Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-07-11
OUTLINED HER USEFULNESS.

Not long since, a good looking man in
middle life came to our door, asking for
{" the minister" When informed that he
was out of town, he seemed disappointed
and anxious. On being questioned as to
his business he replied, q have lost my
mother, and as this place used to be her
home, and my father lies here, we have
come to lay her beside him."
My heart rose in sympathy, and said,
"You have met great loss"
"Well, yes" replied the strong man,
with hesitancy; Ga mother is a great
loss in general, but our mother had out
lived her usefulness she was in her Sec
ond childhood, and her mind had grown
as weak as her body, SC that she was no
comfort to herself and burden to every
body. There were seven of US, sons and
daughters, and as we could not find any
body who was willing to board her, we
agreed to keep her among us year
about. But I've had more than my share
of her; for she was too feeble to be re-
moved when my time was out, and that
was three months before her death.
But then she was good mother in her
day. and toiled very hard TO bring US all
up"
Without looking at the face Of the
hear,less man, | directed him to the
house of a neighboring pastor, and re-
turned to my nursery. gazed on the
merry little faces which smiled or grew
sad in imitation of mine-those little
ones TO whose ear no word in our Ian
guage is half so sweet as 'mother and
| wondered if that day could ever come
when they could say of me, " She has
outlived her usefulness she is no comfort
to herself and burden to everybody
and | hope that before such day would
dawn might be taken to my rest. God
forbid that we should outlive the love OF
our children, Rather let us die while
their hearts are part of our own, that
our graves NAV be watered with their
tears, and our love linked with their
hopes Of heaven.
When the belled ,olled for the mothers
burial, we went to the sanctuary to pay
our token of respect to the aged stranger
for we felt that we could give her memo
" a tear, even though her own children
had none TO shed.
"She was a good mother in her day,
and toiled hard to bring US all up; she
was no comfort to herself, and burden
to everybody else"
These cruel, heartless words rang in
our ears as we saw the coffin borne up
the aisle. The bell ,oiled long and loud,
until its iron tongue had chronicled the
years of the toil-worn mother. One
two-three-four-fve. How clearly,
and almost merrily, each stroke told of
her once peaceful slumber in her mothers
bosom, and of her seat at nightfall on her
weary fathers knee. Six-seven-eight
-nine-ten, rang out the tale OF her
tale of her sports upon the greensward IN
the meadow and by the brook. Eleven
Observation-Disclosures
more gravely of schooldays and little
household joys and cares. Sixteen-sev-
enteen-eighteen, sounded out the en-
raptured visions of maidenhood and the
dream Of early love. Nineteen brought
us the happy bride. Twenty spoke OF
the young mother, whose heart was full
to bursting with the new-sprung love
which God had awakened in her bosom.
And then stroke after stroke told of her
early womanhood- the love and cares
and fears and tolls through which she
passed during these long years, till htty
rang out harsh and loud From that to
sixty each stroke told of the warm-hearted
mother and grandmother living over again
her own joys and sorrows in those OF her
children and children's children. Every
family of the group wanted grandmother
then, and the only strife was who should
secure the prizs but bark the bell tolls
on Seventy one three-four.
She begins to grow feeble, requires some
care, is not always perfectly patient or
satisfied she goes from one child's house
to another, so that no one place seems
like home. She murmurs in plaintlve
tones, and after all her toll and WEAKNESS