The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-06-11

developed into a student, and his plain,
homely mother, who had to wash and
scour and turn her hand to any and
all kinds of work, which the neighbors
would give her to do, determined to
give him an education. To this end
she redoubled her efforts, and IN the
course of time that boy entered col
lege as a beneficiary, but board ana
clothing had to be provided for, which,
of course, made the burden still
heavier for her to carry. But her
whole heart was i'm the work, and she
toiled on. looking forward to the day
when her boy would be fitted by edu-
cation to measure arms with the world
and be a Solace to her in old age
While at school the young man be-
came enamored of a plain country girl
whose parents had taught her to re-
spect uprightneSS and honesty of de-
pertinent in life, wherever and liz
whomsoever seen; and she thought
although that young mans mother was
a waSherwoman, and withal a very
homely person, the principles she haG
instilled into her boy would be worth
more, in the long run, than a fortune
in the hands of another young man,
who was paying attention to her, given
to him by dead father. So she en-
couraged the suit of the washer
woman'S son.
The time of graduation came at last,
and the widows son took one of the
prizes. 1t was delivered to him before
the great multitude and all the young
people, who knew how matters stood,
thought, and whispered it among
themselves, that Mary, the young lady
to whom he had been paying very
special attention, would be sure to fall
heir to that medal. As soon as he
had received it he stepped from the
rostrum and proceeded down the aisle,
going in the direction of where Mary
sat. All eyes were turned upon Mary,
whose face became scarlet: for she,
too, thought he might be coming to
lay his honors at her feet. But, with
a simple nod of recognition he passed
her and went the full length of the
hall. Right at the door, on the end
of the seat, sat a woman dressed in q
faded calico and wearing a fly bonnet
That was his mother kneeling at her
feet he placed in her hands the first
trophy of his life. The audience APP
plauded, while Mary leaned forward
burying her face in her hands and
Wept like a child But when she
raised her head her face showed how
happy she was, and her eyes told the
young man, as he passed her, return
ing to his seat on the roStrum, that she
loved him a thousand times more than
ever before. That story illustrates
gratitude, and how it does appeal to
our better nature. when we think on
such manly actions.
Another story. the counterpart of
this, is told of a young man whom a
hard working father educated at great
expense by the sweat of his brow, the
mother contributing a full share of
labor and anxiety to the accomplish
ment of the one purpose-'the making
of man of our SON.
After this son had graduated and
become the associate and companion
of those raised i'm better circumstances
in life, instead of proving true to a
girl in the neighborhood who, for his
sake, had turned away every other
sutton, he esteemed her too simple and
-timey for one of his attainments
and aspirations. and sought the hand
of "a. society girl, because, in his opin-
ion, she would better suit The sphere iii
which he intended to moves The old
father and mother demonstrated with
him and implored him not. to cast
away an honest, affectionate heart and
crush it for the sake of q woman who.
cared only for dress and flattery. But
the young man paid no heed to their
counselS and admonitionS, but went
ahead and married the, gay, unfeelinS
child of vanity. The father after the
ters pleasant and, at the same time
inspiring the newly married couple
with feelings of gratitude, gave the
farm and home to his son-a thing
father ought never to do. A few
months only sufficed to convince him
of the mistake he had made, for, in
stead of being grateful to father and
mother for all they had done, fntiu-
enced by his wife. the son became so
in, dur n
was impossible for the old people to
remain in the home with them. They
moved down the hill to cabin. where
neither their son nor his wife ever
visited them. They were two old
timey people with whom the son and
ariStocratic wife cared not to associate.
| heard a gentleman say that, on
leaving a commencement at a college,
some years ago, the train passed de-
pot at which a student was to stop,
his home being in the country near
by On the train were several other
young men, the companions of that
student The gentleman who told me
the story said: 81 knew thesfather of
that student, and he was the first man
l saw when the train halted, and, OF
course, / expected to see that student
spring from the car and rush to his
father. But he didn't. He was
ashamed of him, and, not until the
train had moved off a hundred yards
or more did he notice him. He had
on his jeans suit and broad brimmed
straw hat, looking for all the world,
as he was, like an old farmer, and that
student who had been spending the
old mans money, was ashamed to let
his brother students see him speak to
the old farmer, much less call him
father.
Yes, we are getting to be a great
big, proud nation, and l am afraid it
won't be long before, in our haughti-
ness and Stuck-upedness. We will be
ashamed to let the world know that
we are any kin to those old home
spun fellows who went barefooted in
the winter time while fighting the bat
ties of independence. l guess we had
better keep up the old Fourth of July
celebration as John Adams suggested
and emphasize the fact that all great
achievements are the results of sacri-
fee, heroism and devotion to principle.
The farmers have had a very I'M
favorable spring-cold and wet-and
with few exceptions the cotton fields
look backward Warm weather is
what cotton needs to make it move
off. An old farmer said when it gets