The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-11-28
dressed to one who was evidently no

OdlClulIy luOVCU IuySCl Ill Lie
bed until could see her face
through the half-open door. That
face was not the face of an angel; it
was the face of a woman, a woman
whose intellect had been expanded
by careful culture; whose sensibili-
ties had been chastened by deep af-
hictions; whose will had been SUBJ
dued by the Holy Spirit, aid whose
heart had been purified by the blood
of Jesus Christ. First, she prayed
long and earnestly for herself, that
she might have wisdom, strength and
love sufficient for the difficult task
before her. And then she prayed
for me-and such prayer-so ten
der, so childlike, so unselhsh, so IN
like the spirit which I had manifested
toward her, that I saw himself as
never had before. And I saw my
new mothers heart as it lay there
naked, qnivering before its Maker,
God.
I was ashamed of my actions, my
spirit, myself. Tears ran down my
cheeks, and it was with the greatest
difficulty that l restrained mpself
from crying audibly. I shall never
forget that prayer. Talk not of
prayer, till you have heard blue
eyed woman pray. Talk not of sin
cerity, till you have seen true WON
ans heart unveiled before its God.
AS l looked upon that face, partially
turned away, Illuminated by the
light of Gods countenance, l longed
to confess, and ask her forgiveness.
But there was feeling of awe and
reverence which seemed to chain me
to the spot, to palsy every muscle; l
gazed upon that TRANSPORTED face
and was silent.
At length football was heard at
the door. The prayer ceased, and
my new mother rose and seated her
self as calmly as though she had on
ly been talking with friend, and I
quietly moved back to my old posi-
ton in the bed, where my face could
not be seen by any one seated near
the fire. In moment my father en-
tered, saying that he had been de-
tanned longer than he expected at
the store. ''Have you been lonely?'
he added.
"No," she replied, 81 am seldom
lonely when alone" 81 am sorry
that Johnny should be SO unlike
himself tonight He is naturally a
good boy, but evidently some one
has been filling his ears. He will be
different in the morning thought
it was best not to reprimand him to-
night" said my father, by way of
apology for my rudeness Of manner.
l expected that my new mother
would then tell him that l had called
her Steb-m0tAer. But on the contrary
she manifested a spirit in perfect
keeping with the transferred face
that had seen, and the simple pray
err that l had heard, as she replied:
"Johnny has good heart. [ shall
love him, and he will love me. |
have no doubt of it. He was proba-
bly, disappointed in his new mother,
shocked it may be by the contrast
between me and that picture of his
own mother, which is so beautiful.
She must have been an angel. She
has an angel face; I am only a
woman, and sometimes a very weak
one. But l shall try to be a faithful
mother to that motherless boy"
81 have no fears" said my father.
"The boy has a good heart, but he
has been petted and INDUCED, and
needs a mothers care, mothers re-
straint, mothers love-
I could endure this no longer
They thought that I, careless and
unconcerned, had fallen asleep as
usual; but there I was with my eyes
wide open, with the tears running
down my cheeks, and with my little
heart almost ready to break because
I had been rude, cross, unkind to
my new mother without the shadow
of an excuse.
I arose from my bed quietly,
kneeled down and said my prayers
softly, arose from my knees, stole
noiselessly across the soft carpet,
threw my arms around my mothers
neck, and said in broken words
through my tears: Mamma, NAM
ma, l have been naughty. Forgive
me. I will never call you STEP
mother again. Won't you forgive
me? 1 want you to love me; l want
to love you"
She took me in her arms, pressed
me to her heart, kissed my cheek as
only a good woman can, and said
with a voice all broken by sobs:
"Bless your dear little childish heart
1t is all forgiven We will not say
STEP mother. l will be your mother.
and you will be my little Johnny.
Your mother has gone up among the
angels, and l will be your new
I want you to love me,