Graham guardian., 1919-08-15
FOR HER COUNTRY
Observation-Disclosures,
BY STELLA L. COLE,
Copyright, 1918, by Mcclure NewspapcI
Syndicate9

v
Syndicate)
"Hello, Elsie, l was hoping I would
tee you." said Helen Sands to her
riend, Elsie Day, ms they met on the
treet. ave girls are going on snow
ihoe hike tomorrow afternoon, and of
.ourse we want you TO 60 with us. We
ire going over through the woods to
ny camp on W pond, have an
,yster stew for supper and snowshoe
,ack In the evening"
ooh, Helen. I'd love to, but haven't
my snowshoesi So I guess I can't go
his timet"
"Why, that's too bad But thought
,ou had some snowshoes; you told me
he first of the fall that you were GO
ing to have some this winter, and so
hought surely you would have them
,y this time"
"Well, did intend to buy some, but
have changed my mind. I'm sorry
lot to be able to go, for l know you
NIL have dandy time, but l really
ant"
"You just bet that we are going to
lave dandy time! You know what
EOOd oyster stews we girls can make,
md then the snowshoeing back by
moonlight"
"0h, Helen, know 1t will be just
wonderful, and l shall be thinking of
fou every minute. But. now ] am in
hurry to get home, SO / must say
good-by."
Helen Sands and Elsie Day were
members of the Local Girls club, a
!ocal organization, the purpose Of
which was to promote social and out
door life. Snowshoelng was feature
70 be specially taken up this winter,
Ind the party on the morrow was the
hrst of series planned for the sea-
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 II impossible
Tor her to take part In all the activi-
ties, but being particularly bright
md attractive girl, she had become
very popular, and her inability TO go
Oh the morrow wis really great dis
appointment to Helen.
nWeii, what do yod think, girls"
said Helen that hight is they were
gathered IN the ciubrooin making
their final preparations for the party.
"Elsie Day isn't going with us tomor-
row. Says she hasn't any snowshoes,
which think Is funny, for l know
that she has been planning on having
some for a long time"
"Well, I know, too" speke up Sadie
Reed, "that she has been saving money,
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 II
\ than any other one Of us, even those
who are veterans Mt snowshoeing. Per-
haps she is getting stingy."
There, there, Sadie spoke third
girl. You're getting altogether tso 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, either J!
"Well good, bad or Indifferent, she
hasn't any" replied Helen, "and wher
began to tell what n good time VIC
were going to have, she said she was
In hurry to get home, and so rushed
OF. really wish she were going to
morrow. 1t is too bad for her to mis-
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, a very popular societ!
lady, always foremost In the activities
of the town, was general chairman O.
the local organization, and on the eve
ming of the closing day of the cam
j paign she sat In her parlor, somewha
tired from the weeks labor. 'I'n
glad It's over" she said to Helen. "Fv
surely had a busy week, and hare
one, too, it's worth 1t oil just to SCI
the spirit of the people. And wha
SURPRISED me most was the heartines
with which the laboring class respond
ed There's Elsie Day, for instance
she took $5 membership, and that
doing better than many of the wealth,
people. She must be earning goo'
money or she couldn't afford to d
that, unless, of course, she has mad
some great sacrifice"
Helen turned abruptly and looked a
her mother, her face glowing. "Wel
call that splendid of Elsle," she said
"She Is a little brick anyway and al
ways ready to do her part. / wis
there were more like her"
The next evening at the club Hele
met the girls with serious face
Girls" she said, ~ know why Elsi
Day bought no snowshoes. She ha
deliberately chosen to go without ther
so that she could give five dollars I
the Red Cross. I'll wager that ther
isn't girl among us here who ha
given that amount, and we wouldn
have had to make any sacrifice either
Now what are we going to do abou
itf
The girls looked at one another $
lently, then at last Sadie Reed spok'
"I guess l said more disagreenbl
things about her than anyone else, s
it's nm 10 me 10 make the first NOV,