The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-10-29
WORKING GIRLS NAVE
BIG COUNTRY ESTATE
Workers From Gas Defense Plant
Live Like Nfilitonairc~ Over
Week Ends.

Not every working girl can spend
/ her weekend in a palace. Noteyery
war worker, for small sum. can
spend Saturday to Monday In the
country, living like a millionaire.
In fact, the girl workers OF the
gas defense plant at Astoria, Long
Island. enjoy almost unique advant-
lagos, for, since August II. they have
through the work OF the national or
lEanizaiion Of the T.. M G. A. and -thA-
, generosity OF Mrs. s. r. Davis. Of
Fairfield. Conn. had Ardsiey towerA
the magnificent summer home of MIRA
| Davis. all to themselves for week.
end parttes--and they have had gfo-
rious times, indeed.
The gas-mask girls are engaged n
most important work for the war d..
par,ment. Theirs is the task to pro-
! tect our soldiers against the GermAn
gas attacks Upon their intelligence
and zeal depend the lives Of the men
in France. Whatever can be done to
keep these girls healthy and happy,
| the Y. NJ, G. A. believes, is well worth
doing sSg
| Therefore, in pursuance Of its well
fare program among the war workers,
the organization devised the plan OF
assuring the girls week-end rest ana
recreation at one of the Hudson's
beauty spots, Ardsley. Including car.
fare to and from Ardsley, and all ex-
penses for their week lend stay. the
I girls can actually make the trip moro
tcheaply than they would live If they
remained at home Saturday, night and
Sunday.
Ardsley towers might we'll be the
! dwelling Of princess. werr pr!n.
k.- ~
girls who have gone there for week
ends have come back enraptured with
the place. Ardsiey towers has meant
the realization and more than the re-
aliza ton of their most daring dreams.
Big, roomy piazas and shady walks,
delightful vistas every side, are
Iamong the attractions of this big
country estate owned by Mrs. Davis.
1t was through her desire to be of pa
itrotic service that she conceived the
glorious idea of turning 1t over to the
/ Y. NJ. G. A, for the benefit Of the
gas defense plant girls. No more
suitable place could have been found
for building up health. restoring ner-
lvous energy and eliminating the wor-
ries that arise from a daily routine OF
iexacting work.
| The beautiful Hudson lies below the
estate. which may well be compared
or the country home of an English
peer It's turrets and towers can he
seen for miles. The well-kept lawns
and shrubbery complete a picture
which filled the gas plant girls with
delight.
| From the great piazza which COW
ers three sides of the house one may
and the Palisades. The great stair.
way, the spa cious rooms and the ball
comics OF the interior are little short
| of wonderful.
| There are sleeping rooms for TWEEN
five gorls on the second and third
floors, opening upon the inside bal
comics that run about the hail. The
~. M C. A. fitted the house through
out with linen, bed clothing and sill
yer. and the only condition made was
that the girls respect the property OF
the adjoining estates.
A matron was employed to COM
bine the functions of cook and house,
keeper She was given sufficient help
to cook and serve the meals wash the
dishes. clean the house and do what
lever other jobs were necessary about
the great estate. All that was re-
CURED of the girls was that they take
care of their own rooms,
/ The xirss have, had the NEsfSprta Insty@
ito do about everything they could ask
AT Ardsley The piano is always at
hand. and there is plenty of room for
dancing. Not many of them knew
much about pool and billiards when
I they first went to Ardsley, hut the
tables there gave them ample opper-
ltunity to learn. Tennis, croquet and
tetherbali on the lawns gave oppor-s
Itunity for outdoor recreation.
/ Almost two-thirds OF the cost OF
the week END outings goes for train
fares and taxicab fares from the sta
! ton TO Ardsley. The cost OF the whole
/ trip. including expenses at the tow
ers. is about So.