| Show HIS MOTHER carl schurz has written of a long ufa tor mcclunes mcclures McC lures the narrative is simply told yet highly interesting for carl Sch ures life has been an active one filled with exciting incidents one of the most fascinating paragraphs in the whole article is his pen picture of his mother a tribute devoid ot any evident effort at fulsome flattery but most impressive he says of intellectual stimulus our village did not offer much except that which I 1 found within our homo walls and in the larger family circle my mothers opportunities for cultivation had never extended beyond the parish school and intercourse with relatives and friends but she was a woman of excellent mental qualities in a high degree sensible of easy and cleat perception and discernment apt to lake a lively interest in everything deserving it but the chief strength of her character lay in her moral nature I 1 know no virtue that my mother did not possess nothing however could have been further from her than assumption of superiority for she was almost too modest and self effacing rectitude which is as it Is because it cannot be otherwise was in her joined to the gentlest judgment of others her disinterestedness proved itself in every trial capable of truly heroic self sacrifice the borrows of those around her she felt more deeply than her own and her constant care was for the happiness of those she loved no misfortune could break her courage and the calm cheerfulness of her pure soul survived the crudest blows of fortune fort when nearly eighty years old she died she had even in the last moments of consciousness a bright smile for the children and grandchildren standing at her bedside her figure was slender and well formed and hot features somewhat resembled those of our grandfather we children always admired her curly golden brown hair whether in the of her life aiho would have been called beautiful or not we never knew but her countenance was to us all love and goodness and sunshine iun shine the customs and forms of ho great world were of course unknown to her but she possessed the rare grace of noble naturalness which goes far to supply a deficiency in social training her handwriting was awkward and her spelling by no means faultless of literature she knew little grammar and style she had hover been troubled but many of her letters written to me at different times and in different situations of life were not only filled with noble thought and sentiment but possessed poetic beauty of expression Tha unconscious greatness of her soul found its own language her very being exercised a constantly elevating and stimulating influence although she could aid her children but little in the acquisition of what is commonly called knowledge |
