Kisses on Interest

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 19, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 45.

Kisses on Interest

A FATHER, talking to his careless daughter, said: "I want to speak to you of your mother. It may be that you have noticed a care-worn look upon her face lately. Of course, it has not been brought there by any act of yours; still, it is your duty to chase it away. I want you to get up to-morrow morning and get breakfast, and when your mother comes and begins to express her surprise, go right up to her and kiss her on the mouth. You can't imagine how it will brighten her dear face. Besides, you owe her a kiss or two. Away back, when you were a little girl, she kissed you when no one else was tempted by your fever-tainted breath and swollen face. You were not as attractive then as you are now. And through those years of childish sunshine and shadows, she was always ready to cure, by the magic of a mother's kiss, the little, dirty, chubby hands whenever they were injured in those first skirmishes with the rough old world. And then the midnight kiss with which she routed so many bad dreams as she leaned over your restless pillow, have all been on interest these long, long years. Of course, she is not so pretty and kissable as you are; but if you had done your share of the work during the last ten years, the contrast would not be so marked. Her face has more wrinkles than yours—far more; and yet if you were sick, that face would appear more beautiful than an angel's, as it hovered over you, watching every opportunity to minister to your comfort, and every one of those wrinkles would seem to be bright wavelets of sunshine chasing each other over the dear face. She will leave you one of these days. These burdens, if not lifted from her shoulders, will break her down. Those rough, hard hands, that have done so many necessary things for you, will be crossed upon her breast; those neglected lips, that gave you your first baby kiss, will be forever closed; and those sad, tired eyes will not be able to see. And then you will appreciate your mother; but it will be too late."—Selected.