The "Do-Without" Society.
Should one ask which has been the most heroic age of the world we believe that the right answer would be "the nineteenth century." In past centuries a few were imbued with the spirit of self-sacrifice. To-day this spirit is manifest in nearly every life. Everybody seems to be trying to help somebody else—to lift those just below them to a higher plane of living and of thinking. It is said that the oldest book in existence is one devoted to a harangue on the evils of the time, and a longing for the good old times. Doubtless the last book that will ever be written will be in the same vein. But for all that the world is growing better.
During the last dozen years there have been many efforts made to urge people to indulge in certain little self-sacrifices of their own choosing in order to save money for charity. Special societies have been formed with this end in view. Large societies have inaugurated annual self-denial weeks, and have sent out envelopes in which the self-denial money was placed. The returns from the small collections have massed enormous sums.
A story issued in the interest of this feature of charity tells how a little girl, because of her poverty, had nothing to give up for the sake of another, so she decided to sell her pet dog, that she might have an offering. The ways in which "do-without money" is obtained are many. Some go without certain articles of food. Others walk instead of ride in the street cars. Entertainments and excursions are given up and their cost duly noted.