The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-17

Actey SOITiSdn OIL new 1OrH
played Cinderella the other day.
Mary is the maidservant of Mrs. Al
ma Webster Powell, society woman,
In order to please her mistress Mary
wore a $3.50 gown at Mrs. Powelrs
masked ball and mingled with the
guests in her borrowed plumes until
time to unmask.
She looked like the others.
Mary was born in Ireland 2s years
ago. She has sparkling blue eyes and
thick raven hair. She has a lot of good
sense and good heart
All of which is revealed by her con-
illusions after playing the society game
for few hours. Mary says:
Il wouldn't want to be society
woman. because 1 am not used to that
kind of hard work.
Il don't like a low-necked dress be-
cause 1t is cold, and, besides, 1t makes
me ashamed
1T would worry me to think of all
the hungry I could feed If sold that
dress. That's the way I'd feel If l were
miilionaire's wife, so I guess I'm not
lady"
Well, perhaps Mary is not a lady OF
the Mrs. Powell class, but at heart and
In reality she is very much of a lady.
And were she to undertake the socie-
ty role she would after awhile get used
to the hard work" and the dissipation
of the Mrs. Powell sort.
And she gradually would grow ac-
customed to the indecency of extreme
decollete gowns.
And she would forget to worry about
the hungry people she could feed by the
sale of $3.50 gowns. She could do nil
this by hardening her heart, by blunt
ing her keen sensibilities.
But this Mary, like the one in the
New Testament, has chosen the better
part.
She has no call to worry about social
standing or the ways of exclusive
cliques. She need not dress every tins
she eats. She need not fuss and fume
over her maidseryants and manser-
wants. She can go to bed when she
gets tired and without fearing burglars
may get her Jewels. And
But why catalog the woes of the
very rich and socially ambitious?
Mary has chosen the better part. She
can retain her native modesty and hel
bright eyes and glowing cheeks ant
by and by marry some honest Irish lac
and be happy.
And out of her slender means OF
furnishing plenty she can sometime.
feed the poor whose distresses toucf
her gentle and compassionate heart.
Yes; Mary has chosen the better part
The Cry Of the Child
The other day 1 visited a large or
phan asylum.
The spectacle of SO many little waits
orphaned babes, would make any hear
sad. Not one of these poor kideeni
has a mother to bind up its little hurt
L nj tn
or to tuck 1t in bed and listen to TIN
lisping prayer.
| Moth erless!
There Is no other word in the Ian
guage full of so much sorrow.
But. on the whole, / was glad 70
my visit. Here was the cry Of TIL
notherless being heard and answers
in my day.
Ever read the story of M.chelangel,
and the street urchin?
Everybody in his day knew tn
great, kind hearted artist. And SO OF
one occasion a little street waif con
piece Of paper and besought the art
list to make a picture.
| Michelangelo loved children, and h
sat down there on the curbstone an
made picture for the boy. Woul
the sketch had been preserved!
Now you would predict that an ap
peal from a child would touch the hear
of big man like the great painter
| But
In Michelangelo's day there were n
orphan asylums worthy of the namt
In his day parents might sell thci
children as bond slaves and often d.
so. and the CHI lid slavery of that tim
is full of cruelty and sometimes deatf
Why. even within tho memory Of oil
men in England the child was chat
tel, the property of the parent, espe
cially the father.
Orphan asylums and homes 70
friendless children and humane socie
ties are tho fndices Of this age. you
age and mine. the best and brightes
epoch in the worlds sad history.
Let me put this picture over agains
that OF Michelangelo and the boy:
Theodore Roosevelt stood IN the req
platform shaking hands with grea
crowd of people. Looking beyond tn
crowd, he saw on Its outskirts for
' - 'ittle figure OF girl who locke
timidly and hopefully toward hin
se roosevelt was President {
the United States, but
Pushing aside the throng. he jumpe
down, made his way to tho little ma!
and, after shaking her hand. took hi
boutonniere from his coat and gave
to the little one.
There Is the difference between tn
age Of Michelangelo and the age {
Theodore Roosevelt.
Here and there In the former days