Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-01-24
HF03 HER COUNTRY
; BY STELLA 1. COLE. |
Observation-Disclosures
(Copyright. lSlS, by Mcclure Newspansr
Syndieate)

"Hello, Elsie. / was hoping I wonld
see you" said Helen Sands to bar
friend. Elsie. Day. as they met on the
street. 'We girls are going on a snow
shoe hike tomorrow afternoon, and NJ
course we want you to go with us. We
are going over through the woods 70
my camp on W pond, have an
oyster stew for supper and snowsboA
back in the evening"
"Oh. Helen. I'd love TO. but haven.
any snowshoes! So guess / can't 90
this timer
why, that's too bad But Thought
you had some snowshoes; you told ne
the first Of the fall that you were go-
ing to have some this winter. and so
thought surely you would have them
by this time"
well, | did intend to buy some, but
have changed my mind. I'm sorry
not to be able TO go, for know you
viii have a dandy time, but l really
can't"
"You just bet that we are going to
have a dandy time! You know what
good oyster stews we girls can make.
and then the snowshoeing back by
moonlight"
"Oh. Helen, know 1t will be just
wonderful, and shall be thinking of
you every minute. But now / am in
a hurry to get home, so l must say
good-by."
Helen Sands and Elsie Day were
members of the Local Girls club,
local organization. the purpose Of
which was to promote social and out
door life. Snowshoeing was a feature
to be specially taken up this winter,
and the party on the morrow was the
first of a series planned for the sea-
son. The club was for the most part
composed of girls of well-to-do fami-
lies, though few working girls be-
longed, Elsie being one of that class.
Her position in life made it impossible
for her to take part in all the activi-
ties, but being a particularly bright
and attractive girl, she had become
very popular, and her inability to go
on the morrow was really a great dis
appointment TO Helen.
"Well, what do you think. girls"
said Helen that night, as they were
gathered in the clubroom making
their final preparations for the party.
ELSIE Day isn't going with us tomor-
row. Says she hasn't any snowshoes,
which I think is funny, for l know
that she has been planning on having
some for long time"
"Well, know. too" spoke up Sadie
Reed, shat she has been saving money.
a little every week, and she was tell
ing me only the other day that she had
enough saved and that she guessed she
would buy the snowshoes soon. She
has talked more about snowshoeing
and seemed more enthusiastic over it
than any other one of us, even those
who are veterans at snowshoeing. Per-
haps she is getting stingy"
"There. there, Sadie" spoke a third
girl. you're getting altogether too per-
sonal. If Elsie Day hasn't bought any
snowshoes most likely she has some
good reason for 1t. and It's none of our
business what the reason is. eitherw
"Well, good, bad or Indifferent, she
hasn't any," replied Helen, "and when
began to tell what a good time we
were going to have she said she was
in hurry to get home, and so rushed
off. l really wish she were going to-
morrow. 1t is too bad for her to miss
the fun. and we shall miss her. too
she is such jolly good company"
The week of the Red Cross drive
had been busy one and the member
ship lists were large. Mrs. Sands.
Helen's mother, very popular society
lady, always foremost in the activities
of the town, was general chairman of
the local organization, and on the eve
ming of the closing day of the cam
paign she sat in her parlor, somewhat
tired from the weeks labor. 'I'm
glad it's over" she said to Helen. tive
surely had a busy week, and hard
one, too. it's worth it all just to see
the spirit of the people. And what
surprised me most was the heartiness
with which the laboring class respond
ed. There's Elsie Day, for instance,
she took s. membership, and that's
doing better than many of the wealthy
people. She must be earning good
money or she couldn't afford to do
that, unless, of course. she has made
some great sacrifice"
Helen turned abruptly and looked at
her mother, her face glowing. well,
/ call that splendid of Elsie she said.
"She is little brick anyway and al
ways ready to do her part. / wish
there were more like her"
The next evening at the club Helen
met the girls with serious face.
"Girls." she said, 81 know why Elsie
Day bought no snowshoes. She has
deliberately chosen to go without them
q that she could give five dollars to
the Red Cross. TIL wager that there
isn't a girl among US here who has
l II. Id