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The Commoner
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VOL'. 15, NO.
10
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The Lino Unknown
How softly and tenderly Time, after
all,
Lays clustering days scarcely
heeded,
rosary over tho brows that we love
With Sabbaths and holidays bead
ed, loft, sunrise and twilight, moons
crescent and full,
Til somo day we turn us in won
der To And a dim boundary passed un
aware, And "today" a dead yesterday,
yonder.
What moment did Baby lose title and
rank,
And where was the wall he went
over
From babyland, leaping to youth's
-sunny ways,
Through portals we may not dis
cover? What sunlighted moment before you
.stood still,
Or gave you its face to remember,
When softly your boy bade his April
goodbye,
And held out his hand to Septem
ber? Why were you so startled as if from
a dream.
When your daughter's young lover
came sueing?
You thought, until then, that her
heart was her doll's,
Untroubled by wooer or wooing!
,And when did your minister cease to
bo young?
Which -Sabbath of Sabbaths here
ended?
What parted his prime from his fal
tering days,
With their lights and their shad
ows unblended?
1 1
'And have you forgotten how startled
you were,
When a frie. d, n his way, rough
and kindly,
Asked "How's the Old Lady, your
mother, today?"
Who loves must forever love
blindly. .
,7heu slowly you turned from the
shadowy elms,
And saw tie dear face at the
portal,
Tou knew then at first that among
the lost years,
juay tno youtn that to her was im
men, because women are forced to
live lonely lives; where man can es
cape from intense solitude and find
some companionship, evon though not
tho most congenial. Women are
forced, by tho lawlessness of the
streets, to stay closely at home, and
they make few friendships from the
same cause. But they have a bless
ing of which men are deprived the
homo instinct is s strong with most
of thorn that they can make a home
of the barest garret, and in the per
formance of little homey industries,
can in a measure forget their isola
tion. While two or three men share
a room, or rooms, in which they only
stay when they are forced to do so,
it is rarely the case that several wo
men can live in comfort when forced
by circumstances to be almost con
stantly together. The only way open
to some of these lonely people is to
"room" where there are other wo
men, and in this way find occasional
companionship while still keeping a
nominal privacy. Inhere was a time
in the long ago when people trusted
each other and with reason; but in
these days we are 'forced to be cir
cumspect; to be careful of our asso
ciates, for we are not all good judges
of faces, and we are so often deceived.
There seems a dislike well founded
among elderly women to living with
their children, and it so often turns
out to be anything but pleasant, that
the very best that can be advised is
to keep one's own home, if but one
room, and fill the mind and hands
so full that the absence of other wo
men is not so keenly felt. There are
thousands of women who envy the
lonely woman her quiet at the end
of the day, with book or dream,
where no household problems vex, or
anxieties can follow. Home, husband,
children, are all desirable; but you
can not have these things without
sacrificing much else. The bad is al
ways close on the heels of the good.
brances are the pretty picture cards
that will assure the recipient of your
thought of them. Don't forget the
children; they love pictures, too,
though they may appreciate some
thing more costly than they will the
picture; but if you can only send
some simple thii j, the picture card
is not to be despised. A little gift
book, or something in the book line
that you know your friend will like,
is easily gatherer, ap, and will "keep"
until it js time to send it out on its
mission of love. Don't forget the
old people especially the homeless
and the lonely ones.
Homo Comforts
mortal.
.'u.
"And so, bye-and-bye, we shall hear
in our turn
x Somo word, by a careless tongue
spoken,
.Then afterwards go, with a question
ing eye,
To our mirror for signet or token.
And both shall be there. Time's
scythe never fails,
As ho dubs us each Knight of his
J Order,
To leave the dim lines which we
scarcely perceive
Til we find ourselves down to the
border.
Ethel Lynde.
Guests
There are two kinds of "unexpect
ed guests" one kind, you prefer to
expect to know the day and hour
of their coming; the other kind
those who, come when they may, are
always welcome, and before whom
you feel safe in setting the best you
have at the moment, if it is only a
cracker and a cup of tea, knowing
their visit is to you, and not your
tabK Very often "things" happen
so that at the moment, the most care
ful housewife will be caught utterly
unpiepareu ror visitors, and she may
be the one who is "ten miles from a
ljmon," or she may not; but if she
can dish up quickly the little that
she has, sure that the guest will un
derstand, she is always glad to have
that kind of company drop in at any
iime.
In every home there should be a
coiuf-rtablo couch on which, when
tired, one can lie down and read and
rest, if orly f6r a minute, while su
pervising some domestic task which
admits of intervals of idleness. One
of the most inexpensive, as well as
comfortable co .chea for this use is
a perfectly plain wire cot, with a
good mattress and a cover of some
thick material that will bear Bervlce
without becoming mussed or dingy.
