III Tue Va
Pcrraut she said that the imagination needed its
marycls III order TO compass the opposing realities
How right she was Rvarol exclaimed: " The
history of my life Is tires0me that it seems to ne
"a if were witnessing the representation of piece
by Mrrcicrp When one bcgn MS with the fables OF
Pcrraut. one persist, in walking the paths of ro-
nance this Is always sonnet hing gained, for II the
Others are sur,r they are deadly wearsone. Although
my mother dreaded everything for our sakes, she
had that lardihooi of mind which faces danger and
turns H. asilr by sheer io.ce oi courage. mus,
WIS not i've years old when She set me on the back
Of little Arab horse which carried me alone. with
ont a Thought Of my guiding it, 10 the school OF
Bruyercs, lcagnc from onih6ranlt
The horse, which was more intelligent than
myself aud which never played rnant, always
,opped NJ the stone Of the LciEe Blanche -so-callcd
because the mother az -. LOUIS had there DIS
mounted from her hose. GA her pilgrimage TO the
shrine Of ST. Peter at Volbon. ! dismount'd Just
Ike the White Queen On the traditional horse block,
without the risk of breaking my neck and while
strollcd toward Brnycrs the horse returned gayiy
to NontbGrlult. Now and then indeed, n happened
that lac wa, DELAYED quarter Of an hour In n field
81 luccrn or clover but generally be lost no time
in rccaining the stable where his pint OF oats was
awaiting him. Always before he entered the stable
nv mother went forth to meet him, to cares him.
civ, him a lump Of sugar, and inierrogate his eye
10 as,u,e herself thai had happily reached my dcs-
,nation II is oftcnlmrs better to trust ones child
to "A beast than to 4 or woman. The man may
sin into n tavern, and the woman may hngcr behind
with a lover.
NV mother also intruSted my brother To another
b,tlc Arab horse an equally good messenger Even
my si,e rs were thus sent forth, but under the eye
If my father who was always securing the hills
lint he
dearly for her rashness in danger She Drawing the
ocean ON the rocks Of Penmarck, was swept away
forever by legendary wave, still young and ever
beautiful.
Ihayc never looked upon my own children with
tLc severe eve of the father because have always
wished 10 make them forget that their mother was
NOT with them They never had, like ne, the ador-
able carcsses of tender words the bright soicitude
of "A mother. They have seen nothing OF that but
tn picture. But they have the religion OF the
tomb which shall open, the eldest has never done
serious action in his life without going 10 ask
counsel at the tomb. The day before leaving for
the war he made a considerable journey III order to
kne,l in the chapel of Bruyercs when he received
tine eros, of honor lac was not willing to wear 1t be-
fore having made the same journey. Not being able
to embrace his own mother, he embraced mlne
Yes, it is dear picture, that Of the mother OF a
family, whether IL bc conlciuplitINc oI asItd'hS'
see my mother in her younger days, now penslNe,
a bool, in the hand, holding child by the other,
now busy with her domestic She was the
first and last to be up and doing. Truly do not
know where that slender aud delicate woman found
her cycr-rcnewed force. Yet she had her days OF
tc,r,. BIS what a courageous resignation, and how
she forgot her chagrins in hc varied toll of house
80 complicated rs odrs which employed the people
of two leagues around. FOR It's farms mills woods,
and meidows She put her hand to everything with
cllnr-ninr crnee ST.. did not have Tie Time 10