Year: 1875

had been severed, and other chains wo-
ven by wicked companions, had been
thrown around him and held him fast
We sent him away to school. 1 wrote
my letters to him. tried to get my in
fuence over him back again, but it was
too late. He ran away from school, and
for five years We heard nothing from
him. Mothers, just imagine those five
long weary years. with no knowledge
whatever of my only son


One evening we satsbefore the fire
talking of our absent boy. The storm
ragged without, and the tempest in our
own hearts could not be stilIed. thought
heard timid knock at the door
went, and there stood my long lost
Earnest. But what change Was it
possible that this was my blue-eyed
curly y-haired baby-my robust, ruddy-
checked son? a pale emanciated young
man stood before me.


Earnest, my boy" I cried, sis this
you ?"


Yes, dear mother, it is Earnest; may
l come in? have come home to die.


We did everything we could for him,
but could not save him. Those five years
of dissipation had ruined his health and
ne only lived a few months.


Mother" he would often say, 4 am
only twenty-one, and have got to die. l
have wasted the past years OF my life,
and cut off the future, which might have
been mine to use for good


Bitterly did he repent, and we believe
was forgiven, which is the only drop of
comfort my cup of sorrow contains.


lie dropped asleep very peacefully,
and we have laid him here to rest till
God shall bid him rise. But my heart
was broken then, and bitterness and
sorrow have been my companions ever
since. God gave me that boy to bring
up and was responsible for his future.
There was 10 him the germ Of q noble
manhood, and crushed it.


The heart Of my child was nine, bu,
instead of making an effort to keep that
heart, l permitted it to slip from my
grasp.


l never see a little boy now bat that
l want to go to the mother and on bended
knee to implore her to so love that boy
that she will be patient with him; that
she will so win and retain his affections
that his love for mother shall be a shield
of safety in the darkest hour of tempta-
tion.


Dear young mothers, bear with the
noisy boys; better a few headaches now
than the dreadful haartaches that viii
come in after years Make home pleas
ant for them. NJ matter If the work is
not all done to your satisfaction the
eternal welfare ofthe child is of far more
importance. Lay aside your work some
times, and enter into their sports anC
games. Question them about their do
ings at school; rejoice with them whe1
they are happy sympathize with then
when they are in trouble. Let them SET
that mother is a true friend to them. A
the same time be firm and insist upor
implicit obedience. They will respec
you all the more for that. Make bee
time happy hour for them, that the
memory may Iinger with them in after
years, and that hour shall ever be a sa
cred one, causing deep tenderness t.
spring up in the heart, and strong
yearning to bow the head again on moth
er's knee, ard say the evening prayer
even when they have become strong meI
engrosse1 / in the business Of life.


Dear mothers, as l say farewell t
you, 1 would lift my heart in prayer tt
the Father above, asking Him to Civ,
. you, each and aIl wisdom and strength
so to bring up those boys Of yours that
noble manhood may be theirs; happy
heart yours, and a manson Of rest 70
you ali in the pure city Of God.
Z And if my story viii help some mothe
: to be more patient aud tender with bel
, boy, l will thank God that He has per
mitted a few threads of gold to fnisl
my web Of Hfe--Arthia's Home Naga
zine.