Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-10-03
THE BLUE TRIANGLE
AT RUSSIA'S FRONT

xSW uC0ttcISU CuUUSCO uuUB 8ScaAanS -
persistent and a. vague az Rnasia's
hope u liberty. A hundred Russisn
girls and six young men were guests
Of the first Young Women's Christian
association In all Russia. II was
gala afternoon tea but It was dark
because the winter days end at three
o'clock and there 10 q restriction on
the use of candles and kerosene as
well ms Of electricity.
The girls were making merry even
In the gloom Of winter. the twilight
and the trngedy Of war. One slender
white-flced girl with purple-shadowed
eyes WINS merrier than all tho rest.
Her wit and ringing laugh were con-
tagious.
"S0nya IL wonderful tonight" one
girl whispered to another as she
stirred gently into her tea the one
lump Of susur doled out carefully for
the party. The 7. w. c. 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.
"Sonyn Is not drinking her tea,"
her pale little admirer went OIL. .'yet
she tainted this morning at tie fac
tory ard the forewoman said SHE was
hungry
"We'fe MI hungry" was the mo-
notonous reply. ut wasn't that"
/ Something stopped the laughter and
talk suddenly but the hush that fell
In the limly lit room was as joyous as
the gaiety. One Of Russia's gieatest
singers stood by the piano and lifted
up her glorious voice flied with the
tears ,ald heartbreak that people at
peace call thrills.
They went away early when the
music was dene- these sad-eyed, hnlf-
starved little guests Of the Blue Tri-
Gn2le-for danger turks in the dark
of Petrograd streets, robberies and
murders-sharp little by-pr0lucts of
nations chaos ind world at war.
S0nya fingered utter 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 ont Of the girls
eyes ana the gatety from her voice.
will you give me a note to the
factory superintendent" she asked,
telling him I'm attending Glasses
here NJ nightr She spoke in French,
for she knew no English, and the Sec
etary. no Russian.
"Yes, If It will help you" The sec-
retnry was glad to give her such a
note but she was curious. "Tell me
why"
IF he knows the girls are going to
night Glasses 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 I have
changed my Mind"
The secretary wondered. Sonya
had not. been in any of the classes.
Fad the bright little party given her
an interest In the work Of the associa-
ton! Had the fiiendliness Of the
American secretaries reached her?
Was II the music that had given her
an impetus to study toward something
beyond factory1
What is II that interests you?" the
secretary asEed her. ."You are not in
any of the classes now, are you? What
is 1t you want to tulse up?"
"Th:s morning I looked out the fac
tory window" and Sonya's voice re-
minded the secretary of the call Of a
night bird before u storm. "Down in
the courtyard was a crowd and three
men were killed. Killed by the DO.
lice-the bolshevik police, willie I
stood there and watched. They said
they Were anarchists. One was my
brother. Another was my sweetheart.
came here tonight to forget. But
cannot forget. Always will remeln-
Der. want nothing now but to car
ry on their work, and to do that must
study and Learnt must learn English
and many other things. I want to 70
In all the classes. II the foreman at
the factory knows I do that. he will
help. He will let me work days."
In the dark. the hunger, the cold,
and the terror Of Petrograd, the Blue
Triangle is sending out it's shining in
vitation to the bewildered women and
young girls of Russia. 1t is offering
a little oasis In the midst of the
chaos where they may come and rest
and relax. play games, listen to
music, study English. French. stenog-
rnphy. bookkeeping. or music and as
one tired girl expressed 1t. forget for
the moment that they are In Petro-
grad. Most Of the girls who gather
nj the sign Of the Blue Triangle are
bookkeepers and stenographeis, but
scattered among them are factory
girls. domestics. and girls who never
have worked.
"In Petrograd and elsewhere In
Russia" says Miss Clarissa Spencer,
world secretary of the Y. w. C. A.
who started the work in Russia, girls
formerly employed in government Of
fees come to us wiO have struck
nt..~, ~ 4. III.