The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-25
Any Woman Can

A NINA MARSHALL sat staring at A the long grocery bill that had
 just been presented to her. She had supposed that her husband had paid for it, and the fact that he had not told her the reverse brought to mind many things. These things filled her heart with doubt and fear and re- gret. She drew long breath and read each item over again. There was not one thing which she could have omit ted. For long time now they had had none but the simplest necessities of living. Yet it seemed she must econ- omize still further.
 Ray was uot of work; he was always out of work lately; and they were get unconcerned by it. It seemed to her ting sadly behind. Debt was the hor- TOT of Ada's life, but Ray seemed quite that her two children were going to get a very bad start if their father kept on in this way, yet what could she do to inspire Ray with more ambition?
 Her mothers warning came to her no wbitterly:
 You're going to marry a Marshall and no Marshall ever yet provided for his home and family"
 Even though she had known this to be true Ada had been very happy when she married Ray. She loved him and she thought she could make a man of him. Now after eight years she must own to herself that she had failed.
 As she rose to file the bill away with others her four-year-old daughter Nor ma ran into the roomy wet from head to foot. She had got in line with the hose with which her father was sprink- ling the grass and received shower bath.
 "Oh, Norma :" Ada said, and for an instant she felt as if the tears must come. Then she stripped the childish little figure of the soaked garments and put on fresh ones. Last of all, she took from her work basket the frock she had just finished for Norma charming little dress, though it's begin ming had been only a breadth or two of an old linen skirt of her own.
 She was fastening the last buttons when her next-door neighbor entered.
 What a pretty little dress v she ex- claimed. Did you make it, Ada?"
 ''Yes, out of a rag, as you might say. But it takes nothing to make a gar ment for a child," Ada added, apolo- geClcally.
 The other woman, who was prosper ous and soundly sensible, hesitated an instant while her eyes appeared to avoid worn-out rug and the patches on Ada's shoes.
 My dear," she said at last, you've a real talent for sewing. If you can make such lovely things for your own child you ought to be able to make them for other peoples. Why don't youT'-
 Into Adds eyes flashed a new look "a look of hope and resolution.
 T will," she said firmly.
 Two lines of advertisement in that weeks paper brought her a supply of work. Some of the materials were fine and she found real en- joyment in fashioning them into clothes for little children. Ray had grumbled a little at first at his wife's taking in sewing, but he soon fell into the habit of indifference. And the more she earned the less he tried to find work.
 Ada left him to work his destiny out alone while she sewed faster and fas- ter. She could have had three times as much work if she could have done it. It began to seem necessary that she have a larger home, where she could have a room for her work. Then perhaps she could have some one to help