Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-10-01

Early in the spring of 1919, Elizabeth
Ann Downey rushed excitedly into her
house, banging doors, about twenty
minutes of four one Friday afternoon.
Singing her books upon the couch. her
sweater into corner, and her hat into
the closet, she ran upstairs to her mot her,
who was cleaning the attic. There she
stutteringly explained that the teacher
wanted all the school children for about
half an hour, right then, at the school
house.
With her mothers laughing consent
still in her ears, she hurried back to the
schoolhouse, with her jump-rope going
over and over her head, as il she could
get to her destination more quickly by
jumping.
Arriving at the school yard she was
met by exactly forty-seven boys and girls
who welcomed her as though they had
not seen her for week, for everyw here
Elizabeth Ann went she was a leader.
The teacher called to them from under
large, wide-spreading maple tree,
and there they all clustered around her.
Then she began to tell them all about
the thrift stamp system, and why they
should save their money to help them
selves and their country. All the
children were very enthusiastic over this
way of saving meney, as it was new,
and they thought they bad much rather
stick stamp upon card than drop a
penny into a bank.
Also, Miss Allen, the teacher, showed
them a meter such as we have in our
school and told about the Happy
Jack" club. Everyone was eager to join
this and own Jackie pin. Then she dis
missed the children, adding, as a parting
word, how she wished the school to
reach the one hundred per cent. mark.
The children walked home slowly dis
cussing the different ways by which to
earn money. Elizabeth was silent. She
had plans in her mind which she did not
wish TO share with her schoolmates, and
she was doubtful whether her mother
would allow her to do what she wished.
These were her plans: She was going to
have garden and sell punched beets,
carrots and radishes; also, she was going
to collect all the old rubbers, bottles and
rags she could find, and sell them to the
junk dealer.
At her gate she turned, and went to ask
her mother if she might do these things.
AT first Mrs. Downey looked rather dubi-
GUS, but by changing the direction OF the
clothesline in the back yard she might
have garden of square rod.
With her little rake, hoe and shovel,
Elizabeth began to work. She spaded,
raked out rocks, hoed out roots, and raked
again, until the little plot was as fine and
| smooth as one could wish. Then she went
| to her fathers store where she got pack
age OF beet seeds, one of carrot seeds and
( two Of radish seeds.
| She hurried back and began to plant
| her garden. With the handle OF her hoe
she marked out seven straight burrows,
/ then, very carefully, began dropping her
seeds. In ten minutes she was so hot she
nearly gave up her plan, but by persever-
} ing she reached the end of the seventh
row. Then she covered them smoothly,
drove stick at each of the four corners
/ of the garden, and went into the house.
/ The next day she started out to collect
junk. AT her own house she gathered 9
lot of papers and rags, where her mother
had been cleaning the attic. She piled
all the things into her little cart and went
to the dealer in old junk, two corners
away. There, to her great delight, she
sold all, receiving S1.25. She rushed tc
the postofiice, and became the PROUD
owner of five thrift stamps.
E"Now," she thought, 81 can crow over
the other girls" But in this she was dis.
appointed. Going home she met hei
cousin Anna, who proudly displayed {
book containing four stamps.
"There," she said, "see what have"
Elizabeth's face fell. Then she thought
"Why should l care? The more tine bet