The Oskaloosa herald., 1897-01-14
s'morHER."
= Prose-Poem by JOhnmelss-
ner,:of solon, Iowa.
"a Tun HnRl

" EAtAGA = 4A6
"Man, no mstter TO what age he ma,
attain, never passes beyond the periot
Of childhood regarding bis mother. ii,
who is bereft of HE mother suffers Al
irreparable lose. There Is . void In hi
soul which nothing can 1ll-which time
cannot ~obliterate.
His heert may center In Q loving,
obedient wife, making to him his home
g ht type OF heaven; his affections may
twtne about his children; his business
may Oil his mind; honor OF fellowmen
may elevate him TO the glddy heights OF
mortal immortality that he scarcely
cOmprehends life and being, but above
al, through All, beyond al, is the one
central, ever.abiding, eternal chord In
tha soul, binding him to his mother and
keeping her memory sacred TO the end
Of his days;-mother, who alone pos,
sesses the heayen.bsstowed power to
make home 9 paradise.
There is an inner something that
comes up unbidddsu st the sights and
occurrences OF thousand trivial things
of daily Lfe-st work, In study, In the
midst of the busy world, In the solitude
of the secret chamber-comssa as q loved
messenger from the heavenly world,
with sweet tidings TO mortal man, the
memory OF mother,-the picture OF
mother as she was In his prsttling
childhood, hoping youth, cor fideDt man.
hood. You cannot change the picture.
though all other scenes of life may
change, perchsnce vanish from mem
ory's sacred page, It is veil that 1t is
so. In 1t We sec a strong trace Of Gods
goodness to his children. It is the one
star that is never hidden by the storms
OF life.
Some msy not feel the full force Of
these words. But the soul of each, such,
somedsy, no matter what his lot or
character, win swell with the recollee.
ton Of his ssinted mother-this must
be; God so ordained It, for each, how
ever fallen, was some mothers darling,
sDd there is some good In him yet; bis
soul can go out to his mother. Yes,
Why should not his mother speak to
him from msnsiOns beyond the skies !
Yes, bis soul does go out and touches
hers, which suffered, tended, forgsve,
loved, sacrificed, INDUCED, guided, cher
Bhed, nurtured, prayed for him IS only
8 mother knows how-nsy, can.
Ii this feeling does not run an IN
broken element throughout life, it will
come in dfe's dark hour with over-
WhelmiDg power, covering the soul with
reprosches that he will almost wish him
self no more. But then It's too late tn
do for her; solsce Ia the contemplation
OF the beyond, yea, and the painful rec
objection of duty -undone Is all that re-
mains.
What do We owe mother who gives
siI she has, and ever has an exhsustless
store, her lover Yes, Who gives her
life as we'll, not as the niggsrdly man
gives of his money. bat a whole, free
hearted sacrifice that we may eDJOy,not
thinking of her life when ours Is in dan
ger:- to whom serving Ia the greatest
joy, sscriacas the greatest pleasure her
life q fragment of hesven,-whst do we
owe her? Nothing. Yet comprehend
ing Rll-dutiful care. Thst which we
are aud hope to be, We owe lar gely to
her; we might have been more had her
spirit, ht prototype OF angelic form and
grace, been granted fuller scope and
fresr obedience.
Her locks are silyering, her brow is
her step is losing its light
ness,-yet it is ever on, not for self, but
for you and for me.
The greatest beauty becomes com,
monplace, the greatest treasure trivial,
the greatest sacrifices unregsrded by
constant, contemplation, possession, en-.
iOyment.
Let us look back, inward, forward
We perhaps, IN our youthful life, seek
ing its pleasures and treasures, per
chance just looking out iato life, the
meaning Of which begins to unfold be-
fore us, being unable to recall when her
self. sacrificing devotion began, fail to
fully feel our relation and duty to her.
Bat let us stop and seek to give back
some ri the exubersnt fullness Of life
she gave at least interest on the money.
When she sleeps, with hands folded
shove her ~peseeful, motionless bosom,
those eyes forever closed those lips pos
sessing magic power TO kiss away the
bruises Of childish tumbles, forever
sealed, our debt to her can no more be
paid.
We may keep IN remembrance, but
that lie but q mere semblsnce Of reality.
We msy strea her grave, the spirits
gate between two worlds, with flowers;
we may mark her resting place with q
monument Of most durable granite, but
all this is nothing to her. Let us gath
or roses while We may then when in the
long years OF a life Oiled with works
and thoughts; with its varied interests
c~entering about Itself and making for
it q new world. then when memory
ls6ps beyond the bound Of years, carry
ing US backward to childhoOd's sweet
scenes aud painting 10 strongest colors
the scenes about mothsr's knee,-pic-
lures In which mother stands out IN
strongest light, and with 1t all the
mound Of earth ard the marble slab at
It's head-thsn when that time comes,
and come IL viii, be it In JOY or In
trouble, ia Hfe's prime or when IT'S sun
Is setting behind the golden hills OF the
west. We need not feel, thy debt TO thy
mother has not been paid