Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-02-12
Mother is Gone"


was riding in horse-car in Brooklyn.
The weather was very mild had it
been otherwise, might not have no
ticed the facts which / am about to re-
late. A small boy came in the car
alone. His face was scarlet, even his
ears were fiery red He looked very
like boys have seen IN extremity cold
weather after being long time out in
the biting frosty air; cheeks swollen
and eyes almost lost to sight in the
shimmering tears.
/ gazed in wonder for a moment, and
then in still greater surprise when |
realized that the weather had nothing
to do with his apparent suffering.
Twas impossible to keep from
watching him.
He passed through to the front Of
the car, seated himself at the window,
and buried hls face in his hands, re-
naming so during his ride, or rather,
mine, as l left first.
One after another left the car, stop
ping, starting, all unnotieed by the
| boy in the corner.
AT last the space between the boy
and myself was vacant, and | moved
near to him, and laid hand upon his
shoulder, saying:
'"What is the trouble, little boy2"
Dear friends, if you could have
seen that little tear-stalned, grief
stricken face, your hearts would have
ached in sympathy, as he looked
around at my question, wonderment
depicted in every feature at my ign0r
ance.
His grief was so terrible, so heavy,
that he seemed to think strange that
any one should ask the reason ;
strange that all the world should not
know.
He did not answer for few mo-
ments, then, as the wonder began to
die out of his teardimmed eyes, his
poor little red, swollen face grew dis
torted with agony as he managed to
groan:
"Oh, mothers gone-she's dead 7"
then laid his face again in his hands
at the window, and all my efforts
were unavailing to again attract his
attention.
l tried to question him, to sympa-
thize with him in his sorrow, to ad-
wise, but all to no purpose; | night rs
well talk to deaf ears.
Mother is gonew All, dear chill
dren, have we al clear conscience
on the score of mothers absance2
Have we been kind to mother2 Have
we lghtened her burdens. Have we
have been going the daily round, and
caring for her dear ones as only a
mother CAM
Don't wait, children till mother is
gone. Don't wait TIL you see her dear
face cold and still in death, and then
be bowed to earth with sorrow and
regrets. When you see her dear
fingers cold and motionless in her last
resting place, how vain will he your
regrets. There may be flowers,
pyramids, perhaps, but how empty
the thought.
Give mother help now. Save her
dear hands and her weary feet Glad
den her eyes with cheerful smile,
and respond TO her request with
alacrity. Strew her pathway with
the flowers of love and affection.
How much a mother prizes the stfec-
ton of her children we never know
| till we arrive at motherhood our
selves.
Even though he was all mother
could desire land there are some such
boys, thank God, when mother leaves
us, particularly in childhood, there is
a void which no one can fill.
mo love like mother love ever was
known" and perhaps the little boy
felt "Oh, if l could only have my
mother again, l would love her and
be so kind
1t seems hardly probable when
say have kaown children grown to
manhood and womanhood unkind to
mothers. Terrible, isntitl But, dear
children be wise in time; don't wait.
Cherish and love" dear mother. An
ME De Graft, in Tribune and Farmer,
bad Omen.