Connecticut western news., 1884-05-28
so WITH THE WORLD.
HOW A MOTHER WATCHES OVER AND
 PRAYS FOR HER BOY.
A Graphic Illustration of the Different Phases of Life from the Cradle to the c rave by M. Quad.

I saw young babe in it's cradle. It smiled in it's sleep, and the mother knelt and kissed it's soft cheek and prayed God that her baby boy might live to a good old age. It opened its eyes and smiled, and the children softly whispered to each other: "SeeI The angels have been talking to him. and he is glad !''
 I saw youth as he looked longingly up the path leading to fame and glory.
 There was proud flash in the father eye as he saw the boy come and go, and the mother looked after him with swell ing heart and whispered a prayer to Heaven to keep her boys footsteps from wicked paths.
 I saw a young man as he stepped over the threshold and met the grim world | with a smile of self.reliance. The father was now wrinkled and gray, but there was fonder flash to his eye as he listened to the applause of the multi tude. The mother was aged and feeble, and tears came into her eyes as she murmured: ''He is moving the hearts of thousands by his eloquence, but pray thee, Oh, Heaven to keep him pure and free from sin l'' The children who had whispered before were no longer chil- dren. They had also grown to mans estate. Some joined in the applause some felt malice and envy commanding them to silence.
 I saw a strong man in his prime. He had fame and wealth, loving wife, happy children, beautiful home. Men bowed before him. Men fiattered him. His voice echoed over the land and stirred the pulses in city and hamlet.
 The father and mother were dead, and their last prayers had been for him. He stood alone, but he had the support of the nation and the homage of 8 world. So it seemed to him, but down in their hearts men feared and envied and hated him.
 saw an old man as 8 winters night settled gloomily down over the desolate land.
 He was old and weak and hungry and poor. He was thinly clad, and he shiv- cred in the raw air. He stood at the corner, his trembling hand held out in mute appeal to the passers-by, but no one gave him aims. Some had their vision blinded by the falling flakes others mocked at and cursed him. For long hour he hungered and asked only for what would buy crust of bread, and then he bowed his head still lower and dragged himself further away into the bitter darkness. And men called after him in heartless tones: "The County House is the place for beggars l'
 saw stiff, frozen corpse at the morgue.
 It was that of an old man. There were snow and frost in the gray locks the thin fingers were clenched-the tears had frozen as they yelled up to the poor old eyes. They had found him dead on the street-dead and frozen. A shadow stood beside the marble slab it bent over the dead and kissed the cold cheek-it sobbed and grieved as only mother grieves, and we seemed to hear the words:
 "This was the babe in it's cradle-the youth painting for renown-the young man winning his first crown-the strong man at whose feet the nation bowed like cIouos fbic ryoc you ron tn
 And men handled the poor old body as if it were faggot, and they mock ingly cried to each other;
 "A pine cofin-a grave in potter's field-and tomorrow we forget that he avar lived |"