The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-01
EVENING CHAT
BY RUTH CAMERON.

Now boys, just moment! You've
all had your say,
While enjoying yourselves in so pleas
ant q way.
We've toasted our sweethearts, our
friends and our wives.
We've toasted each other wishing all
merry lives:
tbs one in a million and outshines the
rest;
Don't frown when 1 tell you this toast
beats all others
But drink one more toast. BOYS, a toast
to Our Mothersl'
one of my correspondents has asked
me to tell something of the origin and
meaning of Mothers day.
Mothers day. was inaugurated by
the churches of Minneapolis during
the Chapman-Alexander evangelist
campaign there.
1t was suggested by DR. Henry A
OStrom, whose own mother had died
about year before this time and who
felt that the young people might be
especially touched and the old people
honored and pleased by the observance
of such day.
Mothers day. was celebrated first
on April II and is SUPPOSED to be
celebrated every year on the Sunday
nearest to that day. That would bring
it Sunday. April 16, this year. What
effect the fact that Easter comes on
that day will have. L do not know.
The idea of the evan2 elist was to
have a day especially devoted to moth
ers just as "Children's day is devoted
to the children. On this day in the
churches which celebate -. sermon is
preached especially for mothers and
great efforts are made by special invi-
tation and the use of carriages and
autom bibles to bring out the older
women who would not otherwise get
there.
The flower dedicated to this day is
the white pink. The churches are dec
Grated with them. Sprays of white
pinks are sent to the sick and shut-in
mothers and the younger people are
memory of or respect for their
mothers.
Don't you think it is a beautiful
idea? 1 do. My only wonder is that
no one thought of it before.
Mothers day" is primarily church
holiday, but please don't let that pre-
vent those of you who are not affil1-
ated with any church from feeling that
it is up to you to celebrate it.
If you still have your mother right
in the home with you, why not make
April 16 a day of special kindness and
thoughtfulness for her, a day when
you do not say a single cross or i'm
patient word. day when you give
some unexpected caress that will mean
so much to her. and say some uneX-
pectedly tender thing abo'-t what a
very wonderful mother you happen to
have.
If you are separated from your
mother, why not make April 6 day
to surprise her by bridging the distance
between you, if it is possible
And if that is not possible, you can
at least write an unusually tender ana
loving letter that shall send a glad
thrill of sweet surprise to her heart
w she receives il
Some, I know, are reac Ing this and
thinking "Ah if I only could do some
of these things. But my mother'-and
then the eyes fill with tears of aching
memory. and the heart-no matter
how blameless-accuseS itself, IF
had only been kinder"
Dear people, Mothers day must be
a sad day for you, of course, but why
not sweeten the sadness by reading our
mothers Bible, going to your mothers
church and by performing your loving
kindness to some other mother, some
body's mother" as lonely fo- lost son
or daughter as you for your lost one.
In this way there shall be three
made happier-the lonely mother
yourself and-yes, believe 1.-THE lit
tie mother in heaven who will be sure
ly smiling down in approval.
Remember all, April Is, 1911,
Mothers day.