The Washington times., 1917-10-28
5000 MOURN
Loss OF GIRL
WHOLNED IN
CAMP AS BOY

There will be 5000 seasoned work
men as mourners this afternoon when
the body OF Mike" Kelley. a former
fellow-workman, is inferred in the
family burying ground in a little
churchyard cemetery, fourteen miles
from Greenville, in the mountains of
east Tennessee. They cannot attend
the funeral, for they are employed at
Camp Stuart. Va. but their hearts
will be there
Mike" worked at the camp only
three weeks. but In even less time
than that made friends OF everyone.
Mikes" Job was water boy" Il
Possessing a sunny and cheerful
disposition, 'sAIike's' name was soon
changed by the workmen to Smiles
for the smile Of Mike" was as re-
freshing as the drink that '-he" dis
tributed among the men.
Crushed Beneath Truck.
1t was a tragedy-the fatal injury
to mike" beneath an automobile
Itruck-that brought to light the fact
that Mike" was not a boy at all. but
a girl masquerading In mems cloth
ing. She was riding . big army
truck in a Liberty loan parade last
week in Newport News with group
of workmen from Camp Stuart, when
she fell beneath the wheels and was
fatally crushed. She died two days
later In a hospital
while Florence KeIIey's life to
those with whom she associated may
have appeared happy, disclosures
since her death reveal an unhappy
career since the death Of her mother,
three years ago.
The girl grew up in a rough noun
tain district in East Tennessee. Her
lot after the death of her mother was
a hard one, so she obtained work as
a domestic in q home in Greenville,
fourteen miles away.
wsnen Dei.g Bit.-
Her reading in the newspapers and
magazines of the war; how women
and girls were doing their bit: how
in many cases women were taking
the plaees Of men who had gone to
the front, kindled the IRE Of patriot
ism in the heart of Florence. She
sought Red Cross work. but found
that she could not go abroad
Some weeks ago Florence disap- ,
psared from Greenville- A month age
she returned, but refused to teil
where she had been. After visit
Of a few days with friends she again
left without giving notice
wearing the clothes Of a man. applied
AT Camp Stuart for work. she was
given the lob of water boy. she
worked hard and received Two IN
creases in her wages, 30 that she was
drawing 81 a day at the time OF tne
accident
Given n bunk in a cabin with
"feIloH" workman at the camp she
conducted herself as boy, listening
to the Jokes OF the men ana taxing
part in their discussions. But her
Identity was never suspected until
DR.. w. ]. Knight, who attended the
girl at the hospital, made the an
nouncement.
Roommate startled.
The girls roommate was 50 startled
by the discovery that he started an
investigation.
The girls hair was discovered in
an oil stove, where she had frst cut
off the long tresses. It was also
learned that sne sought tue ASoieC
ance OF i barber to shape the hair
up man style" The most calloused
workmen in the camp was touched
by the finding, in a small satchel
owned by the girl, OF a lot OF little
trinkets such as girls like to have
about them. There were several well
thumbed books in the satchel on
what can be accomplished by women
~ thew work hard to develop their
minds and their bodies.
In one book, found in the girls
room, was q torn page telling why
women do not make as good fighters
as men. 1t was attributed In the
article TO the fact that women eat
dainty food and do not get the ne
cessary training to equip them for
hard work.
Was Real Girl.
Florence Kelley was a real girl
in her last moments on earth. She
lost her desire for war and called
.tttF,,IIv for her father lust before