Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-06-15
Complex
Problem

In low rocker before the fire sat
the doctors wife darning stockings.
Somewhere back in the room sat the
doctor, reading his newspaper.
The doctors wife addressed the
fire, but the doctor answered. He
knew it was useless to try to read
when his wife had something on her
mind.
Il wonder what's going to become
of us" said the Doctors wife.
"Of whom asked the doctor.
"Of us Americans"
What's the matter now?" ques-
toned the doctor
I'm wondering where our Ameri
can housekeepers are coming from.
This afternoon, Just as / passed big
office building. three girls came out
and walked ahead of me. You should
have seen how they were dressed and
how they acted"
Young girls?"
"Of course"
swell, how were they dressed"
You know, it was the usual way
hair puffed out, short skirts, low
necks. I don't object to all of that.
You don't want them to dress like
back numbers. But you should have
seen their shoes and stockings"
Don't l know? You needn't tell
me about the astonishing lack Of
sense that some women display"
And men, too
"Oh, well, men, too, l suppose. But
you started the conversation about
girls"
Yes, was going to tell you. Those
three girls were dressed as thin as
could be. Not one of them had on a
wrap, and you know how cold and
damp it's been today. But that wasn't
the worst Two had on velvet shoes
and the other girl had on satin ones
that were all run down at the heels
and the satin torn. All of the three
had on such short skirts that you
could see their thin, flimsy silk stock
ings. In fact. / thought one had on
black and white stockings till | no
ticed that the white spots were places
where the stitches had given out"
We'll, what about all that?"
81 walked back of them to the cor
ner of the next street. They crossed
the muddy, dirty pavement, and
know they must have got their feet
wet. l watched them for a few min
utes and saw them go into cheap
ice cream parlor. and then"
And then what
We'll, I've been thinking. How can
such girls keep house and have homes
that give man chance to make
something of himself?"
They can't"
Then what's going to become of us
Americans?"
ASK the university professors. I'm
only doctor"
"Oh, l know what the university
professors say. They tell you thai
our hope lies in the immigrants, the
people from the country, and all that
But. ten to one, these were daughters
of immigrants or country girls them
selves"
do you know, madam, that | sa
down here to read my newspaper"
Yes, / know. But I'm thinking
Anyway, l didn't ask you to answer
You don't have to answer If you dom
want to. You see, l don't believe II
darning and mending as much as ny
mother did. We don't have to. Times
are different and things don't have t.
last so long; but girls should b.
taught to take care of things to rea
sonable extent"
The man laid down his newspaper
I'm surprised at you" he said.
"Why?"
Don't you know that the majorit!
of people are abnormal?"
Il really never thought about that
Maybe you're right. People are kint
of crazy nowadays, l believe. III
very unstylish to dress warm and com
Portable when the weather's cold, ant
women surely are crazy about thei
hats and shoes-from their heads t
their feet"
81 tell you It's a fact" said the doc
tor. I'm not joking. Don't see it II
my business every day."
Il suppose you do Doctors ough
to understand people, if anybody does
But if we think most persons are at