Newspaper Page Text
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SEVENTH PAGE
the sunny south
In Woman’s Realm
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u»- > —" Edited by Mrs
of THoxight and Home
Mary E Bryan * —*9 — 9
vTin i i I 'i 'i■ ■ i n na 11| i I,, mt[m ,
DSW
Talks on Tim0 Topics
MONO the historic houses of • JT v fU ‘ ffr ° 8ervant * nn an
the south are three that re- ™ any southern girls from
L rc {/ profitable and comparatively easy ser
in :i in tomarkthelocation of/e work in winter boarding house*,
noted Grenway Court, thjA^ 1 f>n 'he great Flagler and Plant hotels
home of I»rd Fairfax dii/V ,,PR * n Florida they have hundreds of
ing colonial times. qj# “pretty waiter girls.” but these are all
dwelling house itself T imported from the “big north." and they
, je ! return there by the trainful when the
fallen to decay, butf n 1 season is over.
a b,,iI '/as '
co ”jfher c Rp rr >ance of a Peachtree
held, is intact I , !
with the Round 'll/ anil ! „ At B , road neaT . In< 3*anai>ol1s.
. u , . _ Jfoomy- | there Is a peach tree growing that has
the remains of ilf a ro m:,nti
looking Black i/L,' < - -
first mousoleum ever built in f
In his werk! I am coming to see him
this week and I’ll bring him a nice book.’
“Then she dropped the quarter in my
hand and she looked as if she wished It
was a |5 gold piece, but $5 gold pieces are
scarce with Miss Neclie. She is just a
typewriter, you know, with herself and
two little sisters to keep. Yes. I tell
you it makes a mighty difference the
way things is give.”
President of HeniticKy Daughters Ap
proves Crusade Against “Uncle Torn”
Stone ilous
the rear where
Carti
in *T
Thoughts
Mrs. B. M
and Thin
”It was occupi
during the time lie was si* -
monse tracts of forest ln/ an ' 1 river bot ~
toms around in- Lord To ,be
young surveyor it mi.*/'’* boon . a .. hav . en
lungs, says of the Stiw ,
„ . , , /Washington
was occupied by Gi'orf
pylng the tm-
f rest and peace aft/* 5 -"’ i "" B-
expeditions i\> can/ as ’ ine b,m * 1alf T "
•’lining an arm,-/ before ? crackling
log lire in the hu ,/rcplace. the heavily-
barred door aml/ ni ows abutting out
not »nlv the win/ f ' wll<1 1
and savage foe»*' hil, ‘ dreams that :
became rralitio/ r,ln e u ' d witb tlu ‘ so " nds
ids and the fierce calls
s of the forest.
■(>m this building is the
'Block in use or Round house—a massive
circular bJ' linK of heavy logs, with p >rt
hobs hut# 0 windows, in which the fam
ily assi )•♦*!• <1 for defense in case of an
;111.ie 1c I'Oni the Indians. Its double doors,
its round walls and roof appear as
r ,cind end strong as when built, more
th in * century ago.
\rOss a Bill and upon the crest of an-
,,|:cr eminence is what remains of the
liU 'k house—a large square stone lmild-
l»g of one room with earthen floor. Two
ghite marble angels with outstretched
wings kept watch at the door of the mau
soleum, which was painted an intense
alack. The sculptured angels and the tab
lets recorded with the names of their in
tern d in the tomb have disappeared—
stolen, perhaps, by some heartless d“se-
crator; but the crumbling walls, their deep
blackness, softened by time and moss and
creepers, are still here. Through the dis
mantled roof and sun filters upon the
graves of the titled dead, I hi' winds sing
a requiem about the ruins and the Shan-
an.loah river echo: s back its murmur.
•ast
ims that later
of whistling / Rl1 -
from th. de l /' na
A few imp fr o
and remarkable history.
One 'hundred and four years ago, the
peach that contained this seed was eaten
by James Wilkinson and his sweetheart
together, each taking a bite. He put the
seed In Ills pocket ns a souvenir of this
little love feast. He married his lady
love and kept the peach seed out of sen
timent until ltis death. Then his son
carried it in bis pocket until he died—
a middle-aged man. It was found In his
pocket by his son. who carried It as a
luck piece. By this time it was worn
so smooth that no one could tell what,
kind of sred It was, and there was live
ly speculation ns to whether it was a
peach, plum, a buckeye or a queer bean
seed.
Mr. John Wilkinson, u telegraph oper
ator who owned the seed, planted it six
years ago. it came up, grew finely and
hears a sweet, richly-flavored fruit
Another curious instance of the length
if time that life remains in a seed oc
curred in the south and is told by The.
New York Times. Just before the battle
of Chattanooga a confederate officer pulled
an ear of corn from a stalk as he passed.
ITe shelled it. ate some grains and put a
ha: (lful in his pocket. He was wounded
at Chattanooga and sent to his home in
Kentucky. He saw no more service and
his soldier clothes were packed away. As
a matter of sentiment he kept them, un- .
til about three years ago, when they
had became so moth-eaten that he de
cided to throw them away. In searching
through the pockets of the coat ho felt a
small lump, and dr“w forth from 'he lin
ing two grains of corn that had been there
ever since the “battle of the clouds."
