Mower County transcript., 1903-10-21
Fired Mothers.
THY mother By the freside sits
And liatless for thy call;
And slowlysl slowly as she knits,
Her quiet tears down fall
Har littlo hindorinD child ia lpnna

- II
And slowly slowly as she knits,
! Her quiet tears down fall ;gI$s = i
Her little hindering child is .gone 81
I And unilisturbed she may work on.
In turning the leaves of a serapbook
one afternoon, came across this stan:
"a and read it. The sentiment of the
language proved a forceful reminder
of my own experience and recalled the,
words of a neighbor: ooh, these child:
rem are so tiresome! How thankful
you must be that you have none!"
When those words were uttered, she
little knew Of the load Of woe which
was nearly crushing the worn and
weary spirit. Had that neighbor
known of the graves that were lying
side by side in another state no such
remark would have been made. Had
that neighbor known of the aching
void in my heart, or of the insane de-
sire to again press the bobbing heads of
my baby boys against my throbbing
breast, no such thoughts would have
been spoken. a. .'lF
Tired of my boys! Yes, there we're
days when it seemed as if I could not
endure the clatter Of their little feet in
the dining room. There were days
when the old house would fairly ring
with their laughter-leap-frog and
playing horse we're such merry games.
And if papa or mamma would add
smile, the fountains of Joy in their lit
tie hearts would bubble forth in ripples
of delight. Tired of my boys! How
gladly would my ears welcome the
sound of their merry voices; how gladly
would I again look upon the tracks
made by muddy feet on the newly
washed floors. Would the fingers grow
impatient in trying to keep the knees
from exposure, or in picking up arrows,
whips, knives, nails and hammers2
Tired of my boys! God knows if 1 but
had them again, would give them a
whole room in which they could whit
tie, sing, dance and cut paper. And
furthermore, 1 would spend time to in
terest my boys in developing their phys
ical, mental and moral strength, / tell
you, mothers, on my sacred honor, had
I been more thoughtful of my boys and
less thoughtful of my personal comfort,
that I believe one and perhaps both of
them would now have been strong and
healthy men. Oh, tired of my boys!
Would that they were here to support
my aged frame, prematurely bowed
with grief. ~ "
A few words to you, mothers. Keep
one room which may be used by the
boys, and especially in the latter part
of their boyhood days, renew and re.
double your exertions TO interest and
to please them. zBes5:the confidential
friend and adviser. Remember that 9
boy at seventeen years of age stands IN
more need Of friends than at any other
period. At that age he has the least
number of true friends, and is the
most awkward and forlorn. One reas-
| on of your becoming so tired in caring
for your children is that you shift some
of their responsibility upon your al
ready over -burdened shoulders. Moth
ers, your lives are sacred and wonder
fully. important. For the most part,
upon you depends the measure Of sue
cess with which you meet in your own
life; for the most part upon you de-
pends the growth of the physical, men
tai and moral powers of your children;
and upon you depends portion of the
success or Of the ruin of your husbands
life.
"Wherever in the world am,
| In whatsoe'er estate,
| I have a fellowship with hearts,
| To keep and cultivate;
| And work of lowly love to do,
| For the Lord on whom wait"
Shirley DeFrance in Farm, Stock and
Home.