Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1909-10-01

her childhood days. Her face was a
/ beautiful innocent one--its expression
showing that while she had known
much sorrow through her long life,
she mad retained her confidence IN her
fellow met.
Didn't you ever hear that express
| sion''? she asked ssWe always used it
when we want to make each other a
solemn promise. Are you sure? we
would ask. Yes How sura'2 Are you
'mother-sureii? and if the answer to
that question was Yes we were Ier
fectly satisfied, for we knew mother, s
word never failed US. "Indeed,, - she
added, $50 much confidence did have
in nay mothers word that it has taken
me nearly a lifetime TO learn that
every one is not so worthy of my con-
4 ndeuce.n
| What testimony that was, What
safeguard! What an anchor when
Everything else failedl
The following story has been recent
| ly told me: In Western city there
lived a wealthy family. The eldest
son was leaving home to be educated
at an Eastern college. The night be-
fore he went away his mother and he
were having last confidential chat,
when she suddenly asked him to make
her promise.
"What is 1t, mother? he inquired.
''rhat you will not play cards for
money, my son.
The boy hesitated.
| "Mother,n he SAID at length. 81
wish you would not ask me to make
promise, for If | make one | shall have
to keep it,
Still she urged, and finally he agreed
with the stipulation that she would
promise him not to play cards for
prizes.
"We'll make bargain, them" he
said gayly, and they pledged their
! word.
| The student returned at Christmas
for the holidays, ard the first words
he said after the merry greetings were
over were: "Mother, I've kept my
word" But no response came. "Moth-
er, don't you hear what l am telling
you? I've kept my promise" again
no answer-only IAN embarrassed ST.
Ience,
"Mother,n once more the boy spoke
"I've kept my wold-have you kept
yours? And that mother had no ans
wer to make, for she had broken her
word given her boy that last night at
home! Never more could he be mother
sure His confidence in the one of all
othars whose influence was the strong
est was gone.
/ The narrator goes on to say that God
in his goodness did not suffer the boy 8
life to be wrecked by the mothers act.
He was too fine character for that.
But he said he was never quite the
same again; something he had depend
ell upon had gone out of him-some
cable that should have held snapped.
/ In contrast to this failure comes the
remembrance of another mother whose
influence and love where all that held
her poor, weak, errng son from ruin
| and possibly worse. He was Fast
middle aye when | knew him. He
had thrown away most of his splendid
opportunities, and had alienated his
wifes affections that she and her child
rem bad left HIM; in fact he had wreck
ed his life, and apparently had little
left to live for But outlasting all the
wrecks of tine and sin was his mothers
love and confidence in her hayward
SON. Though hundreds of miles away
her strong influence swqyed him. AL
most daily letters passed between his
"sweetheart," as he called her, and
himself She understood his poor week
nature, but she also knew his fine
traits, and she had confidence in him
10 the last. He was child Of God
though wanderer, and he never lest
faith in his God or his mother. That
mother long outlived him, hut before
he died she had that assurance that it
was well with her "boy."
Said poor boy away from home and
living in large city: If mothers only
knew how their prayers for their Teor
foolish boys held them back from so
many sins, and were all the time draw
ing their cons away from ruin-ifmoth-
ers only understood it, I tell you they
would keep at II"
What faith that poor fellow had in
his mothers prayer He was not a
Christian, and at that time may have
been feeding his hungry soul on the
"husks," but under his sinful life lay
the consciousness of the Gathers
house, waiting TO welcome him back