Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-09-27
OUR HOUSEHOLD
NOHuuCItU Dy
LIZZIE o. THOMAS.


LIZZIE o. THOMAS.
1.-The top o'the morning to vel" as our
Irish cousins say. 1 hope that every
one of you has entered this fall cam
paign against gloom and depression.
Into each life some rain must fall"
and the trouble that has touched all of
has tendency to keep us forever in the
gloom. But that is not right. Our Sa-
viour was "a man of sorrows and ac-
quainted with grief yet He said, Let
not your heart be troubled" And David
cast off his sadness as soon as his child
died.
Everywhere that L have been, since 1
left my home in Alabama, there has
been at least one in crepe or a lighter
mourning. 1 do not want to appear
heartless, 1 am not theorizing, when my
own brother died l did not wear black.
1t is not healthy for mind or body.
Gods flowers and sunsets and skies pro-
claim the doctrine of cheerfulnesS and
we must not do less for our fellow
workers in this time of tribulation. Be
a litter, not a leaner, and as the days
pass strength and wisdom will increase.
Tuesday found me in Atlanta, and for
three days I've been seeing things. So
many of my friends are actively engag-
ed in Red Cross Christian association
and all sorts of committees to help the
soldiers, the well ones as much as those
in the hospitals. Next week l hope
to tell you of some definite work that L
want you to help in for / have travelled
around with my ears and eyes open.
Did you know that nut shells and
peach stones are used in making gas
masks? Don't ask me how in the world,
for 1 do not know. But there are bar
rels in the Hobbies and entrances of
some of the big stores here with the re-
quest that peach stones and nut shells
be thrown in there to help make gas
masks for the soldiers.
l find the rich women quite as busy
ip actual work as the poor ones, and
their cars are in daily service. 1 rode
to the hospital at Mcpherson with a
lady who gives three days in every week
to the sick soldiers. She writes their
letters and reads to them. That is
very responsible position, and such
woman must be well poised, mentally
and spiritually; must DE Endorsed by
the highest authorities and be a wom-
an able to meet all sorts of people with
d
look on the gloomy side Of life and the
things that some of them imagine are
as far from the truth as the north and
south poles are apart. When I lived
in Atlanta 1 saw the breakfasts brought
some people in hospitals and they vera
daintier, better cooked and more whole
some than what they had at home, yet
there were all sorts of complaints.
These sick and wounded soldiers are
human, they. did not get perfect be-
cause they put on the uniform, and those
same men when in the trenches were
heroic; but illness has Slapped the nerves.
the woman who reads TO them must
know how to meet conditions and help
the boys to get their viewpoint ad-
justed. She must also be able to write
the letters with the least sensation
possible. One man now laughs and tells
how many "scares" he put in a letter
to his sweetheart because he said she
enjoyed thrills" The censor was alsu
sensible and that letter contained only
the facts that he is well and busy when
she received it, I was on the train with
a war-hride. She married last March
and her husband is going 70 France at
an early date. She says she was raised
close to her husbands farm and thev
always expected to marry some day.
But when the prospect of war loomed
up she saw that his mother needed a
daughter and she married right away.
They are not rich people, but she is
thrifty and when he was put in a can.
teen in a southern camp she decided
to make him a visit. She got work in
a ten-cent store and paid her expenses
two weeks. I admire people who get
busy and do things There are women,
moptng at home who might do as this
girl nd, get vacation and at the same
time make glad the heart OF some abb
sent one For Mercy's sake don't sigh
and wear long face!
Did you see the page of smiles in A
recent magazine? German propaganda
turks in every sigh 1t takes courage to
standin in the trenches. to
bulance. to work as the Salvation
Army lassies do when they take coffee
and doughnuts to the men brought to
the rear. and the same sort of courage
is needed by the women at home.
My mother is knitting for the soldiers.
and even on the train saw women knit
ting. Can't you do your bit? If you can
do no more you can take a glass OF
your best jelly to the Red Cross nearest
Won and let them sell It, or send II TO
some hospital.
I did not intend to write to you along
this line at this time, but "out of the
abundance Of the heart the mouth
speaketh," hence these lines. All of us
cannot knit, nor visit the sick, nor work
for the War Savings Stamps, but every