"How We Kept Mother's Day" by Stephen Leacock

"How We Kept Mother's Day" by Stephen Leacock

     Of all the different ideas that have been started lately, I think that the very best is the notion of celebrating once a year “Mother’s Day”.

     We decided to have a special celebration of Mother’s Day. We thought it was a fine idea. It made us realize how much Mother had done for us for years, and all the efforts and sacrifices that she had made for our sake…

     … It was our plan to make it a day like Christmas, and so we decided to decorate the house with flowers. We asked Mother to do it, because she always does it.

     The two girls thought it would be a nice thing to dress on our best for such a big occasion, and so they both got new hats. Father had bought silk ties for himself and for us, boys. We were going to get Mother a new hat too, but it turned out that she liked her old hat better than a new one.

     After breakfast we decided that we would hire a motor car and take Mother for a beautiful drive away into the country. Mother is hardly ever able to have a treat like that, because she is busy in the house nearly all the time.

     But we changed the plan a little bit. We all felt that it would be nicer to have a definite purpose. It turned out that Father had just got a new rod the day before, and he said that Mother could use it if she wanted to: in fact, he said it was practically for her, only Mother said she would rather watch him fish than fish herself.

     So we got everything arranged for the trip. Mother cut up some sandwiches and packed all up in a basket for us.

     When the car came to the door, it turned out that we couldn’t all get in. Father said that he could stay at home and work in the garden. There was a lot of dirty work that he could do. He said that he wanted us to be happy and have a big day. The girls said that Mother had only to say the word and they’d gladly stay at home and work.

     At the end it was decided that Mother would stay at home and have a lovely restful day round the house. It turned out anyway that Mother didn’t care for fishing and also it was just a little bit cold and fresh out-of-doors, though it was lovely and sunny, and Father was afraid that Mother might take cold if she came.

     So we all drove away and Mother stood and watched us as long as she could see us.

     We had the loveliest day. Father and the boys fished, the girls met quite a lot of people. We all had a splendid time.

     It was quite late when we got back. The dinner was ready. It was grand. Mother had to get up and down during the meal fetching things back and forward, but at the end Father noticed it and said she simply mustn’t do it, that he wanted her to spare herself.

     When the dinner was over all of us wanted to help to clear the things up and wash the dishes, only Mother said that she would really much rather do it.

     It was quite late when it was all over, and when we all kissed Mother before going to bed, she said it had been the most wonderful day in her life and I think there were tears in her eyes.