The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-27
A SATURDAY SERMON.
For her price is far above rubies-Pro-
verbs 81 10.

! mother who sacrifices and slaves, who
tolls and suffers and endures hard
ships for those she loves, yet who finds
| time somewhere amid all her toll and
| privation to instill principles of truth
and righteousness in her children.
1t is true, says this writer, that she
never manned a lifeboat in a stormy
sea, or plunged into river to save a
drowning person. 1t is true that she
never stopped a runaway horse, or
dashed into burning building, or gave
any other spectacular exhibition of
courage. She has only stood at her
post 80. or 40 or so years, fighting sick
ness and poverty and loneliness and
disappointment so quietly, with sucn
SPARTAN fortitude, that the world mas
never even noticed her achievements;
and yet in the presence of the Ordinary
Woman, the battle-scarred veteran,
with his breast covered with medals
signifying valor, may we'll stand un-
covered, for one drawer than he is
passing by.
There is nothing high and heroic in
her appearance. She is just a common
place woman, plainly dressed, with
tired face and work-worn hands-the
kind of a woman that you meet hun
dred times a day upon. the street with
out ever giving her a second glance,
still less saluting her as a heroine.
Nevertheless, as much as the bravest
soldier, she is entitled to the cross of
the Legion of Honor for distinguished
gallantry On the Battlefield of Life.
years and years ago. relates this
tribute. when she was fresh and
young and gay and light-hearted, she
was married. Her head. as is the case
with most girls, was full of dreams.
Her husband was to be a Prince
Charming. always tender and consid-
crate and loving. shielding her from
every care and worry. Life itself was
to be a fairy tale.
Zone by one the dreams fell away.
The husband was a good man, but he
grew Indifferent to her before long. He
ceased to notice when she put on a
fresh ribbon. He never paid her the
little compliments for which wo-
mans soul hungers. He never gave
her kiss or a caresS, and their mar
ried life sank into a deadly monotony
that had no romance to brighten it, no
joy or love to tighten it.
DAY after day she sewed and cook
ed and cleaned and mended to make
a comfortable home for a man who
did not even give her the poor pay of
a few words of appreciation. AT his
worst he was cross and querulous. At
his best he was silent and would COB
BILE his food like hungry animal and
subside into his paper, leaving her to
spend a dull and monotonous day.
1.-The husband was not one of the
fortunate few who have the gift of
opportunity does not smile on every |
man, and the wolf was never very far
away from their door
Women know the worst of poverty. |
1t is the wife, who has the spending |
of the insufficient income, who learns |
all the bitter ways of scrimping and
pairing and saving. The husband must |
present a decent appearance, for
policy's sake, when he goes to bust
ness; certain things are necessities for
the children; and so the heaviest of all
the deprivations fall upon the woman
that stays at home and strives to make
one dollar do the work of five.
This is the way OF the Ordinary
Woman; and what sacrifices she makes,
what tastes she crucifies. what long
ings for pretty things and dainty
things she smothers. not even her own
family guess. They think it is an &C.
centricity that makes her choose the
neck of the chicken and the hard end
of the loaf and to stay at home from
any little outing. All, if they only
knew!
For each of her children she trod
the Gethsemane of woman, only to go
through that slavery of motherhood
which the mother endures who is too
poor to hire competent nurses. For
years and years she never knew what
it was to have a single nights I'M 1
broken sleep. The small hours of the ;
morning found her walking the collie,
Or nursing the Group. or covering rest
less little sleepers, or putting water to :
thirsty little lips.
There was no rest for her, day or {
night. There was always a child in
her arms or clinging to her skirts.
Oftener than not she was sick and !
nerve-worn and weary almost to death.
but she never failed to rally to the call
Of 'Mother!' as soldier rallies to his I
battle cry.
Nobody called her brave, aud yet,
when one of the children came down !
With malignant diphtheria, she braved
leath hundred times, in bending !
,ver the little sufferer without one I
hought of danger. And when the lit !
lie one was laid away under the sod
he who had loved the most was nrSt ,
o gather herself together and take up
he burden of life for the others. f
..The supreme moment in the Ordina- 6
v Woman's life, however, came when :
he educated her children above her :
elf and lifted them out of her sphere. t
she did tits with elaboration. She {
NEW that in sending her bright boy {
md talented girl off to college she was
,pening up to them paths in which +
he could not follow; she knew that
he time would come when they would