“Yes—you need not be governed by my opinion; but when you meet with any thing that recalls my words, you will understand me better. Observe, whether she talks readily with her work in hand. If she takes her work when she is sitting with you, whether she does not leave off work at every word; and, indeed, if it is not all for show. Industry is every thing with a woman. My mother always said a woman should never be with empty hands; and yet, when she is at work, she must be calm and steady, and not as though she would tear a piece out of the world. When she asks a question, or answers one, remark whether she is timid or bold. You would not believe it, but girls are very different when they see a man’s hat, from what they are among themselves. There are those who think when you are in the room their tongues must not be still an instant.”
The young man laughed, and said, “Mother, you should go about in the world with your sermon, and have a church for young women alone.”
“Yes! that I might, indeed,” said his mother, smiling; “but, naturally, I preach first to you. Observe particularly how she behaves to her parents, and brothers and sisters. You are a good son, and I need say no more. You have learnt the fifth commandment.”
“Yes, mother, you may be easy on this point. I have sure signs to judge by. Those who boast much of their love for their parents, that is nothing. Love is best shown by actions. Those who prattle about it are slow enough when it comes to performance.”
“Ah, yes, you are clever, my son,” said his mother, laying her hand upon his breast, and looking into his face. “Shall I go on?”
“Yes, mother, I listen willingly.”
“It seems to me as though to-day I could, for the first time, speak to you freely; and if I should die, I will leave nothing forgotten that I would say. The fifth commandment; yes, it now occurs to me what my father once said of it. Oh, he understood every thing, and had read many books. I once heard him, as he was speaking to the Pastor, say, ‘I know the reason why a reward is attached to the fifth commandment alone, where one would naturally think it unnecessary. But it says, “Honor your father and mother, that you may live long.” That does not mean, that a good child shall live till he is seventy or eighty years old; no, he who honors father and mother lives long, but in times past. He lives the life of his parents in memory and in thought, which cannot be taken from him; and whatever his age may be, he has lived long upon earth. He who does not honor his father and mother is here but to-day, and is gone to-morrow.’”
“Mother, there is truth in that. I understand it, and will not forget to teach it to my children. But, mother, the longer you speak, the more difficult it seems to find one that I shall like. She must be like you.”
“Oh! child, do not be so simple. At nineteen and twenty I was very different. I was wild and self-willed, and even now I am not what I should be. But what was I saying? Yes, of thy wife! It is strange you should find it so difficult. From infancy, every thing has been difficult to you. At two years old, you had scarcely learnt to walk, and now you can spring like a young colt. Only a trifle or two more, but from these we often learn great things. Observe how she laughs,—not a giggle, neither an affected laugh, but heartily, with her whole soul. I wish you could know how you laugh yourself; then you would understand me.”
At this John laughed heartily, and his mother cried “Ah, yes! That is the way my father laughed. Just so he shook his shoulders and sides.” As the mother said this, so much longer the son laughed, till at last she joined in, and when one ceased the other began again.