Curious to see if there was still life in
* (h°m, he planted them, and they grew.
I The next year, as the corn they pro-
| dttced was unusually fine, he sav'ed every
I grain and planted it the following year,
] when again lie saved the grains. I,ast
i year he planted 12 acres of corn with
I those two veterans of the ciivil war.
j Gertie
M RS. j. M. ARNOLD, president of the
Daughters of the Confederacy of
she is
Kentucky, in an interview says
heartily in sympathy with the recent pro
tests by several chapters over the state
against the production of the play, “Uncle
Tom’s Cabin,” and that steps will be
taken to compel theater managers to re
fuse to book the same. She declares it
is but proper for the women of Kentucky
to come out squarely against the play.
They have already held their tongues
too long, but she believes that no legis
lation against the production can be had j
at the present meeting of the general as
sembly. She says since the scenes pro- j
trayed by the author of the book were I
laid in Kentucky, and about Lexington,
that the taking of the Initiative by tlte
Lexington diopter is but right. George ;
Harris, the character of Uncle Tom, re
cently died there - at an advanced age.
He told of telling Mrs. Stowe many of!
the incidents described in such picturesque j Mrs J M Arnold, president state Daugh-
language by her. I ters of the Confederacy
Women and the Home
With The Household
^HRKE new guests for our
circle today!
Mrs. S. P. G.. of Atlanta,
gives us the information
about pet stock, asked for
bv a correspondent. Her
story about her guinea pig
family is realistic and in
teresting.
Macarla looks from her
window on a rainy-day
street spectacle, and sends
us two si sp-shot photo
graphs, with an impressiv
from the
contrast they
will
raise
The
The
Where Shall We Get Our Servants
V writer in the Illinois magazine. School
ami Home, says: ”ln the south money j Among , ho frIenda , made ln Got , lam
md teachers have come from toe north W hom I like to remember Is Gertie.
ediu-ate tile negroes, while the poor , have f . riT(>Uen her , ast IU>mo> if t
i .;,ss of whites ha\e gone without the | ,, v?7 . ] ln(MV u imt I can see her face be
fore me this minute—a picturesque, quaint
m ns of becoming useful citizens. And
now, through the educational experiments
and failures with the negro, an industrial
education has been established that is up
lift Ing the colored girl about the ’poor
white’ in the line of ability to earn her
livelihood. The negro being bound to
work, lucks the prejiulici
the southern white has.
had any social standing
no caste to lose.
A southern woman, writing of these
things, says she knew of a pretty girl,
without a day’s schooling of any kind,
tvh : ime a vagrant through the sheer
.<!• ss ami inefficiency of her life.
She adds that American women are to a
ceitain extent left behind by the daugh
ters of emigrants who have not their
false pride in regard to work.”
This outcry that southern women arc
too proud to work is as old as it is
false. Our white girls are eager to be
self-supporting, but it is a fact that they
hold back when it comes to going into
service. They do not mind doing all
kinds of work in the homes of parents or
married sisters or brothers, but they have
a deep-seated prejudice against doing
the same work for hire in the homes of
other people.
This prejudice is held wen by the very-
poor in tow-n and country, who grasp at
employment in unwholesome factories,
shops and sewing rooms, accepting far
less wages and enduring harder condi
tions than ■would bo theirs in the homes
of kindly people of means.
There are two reasons for this prejudice
against domestic service. First, the idea
that it is degrading—that it is negro work
and will put one on an equality with ne
groes. Then the thought of serving others
and obeying orders is offensive to the
white girl’s conception of freedom and
smacks of the slave.
The sense of independence and self
esteem is inborn and inherited in the
American, and particularly the southern
“poor white." They are very different in
this respect from the European peasant,
who Is abject in his sense of inferiority
to the aristocratic class.
The English, and still more, the Rus
sian, peasant, the aristocracy Is a supe
rior order of beings whom if is a privi
lege to serve.
No such feeling of inferiority afflicts
the southern poor white. His creed is
that, he is just as good as anybody. There
are people who wear better clothes and
can chew lK>tter tobacco, but this is due to
the accident of their having more money.
“The man’s a man for a’ 4!mt.” The
women fully share this belief. They are
in no way abashed by the piesence of
those belonging to the upper strata. They
feci themselves no whit beneath those
wh, m they eye with frank curiosity, but
hardly with envy .
This self-respecting independence Is
praiseworthy. It is sturdy material for
the making of citizens, but it is by no
means pliable enough to be worked up
into good servants. As a result of it our
yeomanry are far more picturesque and
estimable than the cringing, sullen or
cloddish peasants of Europe. But Is seems
hopeless to find among th'-m contented,
tractable, reliable servants, such as are
the comfort of English homes.
However, time and enlightenment work
wonders. The seven-league striding giant
of Progress Is traveling in the south.
Ideas may change among these people as
they become educated Into seeing that
there Is no degradation in service—that
really all work done for others is ser
vice, whether it is performed in a shop,
a factory, an office, in one’s own home or
the homes of other persons.
