The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-13
Y VIEWS OF
Y A WOMAN
ooh the time we waste
And the thoughts we waste"

now we Know that they never did
know, and never could understand that
| they should not keep other people wait
| ing.
The time we waste Is the important
factor: the thoughts are mainly un-
complimentary to the bothersome ones
who are always late for everything.
We do waste AN enormous amount Of
| time In waiting for those who said they
| would be at such a place at such hour.
They always have fifty-four excuses.
any one of which would be adequate
for the occasion, II 1t were true. They
feel distinctly injured. II we appear to
| be. on account of the delay, and they
go away making remarks to the effect
that "she always was a disagreeable,
fussy old thing!'
| They are invariably behind time and
we catch the habit from them and,
knowing they are certain to be late,
time ourselves accordingly, and finally
become demoralized. likewise. and even
up matters by keeping other people
| waiting.
I heard OF one woman, a thrifty,
provident soul, who made garments
without number in the moments spent
In waiting for dilatory people. She was
one of the Biblical women, whose fam
lilies call them blessed. She did not feel
constrained to go into all the world
and preach her gospel of helpfulness,
but did much of her very effective
preaching from her own fireslde. There
was always a bit of work near at hand
which she could easily catch up and as
easily drop, and her hands wrought
much while she waited II do not in
| tend to have them waste all my time"
| she said.
Another kept basket Of table linen
ready for few minutes work. That
was always her employment while
| waiting for the friend who was to go
| calling with her: for the grocery boy
who was expected on the cooks after
noon out; for the husband late at din
ner; for the children to come from
| school; for the kindergarten commit
tee; the Society for the Dissemination
OF Literature on Higher Education
among the South Sea Islanders; for
the Browning club and the Blue Book
Circle. She had larger supply Of nap
kins and tablecloths, hemmed with
beautiful closely set stitches than will
be found in the linen closet of the aver
was hemmed while she waited.
Another woman learned French
rather completely while she waited. It
Is not always easy to drop new novel
thus picked up for few minutes. One
Is likely to wish the invading caller, or
expected guest in Jericho. Neither is
1t satisfactory to lay dUwn a magazine
article in the midst Of it's most inter-
esting part. but little bit of foreign
language can be learned in that way
so that 1t is really remembered.
The woman found that she could get
several words of vocabulary securely
fastened in her mind while she waited
for one and another whose time did
not seem to count. She learned most
of the irregular verbs in that way, and
by dint of habit was able to repeat
them to herself whenever she was
alone. She read French in the street
cars and In the trains when she trav-
eled. Thus the spare moments brought
new outlook before her gaze, and
after she had gained fair working
knowledge OF French. she began an
other language closely allied, and It
was all done at odd times when there
seemed absolutely nothing else to do,
1T often keeps me from fretting." she
said. when l am obliged to wait for
poky people like you"
1t is really surprising what lot of
studying can be accomplished in these
odd moments and how little one minds
the passing of time while thus engaged.
one Is even conscious occasionally OF
vague sense of annoyance atthe ter
n <Nc
the thoughts are so delightfully."- occu-
pied. Yet there is another side to the
question. Do we not often try to keep
these brains of ours busy at the ex-
pense of vitality and true mental ac.
tivlty: What IL we are making a mis-
take, after all, when we are SO am
bilious to gain knowledge or to ac-
quire doilies or hemstitched table linen?
what If we should, instead, drop down
In an easy chair and close the eyes
during the few minutes of waiting, or
step out into the open air and do deep
athing exercises? What If the watt
Ing times for the slow o-mercy friends
or In the committee meetings for
quorum are really the snatches of rest
we need for an overtired brain and
body? ! wonder.
The great difficulty is that much of
the waiting OF life has to be done
where you can't crochet parabolic
mats, nor hem tablecloths, nor carry
French grammars and dictionaries. 1t
Is waiting for street cars on stupid
corners. waiting in friends drawing
rooms while they are making elaborate
toilets with which to dazzle you, wait
ing for men to keep business engage
ments men In the aggregate are really,
you know, just as wanting In punctu-
atty as are women, Notwithstanding
the popular superstition on the SUBJ
jecD.
or course, you can knit mats, as they
say some of the teachers did in the in
stitute, while you ride in the cars or
wait on the corners. 1t will be a little
but then you have the
mats. You can darn stockings or other
useful things at thmble teas, which are
given solely to show off new work.
bags and make bluff at embroideries
which are never completed. Yet. after
all. there Is some waiting which has to |
be dsne in this world when there really |
isn't anything to do but wait Perhaps |
the belated may be one we call JUS |
tice, or maybe Recognition or Kind |
Words, or even at the last, Death, who |
Is late in coming.
fair correspondent writes for in |
formation about typography. Briefly |
speaking, Typography Is the art OF |
burning wood-not in the way prac-
ticed by many housekeepers in this day |
hu bn