New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-03-04
4 FORGOTTEN ANNITERSARK.

nfCuliar custom once DcIODgeu 10 lhls cs-
pecial Sunday which now is unfortunately for
gotten. It was Mothering Sund1y and on 1t
the adult children who had lett home returned
to pay their homage OF respect and affection 10
their mother, or il they could not come, sent
her some token and message of love. The OBJ
sorvance of the day in England In the seven
teenth century was almost universal princes
sent gifts to tie queen mother, and the lowest
farm hand had holyday that he might carry to
the gray old dame in the hut where he was
born a Simnel cake II is pity we have not
revived this touching custom in our late frenzy
for dragging to the light the clothes, habits,
and follies of an age more ignorant than our
own. With all the ignorance and undoubted
brutality Of our English ancestors of that time,
it must be acknowledged that they did give
simple, reverent recognition to certain great
bonds between the soul of man, bis brother and
his God which we are too apt 10 keep ont OF
sight. Such an obserI ance az this, for exam
pie, coming once a year, must be wholesome
and helpful in any mans life. We set apart
certain anniversaries TO recall prominent ideas
in our history aud religion we have stated
annual seasons for surveying our business aud
| estimating the value of our property; why
should there not be day to remind us of the
first great debt we owe, that due to the man
and woman who gave us life and equipped us
for It's struggled Why shold we not show
them that we remember it and are grateful
This is no fantastic matter OF sentiment.
There is no work OF any American as heavy, as
| wearing, and as n rule AS unTecognlzed, as that
of the mother. Our peculiar eli nate makes the
nervous and physical strain heavier here than
elsewhere on a woman with children the uni
yersal natural desire to push these children on
in tho world lays task on both parents diner-
emf from that which they would have in cOun-
tries where social grades are unalterably
fixed and the fact that children usually do
reach level different from that of their par
ents, early creates gulf between them OF SYM
pathes, tastes and interests. Not that me
level is inevitably higher 1t may be, and often
IL. lower. but il il always different. No genera
| ton in this county occupies exactly the same
ground in religious feeling, in knowledge, or
habits of life, as that which went before it.
The adult man and woman yawn over tho
books which delighted the old folks at home in
their youth, and still seem TO them uufailing
springs of wit and wisdom. They do not even
know the songs that were so dear To them.
They worship the same Saviour, but with rev
ideas of duty and service. They are bringing
ND their children upon II totally different theory
from that by which they themselves were
trained. This change seems to the young nat
ural and inevitable it causes them neither
thought nor regret. II does not occur to them
how much il matters to the gray-headed old
man and woman sitting alone by the fireslde at
home They do not know that they are old,
| remembers that is word which they apply
to helpless creatures of ninety. They feel
themselves in the maturity and fulncss OF life.
| They are Just beginning to know how to think
wisely, to judge justly. Why, it vas only the
| other day that they were married. what plans
| they had, what ambition to make some mark
| in the world All these plans and ambition
| were set aside when the children came. How
| hard they worked to meet the needs OF those
| boys and girls every day; how they stinted
their own tastes. gave up their hobbies, starved
their natures, shrank down into mere grubhers
| and puryeyors for these new lives. The chill
| dren would repay them some day for all their
sacrifices and failures in life. They would have
| brilliant success, they would be happy, they
would be good; and in all this goodness and
success and happiness they would have share
| The old hopes and ambition of every father
| and mother live again In their children. They
sit at last feeble and headed ut their fire.
| side, pushed out of the sweep aud whirl of life
| outside. To know that they are SO stranded,