The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-04-12
MY MOTHERS HYMN.
A Carefully-Treasured Little Scrap
OF Paper.

A Carefully Treasured Little Scrap
OF Paper.
What an unconscionably long time
seems to have elapsed since the old
days on the far-away homestead in the
Berkshire Hillsl How the years have
dragged themselves along, so that, al
though / have several more birthdays
to come to me (f live) in 1.-THE TWEEN
ties, l seem 70 be already an old man
when l think upon the farm and
mother and the old mceting-house and
all the sweet memories of the time
when l was boy and knew nothing
absolutely nothing OF sorrow and
trouble and hard knocks.
Even to-day when, young as 1 am.
have to confess myself worn and
wearied, battered, bruised and broken.
Scared and scared by contact with all
the rOughness, the rudcness, the dirt,
the CRIME, the sin and the heartless-
ness Of the world-even yet L bless
God for the halo OF goodness which
has followed me, in all my wander
ings, from my Massachusetts, home.
1 was the youngest of the merry
youngsters who had grew up, under
our family roof-tree, to youth and
manhood, and was the last to break
away from the comparative quiet of
New England for the hustle and hurly-
burly Of the great West.
My two brothers were full-grown
men while / was still a small boy, at
tending our village school, and moth
ing could keep them at home when the
gold excitement broke out in the Black
Hills. After they went away my
mother and father never saw them
more. The next events of Importance
in our family were the weddings of my
two sisters, following in rapid success
sion.
Then, more than ever, became my
mothers companion and might have
remained so, perchance, to this day
had not death claimed her and father
for his prey within a few short weeks
of each other.
Father was n good man and ALWAYS
loved. hOnored and respected him; but
to me think, nay, 1 am certain, he
was never as dear as mother-a and /
| felt this the more during the few
short weeks that mother fingered after
| fathers death. -=a---
e How she liked to have me sit by her
bedside and read to her-sometimes
| from one of Dickens masterpieces and
| sometimes from her well-used Bible!
How it pleased her when / would sing
| Gas a boy, L believe L had a pleasant,
musical voice) one of her favorite
songs, or n hymn from the little brown
covered hymn-booki How contented
she was, on the day that she passed
away, to have me place my hand in
hers while she whispered her farewell
words. "Give me the hymn-book,
Rod" she said, towards the last.
gave it TO her and watched her rs with
much teebleness she tore from it one
Of the pages-worn so thin and much
soiled by constant handling.
Keep it, Rod, my boy; keep it al
ways, and when you are a man read
it and sing tit is your mothers IA
vor.te hymn
/ have never parted with that torn
scrap, and while I live it viii never
be bartered for the largest bank-note
-A- --AAlAA---'- t--hfA-t sCA ANAAA4GA4Ls - H.
BE IL SO; there has, God knows, been
little enough OF sentiment in my life.
and I can afford 10 indulge this one
soft feeling which 1 possess and treas
ure-
Ten years passed away. Amid a
group OF rough men assembled in a
saloon in small frontier town ] was
| the central figure. / was arraigned as
culprit before : mock judge and a
moc'- jury, undergoing q mock trial
| for stealing a mans entire outfit
coat, p ants, belt, pistols and boots /
was innoCent-Quite innocent-but the
circunstantial evidence was strong
against me, and, besides, / had cer-
tLiGly been assOciating with very
hard set knew full well that the
cnances woro greatly against a YER
dict OF "not guilty" and | was also
well aware that punishments were not
| graded in that locality. Sentences for
! all crimes were uniformly severe and
execution prompt The evidence was
| taken in five minutes and then the
| judge Ga miner like the rest OF us)
! turned 20 me:
"HeV you got owt 70 say for yesself,
! Rod Kimbe-ly?'
"Only this" said l. Il am mol
guilty"
'I5 that all?'' asked the Judge
while a low, rude laugh went around
the room.
1--WE all thought that you was squar'
Rod" vent on the judge, land W,
feel like giving you fair show VIII!
don't you own up. now, and throw
| yourself on the mercy of the court?'
Judge" l replied, giving the maj
his mock title, Il am square. Al
you boys know me- / went on, ap
| pealing to the crowd on whose faces
failed TO see much expression o
sympathy. You fellows know don
pretend to be any great shakes, but
before God, l. have never told lie OF
you or any one else and neither have ]
ever taken what don't belong TO me.
swear am innocent of this affair."
lis that all?'' again asked tho
judge.
"Yes, sir. "Stay'-and / fumbled
| in my rOcl-ets fny. a o.r,,, ~ -.