The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-08-18
THE PATCHED TROUSERS.


A common experience is touched
on by a writer who, going back to
his bOyhOOd days, recalls a boy in
school, the son OF poor parents, who
wore a pair OF trousers patched by
pieces Of many cOlOrs- He recalls the
fun had at his expense by the boys
schoOlmates and how patch after
patch was added TO the trousers. much
10 the amusement Of the boys And
then he adds:
How ashamed I am today OF that
laughter It was, Of course, not meant
TO hurt the poor fellows feelings, but
only stupid and thOughtless. We only
saw the patches, but not what those
patches told
They told OF a whole world OF
mOtherly love and care, night work,
perhaps many tears, to accomplish
such painstaking patchwOrk-Only TO
have her son made the laughing stock
OF his rude classmates
With what little money had the
household expenses to be met, and
how anxiosuIy she may have piled the
needle to make the trousers last into
the next year A thousand times
more valuable were those breeches
than the handsOmest fashionable gar
ment with nice seams and faultless
finish"
There are few who were once boys
and have now grown to manhood who
cannot recall experiences, and who
do not feel their cheeks crimson with
shame at the recollection And there
are not a few boys still living with
heads whitened by the SHOWS OF many
winters who while they may not have
been obliged to wear patches Of many
cOlOrs, were for the same reason COM
PEELED TO wear clothing made over"
from that which father had discar-
ded, and often pieced out in places
where it would be least noticed
It cost more to clOthe a boy in the
old days before "hand-medOwns" had
come in than today when they are in,
and sweatshOps have become so large
a factor in the clothing industry.
Those were the days when the mother
was both tailor and seamstreSs for the
family And into the clothing which
the children wore was Sewed the
thought and care springing from the
unfailing fOunt of love within the
mother heart As the writer quoted
has said: The patched trousers were
a work OF art and any having the
care Of children could afford to pay
money for them if they could be Of
fered for sale, that they might be
as a demonstration Of the wonderful
ingenuity Of mother love" The abb
lily to symPathize with and to under
stand their fellow man, this is what
the children need to be given, and
this il is, lacking which, ability in no
other direction can compensate
There are men and women whom the
world calls successful; they have
large bank accounts and live in man
siOns, yet in their youthful days they
wore garments made by mothers
hands And today, after the lapse OF
years and a lifetime of varied expert
ence, they have come to understand
and appreciate all there was in hui
man affection worked into those gar
ments by mothers needle. Broad
cloth, silks, satins in richest texture
and most fashionable style, ali these
would be cast of if they could again
don one of the Old-time garments
made by mother and wear il where
her eye might see that now they know
and understand
The boy or the girl compelled to
wear clothing made by mothers
hands ought to be prOuder than king
or queen, for into such garments are
woven a mothers love. the finest and
most precious Of earthly loves