The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-06-18
TAXPAYERS STRIKE URGED TAKOA CITIZENS BEsIEGE COUNC
NOW
another Failure
At Tidying Attic
BROKEN DOLLS
By HELEN ESSARY

tidied the family attic for the
season may dash out and break
all the Ten Commandments and
still feel a fine woman.
For what is obedience to the
laws Of Moses compared with
the pride she feels as she looks
about a spotless storage room
with the winter draperies and
moth balls in the boxes where
they belong? With the winter
clothes, just back from the
cleaners, now suspended in gar.
ment bags from the ceilings?
And all the things she couldn't
decide what to do with, but
hated to throw or give away,
because some day they might be
useful and she sort of liked them
anyhow, stuffed in the biggest
trunk?
Order is Heavens first law.
It may be the salvation of the
earth. But it is harder to pro-
mote nan a dying NRA.
An attic is made up Of a FAM
ily's loose ends. OF it's mistakes.
OF it's ambitions that never
could have been realized.
Phyllis has a trunk that
seems to be full of trash. Yet
when she attacked it the other
day, its odds and ends were
dance programs, menu cards,
corsage ribbons, love letters,
snap shot of school mates in
Paris and of holiday times in
the south of England, a half
finished apron she had made in
the fifth grade, tool leather of.
ferings to the family made at
camp, a diploma from the gram
mar school, and the wreath OF
flowers she wore when she
made her First Communion.
To destroy such personal mo-
ments needs Spartan courage.
Indeed, everything in the attic
becomes valuable the instant
you decide you must get rid
Of it.
What can be done with Elene's
doll house? Half of its furni-
ture is missing or broken. Then
you remember the Christmas
you bought the toy. You feel
motherly and sweet. And decide
to wrap it up and save it until
your child has children Of her
own.
Elene arrives Unexpectedly.
Asks what in the world are you
doing to her doll house? Who
ever said she was not going to
play with her dolls again? That
very afternoon Anne and Mar
garet and Adeline are coming
in to play mothers. You try to
talk Elene out of the visitation.
With no luck.
Next you attack a pile of tipsy
books. Spend a sentimental half
hour over old school books. Re.
membering nothing in particu-
lar but everything in general.
Decide at last to keep school
books.
Firmly you carry an armful
of old detective stories down
stairs. These at least may be
disposed of. You are discovered
in this plan by Family, who
says the very idea of giving
away their favorite boks! And
promptly bear the books off to
their own rooms.
! Willie Shepherd, general util-
ity man, enters scene. Bears
to wood pile in cellar the sup
ports for Cheval mirror, miscel-
laneous bed Stats and a limp
ing rocking chair. Salvation
Army calls for old magazines.
fade cretonne, bed spreads
and much discarded clothing.
Cannot bear to send away
frayed masquerade costumes
worn in our youth. Decide to
keep theSe).
Consider old talking-machine
records. Decide to keep these.
Unearth a box of Girl Scout
uniforms. Keep these. Also
old lamp shades. Decide they
have further use.
Attic still crowded. Call Mrs.
Barry Mohun at Thrift Shop
for advice. Mrs. Mohun says,
THE Thrift Shop looks no ones
gift horse in the mouth"
Thus encouraged, make pile
of old Spats and gloves (no use
waiting for mates to turn up),
half a dozen pairs of faded eve
ming slippers, three odd soup
plates, two long-handled para
soils, half finished sweaters, chill
dren'S games without their
"men," two once expensive Nah
Jong sets, oldtime hammock,
two Chinese bed screens, two
foot stools leaking saw dust, fam
lily of one-armed and headless
dolls, kiddy car minus one
wheel, two-battery radio set with
earphones, a rickety high chair,
and two or three dozen pictures.
In spite of such generosity,
dozens of things are yet to be
disposed of. So, as we said at
the beginning, we stuffed them
in a big trunk.
There's really nothing to do
about an attic, anyhow. You