Evening star., 1934-07-15

given to us. In fact, I used my very
best towels and linens throughout our
unemployment. had plenty of time to
wash and iron. And there is nothing
like fresh, fine linen to- keep up the
self-respect.
Our losses of the last two years have
been only material losses, while we have
gained immeasurably in the things that
really count. Millions of people today
know how easily security-material Sc
curity-may slip away. But a great
many of us have also found that it is
possible to keep secure the greatest
wealth Of all, the resources within our
selves. Until this depression, many a
man did not know himself truly. If he
knows now that he has courage, he
need never worry about another de-
preston. His future is secure.
We have learned that the amount of
our income is not so important. The
important thing is how We spend what
we earn. land we sure earn every cent
we get these days.) Our new attitude
about buying is that to be able to buy
today, we must have the money to pay
today. We are hoping that our children
will forget the time their parents lived
beyond their salary.
We have learned that some expendi-
lures are savings. We had made regular
trips to the dentist, so we had no dental
bills during our unemployment. Good,
serviceable tweed suits, and good, COM
Portable shoes and beds have proved to
be good investments. At first We felt,
as did every one, that the people who
rented were lucky. The landlord reduced
the rent and did everything to hold his
tenants. Those who had saved their
money and put it into houses had
nothing at all. But the bitter expert.
ences of others made us glad We had
the comfort and anchorage of our own
home.
We have learned, too, a great deal
about friendship and human nature.
Friend is a rare and precious word to
us now. We thought we had many
friends. We now have many acquaint-
ances, but few friends. One needs only
a few.
The few friends we have are new
ones. We live in delightful COM
muting town. But people do not want
to come to the country for the week
end without promise of diverting enter
tainment and good food. We were not
invited out to dinner nor taken to the
theater once during our unemployment.
Now that I can entertain again, my
guests are the real friends-the friends
made in adversely.
| WAS even able to relieve myself of
two burdenSome correspondents. One
was a school teacher with an made
quate education. She really needed
my book, and we had helped her out
financially at one time-So in letter
i sent her a description of the book.
No answer. The other was the wife of
an Army officer whose son was having
a hard time with his school work. Well
If you ever want some one to stop
writing to you, just try to sell her a
book.
Incidentally, we noticed that the bit
terest people throughout this depression
have been those with salary cuts-not
those who have lost their jobs. What
a fuss some of the salaried people, with
cuts, made about the tax on checks and
the bank moratorium. Neither of those
episodes disturbed u.s. All We had was
in our jeans.
We have also learned a great deal
about charity. And we have found that
individual help, given in the spirit Of
fellowship is most successful with the