Th» negro must he eliminated from do
mestic service, however, before we can
expect to see respectable white girls go
ing out as helps in private homes and
boarding houses as they do in some of
the New England states. There the edu
cated daughters of well-to-do farmers—
some of them country school teachers—
take situations In summer hotels and
boarding houses, as dining room waiters,
parlor maids and even chambermaids and
kitchen helps. I remember on one occa
sion when I was stopping at a hotel In
Newport and wished one evening to In
quire of one of the house maids about a
letter, how surprised T was on descending
to the servants’ sitting room to find one
nice looking girl playing classical jnusic
on the cottage piano and another study
ing French.
The fact that they may be obliged to
; little face with alert black eyes like
i bird's, and a small head running over
with curls that just missed being red.
| Gertie was a sort of street peddler. She
| went to 111* public school, as the law re-
I quired. lint she had a special license to
igainst il that F *n after school hours the lace her grand-
Never having moihor knit and the brackets and other
the negro has small wooden articles that her crippled
brother carved.
There was never a brown sparrow cher-
ricr than Gertie, though what she had
to make her* happy was a mystery, for
her old grandmother wa.s cross and
cranky and abused her and sometimes
heat her when she did not make good
sales.
I met her sometimes in Madison .Square
park. She was a favorite with George
Francis Train, the noted wise-mad philos
opher. who at that time sat ail day long
In the park at Madison square and re
fused to notice grown folks, but had pleas
ant fanciful things to say to the little
ones.
One day I heard him call out to Ger
tie; “How do you do, little Cinderilla?
AVlien is your fairy godmother going to
bring you those glass slippers?”
“I’d be glad of a decent pair of hlgh-
lows,” returned Gertie, looking down with
comic ruefulness at the big patch on he 1 '
toe.
Then she came to the bench whore I
was sitting and seated herself beside me
to cat the sandwich and apple that was
no doubt her belated luncheon.
“How has business been today, Gertie?”
I asked.
“First-rate. I’ve sold a bracket and a
photogfBph frame and a couple of paper
weights. You see my basket is nearly
empty, only this little Inkstand left.
Pretty ls'nt it?"
She held it up with one hand while she
quickly put the othe-r that held the half-
finished sandwich tinder her jacket, hav
ing an eye to a “cop" who was approach
ing and might sternly remind her that
eating was forbidden in Madison Square
pa rk.
The Inkstand was really a pretty thing,
carved by the crippled brother in a de
sign of a curled up oak lenf with an
acorn in the center as the inkwell.
“I’ll take the inkstand, Gertie.”
"Thanks. Granny can’t grumble at my
luck today. Let me see; I’ve made nearly
She took a little worn poeketbook out
of an Inside pocket of her brown skirt and
gleefully showed me how “fat” it was.
Here's a silver dollar; don’t It look big
and good? But I don't think as much of
it ns I do of this quarter.”
“Why, Gertie?"
“Oh. because of the way It was give.
When some folks give you anything it
makes you hate yourself for taking It.
If you dared, and wasn’t needin’ it so
had you’d like to fling It back at them.
They hurt your feeiin’s so. Mrs. Smythe
had a parlor full of company when I
oa.TB to her door. She had me to come
in and she lectured me before them all
on my laziness in trampin’ around ped
dlin’ when I might be a tidy kitchen
maid. And then she said she would re
port my case to the Girls’ Industrial
school and get me teken ln. I’d rather
peddle the coldest or hottest day ever
was. I can’t stay cooped up and do
things by bell-tap. Thoi^ she looked In
my basket and turned up the things with
her fingers to show off the diamond rings
and turned up her nose to show how
sm.il! she thought of the thlnga and mo.
“ ‘There’s nothing here than can l>o the
smallest service to me.’ she says, 'but
I’ll tal<“ this blacker and send It down to
the servants’ looms. It’s not worth more
than a dime (when Benny took
four days to. carve It with the bunches of
cherries!), but I’ll give you a dollar. I
hope you’ll not spend it for brass jewelry
and beer, as girls of your sort usually
do.’
“I took the dollar, though it a’most
burned my fingers, b.it we’re behind w’th
the rent, and granny’s had to have the
doctor again.”
"And what of the silver quarter?"
“Oh, Miss Nee-lie give me that. It was
just after Mrs. Smythe had talked at
me so, and I was feeling down-hearted
when I went up to Miss Neelle’s room.
She made me stt down and rest and she
brought me a cup of tea. Then she says,
lookin’ in my basket: ‘Here's a carved
peach I must have for a paper weight.
It’s a beauty! IIow Benny is improving
Opportunity
The work you fain would do (the message
tell),
Do now, and it is well,
house you think to build some fu
ture day.
Build soon—fife drifts away,
moments you would fill with golden
deeds.
Fill now—life has Its needs.
RADICES are out of date.
Rocking is said to be. In
jurious to the baby’s
brain; but there must be
some kind of throne for
the household prince, par
ticularly when he has no
nurse or his nurse is also
the maid of all work. The
latest idea is to put him
in a basket—not very late,
either, since tiTaJ^wag the
receptahle in which Moses
was put so many thousands
go. Tile modern baby backet,
is a clothes basket as large as
you can buy (since baby is bound to
grow), nicely lined, wadded and made
both risy and pretty.
