Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-03-07
MY MOTHERS HYMN.
A Carefully Little Scrap
OF Paper.

OF Paper.
What an unconscionably long time
seems to have elapsed since the old
days on the PARKWAY homestead in the
Berkshire Hills! How the years have
dragged themselves along. so that, al
though l have several more birthdays
to come to me (if liye) in "the twen-
ties" l seem to be already an old man
when l think upon the farm and
mother and the old Westinghouse and
all the sweet memories Of the time
when was a boy and knew nothing
absolutely nothing of sorrow and
trouble and hard knocks.
Even to-day when, young as am. l
have to confess myself worn and
wearied, battered. bruised and broken,
SCARED and scared by contact with all
the roughness. the rudeness, 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, moro than ever. l became my
mothers companion and might have
remained SO, perchance, to this day
had not death claimed her and father
for his prey within few short weeks
OF each other.
Father was good man and l always
loved. honored and respected him; but
to me think, nay. l am certain, he
was never as dear as mother-and
felt this the moro during the few
short weeks that mother fingered after
fathers death.
How she liked 70 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 l would sing
tas boy. l believe l had a pleasant,
musical voice) one of her favorite
songs, or a hymn from the little brown
covered hymn-book! 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 as with
much feebleness 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
vOrite hymn"
have never parted with that torn
scrap, and while l live it will never
be bartered for the largest bank-note
in existence. Sickly sentiment, is it?
Be it SO; there has. God knows, been
little enough of sentiment in my life.
and l can afford to indulge this one
soft feeling which l possess and treas
ure.
Ten years passed away Amid a
saloon in q small frontier town was
the central figure. Twas arraigned as
q culprit before a mock judge and a
mock jury. undergoing q mock trial
for stealing 3 mans entire outfit
coat, pants. belt. pistols and boots !
was innOcent-quite innocent-but the
circumstantial evidence was strong
against me. and. besides, I had GER
tainly been associating with q very
"hard'' set knew full we'll that the
chances were greatly against q YER
dict OF mot guilty." and was also
we'll 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 Ca miner like the rest of us)
turned to me:
''Hev you got owt to say for yesself,
Rod Kimberly"
"Only this" said /. 81 am moi
guilty"
els that alp" asked the judge
while low. rude laugh went around
the room.
I'VE all thought that you was squar'
Rod" esnt ON the judge. land w
feel like giving you fair show. Why
don't you own up now. and throw
yourself on the mercy of the courtT
Judge" Ireplied, giving the mar
his mock title. 81 am square. Al