The Washington herald., 1914-03-08
KEEPING LENT SHOULD
EXTEND TO THE HEART
Woman Who Brags of Self-denials, But Goes on Cos
siping and Grumbling Has None of the True
Spirit of the Season.

ways Holier- Than Thou Woman gave
her look of utter contempt and when
the meeting was at an end brushed
by her without a greeting, and Joined
The e-Timld-Woman. with whom she
had come
I Don't you think she ought to be
ashamed to come to the meetings when
she never does any work." The-Al-
ways Holier Than Thou Woman asked
her companion as they made their way
TO the street, adding that she didn't
think any one who wasn't willing to
work for the Master should be allowed
to wear the cross which proclaims to
the world that she Is Daughter OF
the King, and her companion, because
she is The-Timid- Woman, said she
thought so. TOO.
Other members of the chapter Joined
them at the street corner. and they
all quite agreed with The-Always-
Holier- Than -Thou-Woman that The
Quiet Woman was a disgrace to the
organization which they represented.
and when they had exhausted her
shortcomings they turned to other mat
tiers OF gossip, until The-Timid Woman
said she must be on her way, as she
must get home to her children"
PITY she can't teach that houseful Of
hers to depend on themselves a little" re-
marked The Always Holier- Than Thou
Woman, who had let her companion go
on alone. declaring that her fifteen-year-
old daughter would have things ready for
her when she got home or get what was
coming to her." and SO she stayed to Cos
sip and criticise. and grumble for another
half hour. and when at last she reached
home she thought the best of the little
daughter a very poor best indeed. and
scolded her soundly. Unfortunately, the
Good Man reminded his wife that her ia
vorite actress was in town, quite forget
ting that the theater was to be foregone
during Lent. whereupon The-Always-
olier-Than-Thou-Wom flew into a
rage. declaring that il would take 'an
angel from Heaven to keep Lent in that
house." and was so disturbed that she
left them to do the dishes" while she
went out 20 restore her peace of mind in
gossipy visit TO friends who would
understand"
The-Quiet-womsn.
From the meeting of the Daughters Of
the King The-Quiet-Woman went directly
to the home which bears the grace of her
personality. and when her evening work
had been done; the children tucked snugly
in bed: and the hour she gives them for a
little heart-to-heart talk gone by, she
went down to her peaceful living-room
where her husband sat reading his paper
before a cheerful open fire, and as she
looked about her. and knew deep down in
the faithful heart of her that the refined
restful atmosphere of her home was of
her making, a glow of happiness spread
over her, and somehow she could not help
thinking of the boastful manner in which
The Always Holier- Than Thou Woman
had recited her Lenten self-denials. and
she could not but remember the scorn in
the look which had been given her when
she had said that she had dome nothing
worth the telling" AS she sat there in
the firc-glow of the home. to the happi-
ness and beauty Of which she gives her
first consideration she prayed within her
heart that God would continue her
strength 10 do her work well: would help
her turn the trend of her thoughts al
ways into the channel of contentment: to
keep her tongue from gossip. and slander,
and criticism, and fault-finding. and help
her keep the self-sacrificing spirit Of
Lent through every day of all the year,
seeing first to the comfort and happiness
Of those within her own immediate keep
ing.
And when she had made her heart petit
tiOn for courage to do her simple duty in
! life. she added fervently:
Make me strong enough to do the
right for rights sake without crying
my deeds from the housetops"