The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-08
From Harper's Bazar

community where the peOple were | 4 , rich, where it was considered l proper to eat too much, to dress too gor-. geously and to labor very little. She dressed quietly. lived simply, and worked honestly for six or eight hours every day, keeping only the evening for recreation with her husband. She really must have been very queer.
 | She gave no large receptions and kept no human automaton in attendance upon her door bell. Instead, she kept a guest chamber fragrant and ready for visitors | from out of town! There was always place at her table for the friend who would go to her. And many went from the east and the west, and were strength- ened and refreshed ea ae 1 Slowly, one by one, she brought into her. home such beautiful things as she and her husband valued and could afford-a quaint l bit of furniture, good rug, a choice pie ture, precious books. And all these things spoke together coherent language; but l they were not understood.
 She made garden for herself and her children and worked in 1t a long time every day. She taught her little ones to plant and foster flowers and fruit. and how to attract the birds. She made them feel the superb rush of the growing time, the esctacy of the blossom time and the peace of the days of fruitage. She gave them the love of light, color and frag- rance, a knowledge of the clean odor Of the earth after rains. And her children became healthy and helpful, truthful and beautiful.
 And her neghbors realized that she would not live as they lived. and they re- sented it. And when they spoke of her they said:
 q suppose she's pleasant enough; but then she would have to be, for she hasn't a particle of style"
 Probably she is one of those prig- ish people who think they can reform the world"
 | NO. I would not invite her, if l were you. She never entertains, and she would nrobably criticise the way you did things or preach you a sermon on the simple life "
 Her house? Well, it is just about what you would expect. The things are all good enough, but they are not at all what people are usiJg nows It's always the way with these conceited people who try 10 be original, and won't have house furnisher do everything properly.
 "No. I would not trouble to call if ]
 were you. When people are queer like
 that there is no telling how far 1t may
 go She may be-not our sort at all, you
 know"
 "Well. I always have felt that there
 must be something not auite-ah-refned
 about a woman who likes doing so much
 of her own housework."
 ''Yes, and have noticed her working III
 that garden with spade just like
 day laborer and the children dirty as
 little pgs?"
 'Yes, and I feel that you never can
 get children to grow up with any ldeaS of proprietw if you are so stlngy t''a' you won't keep a nurse to look aitei |, them properly
 Only inc cleaning woman, who went tc
 her once a week, said:
 .She ain't much fer fuss and feathers
 but she's kind and good. She makes , body feel kinder human and decent ahe self-res pectin', and fdirather work there , than anywhere else.'
 The queer woman moved into another . town where most of the people were poor. They labored too much without purpose. ate and drank carelessly, ah'
 were either slovenly or gaudy in dress ah' manners They looked out on lie wi,i eyes asauint. But the queer woman iNe'
 just as she had lived in the rich co"'
 munity She made her new nome pea"
 tiful with her slowly accumulated treas
 ures. She made a new garden as "on l. derful as the first. She kept her 'uea' f intact. And her new neighbors saio. n "She dresses like a swell. cal i"' fl sine thinks she's too stylish fer us. m .'I reckon she ain't the kind you ''' o count on to help with church supper ~ e lead the prayers at the Ladies A",. C Her man must have nara 'ii'e r if with ali the house company she naf l. It's a wicked extravagance to pc a"' l. entertainin' like that" 6 .'They say she has real grand iu'''''u' an her front rom Probably she spena