The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-17
Fond FdreWells' Not So
Violent AS They Used To Be
Season of leave Taking and Seeing Off HereThe Bet
ter Way Is to Go and Then Notify Your FriendsJust
Loathes to Be Kissed and Codded When
She's Dressed Up In Her Travelling
Clothes


This is the season of leave-takings and
fsrewells.
There be those who go on journeys,
and yet those who take voyages, and
still others who stay at home.
To the JOYS of the latter be 1t said that
the pleasure is added of seeing the for
mer off.
Cant you recall the time when you
couldn't even bulge out of town with
out personally conducted tour TO the
station by all the sisters and the cousins
and the aunts and frequently several of
the neighbors to add to the gaety Of the
festive occasion?
There the traveller while waiting for the
train was reminded that fresh mud was
certain relief for bee stings; that the chill
winds of the country make it necessary 10
sleep under blankets; that molasses and
sulphur is the best thing In the world for
purifying the blood, and that on no ac-
count must overshoes be left off on damp
ana rainy days.
And thus with her mind stored with
all the first-ads to the injured and the
uninjured, the traveller was escorted to
the Pullman car. but en- route she was
embraced and kissed violently some dozen
or two times by every relative, friend and
lady In waiting at the train, and then
when once aboard she was expected to
wave and wave a fond farewell until the
train whistled and was off
II remember how they used to see me
off when went to school in New York,
said a clever woman the other day when
a congenial little coterie discussed the
subject I'VE lived in a little south Ala
bama town and my mother wanted me 10
be educated at the same school that she
attended, and consequently early In sep
tember | was started off to complete my
education. I went away knowing that
wouldn't see my family until the next
June. and so the leave-takings were OF
the variety known as linked sweetness
long -dra wn-out.'
.wasn't 1t awful?" asked an interested
member of the group. Il hope you dloh
have to go through the performance many
septembers.'
For three years / had the same old
story each autumn and for week before
L
rible routine Imaginable" replied the vic
tim
II had to call on every person of our
acquaintance in the village, ana there
were innumerable farewell parties in my
honor" continued the speaker, but the
greatest agony oCsne upon the day l1elt
1t does sound mean and unappreciative 10
say So but the experience was down.
right narrowing After / had said good
hive. twice or three times to everybody
In the town, and wept countless tunes
an the shoulders of my best friends, and
for DAYS had felt the salt tears rising
to the surface EVERY time | passed
member of my family, when ! arrived at
the station the self-safe thing had to be
gone over again only in a much more ag-
gravated FORM
at was worse than funeral or pro-
tracted meeting, wasn't it?'' asked an in
terested member of the group
Absolutely sepulchral,' said the vic
Tim II can see myself now walking
eolemnly down the line and shaking
hands with each and embracing brothers.
mother. father and sister, as the conduc-
tor shouted
''All aboard
and then staggering with blinded eyes
toward the train"
And is there anything worse than
weeping copiously when your race is
powdered and you are dressed up in your
best bib and tucker ready for traveling?'
asked another
"Of course not" said the victim. 1T
IL so much better just to sneak away be-
tween suns, as it were, and not let any
body know you are going, and after you
have departed send them a line and tell
them about 1t. But, of course, mother
would have been Mortified beyond words.
and with her oll-fashioned ideas would
have thought 1t ungrateful and unnatural
Then there was the lunch she had fixed
with her own dear hands. when ! was
dying to take my meals In the dining
ear. not to speak of all the little remem-
ORANGES from the family and friends.
which would have been an migrate II
! hadn't appreciated, worse than Gonerh
or Regain who treated old Lear Hike
step child, on, yes, it's an awful bore
to be told goodbye"
mot nearly so bad as seeing people
en- interrupted another of the group
who had been listening attentively to the
walls and the woes of the traveller
MAYBE IL you could have looked into