The Winslow mail., 1899-04-29
GIRLS BUILD HOUSES
Minnesota Maidens Rebuild Their
Burned Home.
Aided by Their Brother, the Two
Brave Girls Do the Work of Men
to Provide Their Widowed
Mother with Shelter

novel and interesting scene was
witnessed last fall at East ST. Cloud,
Mimi, thriving little town, situated
about 60 miles north of Minneapolis,
on the Mississippi river. 4 poor wom-
an lost her home by fire. The home
was not insured. The family con-
sisted of son about 20 years of age
and two daughters. The son worked
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 : Howto 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 re ebuilding
the home. But as he worked practical-
! iy single-handed and alone he made
slow progress, and it soon became evi.
dent, especially tQ,his sisters, that thes
| home could not be finished for occu-
pancy before cold weather unless heip
was employed. About this time %
brilliant. idea suggested itself 10 one
Of theTsisters,. g''Nshat's. the matter.e
said she, F'withi you and I aiding Jim
in his work on the home. can help
mornings before j go to work and in
the evening after ! return, and YOU
can work during the whole of the day,
and YOU can, in many ways, do the
work Sof5ai 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
er that night, but the brother would
not listen to it for a moment. The
girls were pretty, andsnot without 'ad-,
mirable, graces.. The brother was,
! proud of them, and he could not counte-
nance anything CT the kind. But the
more the girls thought of it the more
determined they were to have hand
lin rebuilding the. home, and the next
morning they began work, appropri-
ately clad for the undertaking, bright
aAd early, and no arguments or even
threats served to alter their determina-
ton. ~-@ xtt
During the. first few days the novel
ty of the scene attracted considerable
ton, but in time the novelty wore
t,f and the good work went forward
in a most satisfactory manner to all
j concerned. The rougher work was
4 looked after by the brother, with the
occasional help of neighbor or some
curious person who CHANGED to visit
the scene of operations.
The girls occupied their time most
faithfully in mailing on. the siding, in.
1athing 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
plastefing, and they did practically all
Of the. painting, both inside and opt,
and before the cold weather appeared
had the satisfaction of seeing the house
completed and occupied.
The neighbors say that, owing to
4 the good taste.displayed by the sisters,
it is the prettiest and coziest little cot
tage in the town.-American Builder,