Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-05-16
By FOSTER
OF the vloiianteA

wore. Every half hour she would stop
her work to look at Il Sometimes, her
face wtstful, she would show II y the
other workers yolclng the anguish TINT
with every waking breath she drew
twanged holloway In her mothers heart.
One afternoon Mrs Farlow's oldest
daughter came hurrylns In. Her face
was white. She had just learned thai
the Rainbow division had been ordered
OVERSEAS
Mrs Farlow rose, her face tragic
One glance she gave about her, then
she collarsed. sinking to the floor. In
her fall she overturned a huge pile OF
~antiseptic gauze just torn into squares
for Triangulars No Is
The room instantly was in contu
sion. Instantly every IL sprans tt
the mothers aid-that is. every ont
but Mrs Britt She rose and rescuet
the bandages under foot Then, hel
face hard as nails. grtmly Mrs. Brit
went back to her work. When Mrs.
Fariow, still stricken. vas led away to
her car outside the drab figure In the
corner was plugging away as meehan
ically and methodically as ever. The
n glance she threw ove her shout
der at the weeping woman was almost
contemptuous
A hard woman, Mrs Britt: a heart
less one. too. 1t was agreed
For days nothing was seen Mt the
auxiliary Of Mrs. Farlow. 1t q IN
derstood that In her grief and appre-
hension she was Ill In bed. Then one
afternoon, palid and quivering, she
came In at the door. She smiled visit
fully when the others gathered about
her. .Let me work." she appealed
pla,ntively. "Work may help me not
! to think"
Her eandaees Worthless.
She took a bandage and tried to
sew. She made poor work Of 1t. how
ever. Then her head sank on her
breast and the bandage slipped from
her hands. II cnn't--oh. l emit" she
wept
Once more she was led away.
The same thing happened three OF
four days later. A week later the
mother wandered in again. BY now
the first of the troops were in the
trenches. and her pale, transparent
face was like a wraith's. She took q
bandage; she tried to sew. and for a
third time Mrs. Farlow gave In.
"Oh, my boy, my boy" she walled.
The next instant a face was thrust
into hers. The face o. Mrs. Brltt's
and the hard, bOny visage was CULVER
ing with Ill concealed anger and con.
tempt
"Sit DOWN. Stop III" said Mrs
Britt. With one hand she thrust Mrs
tIouples ana ADVICE is rendered and
assistance Is given II 1t Is needed.
When the interview closes the Red
Cross person asks:
Us there anything else we can do
for your"
That question, with it's anything
else" often brings out the real pur
pose Of the visit. a purpose that diff
dence or some other feeling may have
kept unspoken. When the something
else" Is mentioned It is often a mat
ter that the Red Cross finds easily
adjusted. a trifle in itself but of vast
Importance to the persons most con
cerned.
Tragedy Of the War Brides.
ln the towns adjacent to every camy
and cantonment are scores OF rela
tives Of young soldiers who have fol
lowed to be near their loved mes o.
long as possible. often a bride fol
lows her husband. only to find tina
his stay in the camp Is about com
pleted. his period Of training is owe
and he Is leaving for the front. Living
In these camp towns is expensive. tn,
population has doubled OF treble'
within q few months, rents are hfgl
and the cost Of food soon exhausts tb'
slender means the bride brought witt
her.
Perhaps she is looking forward witt
mingled feelings Of Joy and anxiet.
for the advent Of > little stranger VIII,
may never see his soldier father. Pei
haps she married against the advic
Of her p~arents--giris Are prone 10 d
that sort Of thing-and does not lik
to appeal to her relatives. What ca
she do?
She can come to the Red Cross an
tel her story and right there he
anxiety may end; The Red Cross VII
communicate with her relatives an
with the relatives Of her husband VII
has started for the front, from whic
he may never return. These relative
are urged to make some triflins 81
rifices on the altar OF civilization an
patriotism. They usually respon
quickly to the call.
Should the relatives fail the loo;
chapter Of the Red Cross In the tow
from which the soldier am h NOT
tied and assistance - asked. With
concrete case needing assistance u
local chapter never has any trouble
raising funds to care for the expectal
mother.
Assistance 10 Certain.
But II relatives and local chapte
tail the Red Cross does not fail. an
financial relief Ia extended-not Ia
charity but as a right, as somethin
for which the soldier Eat the front
paying with his time, his body all
perhaps his life. The young wife
able to write to him and tell him thi
she Is all right. that he need not wori
about her. This message makes II
man at the front a better soldier.
improves the morale OF the army. II
a service 30 important that It's walt
cannot be overestfmated.
Families OF soldiers. left benin