River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-01-23
some OF THANKFUL STR0NG'S
EXPERIENCES.
BY SARAH wADswoRrH oErcHELL
No. ?.

No. ?.
HHERE Is HARDLY a marriage
"a birth or death, for miles around
that she is not called upon to be
present and share in the Joy or sor.
row. In Joy, she has a beaming face
and is full of such funny stories and
bright sayings that she is sought
after and quoted by all. In trial oil
affliction none know better than she
''iust the time to speak, and the time
to refrain from speaking;" Just the
balm of healing that the weary soul
needs; Just the time to wipe away
tears, or to encourage them to fall
and often when reproof is needed il
is given in no small quantity.
One day as she dropped in, in a
neighborly way, ! was tired and
overdone. | took up the weekly
mcnding; oh! such great, discoura-
ging holes! My four-year-old baby
boy came up to me, and putting both
little arms up said lovingly, ''Mam-
ma, l want to hug YOU" l an
swered, "Go away now, mamma is
so tired and must do this mending.'
He went away about his play and
Mrs. Strong said; 81 think that you
are cheatin' yourself. Never for the
sake of 5cork send your child love-
less away. There is nothin' more
edicatin' than the little arms. | tell
you there is nothin' that will fetch
all of the good out of our rusty old
hearts like the claspin' of baby arms.
| have always missed my mothers
love. | know now, of course, that
my mother loved me, but never
in all my child life did | dare APP
proach her for a kiss She wasn't
cross; it was just her way. Once
when | was uncommon good she
called me to her and kissed me.
That kiss warmed nv soul. 1t was
the only one that | remember, but
it has always been precious to me.
When the work was so hard that it
seemed to me | could not stand ii
| used to say to myself, 'Oh! if |
only knew my mother loved me and
cared, it would not seem so hard.
| have Just come from Mr.. Bliss.
The old lady died last night. When
the life had gone from her poor old
body and the arms were cold in
death, the youngest boy-a man now
we'll nigh thirty years old-came,
and kneeling by the bedside, put the
feelin, ,ess arms about his neck and
sobbed, ooh! mother, why won't
you speak to me; why won't you
kiss me? | can never remember
when you would not kiss me before
Some time during the day he said
The dearest treasure of my life is
the thought that through good or i'll
| was always sure that my mother
loved me- | believe that the
tears / mingled with theirs were
as much for the love that | have
always missed as i'll sorrow for my
dear old friend" She stopped here,
and wiping away the tears said
"What a healer time is. | was over
to Miss Hollis the other day on an
errand and she was dom up that
little pair of boots that have stood
so long on the mantle shelf, and she
said: 4 can do it now, Miss Strong.
A few years ago there came call
for clothing for the needy. i thought
of little Freddie's shoes and said to
myself, Must | give them' Oh!
cannotr When Mr.. Holt came |
asked him. He replied, No, not il
you feel SO; buy some new ones and
give them; it is not Gods time for
you to spare them when it gives you
so much pain. When He wants YOU
to do it you will feel differently
| have no husband now to ask, for
he has gone on little way ahead to
meet our baby, but some way when
the call came this time, though the
tears fall, yet in my heart | am glad
to have them go where they will do
some child good
"Have you visited the school this
term? Havn't! well, you should
'twould do you good. went in one
Friday afternoon. | guess it was q
review that the teacher was con-
ductin'. | could not keep my face
straight no way when she was a
askin' of 'em questions. She asked
how snow was formed, and one lit
tie fellow said, srhc sun draws the
vipers up in the air and it freezes
and makes snow She said, Tel
all that you can about the largest
steamship ever made i. the United
States A little girl spoke up SC
loud and clear, Mrs. Cleveland bap-
TIED it, In.the physiology class she
asked one little boy to tell all that
he could about the care of the teeth
For reply he said: MY mother al.
ways cleans her teeth Sundays and
when she is goin' somewhere.
name the parts of the body said
the teacher. One little Teller waved
his hand and seemed to be fairly
burstin' with wisdom. She said
well, Willie, you may tell He'd
limbs and sachel,' was the prompt
reply. OF course nearly all of the
questions were well answered.
| don't think that | can git more
smiles into my old life in one-hal
day any easier than visitin' school,
January FL, 1896.