The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-12
THE PRIDE OF POVERTY


Green Is a snob.'
"What has she got to be- sno6by
about?" asked Rosie Robinson. Her
clothes?"
i The Briefly parlor where he
Neishborhood Improvement club was
holding social meeting Uttered, for
everybody knew how lacking In style
was Miss Myrtle's dress.
Clothes don't cut any figure with
a snob," laughed Maria Martin.
Money can buy them. "It's ances-
tors and old mahogany furniture and
i handed down family silver and CHI
ma that Noah ate off Of In the ark.
The room was scream OF laughter
this time.
II don't see any use Of family china
when you never have company" said
Rosie. And the year and half she's
been living in cur neishborhood Miss
Green hasn't given single function.
I'm her mas lifetime, when they
lived in the Seventh street house, they
used to have lot OF parties" de-
clared Eva Porter who always seem
ed to have inside information on every
subject. Swell ones, with a caterer
and hired walters in swallowtails."
Didn't / tell you Myrtle Greene
was a. born snob?" persisted Mrs.
Brierley "She doesn't entertain now
because she considers herself superior to
her environment"
"Then why didn't she stay where
she belonged and flock with birds of
her own kind of feather?" commented
Rosie.
We'll guess the old Seventh street
house was about falling to pieces"
informed Eva Porter. And it was
too large and lonesome for one person
to live in and take care Of, and nowa-
days you can't get servants, no matter
what you pay en-"
And Miss Myrtle seems to love her
little home and garden and take as
much pride in the new western addi-
ton as any of u.s." said Abbey Shires in
her kindly way.
That's what don't understand"
chimed in Cynthia Blake. when
we first talked of having the N. /. C.,
Miss Green was enthusiastic. Had
all sorts Of ideas about cleaning up
back yards and having shade trees
planted in front, and soliciting SUBJ
scriptions for children's playground.
But the moment we decided to have
pleasant social meetings around at the
different houses she dropped out"
What did / tell you?" triumphed
Mrs. Ed Brierley. Myrtle Green
doesn't wish to mingle with us So
cially. THAT the reason she always
has some ridiculous excuse, up her
sleeve for refusing all invitations"
We'll, she misses lot" emphatically
declared Rosie Robinson. 81 don't be-
lieve there's any neighborhood that en-
tertains as frequently as ours-or always
has such nice eats at its parties"
Dear me, what a reputat ton to live
up to-" exclaimed Mrs. Ed Brierley,
with mock nervousness as she rose to
lead the way into the dining room
where beautifully set table with a
large bowl of dollhouse flowers in the
center. offered an elaborate collation. of
crab salad, three kinds of sandwiches.
chocolate with whipped cream and
strawberry shortcake-straw berries be-
ing just in market.
Mrs. Ed Brierley's indignation at her
next door neighbours snobbishness be-
came the more resentful the week fol.
lowing the n. l. c. meeting when Mrs.
Lydia Perkins of New York was
guest in her house and all sorts Of
companies" were given in her honor.
Miss Myrtle Green alone holding aloof,
/ offering the most absurd excuses why
she could not be present at the varied
affairs, while the only attention she
paid the much feted lady was to run
In informally one morning with a hand
full Of pansies grown in her own gar.
den. The idea! When Lydia Perkins
was having all sorts of gorgeous flow
ers sent her from the florists.
"ShA thinks hapaaif 40 o,,v,a~sA~ ~.
anything she pleases to do should re-
celve our most humble thanks!" Mrs.
Ed Brierley exploded. But she'll not
patronize me! !"
/ From that time on, when she
CHANGED to meet Miss Myrtle Green.
one could almost hear the ice click
in her manner.
And she positively forbade her two
children going into the next door yard,
with the result of frequent walls from
Pink, carried back. into the house Just
as she was stealing out the front gate
ana more than one whipping for Peggy
caught in the act of defying parental
authority. For the children adored Miss
Myrtle and the simple little came
brick tea and cooky" parties as Pink
called them that they had at her home.
Again it was time for the N, I. G..
to have social meeting at Mrs. Ed
But on the day appointed not once
dld the little front gate give its &C.
customed slam, not once did the front
door bell ring.
Instead chance passerby cast
startled glance at the Brierley house,
then either FASTENED their steps or dart.
ed across to the opposite side Of the
street.
For conspicuously placed was the
white glare of diptheria sign put up
that morning.
Within Mrs. Ed Brierley was about
distracted. Both children had been
taken i'll almost simultaneously and
little Pink was very sick child. Her
husband was away on a business trim.
Nora: the maid servant, had packed
and left just before the quarantine Of
ticers arrival. And as It was one of
those unreasonable years when. srippe.
pneumonia and diphtheria were ram.
pant nurse could not be found for
love or money.
With all the Homework and two
sick children on ones hands was nd
JOKE at best, and Pink and Peggy had
been so phenomenally healthy their
sickness.
BY the time the anxious. heavy
burdened day drew to a close-with
the sense of helplessness and panicky-
ness that in the time of sickness comes
with the night-Mrs. Ed Brierley was
fairly desperate.
AT the moment Of dark despair
when Pink's temperature went up
aiarmingly and she failed to get the
doctor on the telephone-the bell rang.
and opening the door who should step
briskly into the hall hnt Mia Mrrtis