The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-09-12
Her David.


What 10 you think aoout IT. DO you
believe ma. David wentl on. some Of
you know he did though q careful regard
for the sauctlties Of the SABBATH had
been one Of his mothers strong points
heretofore and II perplexed and troubled
her all the afternoon. while she was max
ng the little preparations for David's de-
parture.
somewsy David did not understand
Why he thought u the dinner party
good deal, and remembered the CONVERSE
ton there more wildly even than he did
the mornings sermon. A vague fragment
u his thoughts be put into words in the
form Of a question
You think Dr. Bland is one Of the men
/ % De copied don't you, mother
He Is one Of the grandest men in the
world, she said quickly she was thing
NJ al that moment Of sentence In the
sermon and Of quotation from one Of
/ ais books, which she kept on the table
/ with her Bible. But and then she fal-
cred little, David IL can't help be-
1 ug sorry that he starts for home TO- day"
/ Wber-gp0n David whi-tled.
But then,7 she added, answering her
own thought, Il suppose there Is some
very grave necessity for his being home
t0-morrow night; he said he would not do
I If It were possible TO avoid 1t she
thought he said that. "and the train
doesn't 60 until nearly six"
Her tone was almost pleading and the
BOY, who lad stopped, a. usual, in the
middle Of 4 bar, took MS hands out Of
as pockets, and said
No and the train would 90 UEhoN
mother, whether he went on 1t or nSt l
don't suppose he would want spcsi4
Sunday train run for him; but he Als =
A. We'll ride On il, since he can't stop IT.
And then both mother and son los,
themselves in that miserable fog of sham
logic. which begins with Since this
.A.ng +. 70 De done in any case. might
g. well and 80 on. And the I'VE. no tAe
almost six O'Clock train bore them away;
sui the mother kissed her boy, and smiled
gratefully over his opportunities, and
wep: after the smoke Of the train faded
from sight. over the loss of him.
| wish had time 10 tell you about ali
the fluctuations Of that visit; Of the
charming young daughters. Miss Celia
and Miss Nellie Of the rides they took
and ihe walk- Of the music they heard
and Of the cards which young David die
not play.
"Yoa don't play at all, simply for
amusement" asked Miss Celia. How
very funny. | supposed all young people
played cards nowadays; 81 home. OF
course, or among their young friends.
Please tell me why you don't
We'll. perhaps the chief reason is the
mother hates them. I've never thought
much about them To tell the truth, and
don't suppose there IS any harm in So
cia. game now and thee; but mother hap
pens 10 have a terrible dislike for card,
and 20 promised her | wouldn't touch
them while | lived at home
"Oh, | see how nice that is Whats
good boy you must be, Mr.. Masters.
And for some reason Mr.. Masters fox
very much annoyed about it, and wishti
he had not mentioned his mother; never
theles-, he did not touch the cards. BIT
he told himself that when he became of
age he would play cards if he pleased, or
else he would know the reason why lie
didn't. May | call your attention to tie
fact that his mothers love was shielding
him and also 70 the lamentable fact that
his mother had not added TO that love the
ciear-cut logic which might have msti.
him proud OF the position which he tooht
So many mothers err Just here.
There were other differences of opinion.
There We're places from which he he'd
aloof simply because his mother had
ideas about them; but he said nothing Of
this aloud. though Miss Celia questioned
him. half laughing, and said his mother
would not be worried in this instance, be-
cause she did not know about il and r
father had reproyed her gently. sndfsais
he honored a young man who abstaincd
even from innocent things to please his
mother; and Miss Celia said, WI ny, Ell
c.4rse . so do l."
And David. thinking it over, grew t
and angry about ii and for the first time
In his life wished his mother were more
ike other people. and had not brought
him up 10 be 4 baby. SoMe day, mother,
he will slip away from the hedges with
which your love has surrounded him.
You have not fed him with reasons Tor
things. So many mothers are fail ~
here. l would like to linger over this
part of my story; 1t is less painful tan
what follows.
During these swift passing, exciting,
/ overcrowded days the mothers boy wa>
taking many lessons which would have
frightened her more than any stream into
which he ever yentured as .wimn er.
He was in home where they believed i'll
using the good things Of this life as not
sba>iug them" and wine jellies, add
brandy sauces, and branded peaches, AMI
many kindred dishes, were among t. EFT
list of good things. David ate them 81
with = relish with Test, indeed, wltch
he did not understand; he did not rec =
uLe their tastes he was unused to tn III
but he knew he crsved certain dishes ~
he never had before, He said TO him eli
that his stay in the woods had sharpe I'd
his appetite to a remarkable degree.
Then there came sn evening when he
was the guest of Rev DIR, Coales, and the
rooms We're llled with merry young peo
pie, and the tables were filed with deli
cacies, and the glasses were hlled with
clear, sparkling wiEe. Am | telling the
truth: Yes, | am. In a minister's
house" Yes. in 3 minister's house, and
in this nineteeuthi century, under the full
blaze OF the temperance reforms. This
minister was true to his principles; he be-
lieved IN wine at home, in moderate quan-
titles. OF rare quslity believed, So he
said, that a judiCious use of the frU of
the vine, in legitimate way, would 90
far toward banishing the hated SALOONS,
and help to rid the land OF the curse of
drunkenness. Oh, | am not responsible
for the logic | am not reading you
story | am simply stating facts.
David our David, his mothers hoy,
stood. wine-glass in hand, and talked
with pretty girl who sipped, dahtly,
little sips which a robin might hare
taken.
why don't you drink your wine?" she
said. at is very choice, DR.. Coales i'm
ports 1t; but perhaps your mother does
, not approve of this custom, etherI'
a., =. 4 4 H.,