The Ordway new era., 1919-02-07
LESSON IN CONSERVATION
BY CAROLYN sHERwlN BAILEY.

the Ideal oil tnrltt anu conserNn'io'i
that 1t Is bringing to the children OF
American homes. Without feeling the
pinch of actual want, they are learn
ing the useful game of making the
best and the most Of things. New
values are being discovered, economy
is no longer looked down upon. but
Is raised to the level Of an art. ana
simple living is going to make heal
thier bodies and stronger minds FOR
the children who will be the citizens
of tomorrow's freedom.
Help the children, through story,
to work out plan of conservation
that will fit their own lives. What,
on his own plane can little child
do without, share, or put to Il wider
| use? The story of "The Birthday
| Cake" suggests food economy, and af-
ter the children have heard 1t they
may make their own application OF
the lesson in other home sacrifice.
at will need four eggs and cupfus
OF sugar and some milk and some
-four" mother said, as she went to the
pantry to get the yellow mixing bowl
and the sitter to make Barbara's birth
day cake.
at needs sugar, too, for the frost
ing, and please make very thick frost
ing, mother dear" Barbara begged.
She was standing beside the kitchen
table, watching. for she was going TO
be six years old in just II few days
1t was to be her birthday cake, rich
and sweet, and shining on the supper
table with six pink. lighted candles.
Plan to Be Saving.
81 am afraid that the cake and the
frosting together will use up all our
sugar" mother said us she came back.
"I wonder" she went on, with Just
little bit of worry In her voice, "if
we could manage with two eggs in
stead of four. Eggs cost so much
now"
"Well, we have to make birthday
cake, don't we mother, because l al
lways cut 1t and share it?" Barbara
said. Mother looked down In Bar
bara's kind little face and she thought
moment. too. That was the won,
derful part about mother and Barbara,
they SO often thought the same things.
Then they said something to each
other, laughed, and hugged each other,
and mother put away the big yellow
mixing bowl and Hour sitter.
The next day was Barbara's birth
day and two people who didn't have
birthdays had surprises.
Timothy, whose mother did the
washing, had been very i'll for long
time. He was getting better and
could sit in the big rocking chair. all,
, nd try IN
out through the window when Bar
bara passed. Barbara stopped at
Timothy's door on the morning of her
birthday. She had basket on her
arm. She took from it bottle Of
creamy milk and bag that held four
white eggs.
Here is part of my birthday cake
for you, Timothy" Barbara said. ut
will make you get well faster"
eranny Blake was just putting hes
tea kettle on her stove when she heard
a knock at the door of her little house.
When she opened 1t she saw Barbara
who loved Granny Blake so much. No
one could make such nice rag dolls
as Granny, and she was always. cheer
| full and smiling, even when she hard
hardly enough Goals to make her kettle
boil.
Making Others Happy.
Barbara still carried her basket, and
she took package of sugar and
freshly baked loaf of wheat bread out
of it.
Here is part of my birthday
cake for you, dear Granny" Barbara
said. "This Is sugar for your tea, and
mother made the flour into loaf of
bread for you to eat with It,"
Then Barbara went home almost as
happy as If she had eaten n large
piece of frosted birthday cake. But
when the day was almost over and 1t
grew dark, Barbara began to wish
that she could see the six pink lighted
candles shining for her birthday. She
went slowly in to supper, thinking
of them. And. oh, what a surprise
she found there!
In n rosy circle in the middle of
the table shone six pink, lighted can
dies set in six pink rosebud holders.
In the center of this birthday circle
of lights was u bowl that held six
beautiful pink roses and beside Bar
bara's plate was parcel wrapped In
pink tissue paper. When Barbara
blew out the candles and opened the
parcel she found pink hair ribbon
for birthday present.
'sWhat n beautiful birthday this has
been, mother" Barbara said, without
u birthday caker'
Why Delay?