my mother's good advice had much to do in forming the character I have born thru life.

aunt minerva collection
The Foster Family by W.T. Foster cont.

More than anything else were her aphorisms, proverbs, maxims beneficial in my early training. She had a wonderful memory and was always ready with one of these aphorisms that would fit every occasion and the constant repitition of them made a lasting impression on my mind. She kept in memory about 500 of these maxims, only a few of which I can remember. She was not the author of them of course. They are very old and came down from the ancient ancestors of our race. I repeat a few of them. "Every tub must stand on its own bottom. Every cloud has a silver lining. Don't lean on a broken stick. He was born with a silver spoon in his Mouth. It is often darkest just before the dawn. Aim at the skies and you may reach the tree tops. A still tongue makes a wise head. Many hands make light work. It pays to be honest. Vinegar is not a good fly catcher. Beauty is but skin deep, while good character goes to the bone. Pride goes before a fall. A lie will travel a league while truth is putting on his boots. Keep your shop if you would have your shop keep you. Better lay up something for a rainy day. Beggars should not be chosers. Look not a gift-horse in the mouth. Poor dog Tray was caught in bad company. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. If you accept a present you are expected to return one. If you give away that which was given to you it will stink. A burnt child dreads fire. You should not needlessly tread upon a worm. A fool and his money soon part. Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves. Make haste slowly. Birds of a feather will flock together. Absence conquers love. Advice to a fool goes in at one ear and out at the other. You can not put old heads on young shoulders. Old men for council, young men for war. Young people think old people are fools; old people know young people are fools. To forget ones ancestors is to be a brook without a source, a trree without a root. Anger and good health soon party company. A soft answer turneth away wrath. Argument makes three enemies to one friend. Give them an inch and they will take an ell. Don't kick a man when he is down. Better beg than steal. He does not believe who does not live in accord with his pretended belief. Better wear out than rust out. None so blind as those who will not see. Little boats should keep near shore. Better half a loaf than no bread. Praise that bridge that carries you over safely. Look before you leap. Everybody's business is nobody's business. Business before pleasure. Butter would not melt in her mouth. The game is not worth the candle. If the shoe fits you wear it. Charity should begin at home. Children and fools tell the truth. Children should be seen and not heard. Train up a child in the way it should go. Cut your coat according to your cloth. A handful of common sense is worth a bushel of learning. You may know them by the company they keep. If you wish a thing done well; do it yourself. Don't grieve over spilt milk. Never corss a bridge till you get to it."
Such maxims, drilled into the minds of our youth must have excellent effects and the mother who teaches her children such excellent principals is worthy of all praise and of being long remembered. God bless the mothers. It is the highest patriotism to extol the good deeds of the mothers of our youth. That was the subject of my lecture on Flag Day 1915 to one of the Washington public schools and my lecture was unanimously endorsed by a rising vote of the pupils.
Mother was a better scholar than father and much better informed in knowledge to be obtained from books. She was a persistant reader. Dick's works on Astronomy, Contemplations among the Stars, Aesop's Fables, Roman History, Pilgrim's Progress, Robin Hood, Robin Cruso and the Bible were among her favorites. She had a most beautiful natural voice for music and one could scarsely distinguish between her voice and the violin. She was a natural violinist and father performed well on the flute. It was mother's knowledge of astronomy that started me on the road to my principal occupation. She was very fond of flowers particularly the old garden kind and cultivated a good garden of flowers and vegetables. She was a good carder, spinner, and weaver of flax, cotton, and wool. She was a little larger than the average, muscularly, powerful, grey eyes, dark complexion, dark hair. Father was five feet ten inches in height, weighed one hundred and sixty pounds, grey eyes, dark hair, not much beard, not noted for muscular strength. He seldom used any kind of intoxicants.