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all the previous winter, said she would
stay at home with our mother, so after
some hesitation, I determined to take
the place in Florence, so here I am
now, and well content with my con
genial work, save that it does not af
ford me much time for writing. How
ever, I have plenty of opportunity for
observing and for seeing people and
conditions that are new to me.
My temporary home is in the family
of the pastor of East Florence, who is
my cousin. East Florence is a mod
ern addition to the old historic town,
situated upon the Tennessee river
with convenient railway facilities and
also its old vine draped stage coach
to classic Huntsvile. East Florence is
a southern cotton mill town, and I
wish to faithfully record my observa
tion of the condition among the mill
people. I have been accused of being
an idealist and failing to see the dark
side of humanity, but I do assure you
I deal only with plain facts, when I
say that I have not yet seen any of
the “deplorable conditions” pictured
in some of the recent sketches and
stories published in northern and
southern periodica’s. This, however,
may not be a typical mill town, for the
employes are mostly farm people from
the country around Florence. They
own their own pretty homes, and
these cottages are of different design
and scattered picturesquely over the
wooded hills instead of being built
all alike and put in a straight row
like so many peas in a pod. In the
way of schools and churches the mill
town compares favorably with the av
erage country towns of the state. As
a class the mill people seem really
superior to the inhabitants of most
rural districts. Among my twenty pu
pils I find a number of girls who pos
sess musical talent and love to learn,
also, are fond of their teacher. Al
ready more than half my summer ses
sion is past, and I begin really to re
gret the closing of my work in East
Florence. I shall soon give my first
entertainment, and I wish, dear Meb.,
that you and some of your Household
band, some of the dear friends ci
Sunny South days, could come and
meet my bevy of bright-eyed girls and
help me to decide which of them i
shall put in my “Unique Vacation
Story.”
My life in the mission parsonage
has been quietly happy. My cousin,
Rev. W. H. Pettus, is pastor of the
East Florence Methodist church and
in addition has organized a congrega
tion at “Seven Points,” where there
has just been built a handsome mod
ern church. He is young in ministe
rial work —this is his third year—but
his “faithful service” has received
commendation from leading religious
papers. His young wife seconds him
ably. She is devoted to all church en
terprises, a zealous helper in mission
work and much beloved by all. They
have four lovely children —one of them
named for me, who promises to be a
musical genius. If you care to hear
more of my mill town experience, I
will write again.
Florence, Ala. FRIETA.
HOW SHE HELPED HER NEIGH
BORS.
Mrs. Gray was a kindly old soul.
She had been used to plenty in her
early days, and loved to be generous,
but, alas! in her old age she was
poor.
A little two-roomed cottage with
just a small yard around it was all
she possessed, but she kept her prem
ises clean and neat, cultivated the
ground in vegetables, and whenever a
weed was wont to grow, she planted
prolific seeding flowers —annuals, such
as poppies, larkspurs, brown eyed Bu
sies and holly hocks. Many a time
she reaped pleasure in giving flowers
to children, to those poorer than her-
self and to the sick, hence her gener
ous nature did not die because of her
poverty.
A kind neighbor lived near by who
owned a large home and grounds but
who could not command laborers to
keep her premises in order. She one
day said to Mrs. Gray, she wished
annuals would come up to hide the
weeds. Not long after that Mrs. Gray
took some of her seeds over, and
walking about Mrs. A's yard scattered
them unknown to her neighbor.
Mrs. B, on visiting Mrs. Gray, re
marked that she wisned she had a
yard full of annuals for the children
to gather, as they troubled her pull
ing her choice flowers. Soon Mrs. Gray
went over and scattered her seeds
about in the large uncultivated parts
of the yard.
Another friend said to her one day,
“Lucy gets so tired staying in bed.
If I only had a yard full of flowers
for her to look out on it would cheer
her.” The sugestion was sufficient.
Mrs. Gray again scattered her seeds.
The ladies at the church sodded
the grounds about the church and one
remarked: “If some fairy would just
sow some bright flowers around Uxe
borders would it not be lovely? Mrs.
Gray carried some seeds with her to
the church, not letting the ladies know
and scattered them next the coping
and close up beside the church.
Next May, Mrs. A exclaimed to Mrs.
oray, I wish you would see my yard.
Some strange looking plants came up.
I thought they were weeds but the fre
quent rains, and having no one to hoe
them, they were allowed to remain
and now I have a paradise of gold
and blue, golden susies and blue larK
spurs. You did this, you dear Mrs.
Gray, so Mrs. Gray owned up.
Another day Mrs. B exclaimed to
Mrs. Gray: “My dear little Julia is
delighted all day long with her visit'
ors as they gather hands full of phlox,
susies and poppies. She says a good
fairy sowed the seeds and you, dear
neighbor, are that fairy.” Mrs. Gray
again owned up.
