The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1908-11-11
MOTHER

How many of us have sat with
straining nerves, bated breath, and
glowing eyes and read of the he
roio deeds of history's greatest
heroines, not knowing or realizing
that within our vision, actually
breathing and living, is the great
est heroine the world ever did or
ever will knowP-Mother!
True, mother never led an army
and saved country, as did Joan
of Arc; she never manned a life
boat and rescued drowning souls,
as did Grace Darling; che never
went to the front and nursed siok
and wounded soldiers as did Flor.
enoe Nightingale; or the many
other bravo and heroic deeds OF
glorious women, but she has toiled
and suffered and en- iured for yearS
and years without number, and we
can find no line to her credit in
history or a monument that marks
her bravery.
She is very insignificant hero
ine-this mother, She wears no
armor, no badge of distinotion-
Just plain, ordinary, every day
dress, at one time. perhaps, her
style was different-there were
rufiles and tuoks and knots of rib,
bons, and flower ooquettishly
nestled in her hair, but that was in
her sweetheart days, when her
lover admired each little change
long years ago, before she became
heroine. Then she dreamed like
other young girls-she was no diff.
ferent from the girls of today,
they all dream OF the perpetual
love.msking, the never-ending
lover.like attention of the man
the one luhu'
But husbands grow Indifferent.
They forget to admire the pretty
flower, the bow of ribbon, or the
ruffies of lace. They let the ami.
versary slip by without even word
OF remembranoe-Ob! the pity OF
it. They do not seem to realize
that it is the little things in life
which go 80 far towards making up
the sum of human happiness. They
do not remember that words OF af
feotiou, a clasp of the hand, the
slightest oaress is to woman the
greatest thing in the world. Pow
erty and love to the true woman lie
superior to wealth and indiffer.
enoe, but few husbands understand
the true woman. Our poor hero,
inc! she grows accustomed to this
charlottesville void of something
for which she longs. her dreams
fade away until-until future If
before her, something that will fill
this void.
Oh! then Is when our heroine
shows her mettle, she accepts her
Gethsemane as part of her life, she
rallies her strength and begins the
battle anew. She has something
else to live for now-the dreams
are forgotten in the martyrdom OF
motherhood, the thousand and one
little cares and tribu'ations, the
shaving over the sewing machine
that baby will look pretty t''o toll.
ing over the wRsh-tub and ironing
board that baby will be clean and
sweet, the bending over the hot
fire that baby will have proper
food and nourishment, and 30 il
continues, the same round of mo-
notony all through school daye
until college time is reached, and
then comes an extra task, the
pinohing and squeezing of every
penny, the self-deniaI of every
thing but the bare necessities Of
life 80 that her boys or her girls
may share equally with the Others
How many of US have stood and
watched with admiration the re-
turning victor of some petty battle,
cheering until we we're hoarse, ex.
hausting ourselves with the vehe.
menoe OF our enthusiasm, when
right beside us, possibly touching
our hand, was one greater than heP
One whose battle mas not been
petty-whose conflict has not been
of short duration, but he's for us
fought many severe fight.
When we had the scarlet fever
or diphtheris and not one would
come near us, who held the CUP Of
!