The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-26
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

"@u Deeh driNins pretty hard for sev- eral days. and so when, Monday came l was bit let down and knew I would have to make a. fight to keep it from being blue" one
 l had not desire to write a story for this column. my nose for news was stop- ped up, my longing to read a book was low, my appetite for the weeklies was Jaded, and the preachers conference made no pull on me.
 Ordinarily nothing gives me more pleas- ure than to put in the morning with the pas'ors' for while the conference is in- tended both for entertainment and in- struction, l somehow had no desire to flock with my brethren in the ministry or hear any one discuss a religious sub Ject.
 had preached twice on Sunday and I wanted change. I am sure that many pastors break down because they do not know the necessity of relaxation or know ing it, will not take the time to indulge themselves, and sticking too close to their work suffer a nervous breakdown.
 
 have heard pastors who boasted that they never took a vacation as if it was something to be proud of and talked about, but I have been sorry for them and sorrier for their congregations. think every church ought to give it's pas tor months leave of absence and make 1t compulsory, both for its and his sake
 do not know that I can go far enough to agree with the cynical bachelor who said that there ought to be a law re- curing husbands and wives to be sep arated for at least 30 days during the year in order for them to learn some thing new to talk about outside of the usual family routine It was his beliet that if such law was put into operation it would cut down the number of di- vorces. There are others, however, who think that it works just the other way.
 This reminds me of a good friend of mine. He and his wife had been mar ried for a quarter of century and in all that time had never been parted from one another for more than a day or two at time. But his wife got it into her head that she ought to visit her people in an adjoining state, and made plans for a months stay
 The husband readily agreed that it was the proper thing to do, and then he con f6SSnd fn mo ba chance to drop down town after supper and go to the Lyric, the Bijou and the movies or the club. He admitted that he rather looked forward to his freedom with pleasure after 25 years of devoted service and attention for I never knew more chivalric married man in the lit- tile attentions which he showered on his better half
 Will not say that he had reached that state of mind of the old fellow who, hay Ting passed four score years and ten. companioned by a wife for more than 50 years. only in his old age to find it neces- sary to end up his day in the aims house | It was such a touching case that it ap-
  | the rule had fitted up a little cabin so that they might not be separated | Now his story was told me by a man in the employ of the government whose business it was to investigate charitol- ogical institutions throughout the coun- try, and it was related to him when he was going through poor house in one of the New England states. Naturally the overseers expected the old man to be overjoyed at what they had done, but when they informed him of the matter. he dryly said: T am much obleeged, but I believe I have had enuff of she. ' i It is not in the record what she would have said if she had been permitted to l express her views.
 1
 l But back to my friend, and what hap pened to him. He said, the first night as soon as I finished supper I hurried down to the great white way and felt like a school boy on a lark. I enjoyed the picture immensely, and when it was over went out into the glare feeling my free l got home and opened the door with my night key. and believe it or not I was just so lonely that I piled up in bed and cried like school girl on her first night at college. Never again am I going to let my wife leave me"
 ! We'll, back to my "blue" Monday. went out on the streets and wandered around for awhile, and seeing lot of boys buying tickets at Odeon II. con- cluded that would go in and hear them laugh, for sometimes, when everything else fails to arouse me, the merry laugh ter of a lot of children will turn the trick In I went and it was full of happy boys and girls.
 am not here entering into the morality of the thing, but am simply acting as a reporter of what I saw and heard Il was the concluding picture of thrilling serial called, 'The Man of Might" Xvi dently the ones which had gone before were exciting, for when the title wal thrown on the screens, the kids let out such a yell that the operator flashed "Boys you must be quiet" Then thu film began to run and the fun to de
 velop.
 The picture was full of fight, hair breadth escapes and blood curdling sit nations, and made one marvel at the in genuity and the expense to which tht moving picture producers go to stage [ photo-play and to wonder when the limi will be reached. I have never had any