“Dear friend, the world is so bright
to my sick child now since some angel
has planted all those lovely flowers in
my neglected yard. You were that
angel, I know.” And Mrs. Gray own
ed up.
“Do tell us who sowed the seed
which brought forth, those lovely flow
ers around our church. Did you, Mrs.
A?” “No.”
“Did you, Mrs. B 9” “No.’
“Why,” replied Mrs. A, “Mrs. Gray
did it of course. Has she not beau
tified all our homes?”
All asked at once: “Did you, dear
Mrs. Gray?’ and again Mrs. Gray own
ed up. SUE ALBRITTON.
HOUSEHOLD HINTS.
To prevent irons from sticking, rub
them with a piece of beeswax, tied
up in a bag of cheesecloth. This will
make them both smooth and clean.
Salt spread on paper and the iron
rubbed over vigorously is also a very
good way of cleaning them.
When there is a scarcity of cream,
frozen fruits are a good substitute
for ice cream. To one quart of fruit
add one pint of water and one pint of
sugar. Mash the fruit thoroughly and
a little maraschino added gives a de
licious flavor. Canned fruit can also
be used.
Before sweeping carpets, sprinkle
them over with a litle moist salt. This
will restore the colors and renew the
brightness and freshnes of a new car
pet, and also lay the dust during the
process of sweeping. Moist tea leaves
can also be used in the same manner.
Baked hash is a most appetizing
dish. Run the meat and potatoes
through a cutter, season and mix
thoroughly with enough gravy to
moisten. Grease an oblong pan and
The Golden Age for August 5, 1909.
fill with the hash, smoothing it over
evenly on the top. Bake half an hour
or until brown then carefully turn it
out onto a hot platter and garnisn
with parsley.
When paper can not be retained on
a coating of the following ingredients:
a wall by reason of dampness, make
A quarter of a pound of shellac, and
a quart of naphtha. Brush the wall
thoroughly with this mixture, and al
low it to dry perfectly, and you will
find this process will render the wall
impervious to moisture and the paper
in no danger of being loosened.
Never sprinkle salt over wine and
fruit stains on table linen. It does no
god and is mussy. The stains may be
removed by pouring hot water through
them before the linen goes into the
soap suds.
Bureau drawers that are new and
consequently stiff to draw out, may
be made to run smoothly by rubbing
the edges with soap. If the wood is
green when they are made, they may
have to be planed down, but ordinarily
the former treatment will make them
all right.
If you like cornbread, try the fol
lowing for a breakfast variety: Pour
boiling water on a cup of cornmeal,
with a little salt added. Let stand
about an hour, so the cornmeal can
swell, then put in a bit of melted but
ter, and a quarter of a cup of milk.
Mix well, beat and drop spoonfuls on
See the I. H. C. Agent
About that Wagon You’re
Going to Buy this Fall
YOU know a wagon that you buy from a responsible
International agent in your home town is right or
it will be made right.
|pj. ...'lljl L fc,
. -ZJ" Jm!
fl Da.' ••3Uu L ——-j.l
You will not be asked to pay an exorbitant price
just a fair price. And when you have made selection of
any one of the three world-standard International wagons,
you will know you have as good a wagon as money can buy.
Weber Wagon
Columbus Wagon
New Bettendorf Wagon
They are all the heavy-load, rough-road kind of
wagons, built to stand up under the trying conditions to
which all farm wagons are subjected.
The Weber and Columbus are old-time favorites.
They are built of the highest class wood materials, thor
oughly seasoned, properly ironed and durably painted.
The New Bettendorf is the famous all-steel gear
wagon, built for the hardest service and to stand up in
any climate.
The different wagons are represented by different
agents. Any International agent will be glad to show
you the good points of the wagon he sells. Call and get
a catalogue and full particulars.
INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY OF AMERICA, CHICAGO, U. S. A.
(Incorporated)
a griddle that has been previously
greased with butter. When brown,
turn until the other side is done and
serve hot. This is a toothsome break
fast dish, with coffee and broiled ba
con.
In putting away dainty summer
chiffons, if a little extra care is taken,
they will come out of their seclusion
next spring quite fresh and ready ( p
be worn again. Silk parasols should
have loose rolls of tisue paper between
each fold to prevent the silk from
splitting. Deep blue paper as an out
side wrapping will prevent white silk
from turning yellow, it is said. To
keep lace white, lay it in a box and
sprinkle magnesia through its folds.
This will remove oily stains. The
magnesia easily shakes out.
Save all your tin baking powder
cans for making the round loaves of
bread. They make dainty slices for
luncheon and tea, especially in brown
bread. Cover closely and put in a
kettle of boiling water the time re
quired for steaming and then uncover
and brown for ten or fifteen minutes
in the oven. This method for making
the round sandwiches does not neces
sitate the waste of bread when cut
with a biscuit cutter from square
slices, but the bread left in cutting
can be browned in the oven and serv
ed in broken pieces with soups or
ground fine and kept, in a glass jar
for breading.
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