The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-06-14

| for doing and for making the Dest use of the talent I have?" Life is oppor- tunity. Let person have aim and pur- pose. and opportunities to accomplish that purpose will present themselves like buds at the kiss of spring. The most i'm portant thing is to know what we want We are too much inclined to wait for large opportunities. and hope to do great things If we are not prepared to do great things we would not recognize the opportunity when We meet 1t. Do you not have opportunities to learn to love, to help, to console opportunities to deny yourselves, to be polite, obliging. dis erect. amiable, and to be silent when 1t is best? tii Fl Ladies of Birmingham have met op- portunities and have done great and noble work in behalf of the sick, the needy and helpless. The hospitals, home for the orphans. organizations for meet ing the needs of those in want, and the Industrial School for Boys stand out as conspicuous evidence of marked activity of unselhsh women imbued with love for humanity
 We love to speak of prosperous Birmng ham, as a whole, are prosperous, but that does not mean that there is not a large number burdened with care and anxious from day to day as to the necessities of llfe-many mothers left with the care of
 
 existence for them many discouraged and bowed down with disappointment and sorrow-dont you think you could help some of these?
 One of our Birmingham women, with the assistance of others in the women's federated societies in that state, took the lead inbehalf of child labor. and while her opponents were shrewd enough to have a law regulating child labor without ma- phinarv p p forfa if she and lnf ciates deserve none the less credit. They will doubtless see the next time that the law will be made stronger and eff fective All honor to the women who are striving to save these children whose bodies and souls are being dwarfted. and who are to be citizens of this state If they can live to maturity. Strong men are eight hours a day. and thus have eight hours for recreation-yet these little creatures of tender age are expected to work twelve hours a day in close rooms, laden with dust and lint and grow up to be men and women.
 Voltaire said: Opportunity for doing mischief is found an hundred times a day; of doing good once year" It is just as this inidel cynic saw life. It is true that it is easy to do wrong-the downward course is broad and plain-but life is full of beauty as well as hideous- ness. Each one has the power to choose between good and evil. Those who pre- fer hatred to love. lies to the truth and pleasure to joy will find ample occasions. If we have a high purpose and consider the reward of true life here and beyond, we will choose the better things. To throw away life is the greatest crime we can commit. It is our duty to live. While the body is doomed to decay, the soul Is made to rise towards God. The right opportunities. then, are those which make us more God-lke, strong, patient, active, fair and wise. Cultivate the sweet cour- tesies of life, and let your words be words of encourag cement and kindness. "oh word is gem, or a stone, or a
 song
 Or flame, or a two-edged sword Or rose in bloom, or a sweet perfume, Or drop of gall, is a word. You may choose your word like a con-
 noisseur,
 And polish 1t up with art, But the word that sways, and stirs and
 stays,
 Is the word that comes from the heart.
 weeks,
 But 1t will not glow like one That, all unsought, leaps forth white hot When the fountains of feeling run. You may hammer away on the anvil of
 thought,
 And fashion your word with care, But unless you are stirred to the depths.
 the word
 Shall die on the empty air.
 \ For the word that comes from the brain
 alone, Alone to the brain will speed; But the word from the soul finds a broad-
 CT goal,
 And that is the word men heed"