The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-10
MOTHERS, DAY.

Yesterday was Mothers Day and
was appropriately observed in many
parts of the country. The idea
of observing one day in the
year lin honor of the best mother who
ever lived your own originated
three years ago with a Philadelphia
lady, who suggested the second Sun
day in May as the day; and last year
the North American of that city advo-
Gated its general observance, and as
result several cities east and west
adopted the suggestion through Off
Gals and others. This year the day
was still more generally observed. The
observance of Mothers Day means no
more, save spiritually, than the simple
symbolism OF wearing 1 blossom Of
white purity, or badge of white rib
bon. The uniting of the people in so
observing the day is a beautiful trib-
ute to all mothers, the living as we'll
as the dead In an editorial, under the
heading, "A Holiday Of the Heart"
the Philadelphia North American, the
first newspaper to advocate general
observance of the occasion, speaks of
the day and its significance as fol
lows:
And so because we consider the
thought of Mothers Day right senti-
ment and not sentimentalitv we urge
now, as we have urged before, the
symbolizing on one day of the year of
each mans and woman's reverence for
motherhood, whether the mother be in
her fit place among the other angels
or whether sne be still the precious
earthly guide.
Whether she died while helpless
baby fingers were cropping toward her
youthful breast or whether she still
graces the home bowed and feeble, but
beautiful with that beauty of the spirit
that glorif1es the withered features and
the dimmed eyes and faded tints and
whitened hair beyond all mere pretti-
ness of youth, matters not. Whatever
your faith she is your Madonna in her
tender. gentle, loving wisdom. So do
not fail to wear white blossom on
your breast Sunday as tribute to her
whose travail gave you life.
whether the blossom be a carna.
ton or something else matters not. It
w GO a 6OOu AOWCl ~ OhOOoO OOSdAoS ~
grows almost everywhere and 1t is not
costly. But no orchids nor gardenias
could honor the day more than was
done by some bits of soiled, white baby
ribbon that we saw last May on the
lapels of some ragged street urchins
who had not pennies enough to buy a
flower.
1.-The only censure OF the custom
worth consideration comes from those
who deem it superfuous because every
day should be Mothers Day. So 1t
Should. But it is not.
1T is meant for the man who for
| years and years has been away from
his boyhood home and, busted with his
own affairs, eases his conscience only
at intervals with careless letter or a
thoughtlass gift. 1t may be the needful
jolt to stir him to remembrance tnat
will cost next to nothing, but will give
priceless happiness to two old people
whose best possessions are memories
/ at may stir the man self-centered
IN the whirl of his activities who
thinks that his days should be long in
the land because he sends checks regu
Elarly to the old lone, to send back
something that no bank can provide
but which will soothe and sweeten The
autumn of a life as nothing purchase
BILE could.
And if the mother be at home il
will be good to have the opportunity
to pay the gentle Difference; - veal
in her sight her emblem as a knight
wore his lady's favor; to remember
that her gracious presence may not be
among you with the coming of next
May.
4 1T is good investment-the wear
ing of that flower-if only as part Of
your children's education. 1t is what
you would like to have them to fee
and do when they have children Of
their own.
"And looking upon the day from the
viewpoint of sane materialism we say
that the concentration of whole ma
tons thought upon the hottest of sen
timents would mean such lessenins
cf wrongdoing, such a softening o.
feelings, such an uplift Of thought or
that one day alone that the value coult
not be calculable in terms of money.
so wear her badge Sunday And LEI
her know that you wear 1t. And espe
cially on that day. though on all othel
days also, remember that
"If were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother O. mine, 0 mother o. mine!
/ know whose love would follow still.
Mother o. mine, o mother O. mine!
IF were drowned In the deepest sea
Mother o. mine, o mother o mine!
know whose tears would come dowr
to me,
Mother o,mine, o mother o. mine!
eff were cursed of body and soul,
Mother o mine. o mother O. mine!
know whose prayers would make m,
whole,
Mother O. mine, mother O. mine!'
THE LAST TREK.
The Century Magazine for Ma.
presents an article of interes
on the emigration of Americans int