Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1905-03-18

Why did your mothers hair grow
white at thirty-fye years of age and
your fathers face begin to be "crow
markedT' Neither in the morning,
noon nor night could they be found
shrinking from their unceasing labors
for feeding, clothing and educating
their children. Now. man, do you think
It is possible, after quarter of cen
fury of the hardest kind of work has
gone for the support and development
of the children. that the parents could
ever be Independent Of them? Oh, no.
Your fathers practically said: IF my
children turn against me, then will my
life be a failure indeed. If my boys
turn out badly and my girls do not do
what they ought to do, then will earth
ly life hold but little Joy either for me
or their mother" My friends, your
fathers and mothers worked too hard
for their children for you to disappolnt
them In the results Of their life's work.
No matter what you do or say, you
cannot make them forget you or cease
to live fsr you.e Even the sinful plot OF
a u ~, ~ prince to steal from father
mis- throne could not make David 90
! aught but cling to Absalom while he
was alive and sorrow for the wayward
boy after he was dead.
But another reason why the burden
of a sinful child is hard for the parent
70 bear-no sooner does a boy or girl
begin to go astray than true rather
and mother agonize on account or the
stingings of bitter self reproach.
Mark you this, wayward children-your
parents do not blame you entirely Tor
your sins. They are blaming them
selves. They are looking away back
over the scenes Of the past. They are
saving to their own hearts: "Did | do
right when let my boy do this or that
or the other thing? Did | set my
daughter the wrong example? Did l
pray earnestly enough for my children
when they were in my own nursery
oh. the sadness; oh, the sorrow; on
the bitter. bitter pangs Of merciless
Golf denunciation which comes to tne
narents when their boys and girls turn
out badlyl "a foolish son is the heavl
ness Of his mother" Aye, heavy IN
deed is he not only on account or th'
boy's sins, but also on account OF thos'
Of his parents.
Let me illustrate my thought by
very common incident in life. Ther'
comes a quick ring at the bell. IN
summons calls me to go to your nome
There l find your wife dying. Drih
. 70 YOU all the gospel comfort l can.
saw: "Nir. So-and-so, Gods VIII D
> done. The Lord gave, and the Lor
e taketh away; blessed be the name
the Lord" You say nothing 10
S keen your lips closely sealed. IN
g moro I call the less l find that you al
a comforted. At last, some day whe
II we are alone. l say, "Mr. So-and-s
} wbat &c the matterY "Well,' you al
FL swer. II do not know what TO thln
n you saw it is Gods will that my VIII
TT died | know it is not Gods Will.
j. know nv negligence killed her. 81
IL months and months my wife cougn'
I'll badly. She had two or three nal
10 smells of sickness. The doctors 10
ID me she ought to go south, but som
Id how 7 could not bring myself up TO u
al rosolve 70 let her 60. The Journ'
he would cost a lot Of money. beSiu
a that. needed her by my side. cou
ny have saved her if had sent her sou
a IN time. Oh. why did | not let her .
h yyhv did I not let her go" That Is [
of ronorse the true mother and the
"A thor have when their boys and 81
at 90 ostrav ooh. why did l not do q
We ferently when my children were
'th NV side? Why did l not pray mS
he and live better than didT
Trusted Too Much.
be- pr+ nv friends. though your parei
an made many mistakes IN your pIhns'
ws nm fell me were not most OF their
eir rors made on account Of the gentlen'
Ter rather than the meanness Oh I'll
the boarts? Even in their weakness
ION would you not have had them JUST
ar thev were? Let me see; you starleu
EN- 90 ostray first because they trusted
.n uie foo much. They never hought I
lie. Won would or could do wrong. WI
en1 Won came home from college they W
Vel co nroud to see you. They hau
on sending check after check. My,
i'"i hard il was to get that money! bu
nly was for their boy. And, oh, the d"
% '',v awakening they had when they 10
the money they sent, that nara eur
money. was being spent for SIN. ~
o, remember how their hands II
you bled when they were placed upon }
noe shoulder and their lips quiyered "
they kissed you for the first time d
IL that shock? Don't you remember
"N the,r tears-not your tears, but thei
,,,os were left upon your cheek when
,Ne ,,issod Won prodigal, returning no
oro Don't you remember how angry
,S,o father became when your empi'
or+ erst insinuated that you had eH
,dor zled some Of his money! Oiu d
tono wos his clinched fist was READ!
IAN. knock that employer down. But
tome the undeniable proofs were preSe
he. what did he do? Did he allow !o
II in be sent to Jail, as you ought 10
tiful been? 1t did no good to pay up
ring deficit or embezzlement. Since
cold YOU have been cheating every one
, his YOU could. No, he did not let you
orio? iail He took every dollar that lie
into saved up to care for your mother
IS of himself in their old age. He tu
pher II all In and signed notes Ior
o St sand dollars more to save you
tons YOUR Just punishment. He ougnl 1i
e IN to have done It, but now IN MS OIL
st Of are you still going to sin and nave
r to lacerated by remorse because De
res. been too kind to you!
at Is But is it to be wondered at tnat
: and ents on account of their great lov
rcn! 4boir ohiIdran err many times ONt