The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-06

"The world may be all that" said Miss Lucretia peremptorily, but who's con- sistent?n
 Sounds like a postoffice somewhere down in Texas-the way you say 1t, oo- served Nancy.
 The cause of all this moralizing is that came down on the train the other day with Jane Ashton and l was terribly sor- ry when saw she was on the train" said Miss Lucretia. "I knew, she knew that I knew, all about the trouble she's been having in her home life: how unhap- oily married she is; and all about her d. vorce I avoided the subject in every way possible. but she brought it up.
 You don't mean it. said Nancy, aston ished.
 "I do" nodded Miss Lucretia. "She didn't say anything directly about herself but she said she thought it was simply awful that Fanny Leathers didn't accept the man in Washington who has been dead in love with her for the past five yearss l told her that I knew Fanny had good reasons for not doing so; the first being that the man in question was notn- ing more than a besotted drunkard, and furthermore, that she really didn't love him."
 'T wish you might have heard Jane argue" Miss Lucretia continued. He's probably the last chance Fanny will ever have" said Jane. "She ought to consider l that''
 Well" said. q thought it was rather 8 queer view to take of things-to marry drunkard that you don't love just be- cause he happens to be your last chance"
 What could she say to that line Of argument?' asked Nancy.
 "She said" Miss Lucretia answered, ,,i,.l body than to remain an old maid that even the very worst kind of married ex- istence is better than the life of a lonely spinstere
 Miss Lucretia laughed softly as she de- ''.-~-~1 this information-as though she knew. ta| T
 .lt reminds me she said after time, 'of 8 girl I used to know up in Chicago. She was very fond of charity work of all kinds; in fact she had given over her life to it. and at the time my story takes place she was about 45 years old It was one Christmas l was visiting her, and she asked me 10 go with her on one of her phlanthropic jaunts. It was in a far downtown neighborhood. and when we arrived at the house we went up the rickety cid staircase invading the n em- ises without ceremony going right into the apartment of a certain tenant, said tenant happening to be very sharp tongued Irish woman, who was bent over I wash tub elbow deep in the soap studs and knee deep in children. The place was s't'''' ~e1 i'll rent and the woman most rude and insulting. After offering her ae tion-the Irish woman accepting the aims without ceremony or thanks-as we opened the door my friend said to me:
 These, my dear, belong to the great Great Unwashed."
 Quick as a flash the Irish woman strengthened up for she had heard the stage whisper, and said;
 Sure, an you belong to the Great Un- kissed. an that's why you are here pry- ing into other women's business'
 Nancy's laughter resounded throughout the house
 caded behind her washtub and a swarm : ing brood of dirty children. pittying your rich spinster friend, who had everything spoke the worlds attitude, said Nancy presently "Old maids arc consider ed Life's step-chldren."
 Now, really, Miss Lucreta. don't you think the Irish woman was right. asked Nancy, when that lady remained persist ently silent ''It seems to me it is better to have some human interest in life-even a lazy, drunken old husband. you have 10 keep sober half the time, and half a dozen children who keep you busy the other half trying to keep them clean. than 10 go through life a Single standard lady ? think it would be far better to have 10