Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-04-24
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE LITTLE HELP
By MILDRED E. sWENsoN.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
copyright. 1913. BY Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicatel

paper she had been perusing to whers
her mother sat sewing. She was max
ing dress for Beth, of courSe-but
with all due regard to style that
would last, for their dresses had tC
do them for long time. Beth sighed
Mother" she said. wouldn't you
be just tickled to pieces to wake uI
some morning and find that you could
60 out and get dress already made In
the latest fashion, without regard to
whether it would wear well or not 2
YES, dear" she said, "but you know
that would be impossible now" y
know it, mother" said Beth, with q
sigh, but, goodness me, do hope that
1t won't be like this forever! There.
mother, forget that; I'm little pig to
care about 1t at ALL" But her moth
er didn't forget. She knew how hard
1t was for her daughter to go without
the pretty things that she had been
accustomed to have.
You, see, Mr.. Marvin had heard his
cOuntry's call a short time before and
had gone to join the colors, leaving his
wife and sixteen-year-old daughter to
get along on the amount he had In the
bank. after many years of saving. 1t
was small amount, too, but large
enough to keep his wife and daughter
in comparative comfort until he should
return, but without the luxuries Of
life.
No one knew when the fight for
humanity would be ended, and until
it was, Mr.. Marvin, now Captain Mar
win, would stay In France But the
little family he had left were proud
of the husband and father who was
over the sea, fighting that they might
be free, and didn't really mind con-
serving a little, that he might have
the necessities.
At the luncheon table next noon
Beth outlined proposition. It
startled her mother and made her real
lie that her little girl was growing up
fast. This was what Beth had sug-
gested: She was young and strong,
and they needed girls to do farm work
for the summer; so why couldn't she
go? May Jones was going to a farm
in StOneville, and she wasn't half as
strong as Beth was, etc but what
would Mrs. Marvin do with her only
daughter away from her for the sum
mer? Beth had that all. thole ht out,
too. Uncle Jim, fathers brother, had
a farm upstate ways and would be
sure to hire help for the summer. Why
couldn't Beth be one Of that 'helpT
Mother could go up fer a visit.
Finally Mrs. Marvin decided to give
Beth's plan a chance, and wrote the
letter to Uncle Jim. Then, few days
later, came an answer Why, OF
course. they could come, and he would
be more than glad to do what he could
for his brothers wife and child. So,
week later, Mrs. Marvin and Beth
were on their way to the farm.
Early in the fail they came back
home after their long summer In the
country Beth tanned and tired, but
happy, and Mrs. Marvin satisfied that
the summer had been spent to the |
best advantage. And when she looked |
into Beth's smiling face she was more
than glad that she had consented to /
her plan to earn extra money, and she |
thought how many pretty things that
same money would buy for her little
girl.
Therefore, she was greatly sur
prised, one day short time later,
when she suggested that they 20 down
town and do some shopping. with the
money Beth had earned, to have Beth
say, mo, mother, we won't do any
shopping, I'm afraid, and then as her
mother looked at her in amazement:
mo, mother, not now. II hope you
won't mind, but, well, mother, I've
sent all that money to dad p Sent it
to dad" cried Mrs. Marvin, why,
how could you, Beth? The money
that meant so much"
There, It's all right, mother" said
Beth. II just couldn't tell you, you
zee. I thought maybe you might OBJ
eet simply because little selfish me
hought she wanted pretty things, and
10 did 1t before you could know any
hing about it, and have time to stop
ne. You remember that last letter
We had from dad, where ne spoke of
hose boys in his company who had
10 real homes or friends? And he
aid, too, that they were lonesome
over there and that if they only had
to cheer them up, phono-
raph, perhaps cheap one, Of
might help a lot. But 1t
eemed almost impossible to raise the
honey for 1t. Every one had Clipped
4 and was looking forward to the
me when there would be enough, but
well, you know how long 1t would !
AXE to get enough for that phono- :
raph. So / knew. that my little bit
-ould help enough! Oh, I do hope it
Id! And you don't mind, do you, !
lother? You see how 1t WASP"
Mind? OF course, Mrs. Marvin !
ldn't mind. She simply gathered her !
tile daughter into her arms and i
Used her.
AZ FIR fha hovS aova,. tt,orc ;, 49, B