Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-06-16
Plain. Bare Home Of Poverty.

tity among the miners.
Plain, Bare Home of Poverty.
The woman. finding that her bread per-
mitted her to leave 1t unattended LOT
moment, ushered us into the house. Ihere
was only one door to the mouse ana thas
led to- the kitchen. A little shed roof
over the doorway protected it from rain
and permitted the family to keep 1t open
for ventilation in all kinds Of weather
There was no paper on the wall. The
boards showed in all their nakedness'
The pots and pans OF the housewife hung
from nails on all four sides. and that was
the only decoration, If decoration 1t can
be called. Against one wall ana oullt
into it was the family dining table. Pack
ing boxes with carpet tackled on one,
side served as chairs, and the only other
furniture in the room was small COOK
stove.
Two doors opened into this room from
different sides. One led into the family
bedroom and the other into the miners
tool house The beds were simply mat
tresses resting above the floor on home
made wooden frames. The room was
about ten feet square. and in 1t slept the
husband and wife and their family OF nine
small children.
In spite of the crowded condition or the
room the housewife had found room in
one corner for the family altar. 1t con-
sisted of a crucifix, on table, surrounded
by pictures of the Savior. the Madonna
and Child, st. Peter and others of equally
sacred Significance. BY the side Of the
cross were the candelabra, which were
lighted on certain fast days. The pic
lures were cheap chromos in imitation
gilt frames but they were held sacred
bv the mother Of the house, and, morn
ing and night she led her small offspring
ND, to the home altar and taught them
TO pronounce an Ave" Most OF the
Hungarians and the Slavs belong to the
Greek Catholic church.; the Italians are
Roman catholics.
About the time our examination OF the
house was completed the father OF the
family came in. He was a tall, fair
haired man, with stern, strongly marked
chin but a soft blue eye. His chest and
shoulders were powerfully developed. and
he walked with the unconscious grace OF
an athlete.
With him was his eldest son, repro
duction in every way of his father. Botn
had worked side by side in the mine for
wears. Father and son were dressed in
their best clothes. And there was
reason for that, which was soon learned.
Dinner was put upon the table shortly
after the lord of the household entered.
He drew up the largest packing box for
himself and sat down. The children
KTOuDe0 AROUND Mini anu CAAC0 Az eANAA
share Of the food,
The father paid no attention to them,
but ate his fill and departed to place
outside in the sunshine. where he smoked
his pipe in stolid silence. The woman
then helped the children to what was
left; they took the food with their little
hands from hers as II they, too, were
kings and queens by right and she was
their humble slave whose only Joy In lie
was to serve them.
The meal consisted Of q small piece or
boiled pork, a few boiled potatoes satu-
rated with pork grease, and bread which
was still hot from the oven.
After the crying mouths of the children
had been stopped with food. they, too
ran out Of the house to finish the meal.
and. perhaps, to share their bread crusts
with the kissing geese.
Then the woman ate. But she did not
sit down. She ate the scraps from her
lord and masters plate, and sang Hun
garlan melody as she washed the few
dishes that were to be washed, and per-
haps she dreamed of her girlhood days
beside the blue Danube.
Then the eldest son, the image Of his
father, came from the bedroom with an
imitation black leather grip in his hand.
The grip told the story. The boy was
going away. Like thousands OF other
miners, he had found work at another
trade in another section OF the country
This was his first time to go out OF the
sight of his mother since he was born,
nearly eighteen years ago. He had been
talking about it for weeks, and now he
was going.
Without a word or a look at his mother,
the youth dragged his heavy grip through
the narrow door and joined his father.
Without a word, both started down the
path that led to the gate and the world
beyond But before they reached the gate
they were arrested by a wall or shrek
behind them, and the woman fairly new
down the pathway toward them.
Her arms were extended, her eyes full
of tears. She threw herself on the breast
of the boy and lay sobbing in his arms.
He dropped the satchel and stroked the
long black hair softly with his rough
hand, looking at his father in a way that
showed that he did not understand why
his mother should cry.
The father folded his arms across his
breast and looked at the blue sky. Then
the woman, drying her tears with the
corner of her yellow shawl, kissed her
boy first on one cheek and then on the
other, and went back into the house and
to her work.
A half hour later we found her standing
before her family altar, praying softly to
herself that the strike might soon end
and that her boy, her first born, might be
kept from all I.arm in the great world.
A miners home would be howell indeed
but for the love Of the woman.
Painting and Architecture contrasted.