The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1918-11-06
A BIT Of !. HOME
WITHIN THE CAMP

Ao Wv" ~
struction. attractively planned. with
wide verandas and a homelike aspect
Outside are hanging the flags-the
Stars and Stripes. which must soon
be taken In as 1t Is nearly sunset. and
another flag bearing u little triangle
Of blue and the letters Y. w. c.. A.
1t Is a fall afternoon and the air il .
bit sharp. Through the front windows
OF the house the woman approaching
up the walk a see the cheerful glow
Of an open fireplace. There Is tho
sound of q piano and some one 10
singing.
The woman, who is slight and young
and tired-looking. puts her heavy suit
case down on the walk and shifts the
baby she Is carrying to the other arm.
She listens a minute, then picks up the
luggage and walks bravely up to the
front door. Some M has heard her
coming and is there to meet her. Some
one always is in places like this. The
door is thrown open and a kind wom-
ans voice says: 'Oh. do come in and
rest. Let me take the baby" The
baby is passed over and the stranger,
worn fro.n a long journey, tired and
sad. is/given the welcome which only
the Y. w. c. A. hDstesses know how to
give.
She explains that she has come to
see John before he leaves for the
front. She has been saving her money
for travelling expenses, and has come
to surprise him. John has never seen
the baby, and now maybe he never
will, for she has discovered that John
has just left on Il two days furlOugh
TO surprise her. Before she could get
u train back to her home Johns fur
Tough viii have expired and he will be
IN his way back to camp. The little
mother does not know how to meet the
situation and tears of fatigue aud dis
appointment begiu to flow.
"Well, that's too had" says the SYM
pathetic Y. w. G. 4. worker. "But
cheer up. You. can just stay here.for
q couple Of days. Wen send a wire
to John at the first place his train
stops and tell him to take the next
train back. He can enjoy his furlough
here"
This Is done and the little family
has a glorious day of 1t.
The Young Wonen's Christian asso-
citation has established 90 hostess
houses Of this character for American
soldiers and sailors and their families.
In this brief bulletin of news lies one
Of the most poten: factors in the win
ming Of this war. Our boys are fight.
ing for their homes. The Y. W. G. A.
with it's hostess work in this country
and In France is helping to keep the
ideal Of American home life con.
stant'y before the men who are pro.
tecting it. These men had to go away
from their individual homes, but there
is a home which follows them-a place
where they can 60 when they are On
duty and meet their families and rest
There. is a room in ever, Y. w. G. A
hostess house with a real fireplace IL
it and a domestic hearth. There ART
chairs with cushions on them; the
china is not Of the iron-bound bucket
variety necessary In camps; and bes'
Of all, the boys say, there are nice
women TO talk to. No boy in CAM
: would hesitate to ask his mother Of
sister or the girl he thinks most Of Il
meet him at a Y. w! @. A. house, fel
he knows that the women she will &c,
there are of the right kind. The yer!
fact that it Is known that there is
real, honey place nea each camp au
thorized by the val department ant
: presided over by dignifed and refne'
women, has served very largely to dis
courage the other type Of woman ant
keep her away from the men she fol
+. merly preyed upon.
The Y. w. O. A. houses are not e.
tablished with any view to markin
class lines. however. although many Q
the hostesses who assist led lives Q
greatest ease and luxury before tn
war. Democracy rules at the sign q
the little Blue Triangle.
A story is told Of a great merchant
wife whose individual fortune mount
TO the million mark. This lady 70
member Of one Of the 7. W. @. A. con
mittees. and on one occasion the We