Arizona republican., 1899-02-27
GIRLS BUILD HOUSES
Minnesota Maidens Rebuild Their
 --.s., Burned Home.
Aided by Their Brother, the Two Brave Girls Do the Work of Men to Provide Their Widowed
 Mother with Shelter.

A novel and interesting scene was
 witnessed last fall at East St. Cloud,
 Minn., thriving little town, situated
 about 60 miles north of Minneapolis,
 on the Mississippi river. A poor wom-
 an lost her home by fire. The home
 was not insured The family con
 sisted of a son about 20 years of age
 and two daughters. The son worked
 a part of the time at odd jobs and one
 of the girls contributed also to the sup
 port of her mother but the income was
 small. How to rebuild the home under
 these circumstances was serious
 question. After some thought and con
 sideration the son arranged for suffi-
 cient money to purchase lumber and
 other material, and, with the aid of some friends, who helped him at odd
 times, he began the work of rebuilding
 the home. But as he worked practical
 ly single-handed and alone he made
 slow progress, and it soon became evil dent, especially to his sisters, that the
 home could not be finished for occu- pancy before cold weather unless help was employed. About this time brilliant idea suggested itself 10 one of the sisters. Whats the natter" said she, with you and I aiding Jim in his work on the home. I can help mornings before l go to work and in the evening after 1 return, and you can work during the whole of the day, and you can, in many ways, do the work of a man. There are lots of things we can do, such as holding boards in their place while they are nailed on, and in lathing and in dozen different ways" The plan was sug- gested to the brother and to the moth CT that night. but the brother would not listen to it for a moment. The girls were pretty, and not without ad mirable graces. The brother was proud of them, and he could not counte- nance anything of the kind. But the more the girls thought of it the more determined they were to have hand i i'll rebuilding the home, and the next morning they began work, appropri- ately clad for the undertaking, bright and early, and no arguments or even threats served to alter their determina- tion.
 During the first few days the novel, ty of the scene attracted considerable dtI6ntlOn, put Tn tune the novelty wore ~f and the good work went forward iH a most satisfactory manner to all concerned. The rougher work was looked after by the brother, with the occasional help of a neighbor or some curious person who chanced to visit the scene of operations.
 The girls occupied their time most faithfully in mailing on the siding, in lathing and in doing the many neces- sary things to be done in and about the building, guided and directed by the brother, who had had some eX- perience in carpenter work and in the building of small houses. The girls did not confine themselves to the car penter work alone. They assisted in the brick work, the chimney and in and they did practically all of the painting, both inside and out, and before the cold weather appeared had the satisfaction of seeing the house and occupied.
 The neighbors say that, owing to the good taste displayed by the sisters, t is the prettiest and coziest little cot -age in the town.-American Builder.