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OCTOBER 13, 1911
The Commoner.
13
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Which?
She made a lot of sweaters for the
sunbaked Hottentot,
. And overcoats for Kaffirs far
away;
She knit some woolen stockings for
the Fiji Islands hot,
'And mittens for the poor in far
Bombay.
She made warm underclothing for
the poor of Borneo,
Bought shoes for Arabs on
Sahara's sand;
She thought herself a Dorcas, but
she didn't seem to know
That 'more deserving poor lived
close at hand.
Her heart was very tender and it
made her fairly wild
To see dumb brutes abused with
needless pain.
She wrote for all the papers to
encourage treatment mild
For birds and beasts that could
not well complain.
She spoke from stage and forum for
the good S. P. C. A.,
Or as as a patroness at meetings
sax.
And she wore a sealskin Jacket and
another muff quite gay,
And a dozen well-stuffed birds
upon her hat.
She went to "mothers' meetings"
and presided with eclat.
Or read a paper built on study
deep.
"T.he.tart of rearing children" she
discussed in tones to awe,
.Although her hearers often went
to sleep.
She spoke of "wifely duty" and re
sponsibility That rested on & mother's should
ers now;
But she was so busy talking that
she really couldn't see
Her children grew like Topsy
"anyhow."
And yet I know another, and she's
doing all she may
To spread the light of happiness
around.
She finds some time to study midst
the many tasks of day
But knows that in her home best
joys abound.
She teaches by example, and her
kingdom is her home;
Inside its sacred precincts she's
the queen.
And so, somehow or other, her own
children never roam,
And -love around the hearthstone's
always seen.
jByfflLLMM
y " Sr-
I remember the timo Uncle Henry
Pickerell showed up at the "pound
party" without a package, and every
body was surprised, for Uncle Henry
was generous to a fault. But the
next morning mother found "Lady
Bounty" in tho barn, together with
a mow full of hay and a big box full
of chop feed. Pinned to tho hum
door was a note saying that mother
could have tho use of tho cow until
Uncle Henry had his annual cattle
sale, and that ho would provide tho
feed. She must have been a mighty
good cow, for at the next salo Uncle
Henry sold her at public action for
over two thousand dollars. I re
member that cow well because I had
to carry out Uncle Henry's stipula
tion that "Lady Bounty" must bo
curried and brushed every day.
Tho only trouble about those old
fashioned "pound parties" was that
so many of the congregation thought
they had discharged their obligations
to the pastor when thoy came tfcross
with a pound bar of soap or a pound
package of something or other. And
often the donors served a supper at
the pastor's house and consumed a
goodly share of what they brought
as donations.
Isn't that thoughtful of youJust
what I'vo been wanting," or father's
voico saying, "Just remember that it
don t have to bo only a pound next
timo. Cans and jars of good things
-not the boughteu kind that tastes
liko sweetened shavings or deodor
ized punk, but home-mado stuff that
taBtcd good al tho way down and
for a long time afterwards, and re
minded you of "moro."
For tho sake of my ministerial
frlnds of today I'm rather glad that
tho "pound party" is out of date, but
how I would liko to attend one of
tho old-fashioned kind and meet
again thoso dear good souls, so many
of whom aro listening to tho ringing
of tho music thoy used to sing about
and enjoying that homo over there
that was tho goal of their Christian
faith and hope.
Reminiscent
This department's recent reminis
cences anent the old-time prayer
meeting seems to have struck a re
sponsive chord, Judging by the num
ber of letters received relative there
to. Among the many was one from
a good friend in Illinois evidently
one of the old "fathers in Israel,"
who asks me if I can remember the
old-time "pound party."
Can I? I should say so! Wasn't
my father a country minister all his
life?. And wasn't ho and mother
times without number the recipients
i I' came near aavine "victims" of
the kindly "pounding" of the good
brothers and sisters? A pound of
coffee, a pound of tea, a pound of
butter, a pound of sugar pounds of
things without number. Nor were
thoy all pound packages, either. A
lot of those old-timers didn't
measure their bounty by tho poundL
But, bless their dear hearts! They
really believed that they were doing
the right thing. I can imagine tho
consternation of a city preacher if
his parishoners should inflict a
"pound party" on him Instead of
coming across with his salary in real
money on tho first of tho month.
They always had a little set pro
gram at thoso "pound parties." I
take it for granted that father and
mother were always surorised when
one was put over on them. At any
rate they acted like It which is very
much the same thing. With each
package delivered father would smile
and mother would exclaim, "Well,
my goodness!" or something like
that. Then, when there wera no
more packages in sight one of the
elders, or deacons, would make a
little speech of presentation, bub
bling over with good will, and father
would respond, always In a humor
ous way that contained a vein of
solemnity. Then everybody would
sit around and say nothing for a
while, but presently some one would
suggest a song and then the organist
would unlimber that old Mason &
Hamlin organ and we'd sing "Gather
at the River," and "Home Over
There," and "When We Hear the
Music Ringing," and the old lino of
songs you old folks remember so
well. Then the young folks would
invade the dining room and play
"spin the plate,"or "Jacob and Ruth,"
or "heavy, heavy hangs over your
head," while their elders remained
in the front room and talked poli
tics or any old thing that happened
to bo uppermost in their minds.
