The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-10-11
The Daily Bulletin.
OFFICIAL PAPER OF ALEXANDER COUNTY
NrEnEp At THE CAIRO POsTOFFICE FOR
TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE MAILS AT
SECOND CLASS RATES.
"GrandmOther."

sHoulu BTieVe 10 near That she was.
am referring to the good-natured,
ever-ready, old-fashioned grandmother
OF days gone by. She was my grand.
mother and yours, and, indeed, every
body clse's, when one was needed.
remember her as gray-haired, wrinkle.
faced, and hands crippled with the
hard work of pioneer days. ! remem-
Der her sympathetic voice and soft
touch-her steel bowed spectacles-her
quaint old snuff box-her bustling look
and anxious tones as she came in tho
back way and called OUT
"And so that boys had to give up
and 60 to bed, Ell? Dear me! but it's
too bad, though | guess it's nothing
serious, and hope you won't worry.
Let's see him. Album! Stomach out
of order and he's got some fever. Had
my children taken this way dozens OF
times and in two days they were out
playing"
1t was worth a months sickness TO
see her hustle around after horse
radish leaves TO make drafts for the
feet; cloths to wet in cold water for the
head-mustard for the back of the
neck-a bit Of rhubarb to sweeten the
stomach, and to hear her say:
"Well, now, who'd thought it; but
don't worry! Mercy on me! but my
Dan'l has been sicker'n that fifty differ
tent times and isn't dead yet. Just
you 60 right down and finish your
baking and leave me to take care of
him. / just dote on sick folks!'
And didn't things turn out Just as
she predicted? And three days after
didn't she come down into the back lot
where | was eating sour crab-apples
and fling up her hands and exclaim:
"For the lands sake! but does this
boy mean to kill himself afore the
summer is outn'
: If mother had pain in her side she
ran over to see grandma. If father
went lame it was grandmother who
had remedy. Not in our family
alone, but in dozen. Not in one
case, but in hundred.
Who had catnip and smart-weed
and may-weed and oak bark and spice
bush and mustard? Grandmother, Of
course. Who knew what was good for
earache, toothache, jaundice, languor,
loss OF appetite, rheumatism, bilious.
ness and hundred other ills? Grand
mother.
And if her remedies failed to arrest
disease and the doctor was sent for
how kindly courteous he was! Every
thing she had done was professionally
justified, and he seemed almost sorry
that she hadn't worked cure and de-
prived him of his fee. He would take
the case and warrant cure, but, OF
course, must depend upon her to q
great extent Such compliment wa:
worth more than new home to her.
And if death came grandmother wa
there to weep with the family and t
console all others. 1t was her poo
old fingers which closed the eyes
which helped to make the shroud--
which arranged the lifeless hands. II
was her voice which kept whispering:
There! there! poor thing-don't take
it so much To heart! He is far better
off than we IRE, and you must live on
for those left behind" She was with
the mourners-at the grave-back to
the house to cheer the heart-broken
and leave them at night with feeling
that ii was for the best.
And it was holiday when grand
mother came over with her knitting or
sewing for an afternoon visit. She had
the rocking-chair and the cosiest cor
ner, and no queen was more respected.
She remembered the war with Mexico,
and the fall Of stars, and two or three
earthquakes. She recollected what
everybody had dreamed. and how it
came out, and who married who and
how they prospered. She had seen
two or three Presidents been to New
York and Niagara Falls. She was a
medical college, an encyclopedia and q
book of adventures combined, and her
going away at night left vacancy
that she alone could fill.
Is she still livingP II 50, may the
world reverence her. Is she deadp II
so, may the sunshine of Heaven have
made her the happiest angel of them
all!