A friend has one all white In which
(he baby lies like an apple blossom in a
snow drift. She painted it on the out
side with white enamel pdint, letting
this dry thoroughly. She lined it. first
with a pad of cotton wadding covered
with a piece of old sheet, which she.
quilted coarsely on the machine. This
was tacked to the Inner sides of the bas
ket.
Over this wadding came the outer lin
ing. which was fine white cheese cloth
shirred around the top with a beading
of about an inch, and finished with a
chain of light blue baby ribbon, just
where, the shirring came, with little ro
settes of the ribbon about 6 inches apart.
On the handles were hunches of the baby
ribbon.
The basket was then mouhfel on a
stand or table about a foot high, and 6
inches wider and longer than the basket.
This was also painted white. The top
of the stand was made of light wood,
but the legs were snbst'antial. on white
castors. The table has a little scroll
work underneath by way of ornamenta
tion.
The basket was then screwed on to
the table and filled with pillows. It can
be easily moved from one room to an
other.
W^a t f* It
The home is the crystal of society, the
nucleus of national character, and from
that source, be it pure or tainted, issue
the habits, principles and maxims which
vovern public as well as private life
The nation comes from the nursery pub-
Hc opinion itself is. for the most part
the outgrowth of the home, and the best
philanthropy comes from the fireside —
Samuel Smiles,
Our Dumb Friends
A man who is kind to the animals be
longing to him will he thoughtful of the
feelings and wishes of his family a
woman who with practice and tenderness
cares for the domestic creatures around
her home can but be loving to her little
ones, for she must observe how strong
is the mother love in the humblest thing
that lives.
Many kind and wise mothers nowadays
forbear to give their very young children
living pets because they believe that
children of very tender age will unwit
tingly injure them.
Shoe Dressing
Among the small items of expense that
help to drain a lady’s purse of its some
times scant pip money, is the cost of the
universally used liquid—shoe polish. The
better kinds of polish are expensive and
the cheap kinds offered by unscrupulous
coalers injure the shoes, causing the
leather to crack, so it is better t» make
the polish at homy by a recipe known to
contain no injurious ingredients. Such a
polish is made by the writer for family
use and has l>cen found very satisfactory,
being economical and not Injurious to the
leather. This is the recipe used: Dis
solve 1 ounce of borax and 2 ounces of
gum shellac in 1 pint of hot water, keep
ing the water hot, but not letting it di
minish In quanlty. When dissolved, strain
and while still hot add one package of
diamond slate dye, which has been
moistened with a little cold water. Put
in bottles and cork. Apply to the shoes
with a swab of sponge or cloth, the same
as other polish.
R. D. MERRYMAN.
Melrose, Fla.
In The KitcHen
What To Do With Dates
spoonfuls of sugar. Beat until well mix
ed; add one cup <>t milk. Sift three cup
fuls of fii.ur with three level teaspoon
fuls of baking powder and one of salt.
Stir this to the other ingredients; also
the white of the egg well beaten. Pour
into greased muffin puis, and bake in a
hot oven for twenty-five minutes. Tills
amt tint will fill twelve cups. They are
very nice for the children’s school
luncheon. ANNIE SMITH.
Atlanta, Ga.
cMake Your Ovon Flavoring
Ycu can make a bet nr lemon or orange
extract than you cun nuy if you will peel
the fruit thin, round and round as you
peel an apple, taking none of the inside
.s^iii; then put in a srlass jar and ccv>r
with alcohol, or you may simply chop the
peel very line, add twice its bulk in white
sugar and keep ip a close-fitting jar. A
tet spoonful of tliis will flavor cake or
pudding very nh-ely. 1 tried pineapple
the same wav and fo ,t:ul that it was ex
cellent. MRS. DELLA COOK.
Columbus, Go.
APRICOT PUDDING.—An excellent
anti cheap pudding may he made with
one cupful of cooked rice and one cupful
of stewed apricots. Butter a pudding
dish, put in a. layer of cooked rice, then
cover with stewed apricots, well sweet
ened, and so on until the dish is full.
Cover with bread crumbs', add a tea
spoonful (if melted' butter and bake twen
ty-five minutes. ? rve hot or cold with
apricot sauce, with h is very nice and is
made thus: Mix . >ne cupful of stewed
f.nd sweetened fruit, well washed, with
a half cupful of water. Rub through a
Sieve, place over the lire, and when it
boils add a ftthiespoonful of corn starch
mixed in half a cupful of water. Cook
five minutes; s< isnn with grated nutmeg
and serve.
Household Letters
In cAloxander Stephens’ Favorite 'Room
Kindly introdu
moral drawn
present
TL*Y gives ns *i very lovable picture ot
Hie Elderly Lady Beautiful. Margaret
Richard tells of several household ab-
i sente?s, and Inquires of Sarhotl: as to her
I cakemaking proficiency, it Is now in or-
| der for that . gentleman to send us a
i iceipe, and Detective to fend an explana-
j tion. By the way, a correspondent
j next week tell Detective how to
I ducks.
