The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-11-09
THE MOTHERS OF THE LAND =
HEROINES IN THE HOME =
,


before the boys and young men OF
America the names OF great heroes
like Washington, Grant, Lee Lincoln
and a host Of others. But back OF
these heroes of sterling worth little
attention has been paid TO the mother
in the home, who, from the birth OF
her boy, has sought TO train him in
the way Of righteousness and truth
Mothers have had more to do with the
shaping Of the affairs OF this world
than most people have been willing to
admit
OF the noble St Augustine we are
told that as a boy he was wild, reck-
less and diSSipated- Times without
number his father was discouraged
concerning him, but the lovely Monica
AuguStine's mother, kept faith in her
boy, and through every dissipation,
through every breach Of confidence,
believed that some time her boy would
redeem himself. How she must have
suffered, hOwever-pure, sweet spirit
that she waS-but when we read the
dialogue of st. Augustine we do not
remember the real heroine in the
hOme-the mother, who made him
what he was.
The mother Of Charles Wesley was
once called upon to explain why she
labOred so long and faithfully with
Charles" She had told her boy not TO
do a certain thing nineteen times, and
then for the twentieth time she told
him and gave as her explanation: If
nine times does not suffice for him 10
learn, I'll tell him twenty times" But
don't you suppose that she bacame as
tired telling the boy as he did OF hear
ing her? How her patience must
have been triedi But she kept right
on, and it makes manifest the heroic
spirit Of the woman when she did
keep on Every schOOlboy knows how
the mother Of Washington kept her
boy, George, to his studies; how she
prevented him from following the sea,
how she bound him to hear heart
with hoops Of steel and made him the
man who became First in war, first
in peace, first in the hearts Of his
cOuntTymen.'
The mother of Garfield literally
and truly lived with her boy and help
ed him in his education. For his sake
she tOiled and struggled, worked and
prayed, and then, when he came to
the presidency Of the United States,
is it any wonder that, remembering
what she had done for him, he stoOp-
ed and kissed her in the presence Of
the worlds dignitaries ere he took
the oath Of office?
Mother holds the key Of the future
It is she who stamps the coin Of char
acter upon the child. Well says Tom
Moore; The hand that rocks the
cradle rules the world
There has never been a great man
but what there has been a noble
mother back Of him The father may
mother there seemed to be pent-up
forces that helped the boy past the
dead points Of life and made a man
Of him
You need to think more about the
mother In the home than you do.
You sometimes think that because
she does not go to the Office, work in
the mill or tend in the store, she has
an easy thing in life. But when you
think Of the average mother in Ameri-
"a n K
fast, sending the boys to school, tax
ing care OF the babies, doing the
week wash and ironing, darning the
socks and keeping the clothes Of the
family in good repair, and having
meals ready for a troop Of hungry
children and grumbling husband,
and then working on till far in the
night-when you think Of these things
you'll know that being a mother re-
Quires much OF the heroic spirit
When a man gets weary in his work
Ofttimes he can take a vacation and
get q long rest But mother never
gets the vacation, or only rarely. Faith
er and the boys and the girls get away
for a season, but mother can't leave
the baby. Father can take his trips
to see his people or go fishing or down
to the seashOre, but mother has TO
stay at home. Mother patiently says:
You go, dear; you're tired; you need
the rest" And the man. forgetting
the babe that has been pulling at her
breast for twelve months or more,
forgetting the children whom mother
has cared for, forgetting that while
he is resting she is sweating, goes
away and has his good time while
mother stays at home.
Mothers are the true heroes Of
America, and don't forget IT.
Honor them today Help them to-
day! Shame on any son, daughter or
father who will make money to en-
10y himself while mother sweats and
slaves and bears the burdens OF the
home, that might be relieved were It
not for the selhshness Of the remain
der Of the family.
One nf Rnol.efeI1a-se stnriez