Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-08-10

ROOM There his confidential secretary
had white blossom dangling from u
buttonhole. He never had felt more an
noyed. He rang a bell. The office boy
appeared.
why do ycS wear that fiower?" his
employer demanded.
The boy looked ahasled. then said.
IT'S Mothers Day, SIR
Mothers Day! hat is that?"
It's the day" explained the boy, not
without stammerns at holding such init
! mate intercourse with the great man,
when every body who's got the best
mother in the world wears a white car
nation. ! don't know just why. but the
papers tell MS to do it this year"
| The Capitalist dismissed him and seated
himself al his desk The best mother in
the world. His own mother he had not
thought about for years. She had died
when he was mere lad scarcely older
| than that scrubby office boy. The best
mother in the world. His mother had
been poor, had toiled uncomplainingly
! for her son after her husbands early
death. She had had queer, gnared hands
that trembled good deal when they were
rot at work, and her face had many lines
in it. And she had always said to her
son. Do your best! Do your BEST She
had faded away at last worn out and old
before her time. The office boy had said
it was in the papers, Foolery These
crude people read all the nonsense the
reporters get up. He turned to his let
tiers.
| Strangely enough the many white
flowers he had met on his way this morn
ing obtruded themselves. He tossed the
letters aside,
| The confidential secretary was in a
partitiOned space at the end of the room.
He called him, why do you wear that
f1ower?'
| The man smiled. 1T is Mothers Day.
| | suppose it is nonsense but hearing so
much about the day l got to thinking OF
my mother, so 1 put on a white carna-
ton" His chief nodded dryly and the
man went back to his compartment.
The Capitalist took up his letters again.
To answer some of them required the
aid of the stenographer. The young wo-
man came with pad and pencil.
| why do you wear that?" and her en-
ployer pointed to the flower on her breast
| 'Mother's Day. she responded .She
has put one on herself my mother has,
in memory of her mother who died long
before I was born.''
l The Capitalist engaged her services for
an hour. Then bank president was an
nounced. The man came in, and he toe
wore the general flower lie smiled when
he noticed the Capitalists eye on the
adornment.
Il had not thought very often of my
mother till this movement started" he
SAID. Il tell you our mothers are great
institutions. aren't they? Fac. one OF
them IS the best in the world. Now
want to ask you about"-and he plunged
into money talk.
But the white carnations abode wifi
the Capitalist and his mind kept harkins
BACK TO ionS-forSotten days all the time
he talked of financial affairs to al
Iequally successful man of the world.
HIS mother. How plain she had beer
and almost ignorant Ignorant, What
mother who loves and protects her chill
ldle1 is ignorant? Isn't love an educator:
His mother had toiled for him. planned
for him. told him always to do his best.
| The bank president went away. There
came other important men for inter.
|
ma tons, and the Capitalist noticed
them. His mother. He had ALWAYS hoe,
called self-made man. Her grave was
Lar away ana neglected for all he knew
ior ne had not seen it in years Hi.
lmother. His early boyhood came back +,
nm and his youth scene after scene i,
which was his mother with her snarle(
hands and lined face. He self-mad,
man! Is any man whose mother ha.
sacriflced herself for him self-madt
man? And does a mother do anvtbins
else but sacrifice herself for her children
| no your best We're the constant word.
OF ms mother to him. Would lie have
done this best without those words?
Inc day wore ON. and over and ovel
again did he notice white carnation or
the coats of men who came to see him
clock struck two. 1t was the houl
when he had his elaborate lunch at :
me motel AS he put on his hat he hes
'a'"o Ihen he went to the particular
Dell ana rang it. The office boy appeared
i want flower like the one Won have
on" said the Capitalist
The boy thrust his hand in his pocke
ana drew one out, crunpled but still
white. II got this for me sister" II,
Sa'"' put she got one for herself Yor
may have this. sir
The hand of the Capital was nm
steady as he affixed the blossom, ia tb.
lapel of his coat
Boy" he said. 81 won't go to lunch
| am going to a cemetery a good 1pa,, OF
YOU nave mother. Be kind to bar
N'o'"erS are the makers of men" He
took the grimy hand of the youngster in
his own.
bfother! he said. His eyes were
orisht as thoug water in them Though
'he ONCE boy did not understand, he was
PROUD Oh the notice of his employer. and
looked after him in admiration as that
gentleman left the office. with the
cfumpled white flower in his buttonbole
I-Robert V. c. Meyers