The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-06-24
REVELATTONS OF A WIFE
What madse Felt Constrained TO say eel
Her Stranue Visitor
ADELE GARRISON :

I Her Strange Nlsltor,
! What can / do for you. AIRS. Hadley?"
asked the question perfunctorily OF
/ the visitor who sat opposite me. / had
no Idea what "our great cause.-The ex-
cuse She had given for calling upon me
might mean. but wished OF course.
! to be courteous to my caller. even though
her thinly disguised air Of snobbery did
irrltate me.
| She sat up a triffle straighter in her
chair, evidently braelng herself for the
| task of eulightening me. Her action
| confirmed my suspicion that she was
unused 70 talking to strangers. A more
| experienced worker would have leaned
comfortably toward me and have put
me at my ease.
1.-THE representative women OF the
county," she began in a nervous. stac-
cato voice, pronouncing each word as
| though it were capitalized had q
] whimsical idea that she was mentally
| adding "of whom / am one"-'thave
/ formed an organization for the promot-
| ing OF war gardens. Mrs. A. Of oyster
/ Bay Mrs. z. Of Garden City, Mrs. c.. OF
! Glen Cove, Mrs. D, Of Hempstead"-she
| named four women whose names
| recognized as social and philanthropic
| Ieaders-are members OF the board OF
J
Marvin. Each member is supposed to
| divide her home village into districts,
and to entrust sach to a leader. have
come to ask you to be the leader for
this district
What She Asked.
I paid her a mental tribute. SIS
might be inexperienced, snobbish, but
she knew how to come to the point She
had left out one vital item, however.
had an unworthy feline pleasure in point
| ing out to her.
| ''What work are these leaders supposed
| to perform2" I asked smoothly. And
just what is the purpose Of this war gar
den organizationg"
She flushed, and there was a CLEAN
| OF resentment in her eyes. But she
didn't lose her self possession.
But you surely must have heard OF
| the war gardens" she said in a tone
that put me distinctly without the pale
If I dared to reply in the negative.
II have read about them" I returned
suaveT. but I would naturally like to
know just what you wish done"
She considered a moment.
I'VE are trying to induce every owner
of plot Of ground to plant Il 70 pota-
toes and other vegetables" she said
| EaCn district AedueE IS 10 set the GN~
| ample by putting all her own grounds
into gardens, and is to canvass the resi-
dents Of her district and get the prom
Use Of each to follow her example.
You're q newcomer to Marvin. under
stand, Mrs. Graham, but your grounds
are 50 large I thought they would make
a splendid starting point II you could
only be induced to turn them into gar
dens"
To do the woman justice suppose
she didn't realize how offensive her
| manner was. She had given me clearly
to understand that the only reason for
my being asked to become a district
leader was on account OF our unusually
iarge lawns. I determined TO spar a bit
with her.
do you mean you would Ike ms to
plough up the lawn?" I asked.
THAT is what we are trying to get
| every one to do" she said. lawns, ten
mis- court, golf links. they're superflu-
Gus at this time, don't you Think"
| "Pardon Ny Mistake.
! Perhaps So I returned, but have
you ever studied, Mrs Hsdley, the soil
Of tennis court or that OF golf iinksT'
mo, have not" she returned
Il think you'll find that they would
be useless for garden purposes unless
more money than they would be worth
were expended on them" / said. And
! the waste Of money which has already
been used in preparing them would be
! enormous
"AhI' she said diagreeably, you have
a tennis court, I understand"
yes, one on which Mr.. Graham has
| put a great deal OF time and money"
returned. I'm sure he wouldn't plough
| It up. But shall be very glad TO plant
| a large garden-indeed. ] had already
| planned one. But how much OF our
lawn I can give I don't know. And I
! couldn't possibly take the position OF
district leader. have duties which
would make II impossible"
Am I to infer, Mrs. Graham, that
You do not approve Of the war garden
work, or, perhaps. OF other patriotic
| work." The sneer was evident.
| thought Of my work in the secret
service under Lillian, which 50 absorbed
my time that couldn't take care Of my
! sick mother-in-law, and smiled inward
( ~. But there was no smile on my lips
as I faced the intolerant woman before
me.
Il certainly do approve Of war garden
I work. I declared with emphasis. II
believe that every household should
raise all the vegetables II can. But I
think It the height Of folly for the work
to be placed in the hands Of inexperi-
eneed, impractical, hysterical persons,
who advocate such absurdities as plant
ing potatoes on tennis courts. and who,
with all the vast tracts Of waste land
in our country, would destroy the
beauty Of the home lawns"
Il trust you Will pardon my mistake
in coming here" she said stiniy, rising.
"Good morning"
Good morning, Mrs. Hadley," I re-
turned, trifle ashamed Of myself, but
not remorseful.