The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-25

Any -nothing2
 It's such simple question-yes, simp1e-but by the time you've asked it of some 50 girls. widows and ma
 irons, to say nothing of men, 1t be- gins to get positively idiotie.
 When the B, E. (which Is not a brand of antiseptic solution, but the short for Big Boss) told us to write a treatise on Lenten abstinences and sacrifices 1t sounded so smoothly that We took half holiday off to kind of tighten up the breaks in prepara- tion for the job, expecting it to be a sort of landslide, but we have to con Tess 10 some disappointment.
 Getting the Dope.
 For days we poked around asking this question; storming busy girls in offices. sneaking into the privacy of boudors and hall bed rooms with the stealth of safe cracker and
 nsinuating ourself with the subtlety of A serpent into ehatty groups of girls as they rolled little pellets Of gossip under their tongues, firing f at them broadside:
 What arc you giving up for Lent?''
 We approached out-sized widows, and matronly stohts in elevators and fairly bomnarded them with 1t. What are you giving up. for Lent? 2"
 We intercepted wary spinsters stealing stealthily down back stairs ill futile effort to avoid us, and shrieked if at their fleeing backs. Ne waylaid our best friends broth CTS, and our chums' beaux, and led eoyly up to the subject. What are Xon giving up for Lentg'
 For answer, from the business girls we received cool stares and cold shoulders from the boudolr and hall bed room victims we were told not what they were giving up" but more often what they we're get ;ing" in the way of aftef-Bent tog- geHS. From the out-size widows and
 natronly stouts We usually received lectures served up in ''philosophic', ellets-suaranteed absolutely taste ,ess; from the wary spinsters we gathered only silent contempt; and rom the brothers and beaux we were the recipient of surreptltious glanees more or less admiring-whieh might mean much in | certain way--or nothing at all. But from no one did we receive q direct answer to the questions What are you siv- ing up for Lent2
 We were erestfallen. discouraged. tespondent.
 Giving Up.
 It seemed that no one vas giving up anything for Lent-ur anything else, That the only. way to get any body te give tip anything at all-- even information--wh to jar 'em loose from it.. Yet somehow we couldn't help feeling that there were those in our midst who did give up" things for Lent, if only there was some way of finding it out.
 We went to our rooms, hooked our heels over the top rung of our chair. up cur hait a lH Eva Tan Suayt which is supposed to be condu- rive to serious thought, and tried to hit upon St me way to make people talk for publication. But nothing came. Our will and mind were at deadlock. We had just about decided We would have to pigeonhole the sub feet, for time at least. and ask the D. |. for another assignment, which Is bad policy in newspa perdem, when in popped Jaqe Eaves
 What are you giving up for -ent2" we hurled at her. like sol- 'tler delivering fnsillade to the enemy though Jane was my best friend. Tine thing struck in vital spe t she did a Dersish spin and landed in the middle of my bed Saved.
 sNou've saved my life. I'm yours forever she said. set ting herself across the skirt of my best frock. and helping herself to~two # the last three chocolate creams on ny dresser. '1tn giving Il pre-Len- .ea party, and I've killed the cat and paved up tine yard trying to find sonle stunt that isn't old enough to iave double chin and just when
 had given up all hopes of finding anything, and had come to you for 'ympathy, you hit me between the syes with the very idea I've been Tdnting. There'll be Is couples, counting the married ones, and I'll make every one of them tell what .e er she Is giving up for Lent, and give prizes for the best answers" tnd Jane helped herself to the re- chocolate cream.
 Hold on here. that's our idea July copyrighted with all future im- roservcd,'' we shouted, 'and the only way you can use 1t is J pay US d royalty"
 Jane agreed to .Ihis, and we were aadied lnterlocutor uf tie evening. ind from 3 D. in. to :50 q. m. we slood upon our royal dias and hurled .he question:: What are you giving ID for Ieut?" at maidens fair and men bizarre. keeping record of .he answers; which were guaranteed .o be true and correets according to he know edge, Information and be- ief of the person 'interlocuted."
 Patent applied for)
 What are you giving up for I.ent?" we asked Q dainty blonde of ne Country club district. as she stood b4fore an aspen palm. shim- uering and scintillating in silver ir- 'idescents
 cigarettes" she said. and held up wo tapering fingers upon which -here were visible dark brown 'tnins
 What. are you giving up?" This o rollicGlIng brunei from Glen frla in vivid blue gown, with poppy sardrops.
 spce.iinr Iiit.
 "speedIhssr sho promptly spoke up. It costs dad on an average of twen- Y mcnthg Add that up and see 7 hat it would ammint to by the inc I'm i0,' she laughed and pissed ,ii. making room for. flapper with soft brown eyes and "a rosebud nouth We wondered what this child lad to give up. Surely nothing mora han some ihutilated old doll
 I'm giving up kissing for 40 whole days and nights" shc chir- 'uped. and gave a slantwise glance it tile creslfalldn boy at her elbow.
 And what are You giving up?" we