Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-08
BORN TO SERVE
By Charles N. Sheldon.
As'>' sS 4 III rs r{B S1H KHas
BLAKE, Etc.
0a1yEtGht. 1904. b Charles u GAsldonl


Mrs. Ward was too much surprised
at the unexpected suggestion to offer
a word of comment at first. The
thought of such thing was so new
to her that she had been totally un-
prepared for it.
"How would you like to have Bar.
bara for your minister's wife?' Mr..
Ward asked, in the bantering tone he
sometimes used.
Mrs. Ward was on the point of re-
plying a little sharply. But suffer-
ing had done it's mellowing work III
her life. Before Carl's death she
would have resented as an unparal-
leled impossibility such thought az
that of the pastor of the Marble
Square church choosing for his wife
even a girl like Barbara, his intellec
tual and Christian equal. But many
things since Barbara's coming into
the home had conspired to change
Mrs. Wards old habits. And, as Mr..
Ward asked his question now, she
saw a picture of Barbara and Carl as
they had been one evening few days
arms were about Barbara's neck, and
his pale, thin cneek was lying close
against hers.
IF it should come to that" she
finally answered Mr.. Wards question
slowly, II am sure there is one wom-
an in the Marble Square church who
will not make any trouble"
Mr.. Ward looked surprised. But,
as he went out into the front hall to
lock the door for the night, he NUT
tered: "a man can never tell what a
woman will say or do when she is
struck by lightning"
During the week that followed Bar
bara spent all the time she was able
to spare from ner own work in Sc
curing facts connected with her pro-
posed plans. Mrs. Ward herself went
with her to several well-known
houses in Crawford, and introduced
her to her friends. In every instance
Barbara found there was the great.
est possible interest in the subject,
but no two women seemed to agree
Is to any policy or plan. There was
unanimous agreement on one thing;
namely, a need of capable, intelligent,
honest servants in the house, who
were to be depended on for continu-
Gus service, or for at least period of
several years that might be reckoned
as continuous, the same as bust
ness man could count on the con-
tinuous service in his employ of a
competent bookkeeper or clerk who
was necessary to the welfare of the
business, but no more so than q
competent servant in continuous
service is necessary to the welfare
pf the home.
'The trouble u.s." one woman after
Another would say, ''in the girls
themselves. They do not have any
ambitions as a class. They do not
wish to be taught. They resent adj
vice. They are ungrateful for nearly
oil favors. They do not thank any
body to try to improve their condi-
ton. We are tired of constant efforts
made to solve an unsolvable problem
with the material that must be used.''
Still, in spite of all discourage
ments, Barbara bravely determined
TO go on, and her next effort was di-
tected toward the girls who had ex-
pressed willingness to 60 into serv-
Ice in the home instead of the store
md factory.
She managed to call all these to-
sEether Saturday evening at her own
home and with her mother helping her
,he made pleasant evening, serving
tome light refreshments and enter
tanning the girls with music and pic
lures.
There were eight of them in all.
u Two of them had had little expert
]. .nce at house service. None of them,
Barbara found on questioning, was
really competent to manage the af-
q jairs of household. Two were