The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-01
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Ever since I have been on IHe Ase- Herald I have been living strenuous life, for up to the first of January was~ also the editor and owner of the Alabama Baptist.
 I look back on the past two years in amazement. for now that I have passed through the nightmare of my duties as a double -barreled editor, am at a loss to know how I ever got by. and can only explain 1t by the kindly forbearance of my readers.
 
 Friends continually asked me how I was able to keep my column, Meh' Women and Things" going every day when I was constantly on the go for the various war activities. I have no exclamation. I only know that somehow each day they appeared. in spite of my travels or my engagements when in Birmingham.
 
 I only know that my wife every no" and then, would quaintly suggest that she thought it would be good idea  with my family so that my boys might be able to know me by sight If they happened to meet me downtown any where. It sounded most reasonable and appealing, but somehow I never found time to do it.
 The thing which made it hard for nrQctt- cally every Sunday I was called out or I town to preach, or, If by chance, l got 1 to stay in the city and planned to worship with them, sometime between breakfast and church time the tele- phone bell would ring and there would he hurry call for me to fill soma city pulpit, and demands galore to make addresses in the afternoon. 1 Now, I am not pretending that l oid not get joy out of being able to serve those who made demands upon my time. but am merely trying to give tsome idea of just how little time | was getting at home-and I have 'ai- ways been great home lover ana loved to lounge about the hause or potter around the grounds, for, if l do say it. my home surroundings are attractive.
 I have three city lots My house is on the corner and the other lots are subdivided into rose and flower gar dens, lawn. orchard, COW lot chicken yard and vegetable garden. I had an old bachelor friend in Paris who had a small plot of ground and from him first learned how much can be got out of small lot, if properly handled.
 
 am sorry for a man who is free from hobbies. Every fellow ought 10 have at least one hobby horse to ride to death. One takes to books, another to paintings, another to music ah- other to Hunting. to fishing, to auto- mobiling, to golf or what not. I care mot what it is just so man has an outlet of some kind to take him away from his daily grind.
 Ten years ago I came out on the
 crest of hill facing Red mountain or , the south, overlooking the city on tht west A site with long views. and
 wanted 1t for a home, and it so hap
 pened that 1t could be bought. and , bought it. I had walked all ove' , Greater Birmingham and it was th' one place for which my heart yearned I had been boarding or renting for , half dozen years or more and l wanted home of my very own.
 It is a happy time in the life Of {
 young married couple when they pu their heads together to build their frs house. It's great to have to save an' gb without things because the mone.
 is needed for the great adventure il n building. I built right in the mids d of the panic when the banks were is y suing certificates and money was l. a premium, and it was struggle t 3. get the Saturday pay rolls a
 f It may be all right for the rich jus Il to turn over everything to the archt n tect and contractor and furnisher an ' then go to Europe or Palm Beach an f come back to find everything read
 and trained servants waiting to we' Il come them into their costly residence J but believe me, they miss som e of the joy of life if they haven't bee l. on the job day by day, altering her
 and there. and seeing 1t grow into tn
 semblance of home.
 Il Blessed is the young couple wh e have not been able to furnish the hom S, all at once but have had to wait an y plan and furnish only "a part. The n will know the pleasure of acquirln It every piece of furniture which goo S. into the place. I know a charmin l. fellow and his lovely wife who save re five years to furnish the dining rool ID in mahogany Into it went many sr theatre ticket, many a movie sea
 many little dinner at the hotel, man
 little excursion-the things they al
 without-but when they go& it al 'd gave their first dinner party they g' st their reward.
 it My home is very dear to me, for in l. 1t has gone the love, sacrifice ar u l savings of a wife, a true helpmet us and it's source of pride as sit he ~,sz ,I~v