Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-05-28
The Good Word "MOther."


The other day was walking with an
old man when he took his watch from
his pocket and scanning its dial, said:
Excuse me, sir, but it is time was
home with mother"
"Have you living mother?" | asked
in great surprise, for he was past 70,
and his white hair and toothless mouth
made the word sound strange, but dear
er, thought, than had ever heard it
before.
"Oh, no. said the old man. "My
own mother died fifty years ago. l
mean the mother of the boys"
"And who are the boys?"
"Why of course you don't remember
them-I expect you never knew them
for l never met you until to-day.
There's John and William and Thomas
and Martha and Matthew. Matthew is
the baby, sir, though he does not look
like one now, for he's nearly 40 and
has a long beard. 1t is their mother |
mean"
"Your good old wife," | asked.
eyes, she is mother to all the boys,
and have called her mother for more
than fifty years. But you will excuse
me, sir, for it is time should be home
with mother. Come along with me
and see her, for she is the sweetest,
prettiest old woman you will ever have
chance to see. She was lovely girl,
but she is now prettier than she was
then. Come along and see her."
The old man led ME to the door of his
comfortable home and when we were at
the gate, Matthew and his wife came to
meet us and Matthew said:
"Father, mother had another stroke
and can't say word. Martin has gone
for the Doctor"
eyes, yes" said the old man, push
ing by Matthew, "mother must have
the doctor, indeed she must, for she is
not able to Withstand another stroke of
palsy. Come on my son, and see moth
err" he said, becSoning to me, and |
followed him as he entered the house
where his mother lay.
The good old lady was indeed beauti-
full. Around her brow clustered a
growth of white hair that made her
look like an angel with halo of glory
radiating from her noble brow. Her
mouth was drawn out of its natural
shape by the nervous condition Of the
body, and her eyelids twitched as she
looked upon my strange features, but
when the old man came before her poor
old eyes, and bending softly above her,
whispered "Mother, an here" smile
attempted to play upon the half para
lyzed lips, and her eyes frightened and
looked love at the man who had been
her companion since they were boy and
girl, and it seemed to me there was
some endearing name for him which
she struggled to speak, but her tongue
had lost its cunning and clave to the
roof of her mouth.
The old man bent lower and i'm
printed kiss upon the twitching lips
and they made an effort to speak again,
but the motion gave no sound. The
sons gathered about the bedside and the
old man kneeled beside the dying wife
and whispered:
Mother, do you know us?"
She nodded just little and the good
old husband placed his hands upon her
brow, where the white hair lay in a
thick mat, and blessed her and the
tears stole out from his eyes, trickled
along the burrows which the sorrows
of years had worn in his cheeks and the
SONS wept; and l, who had never seen
any of them before that day, stood
apart and shed tears for mother-mother
to all good men who might stand by
her bedside rs she left the earth. AS
we stood awaiting the end, the cool
breezes of the summer day floated in and
famed her brow, and she smiled upon
all who called her mother and closed
her eyes. She breatheG slowly and
deeply for time, and then her eyes
opened again and the distorted face lost
its drawn and panied appearance, and
the eyes Of the good woman rested on
the faces of husband and children for
moment before they closed and she was
still forever.
"Mother, mother, mother!" softly
called the old man, but there was no
answer to his cry, and turning to the
men who stood around him, he said,
slowly and sadly:
"Boys, mother has gone on before US
mother is in heaven" and leaving
them alone in the sacred presence Of her
they loved, l stole away.