The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-07-13
DlF WTTH a COURTEOUS
MOTHER.

During the whole OF one Of last sum
mar's hottest days had the good fortune
to be seated III q railway car near q
mother and four children, whose relations
with each other were 30 beautiful that
the pleasure 81 watching them was quite
enough to make one forget the dicom'
forts Of the journey.
II 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 thorough
fares. / remembered alterward, with
shame, that myself had smiled at the
first sight of lis antiquated ugliness; but
her face was one which ii gave you a
sense of rest to look upon--it was 30 earn
est, tender. true and strong. II had
little comeliness Of shape or color in 1t, 1t
was thin and pale she was not young |;
she had worked hard she had evidently
been much iii; and have seen few faces
which gave me SUCH pleasure. ] think
that abe was the wife of q poor clergy
man; and / think that clergyman must
be one OF the Lords best watchmen Of
souls. The children--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 sill the wonders they
bad seen with a glow Of enthusiastic de-
light which was not 70 be snyied. Only
a word.for.word record would dojustice
to their Conversation; no description
could give any idea Of it--sO free, 80
pleasant, 10 genial, no interruptions, no
contradiction and the mothers part
borne all the while with such equal In
teveat and eagerneas that no one not see
ing her face would dream that she was
any other than an elder sister. In the
couss Of the day there vera many occa-
si0ns when Ii was necessary for her to
deny requests, and 70 AJAX services, es-
pecially from the eldest boy; but no
young girl, anxious 10 please lover,
could have done either with more ten
der courtesy. She had her reward for
no lover eouldhave boeR more tender and
manly than was this boy oftwclve. Their
lunch was simple and scanty but It had
the grace ola royal banquet. Az the last,
the mother produced with much glee
three apples and an orange, ofwhlch the
children had not known. Alleys fastened
on the orange. II Was evidentiy great
rarity. / watched 10 zee Il this test would
bring out selfiahneas. There was little
silence just the shade Of q cloud. The
mother said, How shall divide thisG
There ID one FOR each Of you and shall
be best OF of ait, for expect big tastes
from each Of you"
cob, give Annie the orange. Annie
loves oranges spoke out the oldest boy,
with the sudden air 81 cenqueFor, and
at TIE same time taking the smallest and
worst apple himself.
"Oh, yea, let Annie have the orange"
echoed the second boy, nine years old.
Yes, Annie may have the orange,
because that 4 nicer than the apple, and
she Il lady. and her brothers are gentle.
men, said the mother, quietly. Then
there was d merry contest II 70 who
should feed tile mother with largest ard
most frequent mouthfuIs, and 20 the
feast went Oh. Then Annie pretended
to want apple, and exchanged thin
golden strips 81 orange for bites out Of
the cheeks 81 naldwins and, as sat
watching her intently, ale suddenly
fancied ahe saw longing II my face, and
sprang over 10 me, holding out 4 quarter
81 Ter orange, and saying: Don't you
want i taste, too Z" The mother smiled,
undergtanlingly, when I aid mo, !
thank you, you dear, generous little
Girl i don't care about oranges.