Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-05-14
MY MOTHERS HYMN.

on the far away homestead In tho Berk-
shire hills! How the years have dragged
themselves along, so that, although
have several moro birthdays to come "a
mo Qf live) in 1.-THE twenties," ! seem
to be already an old man when think
upon the farm and mother and the old
meeting house and all the sweet mem
ories of the time when was boy and
knew nothing-absoluteiy nothing-of
sorrow and trouble and hard knocks.
Even today when, young as ! am, j
have TO confess myself worn and wearied,
battered, bruised and broken, SCARED
and scared by contact with all tho rough
ness. the rudeness, the dirt, the CRIME,
the sin and the heartlessness Of the world
--eyen yet bless God for the halo Of
goodness which has followed me, in all
my wanderings from my Massachusetts,
home.
was the youngest of the merry young
stcrs who had grown up, under our fam
ily roof tree, TO youth and manhood, and
was the last 20 break away from tho
comparative quiet Of New England for
the hustle and hurly-burly Of tho great
west.
Ny two brothers were full grown men
while was still small boy, attending
our village school, and nothing could
keep them at home when the gold ex-
citement 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
tho weddings Of my two sisters, follow
ing in rapid succession.
Then, moro than ever, became my
mothers companion and might have re-
mained so, perchance, TO this day had
not death claimed her and father for his
prey within few short weeks Of each
other.
Father was a good man and always
loved, honorcd and respected him; but
to me think, nay, am certain, he was
never as dear as mother-and / felt this
moro during the few short weeks that
mother fingered after fathers death.
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 Il pleased her when l would cling
(as n boy, believe | had a pleasant, mu-
sical voice. one of her favorite songs or
a hymn from tho little brown covered
hymn bookl 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
mo the hymn book, Rod" she said to-
wards the last. l gave IL to her and
watched her as with much feeblcness
she tore from it one Of the pages-worn
so thin and much soiled by constant
handling.
Keep it. Rod, my boy; keepit always,
and when you are a man read it and
sing tit is your mothers favorite
hymn"
! have never parted with that torn
scrap, and while live it will never be
bartercd for the largest bank note in ex-
istencc Sickly sentiment, is il? BE it
so; there has, God knows, been little
enough of sentiment in my life, and |
can afford to indulge this one soft feel
in, which possess and treasure.
Ten years passed away. Amid group
of rough men assembled in saloon in
small frontier town was the central fig
urc. was arraigned as n culprit before
a mock judge and n mock jury, undergo
ing q mock trial for stealing "A mans en-
tire outiit-coat, pants, belt, pistols and
boots. was innocent, quite innocent
but the circumstantial evidence was
strong against me, and, besides, ! had
certainly been associating with % very
. "hard" set. ! knew full well that the
chances were greatly against verdict of
mot guilty." and was also well aware
that punislmcnts 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 "a miner like
the res: of u.s. turned to me:
"Hcv you got owt to say for yesself,
Rod Kimberly
"Only this" said ]: II am not guilty"
"Is that ALP said tho judge, while a
low rude laugh went around the room.
1--WE all thought that you was squar'
Rod" went on the judge, land we feel
like giving you a fair show. Why don't
you own up, now, and throw yourself on
the mercy of the courtF"
Judge" replied, giving the man his
mock title, II am square. All you boys
know me-" went on, appealing to the
crowd, on whose faces / failed to see
much expression of sympathy. "You
fellows know don't pretend to be any
great shakes. but, before God, / have
never told lie TO you or any one else,
and neither have ever taken what don't
belong 60 me swear am innocent of
this affair"
"Is thus all;" again asked the judge.
"Yos, air Stay"-and ! fumbled in
my pocket 'or scrap of paper which l
kept inside my shirt. "You fellows all
had mothrrs:"
There was coarse, loud guffaw, while
one man exclaimed:
"Thcts reg lar bald headed, palsied
old bluii game, jedge, an guess it won't
wash with this gangp
But just then II tall. broad shouldered
mana stranger-entered the saloon.
He had heard my appeal and had also
heard the rough words of tho miner who
had last spoken.
"By the courts leave" said the new
arrival, Il am an old regulator, Judge,
and think the young fellow ought to
have his say, whatever it is."
Good" came from the lips Of the
judge. "go on. my lad"