The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-10-17
THE BLUE TRIANGLE
AT RUSSlA'S FRONT

rev scattered candles nung gleHmr as
persistent and as vague 81 Russis's
hope OF liberty. A hundred Russian
girls and sir young men we're guests
OF the first Young Women's Christian
association In all Russia. II was q
gala afternoon tea but II was dark
because the winter days end nj three
O'Clock and there Ia O restriction Non
the use OF candles and kerosene ~
well as OF electricity.
The girls were making merry even
In the gloom Of winter. the twilight
and the tragedy Of war One slender
white-faced girl with purple-shadowed
eyes was merrier than all the rest
Her wit and ringing laugh were con
tagious.
"Sonya IL wonderful tonight" one
girl whispered TO another ne she
stirred gently into her tee the one
lump OF sugar doled out carefully for
the party. The Y. w. &. A. secre-
taries had been saving the sugar for
months-putting aside at each meal
one OF the two Jumps served with the
coffee In the restaurant. that there
might be bit OF sweet for this first
party. There was no bread.
"Sonya is not drinking her tea,"
her pale little admirer went on. yet
she tainted this morning at the fac
tory and the forewoman said she was
hungry"
"we're all hungry" was the mo-
notonous reply. 1T wasn't that"
Something stopped the laughter and
talk suddenly but the hush that fell
In the dlmly III room was as joyous as
the gniety. one OF Russia's greatest
singers stood by the piano and lifted
up her glorious voice filed with the
tears and heartbreak that people al
peace call thrills.
They went away early when the
music was done-these sad-eyed, half
starved little guests OF the Blue Trl.
nngle-for danger turks In the dark
OF Petrograd streets. robberles and
murders-sharp little by-products of
a nations chaos and n world at war.
sonya fingered after the others
were gone. She was standing close
by the secretary-hostess chair when
she turned from saying goodnight TO
the last one OF the other girls. The
laughter had died out OF the girls
eyes and the gaiety from her voice.
VIII you give me q note TO the
factory superintendent" she asked.
telling him I'm attending classes
here at nightr' She spoke In French.
for she knew no English. and the sec
rotary. no Russian.
'Yes, II Il will help you" The sec
rotary was glad 10 give her such
note but she was curious. Tell me
why"
IF he knows the girls are going 20
night classes he won't put us on the
night shift. He will let US work days
so we can come. Yesterday asked
for the night shift. Today have
changed my mind"
The secretary wondered sonya
had not been In any OF the classes
Had the bright little party given her
an interest In the work Of the associa-
tioni Had the friendllness OF the
American secretaries reached herr
Was II the music that had given her
an impetus 10 study toward something
beyond a factoryl
what 10 II that interests your the
secretary asked her. "You are not In
any Of the classes now. are your What
Is II you want to take up7'
This morning Z looked out the fac
tory window" and Sonya's voice re
minded the secretary OF the call OF n
night bird before a storm. Down In
the courtyard was a crowd and three
men were killed. Killed by the POI
lice-the bolsheyik police. while I
stood there and watched. They said
they were anarchists. One was my
brother Another was my sweetheart.
l came here tonight TO forget Butt
cannot forget. Always | will remem.
Der ! want nothing now but TO car
~ on their work, and to do that must
study and learn must learn English
and many other things. ! want 90 go
In all the classes. II the foreman AT
the factory knows | do that he will
help. lie will let me work days"
In the dark. the hunger. the cold
and the terror OF Petrograd, the Blue
Triangle is sending out its shining In
vitatlon TO the bewildered women and .
young girls Of Russia. II is Offering .
a little oasis In the midst OF the
chaos where they may come and rest .
and relax. play games, listen 10 .
music, study English. French. stenOg .
rnphy, bookkeeping. or music. and as
one tired girl expressed IL, forget for .
the moment that they are IN Petro .
grad. Most Of the girls who gather .
at the sign of the Blue Triangle are
bookkeepers and stenOgraphers, but .
scattered among them are factory .
girls, domestics. and girls who never
have worked.
"ln Petrograd and elsewhere IN
Russia" says Miss Clarlssa Spencer
world secretary OF the Y. w. G. A.
who started the work In Russia, "girls
formerly employed In government Of
fees come 10 us who have struck
against the bOlsheyists. They're out
of Jobs They're hungry. One girl
told me she couldn't take gymnasium
work. II gave her such an appetite
But they refuse TO return 10 work for
the bOlsheyists"