The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-06-19
Boys aud Their Mothers.
de-AwHke.l

| am sure you would have liked the two
things that he did next-things which he
was accustomed to do every morning of his
life.
First ne went 10 the bureau and took up
picture that stood there upon an easel frame
the portrait of his mother.
Good morning my dear mother" he said
gaily and kissed the picture several times
tenderly and reverently, just as few years
later, he might do that of some other woman
whom he hoped TO make his wife. Indeed,
Royal Lowrie was very much in love with
his beautiful mother-in love with her as /
like to see boy in love with his mother--o
that no woman was fairer, or dearer, or
more worthy CT knightly service than she.
Oh, my dear boys-for it is you especially
for whom am writing this st1ry-no matter
how big you get, or how busy you become,
or how manly you fancy you are growing,
don't ever get too big or too busy or too
manly to be in love with your mother She
who loves you as no other woman ever can;
she who would gladly die a thousand deaths
for YOU'D never, so long as you live, turn
her out of the first place in your heart
Never 50 long as you live let there be time
when, in the slightest attention eyen-tbe
quick Offering of an arm or the STOPPING to
save a step-you will prefer another to her
don't mean to moralize to you or preach
to you very much in this story, but / can't
help saying this. For L know too well how
surely will come a time when you will
thank me for it, You do not think very
much about 1t now, as you go about the
house with hearts singing and feet that keep
time to The home music. And when the
day comes for you to go out from the home
life, you will run lightly down the steps and
ride away scarcely turning for last look at
the loving mother who stands there in the
doorway, with eyes that fill so fast
they can scarcely follow you as
back at Christmas, or easter, or at midsum-
mer, though you may notice perhaps that
some little change has taken place in your
absence-the dear mother-face has grown
thinner, the step slower, or, maybe, the gray
hairs have become more frequent-yet still
you will laugh and turn away and forget,
until some time-late, L trust, but surely
sooner or later-tbere will come a change
which you will not laugh away or forget.
Some time, when you are far away. perhaps
at school or college or in a distant city
while you study or sport or carouse-there
will come tidiDgs and summons, least ex
pected, that will kill the laugh upon your
lips in an instant and strike your joy dead.
And, then, when you have hurried home
again, and, standing once more by the hearth
that can never again be as it once has been,
you begin to realize you can not at first
how very different everything is and how
empty and desolate home and the world and
life itself is, with that presence that has
made IT all so beautiful gone out of il
forever; when you stand, later still, be-
side that sacred mound in the church
yard and weep such hot tears as boys
and men do weep over their mothers
graves-thel il Is that every little care, any
fhoughtfulness and attention you have paid
her. and all the larger sacrifices you have
made for her sake will come back to you
like ministering spirits, and bring you a
comfort and consolation that you can not
now understand; Just as the remembrance of
every sorrow you have caused her will be
very bitter.
And If these words am saying will only