The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-21
SIX WORD PICTURES FROM LIFE

We have often heard "one half the
world knows nothing of how the other
half lives
Determined to find some of the vari-
rites that go to make the number Of
people we casually meet every day, we
questioned a half dozen women to know
just what use they made of their time.
When we began this tour OF investiga-
ticn we thought we'd get some express
sion on the cost of living-of the politi-
cal views of homemakers, and of social
conditions of neighborhoods. We little
dreamed we were going to dig right
down in the hearts of folks and find
such troublesome problems. These lit
tie romances of life came pouring to US
freely as the clear water from an over
flowing spring-yes bounding forth
with an eagerness to unburden them
selves-to relieve the situation with
talk
Number one appeared on a shoppinS
tour. She had lighted from her capa-
cious car" and after giving the driver
numerous directions she turned TO us
with look of despair and said "A
car is so much trouble" Ne had
thought it SO much pleasure. We
spotted her as subject Number J."
After the usual greetings leaving the
weather out of the question. We cas-
ually remarked: You have made an
early start" Handing out badly scrib-
bled manuscript she said: u should
think l need to. when this Is to be
bought and one has sewing woman
waiting at home. | never am even
with my duties, or l would have shop
ped before engaging the seamstress:
now If l don't take her today l shall
have to wait a week My husband has
just notified me he has arranged for a
month at Atlantic City, and you know
that means clothes. and 1 am entirely
without, and the children have worn
their spring clothes threadbare." She
did not pause; the reply was through
one long sentence, and the poor clerk
looked as If it were all talk. Pointing
to some goods before her. she knew
at once none would do. She was de-
termined to appear in something unlike
the Browns. Jones and Smiths and at
every party lately she had seen gowns
of that pattern. She was in Il hurry
too, because she had to get home in
time to have a gown pressed Tor Mrs.
somebody's tea, where she was to re-N
ceive. After ALL" she said, Il live in
such a hurry l wonder il it is worth
while, but my clothes are my greatest
care. never see the bills, and am
blessed with cook who buys and plans
everything; yet l am worn out with
home and the doctor says l must have
a decided change and salt baths. I'll
n W baO hac
come to see me-" And we told her we
would. We want TO see what the
change will do for her
We had barely gotten our poise over
that much ado about nothing" when a
woman tired and careworn, looking
Tor home. came in. Just anything
and anywhere. so she could settle down
and know she had something to do"
She was all broken up and had no
plans and nothing to lay a foundation
within other words she was at the
disposal of suggestion, and needed
somebody to tell her what to do. She
could neither sew nor cook, and was
most too old for general work and SO
she hardly knew where to turn.
We put the two pictures side by side
the one with a home all in a stew to
get away, and the one without hardly
knew IL she would ever have one II
these two real human beings could have
II there would be lesson of value to
either?
Further on our inquisitional tour we
found young girl pouting over a
pleasure disappointment. She had her
heart set on a new dress for the dance
and mother had decided to make her
wear the one she had, and all the other
girls were getting new clothes. Father
is feeling poor this month, and our bill
Is TO its limit" she says, and [ must
wait / hate this poor business, and
would almost rather stay at home than
wear this old dress. l Just wish l was
man. I'd dress my girls as well as
the next one. and IL | was a mother
I'd never rest until my daughter was
the best dressed girl in the crowd"
What an ambition, and the danger,
Here comes another young girl lead
Ing a tiny sister to the dentist She
left the other two children at home
with cook; this one had the toothache.
and then with a precious smile on her
face she said, "Since mamma died
have papa and the children to care for
am SO happy that l can do It, |
never realized the duties of home were
so many, and IL | had known 1t could
have saved mamma so much Now.
however, l am trying to walk in her
steps and am thankful for the desire
to do my best. Girls never realize no W
much there lis in home for their atten-
tion unless the duties fall upon them
as they have come. to me. 1t Is an aW-
fuf price to pay for the lesson"
We thought we had made good be-
ginning in the variety so far, and de-
cided we would not stop until we
found two newly weds who were home
making, just for curiosity to see what
progress they had made toward a good
beginning or how near they were to a
bad ending. We vowed they should
not be advertised, that this was our
secret; that the story would be told In
order that the two sides of life could
be shown up for the benefit Of others
hut the names of the actors, or the
scenes of the stages would never be
known.
Number s. we will call her, says.
I'VE have a darling little home-one OF
S25 down and SIS month kind.
would not consent 10 marry Jack until
he promised to stretch tent of oui
own and give me the allowance that
we read much in housekeeping
stories. We married and our tent and
our allowance was forthcoming. The