The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-01-28
THE :.
CHILDREN'S HOUR
DADS ADVICE.

Dad and the family were visiting in
La Grange for the week end. They
were guests or his wife's sister,
widow, with one daughter, girl of
about seventeen. Their hostess was
frail little person, whose life seemed
to be altogether wrapped up in the
thoughtless girl, who preferred rather
to entertain Dad and Dusty than to
help her mother with the actual work.
In this way, Dad found himself alone
with the girl on the afternoon before
their departure. With a real liking
for the careless young person, Dad
took advantage of the opportunity.
for what he said afterward was his
first sermon.
Clara" he said, "have you noticed
your mother is not looking well late
ly?"
why, no, uncle" the girl replied.
"She seems always the same to me-"
Il suppose So" went on Dad. Nov
l want to tell you something. l know
you haven't done anything to trouble
your mother. But she is troubled and
| worried and you can do lot to chase
| away that careworn look she has"
"How do you mean?" asked the puz-
| zled girl.
well, let me tell you," he said.
Suppose, when we go BACK, you go
out in the kitchen. Tell mother what
| a nice walk we've had and ask her if
You can help her set the table. Then,
| after we've gone, you begin getting
| up early and get breakfast. Surprise
your mother. When she comes down,
go up and kiss her. DO this right
along. See how she acts. You owe
her those kisses, you know. Many
times she kissed you, when you were
| sick long ago. You were not so pref
| ty as you are now, either. How many
| hurts of yours she has aided, how
many bad dreams has she chased away
| from you by her watchful care during
your childhood. Her waiting on you
| has aged her. Her whole life has been
| given over to it. She's not as well
| able to wait on you now, you know.
| It's your turn to do that for her. Re-
| member, child, your mothers going
to leave you one Of these days."
| "You don't mean she's going to
| die" broke in the girl.
| That's what / mean," answered
| Dad, gravely. mot right now. But
the work she's doing now will kill her
very soon, unless someone helps her
do it, perhaps takes it all away from
her. You're that person, Clara. It's
your turn to do the work now. Get
right at it. Forget play and fun at
least while your mother must work
She's done enough. Do you remember
today laughing about how hard and
rough your mothers hands were?"
| "Yes," whispered the girl.
We'll, those rough hands have done
a whole lot of things for you. That's
what made them rough and red and
hard. remember when your moth.
er's hands were soft and pink and
small like yours. And she was as
pretty as you, too, just looked like
you, twenty years ago. Now, Clara
if you don't turn in at once, very soon
those rough hands will be crossed on
| your mothers breast, those lips OF
hers that gave you your first baby kiss
will be closed and her eyes, tired and
faded they are now, but mind when
they were bright and clear like yours
they will be closed, too, to open only
in eternity.
| 'They say we don't ever appreciate
our parents till they are gone," DaG
went on. Then it's too late, at leas
to let them know about it. But yol
have the chance, Clara, a good chance
too. You'll understand, won't you, lit
tie girl?"
4 But the child was sobbing now, ant
Dad decided his sermon had reached
its climax. So for while the two
sat together without words before
finally returning to the frail littl,
mother who was even then watching
at the window for their return.