About 10:30 everybody would be
gin hunting their wraps, which were
always piled up on the bed in the
nearest bedroom. Considerable time
was always lost in sorting out the
sleeping babies. It just beat all how
many babies they could scare up on
Tio nn.nnalon of a "nounrt nartv." Al
ways about 10:30, or a little earlier,
for we were not given to late hours
In those days. We want early and
loft onrlv.
And didn't we "preacher's chil
dren" live high after thoso "pound
parties?"
tvi t romombfir them? Sar. I can
just shut my eyes this minute and
see the kitchen table piled high with
packages, or hear mother say, "Now
Before and After
Ho was tho Jokester porson
On a sheet tho hue of straw;
Ho thought it cute to scribble
Jokes on tho mother-in-law.
But two years after marriage,
When baby sniffles had,
Ho hustled out to got her,
And, gotting her, was glad.
For years this jokestor person
Wrote stovepipe jokes galore.
When other subjects failed him,
On this he'd scribble more.
First winter after marrlago
Ho from that dream awoko
One stovepipo he erected,
And found It was no Joke.
Nostalgia Described
After visiting at grandma's for a
couple of weeks little Richard came
homo at twilight and nestling up
against his mamma's knee said:
"Mamma, I'm homesick."
"What makes you homesick,
dear?" asked mamma.
"Oh, I want to see papa, and Rena
and Dorothy, and my dog."
"How does it feel to bo homesick,
son?"
"Why, I Just feel all dried up,"
was tho startling reply.
Modern Definitions
Reciprocity Trading something
you do not want for something you
must have.
Contempt of Court A Judicial
feeling that what you think is real
ly so.
Affinity An awfully thin excuso
for going wrong.
Tariff Board The last refuge of
an extortionist.
Onr Discovery
Mrs. Hutchlns of WashInrton de
clares that it is impossible to live
upon less than $67.50 a day. That
may bo quite true, but we have dis
covered It to bo quite possible to
exist on considerably less than that
amount per day.
Brain Leaks
It is tho "good enough workman"
who is usually looking for a Job.
The mother of six always gets a
lot of fun watching a mother fuss
ing with her very first.
The time usually spent in learn
ing to like grapefruit could be spent
to much better advantage.
If ever we go Into tho business of
exhibiting strange and wonderful
things we will give the platform of
honor to the woman who admits that
her shoes are too small.
Timo was when a brownstono
front was tho sign and seal of wealth
and aristocracy. Now the smell of
frying bacon Issuing from a kitchen
is the best evidence.
A great many employers who are
quick to find fault are awfully slow
to express commendation. Then
they wonder why their employes
take snch little interest in their jobs.
BOOKS RECEIVED
"Tho Long Roll." A novol of the
war botweon tho states. By Mary
Johnston, author of "To Havo and to
Hold." Houghton Mifflin company,
4 Park St., Boaton, Mass. Price.
$1-40 not.
"Tho Unoccupied Mlnnlon Fiolds
of Africa and Asia." By Samuol M.
Zwomor, F. R. O. S., student volun
tcor movement for foroign missions,
125 East Twonty-sovonth St., Now
York.
"Daulol Wobstor." A vindication,
with other historical essays. By
Prof. William Cleavor Wilkinson.
Funk & Wagnalls company, pub
lishers, Now York. Prlco, $1.25 not.
"Briof History of tho Boono and
Crockott Club with Offlcors, Con
stitution and List of Members for tho
Year 1910." By Goorgo Bird Grln
nell, odltor. Forest and Stream
Publishing company, Now York.
"Tho Croas of Honor, tho Lovo of
Napoleon." By Mary Oponshaw.
Small, Maynard & Company, pub
lishers, Boston, Mass. Price, $1.20
noc.
"Non-Church-Going, Its Reasons
and Roraedlcs." Fleming II. Rcvoll
company, Now York and Chicago.
Price, $1.00 not.
"Tho Garden of tho Sun." By
Capt. T. J. Powors. Published by
Small, Maynard & Co., Boston, Mass.
Pr.lco, $1.25 net; by mall, $1.37.
"Checking tho WaBto Places." A
study In conservation. By Mary
Huston Gregory. Tho Bobbs-Mer-rlll
company, publishers, Indianapo
lis, Ind.
"Tho Optimistic Life." By Orison
Swott Marden. Thomas Y. Crowell
& Co., publishers, New York. Price,
$1.00.
"Tho Suffragette." A hfctory of
tho women's militant suffrage move
ment. By E. Sylcia Pankhurst. With
an introduction by Mrs. Pankhurst.
Sturgis & Walton company, 31-33
East Twenty-seventh street, New
York. Price. $1.50 not.
"Tho Blood of tho Prophets." By
Dexter Wallace. Tho Rooks Press,
Chicago, 111.
"Lovo Life of Jesus and Mary of
Bethany and Poems." By Francis
Warren Jacobs. Price, $2.50.
25 Beautiful
Postcards
Without Cost to You
iHBESa h&s&9 fWB
1B1I LJ-JSM jH
BEND FOR THI23I TODAY
For A. Umlfdfl tlma mn T.,ltl -..
without cost and postpaid, a act of
25 Beautiful rowtcardM, In exqul
,?? deslgrns and colors (no two
alike), to anyone who Bends us one
yearly subscription (new or re
newal) to Tho American Home
stead at 25c, tho remilar yearly
price. Boys and girls, get your
parents or friends to givo you
their subscription for this farm and
iiuuBCiium mummy, uena US the 25c
and the cards will bo sent you with
out cost by return mail. Address,
THE AMERICAN HOMESTEAD
Llucola, Ne.
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