The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-01
M D N , w O M E N
 A ND T H IN c s

The heart of Birmingham has ever beaten true to the calls of humanity and when Mignon Halls story ap- peared in Tuesdays Age Herald, say Ing that there were r families in Wylam in actual need of the neces- Saries of life, the response was im- mediate and generous.
 No one stopped to rake up the mat ter of the recent strike, or to inquire Into the matter of the open or the closed shop. All that anyone cared about was the fact that there were hungry children In the midst Of plenty, and by noon on Tuesday two truck loads of provisions and clothes were on their way to give succor.
 
 The public had confidence in the statements of Mrs. Mary Jenkins commander of the Wylam Benefit Re- view, and of Mrs. Pearl 'Croy, state commander of the Women's Benefit association of the Maccabees, and so all day Tuesday and on the forenoon of Wednesday contributions in cash, clothes or groceries were coming into The Age for distribution.
 
 Now, the thing about the gifts was the variety and the size. The pub lished list of cash ranged from 10 cents to s1o, while there was a. still wider range in the groceries, clothes and other articles sent in. I was glad to have & chance to come In contact with some of the givers and to have an opportunity to go out my self and see the recipients, and so welcomed the invitation to accom- pany Mrs. E. ". Barrett and Mignon Hall.
 Before going. however, I went down to the place of business of my friend 'Lige Chandler, who had kind ly agreed to put up in special boxes an assorted list of groceries at whole odlc IdtCSs Il6 IOL OHiy 0lQ LIllSJ but when he found out that the cash on hand to pay for them was about s15 short. he heartily said. "Oh, that's all right" and wouldn't hear to the sum being made up to pay his &C., count in full.
 But that isn't the best part of it, for when the big Age Herald truck was filled to it's capacity, he kind ly agreed to furnish his truck. Here arose a complication, for the driver was at lunch. but young soldier lad by the name of Morris was pass ing, and when asked if he could drive a truck, answered in the affirma- tive, and what's moro gladly volun- teered to do it without one cents pay, and this in spite of the fact that q job. It showed the right spirit, and I am going to try and help him get place.
 Mir. Croy showed too, that he was unselfsh in trying to help. and put in much time in Birmingham, as well as in Wylam, in aiding in every way possible. After the two trucks were loaded to their capacity 1t was found that there was enough left behind to fill another one, and this goes out this morning. I am sure of one thing, and that is that those who gave either clothes or groceries had their gifts properly placed where they would do the most good.
 It is not for me, man, to try and tell here of the things I saw with my own eyes. I can only say that what Mrs. Barrett and Miss Hall saw touched their womanly hearts to the depths. They met the women as sis ters, and for I all could tell they acted as fthey had been on neigh borly terms for years. In one home twins came near upsetting them both, for they vowed that they were just too cute for anything. An Italian lassie of some Is summers made them catch their breath at her beauty and grace.
 I think, however, that the prize optimist of those living in tents was a sunny dispositioned widow, bare- foot and with five children. with only a tent over her head, declaring. would you believe 1t. but my kiddies are healthier than they have ever been in their whole life" My, what a. rebuke to those who having much. vet spend their time in bewailing their fate. She ought to be pensioned tor her cheerfulness in the face of diversity.
 The thing which wrung my heart most was the sight of young lad caught fast in the arms of the great white plague. I never heard a whim- per from man, woman or child. There was a total absence of the profes- sional dependent. All of them were grateful in a natural way for the help, and the thought. uppermost in every homo was for the day to speed fly come when the man of the house could again become ware earner. .3nuNzLhMlAnaa>iH