Our Parents

Not long since as I Uiok my seat in the ciirs lor u day's ri'_e, I observed eateti opposile me, an elderly lady and middte-uged gentlemrtn, w.ho, I '.n'tm-d lrcin snnc casual retnarlf, had betn traveliug a day r two. Il waa a very early hour in lïie morning, tind the lady aj pjirbMtfy vas sleeping. Wu rode in silence lor sorao time, vvhen the lady avvoke, and I heurd the penllen.nn address her as mother. Hls dignified, unobtrusivo tnunner, and thü tender, dcferenliál tbnè of his voice, ut once drew my attention to them, and having mi'cimipuny, my eyes and my iboughtH erafny own. All the tender care whieh n mo her cnuld bestow on ai) infant child, were give1 by tbat son to hi tDfltier. The sliühtt'st itinveinent :i her part to adju.st lier furs, vr chmk,(it over-shoes, any ch; ngo of poMtiun, calfed iortli his ready luü.d in assistance, and the inqu.riet!, 'Areyou comfurtable,molhei? D.you ieel ti! êd? Lay your heud on my h) oulder, and rest yoursell." At noon the oarw stopped lor the pasfeopws to obtain rei'reshments L w-is snowing loo ta-t lor the niolher to go out ot the oarsj and tho son brought her a cup of coflöe. "Is il justiight, rnother?" he inijllired as gho lusted it. "A little more creain wonld mako it better; it is, however, very goud as it is," was her roply. ' Let me getyou some moro." "No, my són it vviii make your too much trouble; it is very giod as it is." He wen; out and soon returned with the ereum, Blid poured a liule into the wfltfe, and t hen a liule more, until it was ''juft right." Ho then nat down by her siile, and I heard him say, in the same ]ow tone of voice that at tirst uttracted my tótention, llI ein glad. raother, that I can do anyihing to iiüike vou comioi tablt', il is such a ileasuie to me." "I tliank you my hon," she replied in he ame npiiit and tono of voiee as hal of' he so n. Heautiful, thought I, as I quietly watched ihetn, and bliw nianilehted ther mutual love and eoniidtnce My nitid went back to the time when tliis bob, r.ow in fininhood's strength, was a ttle helpltss infaiit, and I piutured that noilier wutcbing nvi-r him, curing lor ii ru w it!i a solioitudo such as mothera u!y can feI. And throtigh all the ,'vara of oliildhood [i nd youth, up to nanhood, tlie watchfiil eye ww ever jvur hun, tiie giiidiiig hand ever ready to lead, and a motherV love ever leady :i retslrain hiiïi from drang wrng - Now it is his turn, vvlien litu's meridian wilh her is past, und Ihe intirmities oí age aro eret'ping og, to rejiav, in Bume Úvgree, fur al! the labor bestowed on rikn, nid faithfnlly and itlectionately did he eeern í'iiltíiling his dnty. How nianv jjrovvn up sont) there ore wlio feein to i'eel n benen th thora to -how Bfiy icndt-rness for their rr.ovher. U infuiiiiiiinu, they say. They '-ill perform acts i i kindnesn, but in a bisiness kintl of uv, or beeuuo its tlieir duty, üttle drcaiiiing that thoy are cnicbing the maternal spirit by such oofcl, heaitless acts. Acts of kindness, dono in the spirit mnnifcsted in the incident abovo inentioned have an untold influenco The pathwa down lo the grave vrould be olieereil, made evenjoylul, and old ige vrould be exempt from much of the gloom that is often experieneed. The reflex influence is alsogreat. A young nuin who is liaiiiMiaüy tender of his fiiother, and deferential to her, uill rnaktí a goud citizun, i true íriend and wil] be forti ful in all the walss oí