The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-09

, cay. But alas. how untrue is life's dream-how useless to plan for what
 might bel was growing-going out into the world to see both sides; to as- sociate first with the babe, then the young girl and now she pins me to the lapel of her sweet heast's coat. begin a new era I must play ball: l
 must swim and l have the opportunity to say ugly words when things don't please. The violets are faded. they must
 go, what of me? Thanks to kind fate his pocket is torn and he secures the corners with poor little me.
 In utter darkness I must follow his way. peculiar mixture I find in my bondage-tobacco. chewing gum and pair or brass knucks. This is the teen age boy he does not know 1t; he thinks he Is man. and has got him girl He loves her when he Is with her and plays ball with her when he is with the boys; oh, she's a pearl, he says, and there are dozens like her. He has forgotten the sis ter at home, the girl that may be some other boy claims for his best. Is she peach, too? Does he ever stop to think fof the delicate character he handles as he
 would baseball? And just to sound big, bats 1t for fun. Does he know the harm
 of his rough jokes? Does he think this
 makes the man? A true man protects girl from the laughter and critism of the coarser kind. Is he going to be a sure
 enough man? Am I to be hidden always and glad of it in the pocket of this poor specimen of a sweetheart. or will he not some day realize what it means to merit the true girls fancy? The violets are gone; has mankind? Oh, I wish l could pin him down to high class specimen worthy of the girl l. know. I am so tired or these old trousers. l want to pin the beautiful bloom of youth on big brave boys coat again, and I want to carry him
 to see my girl and tell her this is a true
 kind; this Is the boy who is brave, is strong and loves right. He wears the vio- let every day; 1t may not be on his coat, but his heart is filled with its fragrance,
 his life is true and he loves his friends and | respects the girls. He has & sister and | honors her, and demands the same of other boys and gives the same in return. am only pin, manufactured for ser vice. If I were a girl I'd be a high-cass girl; I'd make the world brighter with my laughter; I'd make it better with my purpose; would aim at the purest, great est thing in all the world-a well poised womanhood. If were a boy I'd be some thing above the ordinary; I'd be man in thought, in deed. in action: even If I had to make it out of the toughest material I'd polish myself; I'd hew myself down
 and build man, for all the world depends on well-made products
 i I have layed low in my lifes errands. I
 nave been through storms, I have been lost and found. am a pin still, and will
 always be- I don't want to rust The old pants have been layed away am with them still, but I hope to continue
 my usefulness and see lifes journey to
 the end. I would like to cling to the moving world. I would pin myself to some tnlng worth while, even the little things Yearn for Rraafpr .
 rose be without its fragrance, and yet thorn grows by It's side Thus it is
 life has It's blessings and it's ills; I have seen both and hope to keep on seeing un- LII lind spot above the rut. a home Where neither rust ,or indifference would
 interfere with the usefulnes sof everything
 created or manufactured for life's bert
 purpose. In the meantime I await my
 resurrection from the dingy pocket to new life in service that will give ma
 opportunity; even pin is madA to be
 useful' to serve somewhere, someone.