The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-04
mother is sick. Yet the family think she
will soon be well. for she has been sick SO

there Is hope" And the white pillow over
which are strewn the locks little tinted with
snow becomes the point around Whlch all
the family gather. some standing, some
kneeling, and the pulse beats the last tnroo,
and the bosom trembles with the last breath.
and the question is asked in q whisper by
all the group, sis she gomez" And all IS
over.
Now come the regrets. Now the daughter
reviews her former criticism of maternal su-
pervision. For the first time she realizes
what it is to have mother and what II Is to
lose a mother. Tell me, men and women,
young and old. did any Of us appreciate now
much mother was to us until she was gone?
Young woman, you will probably never have
more disinterested friend than your moth
or. When she says anything is unsafe Or i'm
prudent, you had better believe it Is unsafe
or imprudent. When she declares it Is
something you ought to do, think you had
better do it. She has seen more OF the
world than you have. Do you think she
could have any mercenary or contemplate
motive in what she advises you? She would
give her life for you II 1t we're called for. Do
You know Of anyone else who would do
more than that for you? Do you know OF
anyone who would do as much? Again
and again she has already endangered
that life during six weeks OF
diphtheria or scarlet fever. and she never
once brought up the question OF whether she
had better stay. breathing day and night the
contagion. The graveyards are full OF moth
ers who died taking care OF their children.
Better appreciate your mother before your
appreciation Of her will be no kindness to
her, and the post mortem regrets will be
more and more Of an agony as the years pass
on. Big headstones of polished Aberdeen,
and the best epitaphs which the family pnt
together and compose, and garland OF
whitest roses from the conservatory are often
the attempt TO atone for the thanks we
ought to have uttered in living ears. and the
kind words that would have done more good
than all the Gala lilies ever piled up on the
silent mounds of the cemeteries.
The world makes explanatory ado over
the work of mothers who have raised boys
to be great men, and I could turn to my
bookshelveS and find the names OF fifty dis
tinguished men who had great mothers
Cuvler's mother, Walter Scotts mother, St.
Bsrnard's mother, Benjamin Vests mother.
But who praises mothers for what they do
for daughters who make the homes OF Amer
lea? I do not know Of an instance OF such
recognition. declare to you that believe
am uttering the first word that has ever
been uttered in appreciation OF the SELF
denial, OF the fatieues and good sense
and prayers which those mothers
60 through who navigate a family OF
girls from the edge OF the cradle to the
schoolhouse door. and from the schoolhouse
door up to the marriage altar. That Is an
achievement which the eternal God cele-
brates high upin the heavens. though for it
human hands so seldom cap the faintest ap-
plause. My! NV! What time that mother
had with those youngsters. and II she had
relaxed care and work and advice aud solic-
itation of heavenly help. that next genera
ton would have landed in the poorhouse,
idiot asylum or penitentiary. 1t Is while
she Is living. but never while she is dead,
that some girls call their mother maternal
ancestor" or "the old woman."
And If you have grief already, and some
oil the keenest sorrows Of a woman's life
come early. roll 1t over on Christ and you
will find Him more sympathetic than was
Queen Victoria, who, when her children, the
princes and princesses, came out OF the
schoolroom after the morning lesson had
beon given up by their goyerness and told
how her voice had trembled in the morning
PRAYER because it was the anniversary OF her
mothers death, and that she had put her
head down on the desk and sobbed
"Mother! Mother" the queen went in
and said to the governess: "My poor
child! am sorry the children disturbed
YOU this morning. I will hear their lessons
to-day and to show you that I have not for
gotten the sad anniversary. bring you this
gift" And the queen clasped on the girls
wrist mourning bracelet with lock Of her
mothers hair. All you young women the
world around who mourn like sorrow, and
sometimes in your Loneliness and sorrow and
loss burst out crying. "Mother! Mother'
put on your wrist this golden clasp OF divine
th1pl A1 nruhn M
forteth 80 will I comfort YOU"
Advice the fourth: Allow no time to pass
without Frightening some ones life. Within
five minutes walk OF you there is some one
In a tragedy compared with which Shako-
speare's "Kine Lear or Victor Hugo's
"Jean Vatican" has no power. Go out and
brighten somebody's life with cheering
word or smile or flower. Take a good
book and read q CHAPTER to that blind man.
Go up that dark alley and make that in
valid woman laugh with some good story.
Go to that house from which that child has
been taken by death and tell the father and
mother what an escape the child has had
from the winter of earth into the springtime Of
heaven. For Gods sake make some one happy
for ten minutes if for no longer a time. A
young woman bound on such mission
what might she not accomplish. Oh. there
are thousands of these manufacturers OF
sunshine. They are Kings Daughters"
whether inside or outside that delightful
organization. They do more cool before
they are twenty years Of age than selfish
women who live ninety. and they are so
happy Just because they make others happy.
Compare such young women who feels she
has such mission with one who lives
round Of vanities. cardcase in hand. calling
on people for whom she does not care e2-
cept for some social advantage. and in
sufferably bored when the call is re-
turned. and trying to look young after
she Is old, and living life OF insincerity
and hollowness and dramatization and sham.
Young woman, live to make others happy.
and you will be happy. Live for yourself.
and you will be miserable. There never has
been an exception to the rule; there never
will be an exception.
Young woman, draw out aud decide what
you will be and do, God helping. Write 1t
out in a plain hand, not like the letters
which Josephine received from Napoleon In
Italy. the writing so scrawling and scattered
that it was sometimes taken rs map OF the
seat of war. Put the plan on the wall OF
your room, or write 1t in the opening OF a
blank book, or put it where you will be
compelled often to see it. A thousand
questions Of your coming life you cannot
settle now, but there il one question you
can settle independent of man, woman,
angel and devil. and that is that you will be
Gods woman now. henceforth and forever.
Clasp hands with the Almighty. Pythagoras
represented life by the letter Y, because it
early divides into Two ways. Look out for
opportunities Of cheering, inspiring. rescu-
ing and saving all the people you can. Make
a league with the eternities. I seek your
present and everlasting safety. David
Brewster said that comet belonging to our
system called Lex,lls comet is lost, as 1t
ought to have appeared thirteen times
and has not appeared at all. Alas, 1t is
not only the lost comets. but the lost
stars, and what were considered fixed
stars. Some OF the most brilliant and