Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-10-02
Two Mothers.

During a days travel recently m op-
portIrnity was afforded us to observe
the opposite courses taken by two
mothers, each with one child Very
near us was young woman with lit
tie one, Just beginning to frame SEN
tences, a child with regular features
and bright eyes like its mothers lit
tie thing that attracted attention from
its prettiness, and alas must L say from
it's pertness, too?
The mother stood it upon the seat so
that the passengers that filed the car
could have a full view of its every move
ment, then began the showing of" 1t
threw kisses, shook its little hand for
tsood-by, reached toward the gentleman
IN front, compelling his attention; got
off smart phrases from its small voca-
bulary, and all the while the mother
encouraged and even prodded Its baby
powers for the exhibitions; at last II IN
sisted upon going into the lap of a lady
whose little girl carried a large wax
doll; then came a scene, as II attempted
10 scalp the waxen beauty, and the cur
tam was not rung down until the sta
tion was reached where the two obtru-
sive torments left the cars
Sighs of relief were breathed, and
whispers of "A spoiled baby" "a fool
with many prophecies re~arding the
child's future. were heard as they dis
appeared We were recalling the
mothers proud look as she helped her
baby in making himself n nuisance,
when the cars again stopped at n little
station where the cIttle fed among mea-
dow-grasses bright with blossoms of
red and gold. Ii was an attractive pic
ture, and as the wind waved the grasses
the lulled senses only half lent them
selves TO the Imagination that would
wander towards ingnite suggestiveness
Of pastoral life; the brakeman's voice
calls "Butterfield" then a child's
voice IL Mamma, he doesn {
know whether butter grows or is madeI
What IA laugh goes through the car!
The little boy who has spoken looks
around with an expression of innocent
inquiry, and then turns TO his mother,
who Is regarding the little face with a
look that has IN 1t pride surely, and
love, but il Is full of that restraint that
belongs Ia the truest motherliness- She
smiles at the words, laws her hand low
ingly upon the small hand, and that -
all She does not even turn to meet
the interested expression of the pas
sengers, and her boy becomes absorbed
in the scene ontside the car, and has
not discovered that he has been an OBJ
Iect of interest He Is not likely, If he
grows 10 manhood, 10 display his wit,
and then make signs of his own enjoy
ment of II.
The worthy owners of rich posses
sions are never obtrusiye with them;
into all true ownership there enters an
aspiration that has the likeness of hui
militv, and forbids the soul to obtrude
its precious things upon the notice OF
the world. The pictured Madonnas
that represent best the Joy and glory OF
motherhood, are rapt in the blessed
ness of their possession, and do not
need the voice of the world to assure
them of their Joy; and II Is fact that
should make Us hopeful for the future,
that this high conception of the artist
Is realized IN the thought and expert
ence of those who, though not mothers
of a holy child, have been given the
mission to lead and inspire young souls
towards the pattern given them upon
high mount of aspiration when the Joy
of motherhood first revealed itself to
them.
OF all this we were thinking when, at
a station further on, boy entered the
car with pond lilies. When the train
starts again one owner of bunch of
the water nymphs looks into the heart
of a matured blossom and then at the
bud beside it, and finds there the poe
try of the truth of mOtherhOods pos
session.