The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1924-12-11
JUST COMMON PEOPLE

d lew mornings ago, when HUE girl crOSSeu
Hauser Avenue on her wa yto school, She carried
dainty umbrella in one hand and little school
book in the other She was neatly dressed, her
little frock and shoes were not DID, but it was evil
dent alta glance that she was protecting her book
from the snow storm that ragged about her
Probably she was afraid the wind would blow
her lesson avay-that lesson that she had studied
so hard to get. Her teacher had told her and the
other members of.her class that she should study
hard and she valued the good opinion of her
teacher secondl only to that of her father and
mother After>supper the evening before, her
father had tried to help her, but you know, he
had gone to school back in the days when one
learned his A, B, C's as a foundation instead of
following the modern phonetic method of which
he knew little OF nothing. So after ALL she had to
do the task herself and she did. What was her
name you ask? Well, it wasn't Yvonne or Evelyn
or Thelma or Theda Her name was Mary Ruth.
You see her parents are Just Common People.
Half block behind her came her big brother,
boy of perhaps eight years of age He had no
umbrella and no book. Why should he or any boy
carrysan umbrella? Such things are for girls.
Andas for book, he didn't seem to need that
either for he seemed always to have his lesson
andahis teacher considered him one of the best
pupils in her room. He was Whistling and, thanks
to his cap beak, the tune and the snow flakes had
no drastic clash Just then he was dreaming
boys dream of summer of green fields and run
ming brooks and shady dells, of fishing pools and
swimming holes, of red Strawberries and wild
plurns. No,his name WASH Reginald or PercNal
or Lionel or Bertram. His name was John Francis
though he was known to his school boy friends by
the simple cognomen, jack even though his
teacher called him John. His parents you rernen1-
ber,Rare just common people and John Francis
was named for his mothers brother back in
Kansas. ...s, UNI 4...oF
The parents of these children are Just Com
mon People The father works in the mines or
down in the yards or in Rtshop or store here in
Red Lodge apd the naother AS just common hard
working, motherly Womanly woman They are
paying for their little horns, on the instaament
plan, but still they find time and means to in
struct and educate their children and keep them
in clothes and books. Frugal living is oftentimes
a blessing in disguise. Luxury too often robs the
mind and hardens the tender heart Of childhood,
with it's paetpges and its shams. Real heart and
soul sympafl finds ats truest perfection among
the humble-t the common people Affiuence may
please the eye and the imagination with it's glitter
and its artifce but simplicity and sympathy and
suffering sound every noteo the human soul
That family lives here IN Red Lodge, Monr
tana, and are known as Just Common PeoplA.
They pay their debts, educate their children, are
good neghbors and make little show in the world
of fashion They are Just Common People -
When assessor w. H. Gebo comes round they
tell him that they are worth about 100000 but
the fact is they are worth millions. They do not
give him an inventory of their wealth in content
1nent and integrity and frugality and fidelity and
leve and sympathy. They never mention the I'M
told value of those two children, It cannot even
be estimated for they will grow up and be not only
an honor to their parents but real heritage to
orr mfr md fbo I.
just Common People. '9s@1l F9 a11'
Someone has said that it is from the common
people that uncommon people spring. Come to
think OF It. that is true for had there been no Com