The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-29
8 S y ~! III e!
V"s 3l.S Experiences Of Krsnix SzirAx ia tie Movie,
NAOMI LEARNS A SECRET

TO think that love is womans whole
existence"
why do you suppose she never
married, Virginia."
Il thing principally because grand
father has always looked upon her rs
Gods last and best gift to him
direct reward by Providence, as it
were, for being born man."
Il didn't know you were man.
hater, Virginia"
II am not l think | like men bet
ter than women. but / hate men like
my grandfather. who, in their selfish
ness expect woman is only born 10
do their will. Such a man never
looks upon a woman as human
being. She is only his woman, one
of the inmates of his home, AMI
whether she is his old mother, his
present wife or his young daughter,
she is his property.
Aunt Virginia would have made
wonderful wife and mother to the
right kind of a man, but evidently
she could not take her wares to the
right market. Grandfather, you
know, never allowed either her or my
mother to go where there were any
boys or young men. After his wife
died he seemed to understand only
that he must have a woman in his
home to cook and care for him and
make him comfortable, and he has
seen to it that at least one of his
daughters has fulfilled the old-fash-
toned law laid down for our sex.
And now, Naomi, dear, listen, for
l am going to tell you a big secret"
ooh, Virginia, are you in love?"
Goodness, no! l am not going 20
fall In love for long time and when
7 Il oh. \.
band, grandfather or no grandfather.
There are other important accrets
that a woman may have. Mine IS
that l am going to get out of this
town as soon as l can and never
come backn
What! Where are you going?" de-
manded Naomi breathlessly.
Il don't know yet, but l am ready
to go at the first opportunity. l
wish l had been old enough to have
gone across during the World war.
There must have been thrill in
those days for any woman over there.
Do you know, Naomi, l don't think /
could fall in love with any man who
had not fought over there"
rs that why you don't want 20
marry Eddie Montforth?"
Il don't want to marry any one
and settle down in this place. Eddie
Montforth seems perfectly content 20
live on his broad acres all the rest
of his days as his father did before
him. The very way in which he
agrees with grandfather makes me-
feel that we both would be under
grandfather's thumb as long as he
lives.
Il am eager to see the world, Ma
omi 1 can hardly sleep nights for
thinking of il. / want to do some
of the things that we read other
young women are doing nowadays.
want to earn my own living. l
want some of the thrills that the
world will give me. Yes, want -
try my wings even though l SINCE
them, and when l marry, | want to
do SO because l love some man so
much that / feel 1 cannot live with
out him, rather than because l want
to carry out the promise of some
silly hope-chest tradition.
Naomi Sanderscn drew a trembling
breath / did not know whether Il
was of terror or admiration-ani
then she whispered: Your mother.
Virginia, went out into the world, dill
she not? What became of her? Was
she happy? Is she alive?"
II do not know. Naomi whether
my mother was happy or not.
Neither grandfather nor Aunt
Virginia ever mention her to me. l
have gathered that she ran away
and married my father while she was
at boarding school. This so exas-
perated my grandfather that he for
babe her name ever to be spoken in
our house She lived only year
after marriage and died when l was
born. Whether she was happy or
whether my father is still alive has
never been told me. What my
fathers name was / do not know.
Eut ] shall ask Aunt Virginia all
about it before l go away. She will
tell me.
when l was graduated from high
school | asked if l could go to the
seminary at Philadelphia. The re-
quest brought such a torrent of con-
demnation upon my head that l did
not dare rebel when my grandfather
Numbered in patriarchal tones:
No. Your mother went to q
seminary. was weak enough to le:
her do that and see what she came
to-
And what did she come TOT
found courage to ask meekly.
Never mention her name to me
again. roared grandfather. She
brought disgrace upon a God-fear-
ing family
Il started to ask just how she dill