The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-08-14
Evening Chat

Out OF the thousand or more boys
IN camp now from all over West vir-
gtnia, q good many OF them are
strangers and lonely In spite Of work
and other dlstractionR When wash
DAY comes they are sadly In need Of
a woman's help-the lines Of wearing
apparel stretched from tent to tent
show the absence Of any wash-lady-
without doubt the soldier makes q
poor Wash.man.
Two afternoons IN the week some
very thoughtful, gentle-hearted ladies
OF Fairmont are spending their time
and ingenuity In darning and mend.
ing for the soldiers. They are work
ing in the 7. N. G. A. room at the
Fairgrounds. It Is hardly realized
how appreciatiVe the boys are. Most
Of them away from home and stranG.
ers to needle, they are at their wits
end to know how to keep IN q state
OF aItogetherness II they come to
town with missing button, they arc
liable to be sent back to camp where
they are no nearer the solution Of the
problem.
On mending day they come for
ward eagerly with their torn and
buttonless garments. They give moth.
ing to the ladies' that Is soiled and
they return for the mendel clothes
with pleased smiles and heartfelt
thanks.
The First Regiment band is still
giving a very fine concert every
Tuesday and Friday evening directly
after supper at the Fairgrounds which
is being missed by most Fairmont
people. Under the direction Of an
able leader, each man, and there are
about twenty-five in the band, is civ.
ing his best. All the buOyancy OF
spirit, the stress of camp life and
even the inconsistencies there, is find
ing an outlet And as nothing good
in the world was ever done without
some emotion at the back Of it, so
Fairmonters are missing some mighty
fine music.
Badly is the name Of a chicken
that lived on Walnut avenue. With
out q feather and very unlovely in
contour, Badly made the best Of 1t,
and grew half up into a long legged
rooster. The rats were very bad and
10 save the young chickens, a roost
had been made Of a wide, fiat board
and hung up by four corners in the
chicken yard.
At first it became the duty Of the
fond owners to hoist each chicken
60 tbs -aft at night, though they were
able and willing to fly down by them
selves at daylight. All but Badly
Badly being minus feathers could not
fly very we'll aud each morning he
set I'd such q UQuaking that no one
could sleep and he kept It up until
someone came out and lifted him
down, when he few about energett.
cally, chirping contentedly.
All Of the chickens as they grew
older learned to fly up to their berth
at night. All except Badly who in
stead came frantically running up
the back.walk at suudown-straight
up onto the back porch where in full
view he ran back and forth chirping
loudly and saying as plain as posi-
ble-put me to bed-please put. me
to bed. II
Rev. Mitchell of Christ Episcopal
church spoke Sunday to his parish
toner's of restfulness. We meet some
people, he said, who are SO restful
to us--we don't strain after effect
with them--we say very little, but we
feel so contented with them. They
may not have done great deeds or be
so very brilliant but there Is always
around them an atmosphere Of peace.
He spoke Of the restfulness Of
Christ, and in order that we should
not feel that restfulness meant an
overbalance in one direction, he spoke
of Christs perfectly balanced char
acter, including far reaching energy,
great sympathy Of heart and wonder
full understanding.
He planted within us the desire for
perfect poise and an evenly balanced
disposition and mind and for that
calm and resttul spirit that benefits
all mankind.