The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-12-17
4 MOTHERS LOVE LOYAL.
"The Greatest Thing in the
World" 1t Never Fails.
CONTINUOUS SACRIFICE
"The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Rules the World"-Sublimest Acts
Of Heroism, Patience, Courage and
Endurance Performed Under This
Guiding Hand.

Guiding Hand.
A few months ago play was an
uounced, and it's mysterious title re-
suited in endless discussion and con-
lecture. The name of the play was
The Greatest Thing in the World"
What can 1t be?" was asked every.
where. what Is the greatest thing
in the wOrld?" New inventions were
discussed, great achievements were
talked about, and wiseacres decided
that it was some great scientific dis
covery which had taken place or was
a possibility of the near future.
And then the play was seen, and
some went away more mystified than
ever. But the majority knew that
the theme of the playa woman's
struggles and sacrifices for her chill
dren-the divine mother love. was.
and is, the greatest thing in the world!
And, strange to say, although none
had guessed the right explanation of
the title, no one denied the fitness Of
1t, or the truth of this broad asser-
ton
man will iestingly repeat the old
saying-"The hand that rocks the
cradle rules the world"-but deep
down in his own heart he knows, and
Is even willing to acknowledge, that
It is true The greatest deeds of his
tory's pages can be traced almost d.
rectly to the hand that rocks the cra-
die. The sublimest acts of heroism.
nat'ence. courage and endurance. have
been performed under the leadership
OF this guiding hand.
But why go back to hlstory's pa ces Z?
In the poorest and humblest homes,
everywhere around and about us. we
see the greatest thing in the world in
the very essence OF it's greatness!
From early morn till dewy eve and
far into the night the mother cheer
fully tolls for her little ones. In ways
innumerable she denies herself. sacri-
fees her own comforts and pleasures
for the children. In troubles, real or
imaginary, with true and unerring in
stinct. the little one calls for mother.
And mother never fails him.
If a man forget his mother surely
heaven will forget him. She has
watched him through his various
stages of infancy: during his Illness,
when life has been despaired Of, she
has hovered over him like a guardian
angel; day and night she has nursed
i'm. forgetful of self. thinking only
" him, strengthening him with her
strength, and over and over again CIV
ng him Of her very life,
And then the man marries. and she
who has given him her life and her
deathless love is accorded second
place in his affections. Does she then
murmur and chafe and allow jealousy
to poison her breast? No, Her Lore
is Of divine, unselfsh kind. She
seeks his happiness, first and fore
most. She wants the woman who has
usurped her place to he to him all that
she has been. This desire Is often the
keynote Of domestic disturbances. and
doubtless out Of It has arisen the
"mother-in-law" feud. There is no
love like a mothers love. and her in
nocent interference is born of her
overwhelming desire to secure the
comfort and happiness of her child.
Not until she is assured Of it is she
supremely content.
mothers love and continued sacri-
fees are, | fear, taken too much as
a matter of course to be properly ap-
preciated. Children are not always
grateful, dutiful and loving as they
should be. For example, know of a
poor, helpless, feeble old woman. who
was recently taken to poorhouse It
was her particular wish to be taken
there that she might not be a burden
to her son. He was only too glad to
comply with her request, for while
mother had been able to work she
had been welcome addition to his
home; now that she was infirm and
ailing and no longer of practical use,
he did not wish to be burdened with
her.
And yet the deepest dyed villain has
a white spot, tender vein, for his
mother. He has his moment of intro
spection which Is invariably followed
by self pity, and then he thinks OF
lonely grave and wonders what his
life would have been had she lived
and her guiding hand continued to
point upward
Or, II his mother be alive in a dis
tant land, he thinks of her shattered
confidence, her head bowed with
shame, but her undying love still hop
ing and praying for better things, and
he cannot help the pangs of remorse
that like huge ocean waves, sweep
ever him. However, bad he may he
the holy word mother" contains his
all of love, reverence, religion.
There is one human sentiment that
KS and ever will be steadfast and un-
changeable as the Rock Of Ages" 1t
is the sweetest, most tender, most
abiding of all affections-a mothers
lOve!-New York News.