The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-09-04
VOLUNTEER RESERVES
Nv KATHERINE THlYFR HINGES
written for the woman's Liberty Loan

by MlnekINE IHhIek nUuuIS
Written for the woman's Liberty Loan
Committee OF New England
That Dorothy's spirits were not up
to concert pitch was plainly evident as
she picked her way in the late after
noon through the crowded city streets.
at is not question of To be or not
TO be- a Liberty Bond-holder, as Mr..
Young said," she declared with toss
of her pretty head. There is no ques-
tion about it. / cannot buy even
fifty dollar Liberty Bond, and that
ends it."
The innocent but disturbing ele-
ment which was responsible for this
outburst was little pasteboard box
which Dorothy's employer had hand
ed to her only few minutes before,
with the result that conscience was
fairly beating a tattoo on her heart
strings. She really wanted to do
something to help the boys lover
there, but how could she? she argued.
Yet every time she heard the aggre-
waiting hollow thud of the empty box
as it swung in the silk bag on her arm,
she thought of an old but dainty white
silk stocking tucked away back in her
bureau drawer with three crisp ten
dollar bills in its toe.
When two years before Dorothy had
secured position which meant desk
and a swivel chair in large office, it
seemed as If she had reached the pin
nacle of success as business woman,
but she soon found that eighteen dol
lars a week did not go very far. In
deed, for months the height of her
ambition had been to save enough
money for new blue suit for fall,
and she thought of it every time her
eye caught sight of the bright new
| ring on her finger-blue would look
so nice beside Rays khaki. She had
pinched and squeezed every dime I'M
til the eagle fairly squawked-and
now the goal was so near-oh, she just
couldn't give it up! No, anything but
that!
Extra! Extra! American Army
in Great Smash! Extra!" cried the
newsboys up and down the street.
Dorothy shuddered as the words
were suddenly visua1ized and she saw
on the battlefelds of France our boys
fighting for love of justice and humans
lily. How could they nobly bear their
part in the terrible conflict, were il
not for the remembrance of the be-
loved home land,-their confidence
! that all loyal Americans are with then
In the saving and giving which vii
! win the war.
Il might just as well face this thins
: first as last, for it begins to look as i
: it really were question" the girl de
clared aloud as, reaching her room
she threw her hat and gloves onto tn
table and herself into a chair by tn
open Enthusiastically Bolton, ar
$ you Stacker. or are you not?" wa
her indignant demand.
: Instantly the rockers of the littl
|" wicker chair squeaked, you are! Yo
!: are! You arsn
You saucy thing" laughed Doro
!. thy; "but I'm afraid you're speakin
). the TRUTH she added ruefully. Sh
f reached for her bag, drew out the lii
!, tie pasteboard box. and turned it owe
i slowly. Red, white and blue" sh
= murmured softly, "The colors of on
: beloved country they mea
2 more than they ever did before
! Then the words "Woman's Libert
: Loan Committee of New England
IS caught her eye. Surely women wer
e coming into their own in this worl
she thought. Though they may M
2 go into the trenches and fight, the
can work and save and give as we
!, as the men.
For few moments Dorothy S;
= very still, looking out over the tops
g the buildings with their smokir
chimneys,; past the tall elm trees {
= Boston Common, until her eyes reste
n on the gilded dome of the Capitol {
ID Beacon Hill. To her awakenir
1t thought it was as a tower of strengt
r rejecting the principles of pure d
= mocraey and liberty for which Of
- government stands.
Suddenly she started from her cha
: and a look of dismay crossed Il
pretty face.
"Sacrifce," she exclaimed, "Wh
u have / been thinking about!
ne course it isn't sacrifice to wear o
i'll old clothes; it's just a great and 81
i'll rious opportunity to do our bit. WI
I'd be ashamed to look Ray in the ia
es if | could be so selfish when he is {
he fering his life. Fifty dollars seems
IS good deal, but the thirty / have W
ck be good start toward it, and the re
will be only tri1e at time" Clan
ing once more, at the little box. S
begun to hum the lines that met b
- eye:
First nickel, then a dime,
Save the pennies every time 80
no Dorothy stopped suddenly as a n,
ks thought came to her. why, it isn't 6
lg, tually giving the money after ALL" S
d. said to herself. its just letting I'm
Sam have the use of what we save. a
in time We'll have it all back with int,
. est. Like all really good things
works both ways, and after the war
over | can have two suits from wha
save. And maybe, yes maybe" s
added, the furnishing of home
Use two. That can be my bit while r
St is doing his in France and now
a look at the old clothes"
TAP. tap" sounded on Doroth
: door few minutes later, and ]
chum Marion from the next flo
armed with her knitting and a box
fudge, came in and founced down
the little wicker chair.
VT. What in the world are you do
with all thoSa oIothpS Dot9 Mot M