The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-08-08
By KATHLEEN NORRIS
tTaeieased by western Newspaper Union

NNCE there was an aviator
who took an Arab from the
~ heart of a burning desert
into one of the garden spots OF
Europe.
The Arab for the first time
saw magnificent hotels, shops,
gardens, trees. He was dis
turbed. Could it be possible, ne
asked, that any God was great
er or kinder than his God?
But it was when he saw river
that his whole philosophy suffered
terrible shock. Here was crystal,
icy, miraculous water racing along,
free to whatsoever would have 1t,
inexhaustible. He asked how long
the gods would continue this exhibi-
ton, and was told that as far as
men knew the river had always
flowed and would always flow.
"Here is a strange thing" he
pondered. SIN my country we must
dig through the dry, dry sand for
water, and when we reach it, it is
scanty, warm, and tastes of camel
manure" And he decided, when he
returned home, and was relating to
his people the marvels he had seen,
to make no mention of the river.
Fail to Appreciate Advantages.
This exquisite little story is in
cluded in 'tWind, Sand and Stars"
st. Exupery's book. Nothing that
I've ever read has ever brought to
me more clearly the blessing that is
cold clean water, and the shameful
thought of our interpretation of ev-
eryday privileges. We take so much
for granted!
Another story that brought that
home with terrible force read in a
newspaper a few weeks ago. 1t
was contained in one of the many
gallant letters from England that
are filling our press today. 1t was
written by woman who had had a
fearful experience in London raids.
She had served the suffering in a
dozen capacities; advising, cooking,
guiding, nursing, reassuring. For
IS days and nights she had lived
through horrors Of fear. She was
bruised, sore, exhausted; her feet
burned by hot ashes.
When it was over she went down
to a friends house in the blessed
quiet country. She revealed in a hot
bath, q clean bed. But she found
herself so overwhelmed by the sheer
luxury of relief from danger, hot
water, fresh sheets, and above all,
by the bliss of having her feet bare
at night, that she could hardly sleep.
Simple Needs Rule Life Elsewhere.
Almost everywhere in the world
the basic, simple needs of life rule
the thoughts of men and women.
To obtain work, food, shelter, these
are the burning anxieties Of their
lives. Just to have roof at night,
to be able to put loaf of bread or
a bowl Of macaroni or potatoes on
the table three times a day; just to
feel that for a few months at least
there win be work, and pay for that
work - these are the favors for
which millions and millions of our
fellow creatures humbly ask their
gods.
Millions Of the women in oriental
countries have one gala costume,
and it lasts them all their lives and
is handed down to younger women
when they die. Millions of them use
blackened old iron pots and pans
that have seen generations of serv-
ice. Not for them the pleasantness
Of beauty shops, perfumes and
soaps, lacy underwear, spring hats,
whipped cream, bottled cherries,
bridge parties. Families there could
live year in and year out on just
what the up-keep Of a car comes
to; $4,000, 600 cars are moving about
our country today.