The Ordway new era., 1911-11-17
A Way
People Have

married their duty to their relatives
ceases instantly. while every ones
duty to them 10 Immediately increased
ten fold?"
II can't say that I over did," an
swered tho placid girl. who accepts
the world as she finds It But what
made you think Of It just novr
"Oh. met Bertha Stone today.
You know she had been planning on
this summer vacation for whole year
to carry out special project. When
l asked her about 1t she told me that
just as she was ready to 90 her sis
ter's children were both taken sick
and she devoted the entire two weeks
to helping care for them"
II suppose she thought It was her
duty" interposed the placid girl
gently.
But when Bertha was sick last win
ter It was no ones duty to take care
OF her and she had to 60 to the hos
pital." argued the observing girl. THE
worst Of the present case IL that as
soon az the children were well hei
sister left them In caro- OF an aunt
while she went to the country for
rest and Bertha came back to the Of
nee all tired out to work another
year."
That was hard" agreed the placid
girl. sympathetically.
Then there was Doris Thompson
who kept house for her brother Jack
It was dreadfully hard for Doris tc
work downtown all day and take care
OF the fiat, too. But she insisted that
both she and Jack NEEDED home. al
though we all knew she did It more
for Jacks sake than her own. When
Jack was married she fully expected
to make her home with them. but
they gave her to understand that mar
ried people were much better OF by
themselves. However. they suddenly
changed their minds when the twins
arrived. and then It Immediately be
came Doris duty to live with them
II remember how sorry we all felt
for Mrs. Robinson when Alice mar
ried. She was the only child and had
been her mothers constant com.
panion. They had always declared
they would never be separated. but
that when Alice married she would
live with them in the big house. But
she welded a poor man and decided
in favor OF love in a cottage. Her
mother and father declared she was
quite right and fought down their
loneliness as best they could: y But
when she had three children to take
care OF and could not afford maid
Alice came to the conclusion that 1t
was a shame for mother to be alone in
that big house. and accordingly moved
her family over.
There also was Aunt Janet Long.
who brought up family Of nieces and
nephews. Not because she was able
to do SO financially. but because as
she had no husband or children all
the relatives considered It her duty to
do SO and she. poor weak soul. gave
up her life to the task. Now they're
all married and. OF course. could not
think OF having their home invaded
by an old maid aunt who has ways.
so she lives Alone. But whenever there
are sick headaches. extra work or ba-
bies Aunt Janet is sent for post haste
and never fails to respond.
"You remember that spoiled girl.
Nellie Mayne. who in all her life
never thought Of doing an unselfish
act for anyone Because she was pret-
ty and insisted on being petted and
having her own way she always had
the best OF everything at home and
her 5rothers and sisters all had to
give up to her. They expected great
things of her and were heart tbroken
when she ran away and married a
good-for-nothing young scamp who had
Nothing to recommend him but a hand
some face. Now they have allowed
themselves the luxury of a large fam
lily Of babies that they cannot support.
duty to help them out.
"Of course" pursued the observing
girl''I am fully aware that married
people are much better Off by them
selves At the same time 1t seems a
bit cne-sided and rather unfair to their
relatives to let It be known that since
they have each other everyone else is
an outsider and must expect nothing
from them. but as soon rs they need
assist" nee their people must fall over
one another to be the first on the
spot"
What is to be done about IT." the
placid one inquired
Nothing at ALL" and the Observing
girl dismissed the subject with a
shrug.