Birmingham age-herald., 1894-09-30
Social and Otherwise.
IAll items of social interest will be gladly noted in this column if sent to Mrs. George 0. Ball, 2161 Highland avenue.l

Don't sit in the shadowsl Get out into the blessed sunshinei Draw into your lungs deep draughts ot purified, golden air, and, looking upward, thank God for life and friends. In the dark corners dwell the owls and bats of cynicism and distrust; In the shady spots grow the fungi of envy, 1malice and all uncharitableness; and creep Ing, crawling things that sting and hurt make their home in crevioes, dark and hid- den. Cool and tempting these shadowy hooks appear, and to the weary worker, to him who bears along the dusty pathway of life burden big and heavy, the desire bones to stop and finger, to lay down the load and enjoy the peace and rest.
 But instead of refreshing quiet comes the sting of insects, and the soul is filled W ith moral malaria that no earthly phy- sician can eradicate. This malaria poi Sons body and soul until one'S very vision is distorted. We see not things as they are, we hear not sounds correctly, but, with aching, throbbing brain, we feel that life is hideous nightmare, and men and women are merely sent to further torture D tired, n-sick soul. But, my friend, This is only because you have chosen to dwell among the shadows, because you have slept in the jungles away from the glorious sunlight and apart from your fels low creatures. Pick up your load-you must know we all have our burdens to carry.and, singing, go forward, and my word for it., on every side you will find hearts and souls and hands that greet you with brother's love. The world Is very beautiful and very full of good men and women who are loyal and true. Of course, there are shams and frauds, large and Small, and always will be, but this need not worry us much with such beautiful things as hope and trust, faith and love all about us. Just tnore the shams aud shallow pfe elses you come across, comforting yourself with the knowl- edge that they are known of all men. Do the work God has given you to do cheerily and hopefully, remembering that these things are very contagious and that your smiles and your faith will sWeeten and brighten other hearts and lives, which in return give back to you sweetness and brightness, increased an hundred fold. As you journey along you will hnd many fel- low travellers with far greater loads than yours to carry, and upon whose brows are wounds deep and sore, made by thorns that have pierced and torn the flesh for many weary years. You will also find that your fellow pilgrim, who oftenest sings aloud as he stops to pluck the blossoms by the wayside, IS ''he who has come through great tribulation.'' Such q pilgrim has neither time or inclination to rest Ey the Wayside; he has started for the heights and will not stop in the plains. The road will be long, ofttime5 hot and dusy, but faint not; the sunshine is about you, the flowers blossom and the fruits ripen upon either side, and if you will only look up and beyond you will find the mountains all aglow with light from an- other world. And like Christian of old, in Bunyan s exquisite aliegory, there VIII come day when the burden will be taken from us, and we shall enter upon our re- ward in land eternally bright with the radiance of Gods loving smile. So, good friends, look up and out, don't lind the hurtful things that crawl and sting, greet your brother man with cheering words aud smiles, take his hand with warm, hearty clasp, lift up the weak, encourage the tot .tering, help the struggling, and you will find that there will be little time left for hopeless tears and heart-burns.
 
 On Friday, at 1 o'clock, a charming party of friends gathered around the break fast table at the lovely home of Mrs. John w. Tomlinson. These friends were in. Rited by Mrs. Tomlinson to breakfast with her mother, Mrs. Judge Simmons of Att 1anta, and beautiful entertain mentf 1t was. The home, always handsome, Twas especially so on Friday morning, for everywhere the roses welcomed you and were rrodigal oftheir perfume. The menu was choice and delightful and the table presented beautiful sight when the Twelve congenial women gathered around 1t. The decorations were chiefly pink, the candles were of this color; 6 vase of gor- geous pink roses adorned the table, and at the plate of each guest was a bunch Of roses tied with pink ribbons. For several hours bright speeches and witty sallies made the charming guests forget the pass- Ing time.
 breakfast was given, has made several visits to Birmingham and each visit en- 1arges the circle Of her friends, who sin. cerely regret that her stay is always so brief. She returned to Atlanta on Satur- day. Mrs. Tomlinson's guests on Friday were Mesdames Simmons, Morgan Smith, Joseph H. Woodward, Joseph F. John- ston, L. 0. Jones, Florence Throckmor- Bon, b. H. Cabaniss, Jack w. Johnston, B. B. Conner, J. H. McCary and A. T. Jones.
 While in Birmingham Mrs. Judge Sim mons sat for her portrait to MT. Parish, who excels in this class of work. The likeness is said to be most satisfactory, and the portrait will prove great treasure to Mrs. Tomlinson, for whom it Is intended.
 It is gratifying to learn that the members of the Mendelssohn club are preparing to organize for the winter season. This club has done splendid work in the past, aud there is no reason that the coming season should not prove it's most successful one.
 Mrs. Nick Shelley of Eufaula, formerly Miss Hightower, Is in the city visiting her relatives, Capt, and Mrs. John G. Smith, South Highlands.
 The Illustrated American has been pub- fishing the pictures of some of the prettiest bellies of the south of late, and now desires some representatives of Alabama beauty for it's pages. At the request of Mrs. w. s. Lowell, who will do the beautiful work, Mrs. Florence Throckmorton has con- scented to sit for one of these pictures. We could not be better represented than by regret is that no sketch can give us the de-