Margaret Richard's thoughts about o'.d
1 letten are marked with sense as well as
i sentiment. .Her amusing story about
“Bureaus” recalls the reconstruction
period, when every district in the con
quered states had a “freedman's bureau,”
supposed to look after the interests of
our new colored fellow citizen. The ne
groes tin Louisiana at least) traveled from
far and near to the headquarters of the
freedman’s bureaus, the men asking for
the supposedly promised “mule and forty
acres,” and the old aunties eager to "git
dat bureau.”
The little poems that intersperse the
household talk (unless the printer wills
otherwise) will be enjoyed, lam sure.
J hope our I,one Star correspondent,
who wrote interestingly about Texas
animals, will not lie discouraged at the
delay in publishing her letter. Several
letters are on hand, and two well-drawn
character sketches by new contributors..
By the way, our sister city, Birmingham,
is taking the lead in I’terature. Some
short stories I have read from that quar
ter are excellent. And a good short story
is a work of art. M. E. B.
Samoth and Other Absentees—Old Letters
red by Mrs.
how to the
Bryan, L.
iembers of
I- V. makes hit
the Household.
Years ago his Twin Star Twinklings”
appeared in another department of The
Sunny Sou-th. lint probably few of this
charming circle know much of his per
sonality.
Yet it may interest them to knew that
while he abides "far from the madding
crowd." his room is full of historical re
minders. It is the room in Alexander
Stephens’ home. Liberty iltll, that the
sage preferred to occupy. Here he sat.
read and slept for m?ny of the best years
of his life.
Everything about the room is fragrant
with memories of him. Here is the fire
place before which he sat on many a
wintry evening. On the ceiling overhead
are remains of the pipe that conveyed
gas to the lamp suspended over his writ
ing table. Front the windows can be seen
a broad and varied landscape of hills and
intervening vales, on which he was wont
to gaze while reflecting on the great ques-
tiors in which tin nation's wellbeing was
involved. It requires little stretch of the
imagination to picture him sitting there
in the accustomed place,, looking out on
the scene, slightly changed since he view
ed it with living eyes.
One change there is, which is still a
reminder of him. From tha east window
there is a fine view of a goodly building.
Samoth, I know, was in league with
Santa duns is making hearts gladder at
Christmas than they would be were it not
for this alliance.
But that he knew anything of tho art of
making end baking Christmas cake—
why, that I had not dreamed of!
“Detective” came some weeks ago, tell
ing us of a dilemma, in which he found
himself, ids dusky cook having left him
just at the time for doing his holiday
cooking. He called th>- names of several
of the householders, “Sanioth’s" among
them, and had some pretty speeches to
make about their “fair hands" in ex
pressing the wish that they might help
him out of his trouble. Surely, “Sam
oth.’’ if cake-malting is one of your mas
culine accomplishements you would long
ago have sent examples of your triumphs
to a certain faraway friend!
I am sure, dear little mother, the mem
bers of our family circle will ail come
hack when they learn the doors are open
to them. Some of them, doubtless, have
ceased to take The Sunny South, and do
not know of cur good fortune. I long to
see again some sprightly letters from the
Pen of “Will Colon," as bright and
sparkling as he knows how to make them.
Though a rolling chair invalid, this noble,
intellectual young man leads a busy life,
lx ing the efficient treasurer of the county
in which he lives.
“Echo” is now a trained nurse, with
headquarters in Columbia, and I have
had the pleasure of meeting her. She was
glad to hear the Household had been re
vived and will not stay away from us, I
know, when so many want her in her old
time place.
“Georgia Stevenson,” come back home,
won't you?—to the Household, and be
witch us, as you can, with your charm
ing personality.
May 1 have a word in regard to the
question as to whether letters should be
burned or kept? It seems to me it should
depend upon the contents of a left
whether it contains anything that could
possibly wound or injure any person.
Some correspondents have a way of writ
ing of commonplace and trivial affairs,
even, that tends them a fascinat
ing charm, making the letters
worthy of being read again and
again. I have some such
letters—letters that might be read from
the housetop, so free are they from
anything of a confidential nature, and
from all that might wound the most
sensitive spirit. It does me good to look
them oyer on a day that “is cold and
dark and dreary.” and feel iny heart re
spond to their cheering influence.
Other letters I have, written by a
friend whose love was an inspiration to
my life. We began a correspondence
before we met, and later came to know
each Other personally and intimately
umbrella stands at the street corner of
fering a paper to each passerby. Some
take papers apd drop a few pennies Into
the boy's cold, bare hand; others shake
their heads and pass on. One man ex
presses his refusal by a gruff "No."
This man is middle-aged and well dress
ed. His richly furred overcoat is but
toned up alKiut his full-fed figure. He is
rich; he has such friends and influences
as money can buy. He has a fine house—r
you cannot call it a home for --.ere is
no one there. Nor Is there any affection
(for him outside his home. No grateful
heart blesses him as he passes. He has
been hard in his dealings with men;
close in his purse, deaf fo the voice of
need.
This man is called a success. Tils por
trait appears in the newspaper gallery of
"Our Successful Men.” Tel his one
achievement has been to make money and
keep it. When he dies he will have a
grand funeral, a glowing obituary, but
what will he take with him? What mem
ories of good deeds? What improved tal
ents? Will he be a “success” over there?