In these da J of small bedrooms and
frequent changes of residence, these
coiuhes often t-k the place of beds,
and with a few cushions the covering
of which harmonizes with the cover
ing of the couch, this plain, usable
couch becomes a pleasure not only to
the body, but to the eye. A box
couch, with a st age compartment
under the top in rhich clothing, or
quilts lay be kept, is a little more
expensive, but where a .straight, plain
wire cot is used, the expense is noth
ing to the comfort. The cover may
be made of arras cloth of rough
weave, or of velvet; or, in fact, any
material used for couch covers. An
old blue coverlet, which can bo had
at any department store, or an old
cashmere, or paisely shawl, makes
an excellent covering.- Curtain chintz
of dark color may be used; but the
material seems too thin, and will re
quire much laundering if used con
stantly. Coarse linens, corduroys, or
tapestry raorics are also useful. Sin
gle blankets of dark color, or one of
the familiar army blankets, maim
very good coverings. A few well-
nnea pillows, covered with fabrics of
any suitable texture, may be stacked
on the couch, and once bavins unori
this resting place, you will hardly like
to ao.wunout it. The couch takes up
but little more room than a largo
rocking chair, and can be used, in
emergencies, as a sleeping place. For
the tired housewife, a resting place
like this is worth more than it will
ever cost, and can be so inexpensively
maintained that no home should be
without one.
t3
UO
Lonely People
In the world there are many lone
ly people. There always has been,
and always will be; but in former
yearg there was less said about it,
ad the loneliness, being taken as a
jaatter of course, was perhaps less
kwnly felt. It would seem that
tbiere are more lonely women than
For the Holidays
It is not a bit too soon to begin
preparations for the fall holiday din
ners. Remember that the mince
meats should be made long enough
before-hand to allow the flavors to
blend, and there are cakes that re
quire to be made some time in ad
vance of the eating. Anyway, the
planning may begin early, and many
uiBiuujouiB may oe added to tho
stoi in the pantries. It is not too
soon to begin thinking about the
Christmas courtesies, and many little
things may be prepared and laid away
for the occasion. Among the most
Inexpensive and appreciated remein-
Floral Notes
Don't forcet thnt fViio ia i, i.
when you should be sending in your
C, ru i "uyt spnng-nowering
bulbs, if you neglected to do so dur
ing September. If you have not yet
received the fall catalogues, ask for
tne-i with a postal ca'rd, and they will
be sent. Th hyacinths are the earli
est bloom we have in the spring, and
they are sure to bloom, even though
they may get f-jzen after appearing;
they will stand a lot of cold. They
fELV7 ?:Fant aild now is the
time to get them, bedding them out
side, or potting them for indoor
blooming.
Tho collections offered by florists
ar or & Iko in xr . TiinnM ... ..
want large flower stems with hPJ0U
Moo fet the larger bXXv
oost a little more, but they pay 7
After you have potted the bulbs
et theai away in a cool, dark pSc '
or plunge thd pot in the soil of tS
garden, for growth of roots. I ho
bulbs are not well rooted, they will
not give as satisfactory bloom; when
they have shown growth by ieaffleta
appearing, if they ara hrmin,f " "
into a warm room, the flower stalk
is apt to be very much dwarfed In
BUUJD atauwa, me oioom beine
opened under the iioil. To im..
the stem, keep in a cool room, and
put a cone of paper over the flower
stalk, cutting c"? the tip of the paper
bUUC.
The hardy bulbs should Tip vQnf i
a cool room; they do not. tipi i,
shine. Even if they freeze, it will not
immcmariy nurt uiem. They freeze
outside, often, after thfiv iifin
bloom.
For the yard, nothing is prettier
than the crocus bulbs. Thrw rin w
wait even for the snow to leave, but
oiten pusn up through the late
snows. They are of various min
and may be planted among the grass,
as tney will Dioom before you must
use the lawn nower. The bulbs a
very cheap.
One of the loveliest bulbs for house
blooming is the little tritalea. It Is
lovely and fragrant, and half a dozen
may be planted in the same pot. For
inside, plant some oxalis bulbs.
Gleanings
"Nothing," saj Robert Herrlck,
"irritates the thinking woman more
than to be told that woman's place Is
in the home. She knows it. It Is the
man's place, also, and she knows
that."
After the summer season is closed,
light-colored window shades show
HARD ON OEDDLDREN
When Teacher Has Coffee Habit
"Best is best, and best will ever
live." When a person feels this way
about Postum they are glad to give
testimony for the benefit of others.
A school teacher down in Miss.
says: "I had been a coffee drinker
since my childhood, and the last few
years it had injured me seriously.
"One cup of coffee taken at break
fast would cause me to become so
nervoL- that I could scarcely go
through with the day's duties, and
thiEt nervousness was often accom
panied by deep depression of spirits
and heart palpitation.
"I am a teacher by profession, and
when under the influence of coffee
had to struggle against crossness
when in the school room.
"When talking this over with my
physician, he suggested that I try
Postum, so I purchased a package
and made it carefully according to
the directions; found it excellent or
flavour, and nourishing.
"In a short time I noticed very
gratifying effects. My nervousness
disappeared, I was not irritated W
my pupils, life seemed full of sun
shine, and my heart troubled me no
longer. uh
"I attribute my change in neaitn
and spirits to Postum alone."
Name given by Postum Co., Batiw
Creek, Mich.
Postum comes ir. two forms:
Postum Cerealthe original form
mus' be well boiled. 15c and &w
packages. , ,.-
Instant Postum a soluble powoer
-dlssovles quickly in a cup oin
water, aM, with cream and sugar,
makes a delicious beverage instanuj
30c and 50c tins. Anona
Both kinds are equally delicious
and cost aoout the same per cup.
"There's a Reason" for Postum.
r-sold by Grocers.