Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-07-14

and kiss her on the mouth. You don't
imagine how it will brighten up her dear
face. Besides, you owe her kiss or two.
Away back when you were little girl,
she had kissed you when no one
else was tempted by your fever-tainted
breath and swollen face. You were
not as attractive then as you are now.
And along through those years Of
childish sunshine ard shadows she was
always ready to cure, by the magic of
mothers kiss, the little, dirty, club
by hands whenever they were injured
IN those first skirmishes with this rough
old world. And then the midnight
kisses with which she has routed so
many bad dreams, as she leaned above
your restless pillow, have all been on
interest these long, long years. OF
course she is not so pretty and kissable
as you are, but if you had done your
share Of the work during these last ten
years, the contrast would not be so
marked. Her face has more wrinkles
than yours, far more; and yet, if YOU
were sick that face would appear to
you to be far more beautiful than an
angels as it lowered over you, watching
every opportunity to minister to your
comfort. and every one of those wrin-
kles would seem to be bright wavelets
OF sunshine chasing each other over
the dear old face. She will leave you
one of these days. Those burdens, if
not lifted from her shoulders, will break
her down. Those rough, hard hands
that have done so many unnecessary
things for you, will be crossed upon
her hfeless breast. Those neglected
lips that gave you your first baby kiss
will be forever closed, and those sad,
tired eyes will have opened in eterni-
ty, and then you will appreciate your
mother, but II will be to late, There,
there, don't cry; she has not left you
yet. She is down in the kitchen
strlnging beans for dinner, and if you
feel SO badly you might 60 down and
finish them, and let her change her
dress and rest an hour before dinner.
After dinner you might do up the
dishes while she takes little nap.
Then you might take down her hair
and do 1t up for her. You need not
wind it over your ingure and fuss to
Elake little spit curls as you do with
yours, but give it good brushing and
wind it up gently and tenderly, as if
you enjoyed doing it for her. The
young man down in the parlor can
wait until you have performer these
duties. If he expresses any impotence,
you may explain to him that you feel
under more obligations to your mother
than you do to him. If this does not
satisfy him, ask him how maay times
he hasbeen up In the middle of the night
to warm peppermint for you when you
were dying with the collie, or how MANY
times he has carried you up and down
the room just because you would not
be Quoted in any other way? Ask
him to repeat Mother Hubbard back
wards, and il he is unable to do it, it
will be proof positive that ne is not
the one that has repeated it and ex-
planned it to you LOO times. Cate
chise him to find out if he is the one
who gave the black silk dress, and sat
up at night to make it while you were
off having a good time. Corner him up
and make him admit that he went with
out new bonnet last winter that you
might enjoy So one that You admir-
ed SO much. Wiring from him an ac-
acknowledgements that there is a stitch in
his side, brought there by doing up
your finery week after week. Then
show him out the front door, put on Il
calico apron and go out and help your
mother pick currants for jelly, and l
guarantee you will think more of your
self, and the world will think more of
you, and you will be happier and better
for having done SO"