of all animals the most pitiable and weakly. Left to himself he would
immediately perish. Extinguish the mother's love and he would at once
perish. His growth is by far the slowest of that of all animals,
therefore the wisdom of God in so lengthening the tenure of the mother's
solicitude. The mighty man who wields the iron halberd which no two
people can lift was still a helpless infant, unable to put his own
chubby fist into his own mouth! The autocrat who sweeps whole
communities into Siberia with a stroke of his pen was ill when his
mother was alarmed, was in agony when she was indiscreet with her food!
She cannot forget this. It is but yesterday she dried his flesh to keep
it sound. It is but yesterday she let him bite his aching gum upon her
finger, wishing the ache might go from him to her--hoping that if he
gave her pain he would have less. One can well pardon the vanity that
would lead a son to insist that his mother should accompany him to