The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-08-10

You cannot imagine how that love
kiss will brighten her dear face. Be
sides, don't you think you owe her a
kiss or two after all these long years?
Away back in those days when you
were a little girl, she kissed you
when no one else was tempted to by
your fever-tainted breath and swollen
face. You were not as attractive look
ing then as you are now. And all dur
ing those childish years Of sunshine
and shadow, mother was always ready
to cure, by the magic of her kiss,
your dirty little hands when they
were injured in your first fights with
this rough old world. Then the good
night kiss with which she sent you
off to bed and the midnight kiss with
which she chased away your wild
dreams as she smoothed your pillow
all these have been on interest
| many long years. Of course, mother
| is not so pretty as you are, but, If
you had done your share of the
household work in the past five or ten
years-the contrast, perhaps would
not be so marked Mothers face has
more wrinkles than yours, yet if you
an angels as she leaned over your
sick bed and waited on you.
| Dear girls, that good mother OF
yours is going to leave you one of
| these days. Unless you or some one
| lifts the burden she has been carry
ing all these years that burden is
| going to break her down. Have you no
| interest? Don't YOU care? Don't all this
make any difference to you? Don't
| grumble about the work you have to
| do in the home. Don't grumble about
| the little more work you may have to
| do than your sister. Remember all
| you do in the home you are doing for
your mother. It's helping mother. It's
| giving her a chance to sit down and
rest It's saving her steps. It's add
| ing years to her life and these years
| she is going to spend with you. Don't
| you care? Some day, it may be soon,
| those rough hands that have done so
many unnecessary acts of kindness
| for YOU during all the years past, are
| going to be crossed on her lifeless
| breast. Those neglected lips that
| gave you your first baby kiss will
| some day be closed forever and her
| sad, tired eyes, that lit up with love
| light, at the mention of your name,
will close in Deaths long, long sleep
and then you will appreciate your
mother, but then-it will be too late.
| Don't wonder if her dress is old and
| threadbare and her hat made over
from last years style-remember
mother is only a girl grown up; she
| likes nice things as we'll as you do,
over her dress and hat, so you can
have the nicer and newer things to
wear. O, some day, in the midst of
your round of pleasure, stop and
| think of mother! Watch her face
some evening when you think she is
not looking and see how tired it looks.
| Then surely you will resolve to share
her burden, lessen her steps and
| brighten her remaining days. Don't
wait until it's all too late. Think Of
| her now while you have her to love
and cherish.
| Home without mother is lonely
| place The world without mother
grows more dreary, day by day. Every
story told, every picture painted,
every life lived without the thought
of mother in it. is incomplete. Do
i you recall Christ's beautiful story of
the Prodigal Son? I believe the Mas
ter meant to teach us the lesson of
Il of the fine home, the wealth and in
fiuence, the good father, and dutiful
son, but there is no mention of a
mother-had a mother been there, the
world might never have heard of the
Prodigal Son. All life and love, all
service and duty circles around the
thought of mother. You cannot es
cape her influence. She is life's first
teacher; she is life's last teacher; she
!, is life's truest friend. Whenever you
see a man kneel down to pray, when
ever you see a man do some kind deed
or say some kind word, remember
some good mother first taught him
| INV" l1C HIIOl hS vi lcI lOh Z e
all over your home; the seal of hel
: love is on your very heart Yet who
, really loves her or cares for her OF
, thinks of her-unless one wants some
favor or needs some true friend, then
) we go to mother, that willing slave OF
; ve-mother-who lives all alone in
: land of lonely hearts Love your
J dear old mother. Time, perhaps, has
) scattered snowy flakes on her brow
/ and plowed deep burrows in hel
| cheeks, but, in spite of all that, is she
| not beautiful? Her lips may be thir
: and shrunken, but those lips have
kissed away many hot tear from
your childish cheeks Her eyes arc
growing dim-you notice she cannot
thread her needle as we'll as formerly
yet those same eyes glow with the
, soft radiance of holy love, whenever
! she thinks of you All, yes, youns
| men and women, she is a dear ole
mother-that mother of yours The
| sands of her life are nearly run out
: yet she will go farther and reach
) lower down for you than any one else
) in life. You cannot walk in a mid
night haunt where she will not see