The rain patters monotonously c*n side
walks and umbrellas A woman comes
out into the street from a nearby cot
tage. She Is plainly dressed: her face Is
lined with care, but as she stops to buy
a paper and say a word to the newsboy,
her pleasant smile glorifies her face. No
one calls this woman a success. . She Is
poor; she has been still poorer. Left a
widow, she has seen her six children want
bread. But she went bravely to work.
With her daily labor she kept the wolf
from the door. She brought up her chil-
dren with loving care. They are grow
ing into industrious, good men and wom
en. Most of them are able to help them
selves and to help the mother whom they
love and honor.
Outside her home she has trite friends
who bless her for kind words and help
ful acts. When she dies she will be miss
ed and mourned. Tears from sorrowing
Hearts will fa!! on her coffin; blessings
will follow her to her life beyond. But
her picture will never appear among the
portraits of “Successful Women.”
My friends, what is sttccess?
MACARIA.
^Bureaus and "^Bedsteads”
Dear Householders: Having seen in a
rece-nt issue of Sunny South an article
telling of a lady who did well by es
tablishing a mending bureau where men
might have their garments cheaply clean
ed and mended, I am tempted to relate
to you an incident that actually occurred,
"hoping that it may interest you.
Some years ago, before the capital of
my state was quite tho thriving city it is
now, a lady here decided to establish a
mording bureau, having read that a wom
an in Chicago had succeeded well with
such work. The lady in question lived
on a street leading from the depot and
she thought the situation a good one, as
traveling men might need their garments
repaired.
Accordingly she had a sign painted auid
Rung, on which was printed In letters of
gold:
"MENDING BUREAU,
“All Kinds of Garments Neatly and
Promptly Repaired.”
Several days passed and it seemed no
one was in need of the service the lady
was willing and anxious to render, since
none came to inquire into prices or par
ticulars.
At last, however, the sign proved a
drawing card, and an inquirer came in the
shape of a little colored girl:
“Please, maim,” she asked, “ran says
does you meed bedsteads, too?”
MARGARET A. RICHARD.
The Elderly Lady Beautiful
“ ’cep n son like Mnrse George, what
b longs back in old times. Dare ain’t no
mens, des folks—nothin' but folks. In
old niarster's time dey had sumpon, an’
dey done sumpen. All de spring and sum
mer oid marster have dem hart's out
w1d de plow and he hoe an’ de axes.
Bimeby, when fa!! come, dere go de
wagins a brlngin' in de cawn and de fod
der, an' de haters and punkins an' do
wood fer burn when it col'. Den dey
make big lot to put de meat hogs in, an’
pen fer fatten up de ol' cows and oxc-ns
ter beef. After all dls done, dey gits out
de cotton. Den, when de ice an' snow
ceme Je nigger kin go in deir warm la ,vg
cabins, where de cracks done chinked, an’
de big r'x-k chirhbleys done piled up an'
lawgs and pine knots, der. a-biazin’.
"All uv ’em done hud his patch to tend,
en' up in de cabfn lot’ he got his own
peas an’ taters and punkins and inions,
what go nice wid de good fat hog meat
what lie git give ter him ever Saddy
night from ole marster’s smok ■ house. As
for turnip, < le marster tell ’em ‘des hep
your3e'f from de big patch.’
"Yot sets side ycur tire an’cook an’ eat
an' spin and knit, and do little job some
time, ’twell de spring come long agin —
an’ time for de plow and de hoe. You
ain't rorry, case you'se gittin' tn fat an’
lazy.
"Niggers had good shoes den, 1 tell you,
honey, an’ good clues. Win’
holes in dat cloth, it des las' an' las’ an’
nigger did'n have to beg a litll pipe er
terbacker. Ole mai ster buy terl icker by
the big box full, an’ he give it out to v.a
niggers long black plugs er terbacker, ail’
lie give out nice wool blanket dat kep
you good an' warm. Wax n't no clii'lj
limnin' down your back like thy is now.
Bear like I’d des freeze las' night I got
up and sot over de coals an' smoke my
las’ pipe er terbacker, and den I smoko
dat old ever-lastin’—what dey call rabbit
t< rbaaker, what l'se smokin' now, an it
des draws n y motif up like green per
simmon. Law, honey, dere ain't no pin. >
in de worl' for a poor oie nigger now
adays. Dey better be in deir gra.bes.”
Tears were in her bleared eyes; She
wiped them on the corner of her clean
patched apron, and the s mp thizi • ;
children gathered about her with presents
of cake and oranges, candy and tot ie >
and a new pipe, and seen her troubles
v ere forgotten, she was lau
chattering with the children, holding tho
young*st on her lap, and letting hin
with her string ot beads. She was us
much of a child as any of them.
E. M. O.
When One Is III
the Stephens high s< hool, w hiclt his native | She was the most gifted woman I ever
That dates are exceedingly wholesome
and nutritious is proved by the fact that
they constitute the chief food of the hardy
and long-lived Arabs. Dates may be used
various ways, with the stones re
moved and the fruit chopped small they
may be stirred into cooked cereals,
which should then be returned to the
stove long enough to heat the fruit thor
oughly. Date pies, date cake and date
candy are pretty well known, but I think
date muffins are something more novel.
