The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-09-26
SHOW CHILDREN. FAITH.
Instances Where Mothers Investments il
This Regard Have Been Paid. vi
5$b~s$ - With Interest. " /

i 4uSlAuCeS " mere NlOlueIS t4uVeSCW60IS III
This Regard. Have Been Paid. + VII i
A., &s"s''$ ~ With Interest. ~ mi
Back Of the great, work of rebuilding
the Campanile in Venice, which is about
to be begun, will stand nations pride
in it's ancient monument, city's patri-
otto sacrifices for the restoration Of the
heavenward pointing finger of st.
Marks, and one woman's faith in her
| soldier son. IA"
Giovanni Morosini of New York city
came to America a poor man, after serv-
ing his beloved Italy in her revolution.
He is of splendid lineage Several Of the
doges Of medieval Venice came Of his
family. But he had nothing when he
came to this land but the stout conf
dence Of his mother that he would sue
coed. And now that he has sent $780,
600 back to the Adriatic port from which
he sailed in poverty, to be used in the re-
building of the fallen tower, find my
heart full Of the hope that his mother,
from her place among the stars, sees and
knows, and keeps within a heart freed
from all earthly cares a little earthly
pride and triumph in her boy.
| Nearly every man who amounts to
anything in this world lays his success,
|
some woman's door. And this woman is
most often his mother.
Nancy Hanks, in her mountain cabin,
laid her hand, soft only with love, on all
the soul hurts Of Abraham Lincoln. She
had little of the knowledge of this world.
She might not teach her boy to spell; but
she taught him to endure bravely, and
| impaired to him that moral stamina
| which made him bend to the storms of
! In nSr hut
never breaking; until he took so deep q
root in his native soil that he stood-and
stands today-unshaken in his place as
the Great American.
never pass his statue in park, that
lean, gaunt shape with the interchangeable
ugliness of feature and. the deep, sad
kindness of eyes, that my sight does not
grow suddenly dim. And I find myself
hoping with a heart that fairly aches
his greatness came poor Nancy knew! -
1t must be that the mothers who have
prayed and hoped and believed and en-
couraged through all the years ARE given
that satisfaction in, the end: L think were
I to wander, lonely, through the spheres
a thousand days, and then should meet
some bright spirit who MEeggld say
have tried to find you all in vain: = Bit
Ion the earth your boy is doing well. :: Ellis
heart is clean and bis spirit brave: He
is all that your mother-love desired: him II
to be-" 4 r ~ n, Il;
Then would laugh until the. stars
angels folded wings.
| "You have brought my heaven to me-
1 would cry. HWhy should enter in?"
Mr.. Morosini's mother always knew
that he would succeed: But other moth
ers have had that faith about their sons
when it has ret been 50 well rewarded:
cruel practice of Withholding praise may
account for that. Flattery is a gift
shared by Irishmen and angels. 1t is a
great pity there is: not enough 99ff it to go
BY tlattery I do not mean untruth. !
have never been able to understand why
critical: When any one tells. me l am
very nice, indeed, try to believe it.
There is not one Of us-big, weary,
boys and girls that we are-who will not
take fresh heart and courage at word
of cheer. There is not one of us who
will not try to live up to the highest opin;;
Of us. Rut in the old days, when ''the
morals of people made them dreary," as
Stevenson complained, it became the
fashion to withhold praise from children
and some people have not learned better
yet.
We talk a great deal of the influence
our lack Of creed, may be, we know
down deep in our hearts that:
"As a man thinketh so he isl
A boy who is taught to doubt himself
is certain to live up to his expectations
You tell child that he has no talent fol
arithmetic, and he will make no effort
to learn the MULTIPLICATION table. Tel
him he is weak willad and he will resist
no evil. Tell him that he is conquerol
born, and he will go forth to his victories
We do not encourage children enough
or show faith enough in them.
"You naughty hild," we cry to one
fresh from the courts of God; and thu
limpid eyes of the newborn mirror oul
fretfulness and ill-temper.
never knew child who did not re-
sent being called naughty, or who did not
l known one who did not thrive under be-
lief and praise as a flower expands int,
fragrance and strength under the in
luences Of the sun and the dew. Cold
looks are to soul like the chilling blasts
to a tender blossom. Let us have more
warmth for the new flowers of life. Les
sons are more easily learned under en-.
couragement, whether the tasks are sci
down in printed pages or the confusing
chapters of experience. And we all
manage to make about the record ex.
pected of us by the one. who holds the
greatest influence over us in the impress
sionable period Of youth.
met a successful man on the Western
coast who was the wonder Of his asso
ciates because Of his temperate life.
"You have lived your manhood days
here" said to him, looking back ovel
my shoulder as we rode single file up a
trail Of the Sierras, 'and vet you are