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Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Good Motherly Advice

Mother has just gone. Her visit has done me a world of good. She found out something to like in Father at once and then something good in Martha. She says Father's sufferings are real, not fancied, that his error is not knowing where to locate his disease, and is starving one week and overeating the next. She charged me not to lay up future misery for myself by misjudging him now and to treat him as a daughter ought without the smallest regard t his appreciation of it. Then as to Martha, she declares that I have no idea how much she does to reduce our expenses, to keep the house in order, and relieve us from care. "But, Mother," I said, "did you notice what horrid butter we have? And it is all her doing."

"But the butter won't last forever," she replied. "Don't make yourself miserable about such a trifle. For my part, it is a great relief to me to know that with your delicate health you have this tower of strength to lean on."

"But my health is not delicate, Mother."

"You certainly look pale and thin."

"Oh well," I said, whereupon she fell to giving me all sorts of advice about getting up on step ladders, and climbing on chairs, and sewing too much, and all that.

~ Stepping Heavenward, April 30, 1838 entry.

[Oh, to be one to find something good in everyone and to give such godly counsel to one's daughter. What an example Katy's mom is to us all. And as to the delicate health situation as referenced to by her mother, indeed she was in delicate health, as you'll see Katy was about four months along in pregnancy here, since looking ahead you find she gives birth to her first child some time on or before October 4th. {smile} ~ mr]


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