Imperial Valley press., 1912-10-10
PEWTER III LLETS
Try Edna Ferbcrl

They're melting down their pewter
&c make bullets. when the women
ii a country begin to do that-look
out.
Its an awe inspiring process to
watch-this melting of the pewte"
You may see ii done by dropping into
the bare little shop on the street floor
of an Office building just block oil
50 off state street. You know the place
by the flag that hangs outside. The
flag gives ii the look of a recruitin :
office. That's what II is-a recruiting
office. II there were a sign outside
il might read something like this:
Men and women wanted between
the ages Of one and one hundred, to
join the United States Army of Prog
rossives. Hard work. No pay. Inquire
within"
The recruiting officers within arc
found to be: one Bona Eide Countess
looking wonderfully boyish and trim
and uncountesslike in a severe black
suit and untrimmed hat; one Brand
New Bride with a fluffy feather thin :
about her throat; one Business-like =
Young Woman in Brown. They are
there to answer questions, dispens,,
Progressive literature, sell Progressive
certificates and stamps. and adorn ali
corners with Moose pin or button
Day after day, week after week. they
have pledged their time and energy
until the elections in November. And
there are plenty of pleasanter, more
frivolous pasttimes for Bona Eide
CounteSses. and Brand New Brides. and
Businesslike Young Women in Brown
to do, than to sit all day long in
a dark, stuffy, bare little downtown
store room, melting down pewter for
bullets.
The merest accident sent me there.
conversation overheard-no, shame
lessly and openly listened to-in a
fashionable tea room. When you want
to know what's going to be worn next
week, YOU go to that tea room. They're
wearing it there this week. At the
next table sat a frivolous looking little
blonde person in blue serge and one
of those sneaky looking little hats
they're wearing. With fler was Q @iUmp,
matronly, eye-gIassed woman. They
were drinking countless cups Of tea
eating squares or delicious LOOKING
buttered toast and talkirg-what 10
you think? By all the laws ~ custom
superstition and femininity they should
have been discussing the superiority
of the plated skirt over the panier.
But no. They We're talking politics
Aggressive Progressive politics. They
were talking of a wonderful system
they had helped perfect that day-a
system whereby women were To be
given a chance to help in the cause of
Progressivism.
] leaned over.
Where is this place."
The little blonde in the skittish ha:
showed no surprise or displeasure At
being addressed by an unknown. That
is a new bond of sisterhood that a
comm On interest is weaving for women.
She told me.
And you'll know it by the flag that
hangs outside"
1t was a wonderful thing to watch
the men and women who came into
that recruiting office. There came first
a cocky little messenger boy. In his
hand was a message marked Rush.
Say, gimme one of them buttons,
will you?" He pinned it on his coat,
stopped outside the door to survey thr
Roosevelt ohnson pictures in the win
dow. remembered his rush message.
and trotted off.
a man hobbled in. He walked with
the wooden, uncertain gait of one
whose spine is wrong. There was about
him the look of the man out of a job.
I'm a cornice worker" he explained,
apologizing for his very existence. q
gor hurt year ago. Ny back. III
set a Job as soon as my feet get TO
acting right. I'll buy one Of them
certificates as soon as I get the job,
but here's a nickel. It's all I got
He showed his nickel over the coun-
Ter 10 the Bone Eide Countess. She
took it, wide eyed. He shuffled out.
There entered blond young man.
clean cut. virile, red checked. Dol
lar certificate" he said briskly. Moose
pin? Thanks. How does that look N
a gray suite
Two women followed. Well dressed.
they We're, intelligent looking, of the
type that might be of the office or the
home. 1t was hard TO tell.
The next man lined up at the pine
table. rather sheepishly. He took a let
ter from his pocket. I'm a Wilson,
man. But l got a letter today from
4 girl 1 know. She's working for The