Claiborne guardian. [volume] (Homer, La.) 1877-188?, 1880-08-04

SIGH sweet little prayers, an coax
me 10 say 'em arter her. Then
she'd kiss me an tuck me up snug
in bed, an when she thought war
asleep | could hear her acryin' an
prayin' in whispers, AKIN God to
keep track o me, an give me lift
an help me up agin il ever stun
bled an fell. When Sunday come
she'd wash me up, an dress me, oh,
80 nice, an take me to Sunday
school, alters keepin' me in the
class as she teached herself, an
somehow it seemed to me that
every word she spoke war aimed
right at me. Then the pictuI'
moved on, an seed myself as q
good chunk of boy, up to all the
pranks an deyilments that kids
hung on to in them days. got to
be "a tnff I'm, but | never done any
real wicked rackets, an I've alters
thought that my good old mothers
prayers stood atween me AM wrong.
Theu could zee myself AZ young
man, . gradually driftin' outen the
path o. right, an forgotten wat !
knowed about piety. Then tuk
my fnst drink, an begin to slide
right down hill, with the devil an
all his imps on earth a.nudgin' me
OH. But, boys, that old angel
mother never shook me, nor never
let up on her prayers. oh, God!
kin see it al il it war only yister-
day, the fust time i cum hum
drunk. She pushed me down in a
chair, an clnsped me to her arms as
il she was afeared she war goin' ter
lose me from her forever. An then
she coaxed an pleaded with me,
the tears list a.flOOdin' down her
old cheeks, an her darlin' voice a.
tremblin' SOS | knowed her heart
was jist a.breakin' every minute.
An then she gin ter pray for me
80 earnest tibet it sobered me up IN
minute. Ipromised her to throw
of on whisky, an KEEP the prom.
Use fur q long time, but broke my
guard agin, and Satan got his work
in once more. Then fell in with
gamblers an sports, ran away from
home an landed in this great West.
/ heared from hum now an then,
till one day l got a letter with
black edges all around il. an when
| opened it l found tibet mother
war dead, an that her last words
war q prayer fur her lost Sam. ]
tell We, boys, it broke me all-up,
but instead O. gettin' better l went
down lowpr'n ever, an have stuck
to it to this day. Oh, mother! moth.
er! if yer listenin' now, Ak God to
save yer boy!'
SObs burst forth from the Oecu'
pants of the room. These men
were rough and hardened, hut away
down in the depths of their hearts
a little spring Of feeling had lain
hidden for years, until now it had
been opened and dubbed up with
tender rippling-opened by one
magic word, mother. Then the
minister offered up an earnest pc
tition to the Father in pleading
tones which would accept no refus'
al. Strangely blended with his
words of prayer came petitions
from the rongh men around him,
reeking with slang, but clothed in
heartfelt earntstness and sincerity
Sam lay apparently calm until the
petition ceased, and then smile
spread like a ray of light over bis
wan features. OutstretchiDg hi,
arms toward Heaven. he murmur
ed, 81 see her-I see her. Oh
; peace, JOY! Mother, I'm coming
I'm coming!" And with that smile
of happiness still illuminating BIZ
, face, he fell back upon his pillow
dead.
, l visited Snake River but weel
, ago, and 10 the outskirts o
the settlement came upon grav'
!, marked by a beautiful marble slab
|. Upon it was engraved:
, SEMINOLE SAN,
Who sboox the wicked earth,
!, And landed right In bis old mothers
. arms In Heaven"
The marble engraver In Denve
!, bad strictly followed his write
. Detroit Free Press.
A little girl in Pennsylvania wa