Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1912-09-02
The Home Circle
Thoughts from the Editorial Pen

This is not the first time, nor per-
haps the last, that have touched on
the subject of Breaking Home
Ties" But it recurs again because
of little scene of which l was a
witness lately.
A boy-such a little boy he
seemed, in his first pair of long pants
got on the train with a suitcase
as big as himself. He was possibly
fifteen or sixteen years of age-and
he was going out to earn his first
real money.
His father and mother were with
him. They did not get on the train
with him, but stood outside his win
dow talking to him until the train
pulled out.
The mothers bravery and courage
in seeing her one lone boy, as the
conversation proved him to be, going
from the shelter of her Influence,
was beautiful lesson. She was not
particularly cultured, perhaps, and
she plainly did not belong to the
eggsloosives," but she was a woman.
BE a good kid" she admonished
him, world of maternal anxiety in
her tone, and then as the boy gave
signs of showing that, after all, he
was only her little child, she added,
with catch in her voice that belied
the lightness of her tone, And don't
forget that your mother was a Nc
Gill"
Then she stepped back while the
father talked to him, and her face,
as she watched her boy, was a study
in expression. There was pride, and
love, and grief, and remuneration all
coming, but the instant he turned
toward her, she met his glance with
a CHEEKY smile.
You've got a peach of day to
start in, Kid" she told him. And
then, Don't forget your manners. l
don't want you to come back eating
with your knife" The boy winked
away the tears, and smiled back at
her.
IF you get homesick, just stick it
out, son. 1t won't do to be piker,"
this brave mother further said And
then she stepped back again to gain
little more courage while the faith
er gave the boy advice and instruc-
tions as to how to reach the camp.
"I'll miss you, son." his mother
said, and then added with a pitiful
attempt at gayety, Il won't have any
body to tease me now"
The engine whistled, the conductor
called "All aboard" the last of the
gay, laughing crowd of tourists on
pleasure bent hurried into the car.
The mother stood and smiled with
her lips, while her eyes showed the
grief she was trying to suppress-as
the train carried her boy away from
4er into his first venture. He turned
to look back at her, then quickly
looked away again, swallowing hard
as he did so. And behind him,
though he knew it not, sat foolish
man who wept for the mother who
was going to an empty house.
The boy will go back again. But
will he go back with all the sweet
ness and freshness of unsullied youth
upon him?
That is the question that mother
is asking herself tonight, as are
countless other mothers who have
opened the door that their young
might go forth to battle for life.
1t is question as old as time. 1t
is the question every mother has to
meet and to which there can be no
definite answer. And the manner in
which she meets it, proves her met
tie. The mother | have cited is eat
ing her heart out in loneliness and
grief, doubt not, tonight, for l read
her motherhood in her eyes-yet,
though she may not suspect it, she
has met the test braveiy and nobly.