The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-15
A STORY FOR THE TIMES
By MRS. J. B. REID

Have you ever had any real experience 1 with diversity? If not, try it. Nothing so extends the human capacity as to play III hard luck, to have to look about anu 1 struggle awhile. This was the con l elusion of Hannah after she had puiieo from A yunog and beautiful girlhood to a matured motherhood. She had crawled out from home of plenty caught on the outstretched arms of a promise or con
 tinued prosperity and clung to lie part ner who had as much hope in the
 chances of the future as she had herself possessed.
 Fred was young; he had inherited just
 enough money. to make him feel com-
 fortahle-far too comfortable to work and foo proud to begin a life of self-deniai. | The world was ablaze with pleasure there was no serious side to their destiny | They lived well, if having good thihss and good times were the only factors Ill the making of perfect life Little py h.- tlo as they journeyed on; the sparkle or society grew dim; the bank account hao almost succumbed to the many invasions on it's strength Then dawned new day il, their lives. Just as the first tiny voice echoed through the walls of their nome they realized the true situation, they hao struck the bottom, and at the very tune
 they needed most their snug fortune IL
 had gone in glory and wild speculation. Tho mother heart, kindled with the new
 life, warmed up to her responsioiii,s' while the father, proud of his offspring, could see no future. He groped Tn dark- . of difficulties visited by his own imprudence. i ,Man bewails his fate often while the
 woman plans to overcome It. Mother- hood had expanded every ambition III Hannah; the little babe had awakened her to a new life. Every beat of its ht- !, tie heart seemed a call for action. This t boy would be man some day; she must t plan his life and build his future
 The city was crowded, the atmosphere
 not conducive to health, and the nome
 must go. The father humiliated py ao-
 versity censured himself and hid peniho
 his own mistakes. The only hope was ol- \ 1 fered-a country place, and thls rom friend A friend who had seen the young ' couple start on their journey, who had dared to warn them and had met their
 displeasure realized the critical period
 in two splendid lives, and mastered the situation as a friend indeed.
 He had started along the same lines | and had failed He knew the whole story t-experience had taught him every pang;
 he had shivered with cold and had been
 warmed with kindness. This enabled him
 to be real friend.
 if It is one thing to point the way and an if other to offer the means. And to offer IS with such grace as to make one feeel you r. yourself are the beneficiary. This little n house in the country, on driveway ont mile from the city. not far from the coacf
 line would go to ruin if left vacant; e ca re-taker was needed, and Hannah tool d the job. Fred could get work in towr y and go back and forth, and the pao' Q. could have fresh air. And think what z d favor to Jack, to keep his investment II le repair. The country soon found the thre' 1T released from the anxiety of spending h money they did not have. Fred had S- job: lucky for man who had neve
 worked before there was little money t l. it. but experience was an asset fi' r: was learning life was not all pla! Id game. that it demanded the toll or n- men.
 It The job got bigger and better, and witt ly it the man. He worked from sun to sun or and turned his face homeward just a K night pulled her curtains down. The ligh e. in the distance meant home. a home tha ss held out to him the love and the chee t. that gave him the greatest of all wealth ll- happiness.
 Then the child wife grew under the Tn ,h huence of a real life. filled with tn he duties the cares and sacrifices that ripel ot the best motherhood. There she ha lis time to turn backward and count tn k. lost hours in frolics and extrayagances ad and here she was framing a character
 making home, strengthening the ma
 and building the boy. All of this was tn T | offspring of adversity She had taste the, bitterness of waste and had suppe
 sweetness from her cup of experience Life was full, hope lived again. and Ere and his partner had started fresh on the . journey. Not that the world was bel ter. not that opportunity was greater, bt they were prepared to meet thoughtfull e' the problems of revolving time. ar Youth paints a beautiful picture with es background of sunshine, and even stal ,f- shining overhead.
 re More mature years has the sunshir nd hidden behind the clouds, with the passin De storm rolling them away.
 es Age peeps over the clouds. beyond, in' ice the joys that came first and fastesn hoI sr- with the chains of experience.
 No darkness remains always, no tenn