San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-26

. There is young woman OF my
acquaintance whose entire attitude
steward life might be summed up in
three words-"What's the use?'
|. Her circumstances are average !;
rfhere are a good husband, two nice
Schildren, two servants, one car, one
country club, one yearly trip to New
York in her life, she is pretty and
popular and talented-perhaps a lit
~tle above the average.
= But when anyone suggests TO her
that she go on a committee, join the
French class, take goof bracing
ewalk, plan a dinner party, or do any
.other one OF a hundred things, she
Says smilingly:
"Oh, but it's such a bother! What's
the use?"
. 1t is not that she is lazy; on the
scontrary, she feels herself able to do
.anything-if she wanted to.
But she is reluctant to really work
with French, because she never may
go TO France, so what's the use?
. She doesn't want to have the
tSmiths to dinner, because they are
sonly in town for a few days, and
whats the use?
: As for the Joneses, they are always
.here and one can have them any
time, so what's the use?
She sees one friend joyously alb
seorbed in gardening, troy ling in a
hot garden path on a June day, and
.says pleasantly:
o MARY, it makes me tired to watch
you! ought to clean up my garden.
but what's the use?'
= AL to write to another friend,
she answers:
- II would, my dear But nothing
ever happens here, so what's the use?"
A Frightful State of Mind.
!. 1t seems TO me that this is a fright
.&ul state of mind.
- Not but what we all know touches
of It, moments when there is more
ssawdust than doll-more pill than
1e"v-and when a great WEAKNESS
comes over us, and we stop short, in
eur brisk running of the sewing ma
chine, or our busy Smelling of the peas,
and feel rising in us that disturbing
question:
what is it all for? This will be
worn out, or these will be eaten, in SO
: short a time! What's the use?"
. And in these moments life seems
only an endless succession Of fulfill.
ties-washing dishes and pots thar
they may be made dirty; pressing
clothes that they may b crumpled;
rising fresh and energetic only
promptly to become weary and rum
pied again.
Which one of US has not whipped
eggs and chopped nuts and crumbled
bread enthusiastically for long hour,
just for the satisfaction Of the two
minutes in which the pudding sur
wives the onslaught of the children's
appetites?
But, thank God, the tiCe Of salts
Faction with this puzzling existence
comes flooding back again. and all
the dear domestic duties-winding the
clock and feeding the cat and picking
up the little "undies" that still keep
The shapes Of the soft little bodies
thr' so recently wore them-become
sacred privileges again, the outward.
visible, tangible signs of a mysterious
inner grace.
And then TO feel that the Sunday
Chickens and ice cream are well under
way, and the beds made, and flowers
in the sitting room, and a fresh tiff
dress waiting for each small girl, fills
Dne's soul with deep, exquisite peace
phce more.
We're a Poor Lot.
!, The "what's the use" attitude is
sur ely logical, we can't defend
ourselves. We're a poor lot. we
humans, and from the hour of our
birth we cost more every week in
Tears and money and work and worry
than the best of US is worth in a life
time: there's nothing to be said fo'
US, and il tonight our particular speck
b the great solar system bumped
mt some other speck, and everyone
of us vanished in a scrap of charred
blackness,. a good deal of misery and
puzzlement would be averted.
But meanwhile, what delight, to
awaken every morning tc a fresh day,
fresh hot coffee and toast, haitian
hours music, the Italian lesson at ter,
doughnut making at eleven, lunch with
Mollie and the baby, and then the
carrying Of the doughnuts out to the
Old Ladies' home. Oh, yes, and the
Sohnsons to dinner, and nah jongg.
= To be sure, one does not expect
eyer to give piano concerts, or ever.
70 60 to Italy, the old ladies will live
5nst as long-perhaps even longer =
without the doughnuts, and as for
Mollie and the Johnsons-what's the
use?
But, so regarded, what's the use of
&nything?
y Why be crowned in westmins .er,