Ripley County democrat., 1918-11-22
isiE DliE TRIANGLE
AT RDSSlA'S FRONT.

ttlfOB Rfu Wtft III udlI StiddOWs ~
few scattered candles flung CLEANS as
persistent and as vague MS fussla's
hope Of liberty. A hundred Russlsn
girls md six young men were guests
Of the first Young Women's Christian
association In all Russia. II was q
gala afternoon tea but It was dark
because the winter days end at three
O'Clock and there Is restriction Oh
the -Bse Of candles and kerosene us
! 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-faccd girl with purple-shadowed
eyes was merrier than all the rest.
Her wit and ringing laugh were con-
taglous.
"Sonya Is wonderful tonight" one
girl whispered to. another as she
stirred gently into her tea the one
lump II sugar doled out carefully for
the party. The Y. W. g. A. secre-
taries had been saving the sugar for
Inonths-puttlng aside at each meal
one Of the two humps served with the
coffee In the restaurpnt, that there
might be q bit of sweet for this frst
party. There was no bread. &
"Sonyn Is not drinking her tea
her pale little admirer went on, yet
she tainted this morning at the fac.s
tory and the forewoman said she was
hungry Xxx
"We're all hungry" was the mo.
notonous reply. ut wasn't that" =
Something stopped the laughter and
talk suddenly but the hush that fell
In the dimly III room was as joyous as
the galety. One q, Russia's grcatest
singers stood BY the piano and lifted
up her giorious voice flled with thes
tears md hedrtbreak that people Az
pence coll thrills.
They Went away early when the
music was done-these sad-eyed. half-
starved iltsle guests Of the Blue Tri-
nngle-7i0f danger turks 10 the dark
Of Petrograd Streets robberies and
sharp, little by-products Of;
d patian's chaos and world at war;
Sonyn 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.
"Will you give me note to the
factory superintendent" she asked.
'telIing him I'm attending classes
here ut night2' She spoke in French,
for she knew no English, and the sec
retary, no Russian.
'.Yes. If 1t will help you" The sec
retary was glad to give her sach a.
note but she was curious. "Teil me
why" NJ
IF he knows the girls ara going to
night classes be won't pntsl.s On the
night shift He WIN let us work days
I 10 we can cefac. Testor1ag I asked
FOR the night shift. Today ! have
changed my mind
The secretary wondered. Sonya
Ind not been In any Of the classes,
Had the bright little party given her
on interest ii the work Of the associa-
don? Had the friendliuess Of the
American secretaries reached liers
Was Il the music that had given her
an impetus 70 study toward something
beyond factoryl 't
rsVhnt Ia II that interests your" the
secretary asked her .'you are not in
any Of the classes nov, are your What
Is It you want to take upf''s.
"This morning looked out the fac
tory window" and spnya,s soi,e re-
miaded the secretary Of the call Of a
night bird before a storm. 'Down In
the courtyard was 4 crowd and three
men we're killed. Killed by the po-
iice-the boishevik police. while
stood there and watched. They said
they were anarchlsts. One was my
brother. Another was my sweetheart.
I came here tonight to forget. But
cannot forget. AiwaysI / will remem-
Der. want nothing now but to car.
ry on their work. and to do that Imust
study and learn--I must learn English
and many other things. ! want to 90
In al the classes II the foreman at
the factory knows | do that. he WIN
help. He VIII let me work days."
In the dark. The hunger. the cold.
s and the terror Of Petrograd, the Blue
Triangle Is sending out its shining In
vitntion to the bewildered women and
young girls OF Russia. 1t Is Offering
a little oasis Ia the midst of the
chaos where they may come md rest
and relax, play games. listen to
music. study English. French, stepog
raphy. bookkeeping. Or music. and a.
one tired eirl expressed It. forget fsx
the moment that they are In Petro-
grad. Most Of the girls who gather
1t the sign OF the Biue Triangle are
bookkeepers and stenographers. but
scattered among them are factory
girls. domcstics. and girls who never
have worked.
In Petrogfad and elsewhere u
Russia. says Miss ClarIssa Spencer
world secretary Of the Y. w. G. A.
who started the work In Russia, girls.
formerly employed 10 government Of
I3ces come 10 Us who have struck
, nrninsf the bolsheslsis. They're out
Of Jobs. They're hungry. One eifl
tnld me she couldn't take gymnasium
uofk. + gave her such N appetite