The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-01
The Wom1an's Page of The Tmi2es-Dispatch
Unconscious Ideals

thinker tolls you about ideals and as
pirations that MI tho life OF men and
women. he frequently skips entirely
the small things that have touched
elbows with the INC" for tho years
that you have known anything at all.
He Is SO busy pratIns of the stars
that shine above Il mute-lipped SphynX
and the great highways OF mighty men
that he quito forgets the little sunny
spots that are only white with cherry
blossoms. lately shed, and green from
tho very JOY OF summer that lis COM
ing. 1t is, after all, the little old lady
with the funny. old fashioned bonnet
and the queer bit OF nod at the end
OF her sentences that comforted your
heart the day that your beautiful
Christmas doll in her brand-new gift
carriage rolled off the front porch and
broke into thousand wax and china
pieces She came rustling UP the steps.
all out or breath from her hurry and
she said. "Doar1e me- dearie me-" at
the top or each one until she got to
you. And IT was within the shelter
OF her rough black cloak that you then
and there decided when you grew IN
you wanted TO be q rather stout per
son with wobbly hat and wooden
gloves, who could hold little girls close
ana make them understand that tho
world was not lost for q broken Christ
mas doll. If you shut your eve. tipht
now, you may still feel the scratchines.
or her cloak On your wet check and
near again The glad things that che
sald because your carriage wasn't
broken. TOO Maybe II isn't much Of an
ideal 70 want to be a rheumatic old
lady in rusty coat, but IT was n won,
derful thought that she planted fin
your sobbinR. childigh bosom, that the
past may not be Inended perlaps brt
the charming OF building ancw with
good heart bcclsons onward to other
things. Sweet soul, she passed around
the corner OF your square, leaving Won
comforted and sustained You ana M,
teil her how you wanted TO grow nm
INTO just that sort OF an old lady. and
very quickly too. aud maybe she
never knew about IL. only you are quite
certain that beyond the range OF your
fearful vision rhe went az fas, "a. her
rect could carry her 10 help other little
girls see something better than iust "a
broken toy
and then thcre Is the faithful stew
ardship Of another Beside YOU and
before you. and wherever YOU turn &c
me toiiing face OF the Flooding friend
VINO VIII never get Beyond the narrow
1nope OF days achievement yet the
ines or those simple days are the
most fragrant incense In your daily
nc Sometimes you are certain that
you could never have gotten n sten
beyond tho narrow routine OF nothing
AZ ali, had II not been for the inspira
non or mo figure, faithful over n
rev things But you never told bI,,,
ut least. not In words OF tho boura
when your mind fairly rccled with tho
bright and rosy dreams of the future
when power and strength were given
INTO your hand that you might GO for
"ata. because OF tho plodding hours
ana the careful attention TO detail ne,
nf
gone too, leaving with you the desire
10 build to-day with the utmost care
and thought. in order that tomorrow
the work and field may be broader and
more far-reaciiing than ever before.
The most loving mother that YOU
know or, lived In ramHhackledy old
house somewhere. and the back door
sagscd on It's hinges, and the stuff!ng
was always and forever coming out
OF the parlor chairs. but it was the
grandest place TO play IL never
bothered her when all OF her girls and
hoys brought all OF YOU out to play.
ana she understood perfectly the pro-
priety OF building staEccoachcs out
OF bureau drawers and the library sofa
Her boys feet were never too muddy
TO get up on the bed beside her long
winter afternoons at story time and
Nou shut your eyes and hoped as hard
as ever you could that in your grown
w MUSE All the chairs would be
broken and all the boys have muddy
boots, whore the children might ronp
from dawn 10 dark in happy uncon-
Germ OF rugs and muslin spreads Now
that You have learned-wen, Il lot OF
things-you know that you want TO
Keep your growr-up house as sweet az
a fresh pink rose, but YOU know. as
well, that you Will have an under
standing heart fer little boys and small
daughters
why. YOU could fill book with lust
the tiny happenings that have touched
your life and made you want 10 be
what you want TO be: old ladies and
friends and really-truly mothers. mere
stones TO mark your passing down the
dusty road you have come, but they
have left their impress, and you will
come out into the brightness of a new
day with eyes filed with the mystery
and wonder OF what the world may yet
become. because OF them. Laurel
wreaths and honors hang upon the
walls of the Temple of Time for he
who will to take. and written fair In
letters OF gold are the names OF those
whom you have all but forgotten, but
they have wrought, silently, unostentn-
tiously through the years.
BRENT WITT.