The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1906-10-24
A Mothers Love.
a Tribute BY a western Judge.

case over the custody of a child.
That part of the opinion touohiDg
npon a mothers love is jewel in
sentiment and is worthy of repro
duction. It is follows:
The sole remaining question is,
What is best for the child? From
a financial standpoint there would
be no question, but that it would
bs better to leave it where it is
But no man, care not what his
surroundings may have been, or
what age or condition of life he
has remnant of memory left. but
can go back in his own existence
and remember the loving care and
tender affection and purifying in
fiuenoe of mothers love. 1 care
not how mean man may be. or
how low down he may have gone
in the scale of human degradation,
there always remains a lingering
regard for ths influences of child-
hood and respect for the love of
his mother. There is a certain
something planted by the hand of
nature itself in the heart of The
mother that prompts her to do for
her child that which no other per
son on earth could or would do.
There is no way known to the
human mind, no method known by
which you can sound the length,
breadth and depth of amother's
love. No way by which it oan be
estimated, guaged or measured
And this feeling is not confined to
or prevalent in any particular con-
dition of society. 1t does not
abide alone in the palace of the
wealthy, the humble cottage of the
poor or in the hoveI of the destitute,
but runs through and is ever pres
ent in all grt d ,s and conditions of
human life. Its duration is 90
extensive with human existence.
1t l were to select a single earthly
virtue as of greater value than all
there, select the sweetest, fairest
flowers that ever bloomed in the
human heart and shed it's fragrance
over the human pathway. / would
select that which marks the pure,
unselfsh love of a mother and
place it above all others as the
purest, brightest and best.
All earthly affections may grow
GOLD, friends may forsake you, the
holy love of the husband or wife
may change to indifference, and be
turned to loathing and disgust, but
the love of mother for her child
will last and grow brighter while
the spark of life shalI remain
The strongest instinct implanted
by the God of nature in the human
breast, is the instinct of the female
nature to love, protect and defend
her offspring. Even to the extent
of sacrificing her own life Even
bird, when the stranger approach
es its nest, will feign to be disabled
and injured and take the risk of
it's own capture in order to protect
its near Even the wolf will turn
and defend her liar, at the cost of
her own life. This is true of all
animated nature, but to still
higher degree it is implanted in
the human heart. and it is the love
for her own child and the desire to
protect her own offspring that
prompts q mother to do for 1t that
which no one else would do. While
l believe that these people would
be kind to this boy. and would do
everything for him in their power,
still, even the one person in this
case in whom 1 have the most con-
6denoe, and whom the evidence
shows to be least in fault, would
be lacking in that one supreme
necessary element. the mother
love.
1 am aware that this is subject
that one gifted with eloquence
might talk on at great length with
out overstepping the bounds of
truth. or propriety. But as I have
before said in this case, 1 feel too
keenly the embarrassment of the
position. and I realize too full that
this decision, however, honestly it
may be rendered. must of necessity,
hurt and wound some one, either
| it must weund the heart of the
father or the mother. and this
being true. while I shirk from the
duty Imposed, L have no lamp to
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