The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-07-26
A PLEA FOR THE SHUT-lN
By Sophia Irene Loeb.

The hot weather is upon US. ne oi
she who can is running away from the
heat and turmoil of the city to the
COO, woods and soothing streams. IL
is good beyond all measure. This Is
the time when Mother Nature speaks
her "yarious language" There is
nothing SO warns the cookies of ones
heart as the making ready in antiel-
nation of the vacation period, OH
somewhere where one desires to CO.
But, ali, me, gentle reader, let me
take you for little while into nome
in very crowded section. There are
only three rooms. They are spotieSS-
ly clean.
The tables and floors have been
scrubbed almost to wilderness. EV-
erywhere you look you can see the
signs of rigid economy with which
his little home has been ruled.
At the window looking out into
the crowded back yard, filled with
fire escapes and clothes lines, sits a
young man in chair
At once you realize it is an unuS-
nal chair. 1t has been made Tor a
, purpose. The young man knows wen
the purpose. We need not 60 INTO
detail. His eyes are bright and keen
with the spirit of youth.
He has a firm jaw that has marked
hin men--men of achievement.
And he has achieved much over
, there he has played his part, and he Is
: paving the price that belongs to you
and me.
An open book lies on his lap. Bu'
= his mind is far fro nit, for he is gaz
: ;na out over the clothes line ant
! doubtlessly living over again tina
great day that layed him low AS n
>, is thinking his thoughts, a lovely llttl'
= = old lady steals up beside him AM
y y gently puts her arm about him.
n "Want anything, dearie?" sh
Is whispers tenderly, and the mothe
. love that endures for all time beam
- in every feature of her face.
Oh, the struggle, the beautl1'
struggle she has made. She sacr
D" feed her all to send him forth, tn
! Youngest son of her heart and sou
~ And there he is. Honorably di'
ed charged. He wears no insignia,
medals, but he has done his duty
a matter of course, and he will go
as matter of course.
The reward is in his heart and
In asks nothing. Neither does the lit
mother whose thin fingers show t
mt results of those whitened floors. In
Or are Americans. -,
No, they are not suffering ~
arl are not objects of charity In
av. want no aims. They will go on 81
aw ing and scrimping and doing the b
Ill. they can until the call comes a
they will answer again.
,o But what have you and to
'"' with them? Oh, so much, gen
reader. Somewhere, some place, n
son YOU is so-called "Shut-in."
'lth II NAV not be a soldier of W
: There are so many soldiers OF pc
Hiss soldiers of life--who have mi
the big fight, who have had their
Iur. battle for the bravery to endure
Jun. the mhas come the comparison
themselves against the well-a
at strong.
dav It has taken great courage to n
it. and many of the mhave come
800. upseathed and with spirit that
d. saints can understand. To them
'p owe much-the word of approval,
little bouquet, the glass of jelly
anu sweetmeat, the pretty cushion
oui drive in your automobile, the b.
the pleasant talk. .
we're When | stop to think how sin
day and easy it would be to make
also more worth living, more joyous
aft the shut-in men and women IN
midst every minute, | wonder tha'
1day can 20 on to our woods and
streams without pang OF rem
,eser and with a free conscience.
. A. "And where shall find them?
YOU ask. It is so easy. Any cons
! Lee ed section, any philanthropic org
seser cation will know where to find
where there is a "shut-in."
rain Seek him or her out and /
were something of the thrill that c.
with the knowledge of having
IL. ed to lift the load,