AVe like these well at our home. I make
them in this way: Remove the seeds
from a half pound of dates and chop them
fine, melt one tablespoonful of butter, add
the yolk of one egg and two table-
county has lovingly erected us a monu
ment to his memory. Effectively does it
subserve its purpose. While all live to
look at the marble statue of the sage,
which seems to guard his home and can
lie seen from the railway in the distance,
jet those who live about his honored
home have greater pride in the school,
which Is doing its work of beneficence.'
As they look on the bright youths earnest
ly engaged in tho pursuit of learning, they
discern the influence of that noble’life-
still operating—and as likely to operate
for many years to come. j, y
cA Query About ‘Roses
Ever since T can remember The Sunny
South has been in my home. Even be
fore I can remember mv grandmother
took it; then my mother, and It is still a
weekly visitor.
I have always read the “Household”
with a great interest. Many times t
have wished to join the circle, but could
not summon sufficient courage. Now
however. I want some information about
roses and I know that the “Household”
is the place to come, as all the mem
bers are so kind In helping each other.
I wish to know In transplanting roses
when they should be taken U p. I am
going to plant in large boxes. What kind
of soil should be used? Should the
plants be cut back at the time of trans
planting and should they be watered
every day? I have ordered a number
of fine roses. What treatment should I
give them? Is it best to let them bloom
the first season? I know some one will
answer these questions for me, and I
thank that some one with all m'y heart.
I hope that dear Mrs. Rryan and each
member of the Household will have a
happy 1902. JENNY WREN.
WE i»IVE AWAY FREE one rolledgtNflwlW
taire Puritan rose diamond ring, •olld-^old
nattrra, for srllinfC 2ft package* Garfield Pura
WpsinGum amonic friends at & cents* peek*
2-ace- Send full namav we mallguoL Whe*
s eold send money; we will mell rlny ; few ran
uutiLO tu to,, ijxi7i nuviLu, n,
knew, and one of the noblest. Her let
ters breathed the goodness and purity
characteristic of her. and never once
did she write anything that could wound
another. True, she made a confidante of
me in some little matters touching upon
her ambitions, of which she did not wish
others to' know, and these letters were
destroyed. Not that they could cause
unhappiness to any one, but because she
was of a reticent nature, and T could but
respect her wish to have her plans
unknown until she could set about carry
ing them out. This, on account of con
tinued ill-health, she could never do
Since her death, her written words are
doubly precious to me. and often some
expression of cheer or of faith in my
power to achieve bids me "take heart
again.” as though she were still n?ar to
help and encourage.
It seems to me. too. that the first let
ter penned by a childish hand should be
kept until, the boy or girl :s old enough
to appreciate it. We cannot hand down
to our children too many souvenirs of
their childhood. Some little thing,
trifling in itself, may be a power for goad
In.after years, because of something real
ly vital associated with it.
I do not gainsay the importance of the
question brought before u s by “Sylvan
Glenn.” It is really significant. Yet I
feel we might use good judgment ln the
matter, keeping such letters as we value
which can give but pleasure to ourselves
and others, destroying only those in
which is a possibility of harm. Perhaps
it would be well to act in this matter, as
it would be in all affairs of life, as if each
day was our last, and let no? the evening
close ere we burn the letter that' other
eyes should not see.
MARGARET R. RICHARD.
T<wo Pictures— What Is Success
The day had dawned gloomily. Soon
rain begins to fall in & continuous pat
ter. From my window I look out on the
The Elderly Lmiy Beautiful about whom
I wish to tell you is not the one concern
ing whom so much is now written, whose
chief study is to preserve her complexion
by creams and cosmetics and to look and
dress in such a way that she may lie
taken to be her own daughter.
I have nothing to say against women
trying to preserve their youthful looks.
With certain limitations this is pleasing
and right. But this personage is not my
Elderly Lady Beautiful, who is more rare
and more to be revered. My Lady Beau
tiful may look her age. She may have lost
her complexion; her eyes may have been
dimmed by work, perchance by tears shed
when she is alone. Her face may be
fined by care and thought for others, but
her heart is still young, and an inward
beauty is reflected In her faded face.
Her heart Is a fountain of. sympathy
and friendship for her kind Her inter
est in human beings is not limited to
the needs of ’’just me and John and the
children—no more.” She is the friend of
every one. Always she Is quick to encour
age those who are trying to reach higher
ground, and slow but sure to reprove
those who are retrograding: also those
who are at a standstill, it being her creed
that everyone should strive continually
to grow in spirit and mind.
HaTdly would you call her reproof a re
buke; it is so gently given. The erring
scarcely know they are reproved, yet the
gentle words sink deep and have good and
lasting Impressions.
In every circle she commands love and
attention from cld and young because of
Her wisdom, her gentle words, her kind
deeds. .
In short, this Elderly Lady Beautiful
has obeyed tlie instructions given in
Colossians. third chapter anti fourteenth
verse. A full description of her may be
found in I Corinthians, thirteenth chap
ter and from fourth to thirteenth verses.
RAY.
