Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-09

My Dear HousehOlders: am knocking
though l am not at all sure you will hear. fOI
each Householder seems to be expressing then
thoughts in such original and intensely in
teresting way that l fell rather an intruder
Have any Of you realized how many weeks
of the new year" Father Time has ALREADY
meted out to US. and do we know anything We
have really accomplished in these weeks? TC
me 1t seems but yesterday since we were
wishing joyous Christmas and glad New
Year. Now the year, be 1t glad or Otherwise
is feeling rather old already.
Not long ago heard a young girl say, "0h
l just doing this to kill time!' ''Kil
time'-and l tried to weigh those words. fol-
somehow they rang in my ears. l wondered
If she knew that in all the pages of the FOOLS
dictionary she could not have found a sillieI
phrase or more senseless remark. To what
object and what goal she striving to dc
away with time? Was ii until her school days
were ended? If so. she would one day awake
TO be bitterly conscious of the fact that she
had made a terrible vacuum of her mind.
do not believe that opportunity presents Itself
One opportunity does and we never know quite
which is the greatest until, perhaps, it has
passed on. But there are thousands, nay, mil
lions in life time. Still the girl who kills
time" through her school days is allowing the
most important Of all opportunities to pass un
needed. If she is "killing time" until the
day that she intends entering the matrimonial
state she is almost imbecile. There are
countless housewifely duties and arts that she
should master. and there is never a time that
her mind does not need the broadening eff
feet that is a result only high Chased liter
allure. Every day should have a purpose In
view.
If she is calmly awaiting the greatest Of ali
days when she is to be heralded into the
presence of her Creator. is it possible that she
should try to kill the time? Time is God
given, and how will she answer the questions
from the seat of Judgment? 'How have the
talents been spent?'
To me, it seems, that more ill-spent lives
have resulted from an ignorance of personal
powers than from any other cause. We came
from a mysterious world and we are bundles
n mysteries n q EnO
Of what we are capable until make an ef
fort to keep on striving to find out II
mothers and teachers could implant in the wee
minds that 1t is not enough for the boys and
girls to read and dream OF great men and
women. but that they can and must be great
themselves, IL would be a wonderful thing.
fortunate enough to run across a little
book of Edward Howard Griggs', not long ago
called 1.-The Margin" 1t caused me to think
What are we doing with the margin? The
household duties, the mendlng, the garden work,
the missionary meetings and so on. are really
duties. but what are we doing with the mar
gin OF our days that is not spent in anything
special? Perhaps you viii say: margin
How would You suppose l had any. with all
these children to mend and cook for. not to
mention Johns things to to? Then there
are the chickens and the garden. and the
washing and ironing. and-and-but, goodness
me, don't mention margin unless you had all ]
But, how often do you sit a whole afternoon
or a whole morning discussing some neighbor.
hood gossip Your hands are idle and your
pleasant than neighbours call and chat But
beseech of you not to continually MUNICH a
bit Of scandal. To be sure, your neighbors
may not keep up on current events. But eau
you not lead them from home gossip to think
OF things you know about that are really
healthful to their minds? Did you ever feel
better Otter discussing bits of gossip for an
hour so?
Sometimes and once In while there comes
to us 1.-THE call Of the Wild" to speak. We
want change n brief visit from the every
day hum-drum things that necessary TO
our welfare We, country folk, cannot do bet
ter than take a short run into the peaceful,
calm. restful woods and learn a lesson from
the trees and birds. Just ST. alone for a few
minutes and mediate. 1t does a world of good.
and the work will seem ever 20 much lighter
when we enter the kitchen again.
This really sounds preachy, ! am afraid and
sermons are cheap, you know Anyway I al
ways eagerly welcome the Chats Ny moth
er thinks that Miss Thomas is ideal woman,
and /, well, think just the rest of the
Honseholders, that she is most lovable.
Good wishes to all. "L. T.. c."