The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-04-08

.'Onlv to follow you, dearest, only to find
you'll:
Only to feel for ore instant the touch Of
your hand;
Only to tell YOU once of the love you left
behind you,
To say the world without you is like a des-
ert of sand.
1 did not dream it was you who kindled Inc
morning
And folded the evening purple in PEACE SO
sweet;
But you took the whole worlds rapture
without a warning,
&nd left me naught saw the print OF your
patient feet"
In this Madonna month, when moth
err love in it's supreme beauty and
sanctity and power is presented to us
in. picture and song and story, 1t is
pleasant to let ones thoughts slip
back over the years and recall some
notable instances of maternal and Ill
ial love. The most extraordinary eX-
ample in history is Madame de Sc
vigne, who called her daughter the
supreme passion of her life. Her
own mother had died when she was
but seven years old, so the little crea-
ture knew nothing of that maternal
affection by which her own name ives
forever. She was a fascinating young
widow at %, and every hope and de-
sire of ner life thereafter conferred ON
the little daughter growing up to
womanhood by her side. For 70 years
after the girls marriage, the mother
wrote her daily letters-full OF affec-
ton, wit, the gossip of the times, and
good advice, letters unique in lltera-
ture, and one of it's glOries.
TRY, my child, she pleads, Ito ad-
just yourself to the and GUS
toms Of the people about you; adapt
yourself to that which is not bad; do
not be disguised with that which is
only mediocre in others; make a
pleasure of that which is not ridicu-
lous." After these W. and a halt
centuries the advice has lost none OF
it's sageness. Madame de Sevigne was
20 years old when she anne to nurse
this beloved daughter through an i'll
ness. Her tender care restored her,
but she herself caught the virulent
smallpox. Could she have chosen a
better death than to die in the service
and by the side of the child she had so
a~bundantly loved?
More royal and weighted with more
responsibility was the maternal love
Of the great queen of Austria for her
youngest child. Marie Antoinette was
but IA years old when she was married
to the dauphin and went to live in
France. Maria Theresa. however,
never shifted responsibility; and few
royal letters are more interesting
than those IN the archives of France
between this mother and daughter.
They have recently been translated
into English under the title OF The
Guardian Of Marie Antoinette."
"A princess never breaks her word"
wrote the good queen, "and if you
promise me this thing l will try to
portrait, but it must be Of you in full
dress. not in negligee or in anything
mannish." One wishes that this die
tum might oftener be pressed upon
the camera girl of to-day!
"Try to line your head a little"
Maria Theresa wrote another time,
with good reading. Reading is the
more necessary to you, because you
have no other accomplishments. Be
always reticent; give no condolences,
and show no curiosity. You seem to
be doing nothing but amuse yourself;
nothing solid or useful, only killing
time"
In reply. the sprightly little dauph-
inc writes: Il am making a vest for
the king, which does not get on a bit,
but which | hope will be finished by
the grace of God after a few years"
That she really tried to obey the in
structions ''to line her head" is evil
dent, for the Austrian ambassador,
her ,~so-called guardian, wrote to Maria
Theresa. Marie Antoinette studies
| nearly two hours every day, in spite
of amusements, sledge rides, theaters
| and balls, and gives as much time to
her music as to her dancing"
The love between parent and child
lost nothing by. separation. Once,
when the queen was very anxious
about some state policy, the princess
countermanded a little fete because
she could not bear to think OF amuse-
ments-she Vas too sorrowtui for her
mothers sake"
When the dauphine became queen
of France, the maternal advice did not
cease: II shall not pay you any COM
pliments on your new dignity. 1t is
very dear bought; and the burden is
heavy. Take care not to lose what
you have gained, by neglect of the
means that gained it. 1t was. not your
beauty, or your talents, or your know
ledge, but your goodness of heart
which has made you beloved. Never
turn others into ridicule; you used to