Vines’s Holiday ‘Visit
Among the few negroes of the old re
gime that time has spared is, Aunt Viney,
who, during slave time was owned by a
large planter. Colonel s—, of Mis
sissippi. She has drifted away from the
old plantation; her revered old ’’marster”
—the stately and kindly colonel—and his
sweet-faced wife are asleep under the
cedars in the family burial ground, but
scions of the fine old parent tree still live
in the old-fashioned mansion, and at
Christmas time Aunt Viriey usually finds
her way to her native neighborhood and
pays a visit to Marse George and his
family.
I am sorry to record that every year
the old woman looks not only more
broken, but more shabby aril poorly
kept. She Is growing ti o old to earn
much by her labor, and tlitre are none
to take care of her. Still, she does not
grumble or wear a long face. A cup of
good coffee, a present of a pipe and a plug
of tobacco, a pair of warm stockings
and a sacque put her in good spirits, and
set her to talking of old times.
She made her appear-mce in the cozy
kitchen of “Marse George" (the youngest
son of Colonel S.) on last Christmas eve
in time to give some advice as to the
making of turkey dressing and trans
parent custards—"CUn puddtn’s,” she
calls them. Sitting by tiie stove warm-
I ing her feet in their broken shoes she tit
her pipe and began to sing her paean of
the good times “before de wah,” as ccm-
pa rtlT Uh th Jf ^-generate present.
“Ain t no fine mens now," she said.
Notwithstanding that the “X. w
Thought” apostles (who object to ti e
term “mind curists”) declare that si k-
ness is unnatural and can be avoided ’ey
right living and strength of will, yet t.
sick continue to “bo always with us,"
and it behooves us to know how to treat
our friends and members of our hous ■-
hold when the hand of disease is laid
upon them.
Experience and observation have ena
bled me to gather up a few hints on
this important matter. Do not sneer i! I
sometimes use the hackneyed "Don’t ’
in expressing these. It is a good short
cut and saves words and space.
It seems superfluous to say "Don’t talk
much in a sick room.” It set-ms so pat
ent that this is unwise, often fatal. And
yet, there are well-meaning persons who
not only talk to each other in a 1 w.
monotonous strain beside a sick bed. but
even whisi-er, a thing most irritating to
the nervous patient.
Reading aloud, unless particularly asked
to do this, and after the permission of a
doctor, should not be attempted. The
mental exertion of trying to follow the
drift of even the simplest reading ex
hausts the. feeble vitality of one who is
ill
Shut and open doors and windows with
just as little noise as possible. All t» n-
dency to “screak” can be prevented l.
oiling or greasing hinges or wood work
where there is any friction.
Serve the food always in some dainty
fashion, and let It be in the nature of a
surprise to the patient. Never insist
on his eating if he does not wish to.
or of his partaking more nourishment
■than he. seems Inclined to take. Nature
knows best.
Keep away from your patient the won -
an or man who comes to “cheer him"
up. Even when he is convalescing, a visit
from a person in boisterous good healt
and high spirits is too exhausting 1 .
Illness is a period when all the facultic ;
should rest, that Nature may do her per
fect work in recuperating.
SYLVAN GLEN.
Sylvan, Ala.
Greeting to Old and Neva
Dear M. E. B and Sister Householders:
It has been a long time since I app-. • • !
in your midst. 1 shall have to introduce
myself to the present head of our circle,
though I have known and loved her as
cne of the most magnetic writers in our
land.
Time has surely wrought changes ltU" r
Household, breaking its fair, a
wreath and scattering its members—
“Like roses in bloom—
Some at the altar and some at the tom'.
Among the dear and sacred ctead. none
are more lamented than Dolores, our
poet, now one of the band of angels. A
good many have responded to onr mater’s
cordial recall and glad am I to welcome
their familiar names. Among those who
are silent and whose voices I listen tor
are Minnie Lee Arnold, Mountain Git u
Helen Marr. Helene Hutress. Mac Stan
ford, Merle Monte, Dora Drane, S. S. S-
B.. Quo Vadls, Carolyn, Genoa, Golden
Gossip. Chaperon, Titania. Italic, Maris
Anne Henson. Gypsy. Bird, Old Maid, La
Belle Creole, Virginia Girl, Kentuckian.
Northern Girl, Jur.e Bug, Gladys \ irnmi,
Mary Templeton, May Philips, Tatro, El
sie Gray, Earnest Willie and others,
whose names do not now come to mi
pen. We have many new members, I see,
and their letters are very interesting
rnd instructive, tco. I like the idea of
talking about some topic interesting to
readers generally, and I intend to con
tribute my mite to the ball of cheery and
entertaining talk if possible. This is a
mere introduction and greeting with
heartfelt wishes for your happin 'ss
through the newly opened year.
110)11 1 Lv b.
Sofa and Easy Chair
Whatever else you omit in the sitting
room, don't forget the sofa or lounge.
I IJke to call it sofa, because it reminds
me of Cowper's poem in its praise. The
lounge may be'covered simply with chintz
or with some rich looking solid colored
worsted or half worsted brocaded stuff.
It should be well supplied with pillows.
An easy chair or two, upholstered in rich
looking dark material is also a great aid
to comfort *nd cosy appearance. It is
a veritable nest of ease in which to read,
to dream or to sink down in and rest
after a health-giving tramp over the hill*
on a cold bracing day.