Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-05-22
YOU NEVER SAID 50 BEFORE JOHN.

notes, we TeuU tHeSe WoFuS. n ueaT
mother lay dying and her oldest son as
he knelt by her bedside, cried you
have been good mother to u.s. The
dying woman opened her eyes, and
with feeble smile, whispered: You
never said so before, John.'"
In reading these words of the dying
mother, we could not but imagine
what Johu's thoughts were after those
lips ceased speaking forever. Not
that John had necessarily been son
that had brought heaviness to the heart
of his mother. He might have been,
and probably was, good son, as that
phrase goes, but he had not been
thoughtful and considerate ofhis moth
ers sensitive feelings as to unspokeu
words of appreciation. He had been
full of his business projects, his family
interests, and the claims that the world
has on children of maturer years. He
meant to he a loyal son and to see that
his mother had everything for her
physical comfort, but he never thought
for a moment how.much she longed for
q loving caress, and words that made
her feel assured that she was still as
dear to he John as she had been in the
days of childhood.
There comes time in a mothers
life when she feels that she is not es-
sential to her children, as far as care
taking and providing for their physical
wants are concerned. They are grown
up men and women, and able and will
ling, as they should be, to look out for
themselves. They naturally feel that
mother is relieved Of great care and
responsibility, but the mother sits in
her room alone and longs for the old
days when they were toddling at her
side, holding on to her gown, or COM
ing 10 her for comfort when the child
hood days had there aches and pains,
their shadows and disappointments.
No need of them to tell her then that
she was the most necessary of all per-
sons living to make their lives happy.
The little arms wound about her neck,
the warm kisses given on cheek, the
loving words spoken so often, assured
her of their true and unsel6sh love
and devotion for her. That mother,
as she thinks Of it all, wonders how
she could have ever been weary of the
work and waiting; she is sorry that
she spoke an impatient or cross word to
those little ones, and she longs to tell
the young mothers to be very patient
and tender, for the childhood time is
so soon out-grown.
But when the children are no longer
on that care as they were then, still
the mother wants from the grown up
children some Of the sweet caresses and
the loving words that she used to have
when they were little ones, and if they
neglect to give them, she falls into a
way of thinking that the new loves,
the new interests, and the busy life of
the maturer years are crowdiug moth
er out.
John was probably astonished when
he thought of it all. it was so strange
that mother had not taken it for grant
en- that he knew she had been good
mother to him. That is just where so
many of US make a great mistake in
our daily living, leaving our dear ones
to take for granted the kind words, the
thoughtful acts, and the loving caress-
es that we should give them.
A little petting now and then is as
dear to the sweet old mother as it is to
the children in the household. The
letters that 60 to the home from the
children that are out in the world
fighting life's battles-how dear they
are to the mother! And yet how
long sometimes it is between the re-
ceiving of one letter and second one.
Mother knows, girls and boys, that
you have grown up and are doing
your duty in the new homes and the
new life-work God has given you.
She knows this is just as it should be;
but take time to talk or write to her
once in a while of the mothering days
when she was all the world to you,
and tell her how the influence of her
teachings and prayers have been with
you all your lives, and that you bless
God you have such a mother, and
pray that he will spare her many,
many years to bless you with her pray
ers and love. Then, if the call comes
suddenly and unexpectedly for you to
20 and receive her last blessing, you
will have the comfort of knowing that
you were thoughtful Of her, not leav-
ing her to take for granted that you
loved her, but that she heard the
words of endearment often from your
lips, and was made happy by them
Susan Teall Perry, in the Evangelist.
BEDROOM HINTs.-Restful sleep re-
news the life.
Never sleep with the face turned
toward near wall.
Never have children habitually
sleep with older persons.
Pure air is fully as important in
sleeping as in waking hours.
STRAWBERRY DUMPLINGs.-Crust
made same as for shortcake, and roll
ont one-half inch thick: put as many