Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1917-08-10
GET-TOGETHER I'M
BURKE'S GARDEN
Red Cross Society Entertain
ment Was Great Success In
Every Way-Weather Ideal
And The Crowd Large and
Enthusiastic.
(Contributed.)

NSh ieo1 baIuiudy alter
noon, was great success both in
spirit and in body. Everything was
fine, the weather, the crowd, the
eats" the service. the decorations.
the spirit, the "cause," and the purse.
AS had been ANNOUNCED, the "eats"
were served in booths artistically
done to represent different nations,
America and her allies. You entered
first America (the hall of the High
School Building.) There you were
met by a charming receiving line of
more or less elderly persons designat-
ed as the reception committee to lend
their weight" in getting you about
through the crowd and make you feel
welcome" to spend your substance
on whatever your appetite tempted
you. At the front door of America
stood your Uncle Sam and mine, lank
and sober-faced, conventionally ZEN
tailed" but keen-eyed and always
ready to sell you something am
munition this time, though. In the
background, historically appropriate
to her sex, stood fair Columbia, por-
tia-minded, holding aloft the drapery
of Old Glory. There were three ac-
cessories, the Red Cross booth, where
you gave your name and your dollar
for membership. the kitchen where
you took your pastcboard plate for
liberal first course of ham and fried
chicken, formerly more plentiful than
now in Burke's Garden kitchens. and
country store, where you were sold
everything. 1t was this same coun-
try store that did the rushing bust
ness of the day, something over
seventy-five dollars worth of "busi-
ness" was done. 1t was in this booth
that the only near casualty occurred
when very animated little ice-crenm
Ladder toppled over into lackson's
big five gallon freezer and would
have frozen herself badly if q shriek-
ing big sister had not promptly re-
stored her equilibrium. If you wanted
cake and candy you were shown the
make believe Belgium, make believe
because, you know, in real Belgium
you wouldn't get cake and candy now.
Belgium" with Its thatched roof
of ripe wheat, foreground of gold
en- glow, and two sweet faces, pref
tier than any faces in real Belgium,
was conceded to be the most artistic
booth of all. In nFrance" you bought
whole cakes for tho folks at home,
and homemade candy, while your
ear lent itself to the sweet music and
your mind dreamed over tho legend,
"Libertie, Egalitie and Fraternite."
Your tea was served you in charm
ing Japanese Tea Garden, where sed-
ate matroms and quaint little geisha
maidens made you welcome. In
way not altogether catholic you
Crossed" your self and looked and
slipped and wondered il ever America
and Japan would ever cease to be
friends! Ceasing to be friends, the
great tragedy of hearts and of ma
tions! To finish your menu, you had
your choice between coffee in the
English bopth OF cold drinks and
cookies in icy Russia. The entire
scheme so appealed to your appetite
and your pocketbook, was prettily
conceived and painstakingly execut-
ed by the enthusiastic bunch of Red
Cross workers who spent so much
time and toll for the cause they were
interested in. The local chapter
were gratified at the fine spirit shown
by all the neighbor-chapters of the
the county, many cars Of visitors
coming from Clear Fork, Pncahontas,
Graham, Bluefield, Richards, Cedar
Bluff, and Tazewell. One might point
moral to adorn this tale. How
easily we do the things we are really
interested in and how quickly and
satisfactorily we travel when concert
ed action holds the streeing wheel
So many community efforts are al
ways spoiled by arbitrary leader
ship, star acting and gallery plays.
In the community act being describ-
ed the leadership was mark of eX-
ceptional ability in tact, in mastery
of detail, and in appeal to interest.
The neat little sum of over two hun
dred dollars realized from the sale
Of your supper was gratifying to the
girls who will now have plenty of
material for their sewing. They want
you to know how deeply they appre-
ciate your patronage and coopera-
ton. The moral effect on a commu-
nifty of doing thing so we'll and SO
unselfishly, is of inestimable value.
This Red Cross afternoon has demon
strated not only what can be done
but foretells what will be done in a
would-be progressive country COM
munity.