Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 283, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1918 — THE LITTLE HELP [ARTICLE]

THE LITTLE HELP

By MILDRED E. SWENSON.

(Copyright, 191 s, bv McClure rsewsoaper Syndicate.)

Both glanced up from tne rasmou paper she had been perusing to where her mother, sat sewing. She was niitkIng a dress for Beth, of course--but with all due regard to a style that would last, for their dresses had to io them for a Jong time. Beth, sighed. “Mother,” she said, “wouldn’t you be just tickled to pieces to wake up some morning and find that you could go out and get a dress already made in :hc latest fashion, without regard to whether it would wear well or not?” "Yes, dear,” she said, “but you know that would be impossible now.” “I know it, mother,” said Beth, with a sigh, “but, goodness me, I do hope that it won’t be like this forever! There, mother, forget that; I’m a little pig to care about it at all!” But her mother didn’t forget. She knew how hard it 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. It was a small amount, too, but laqge 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 Marvin, would stay in France. But the little family he had left were proud of the husband and father who was over the soa, fighting that they might be free, and didn’t rCajly. rolod conserving a little, that he might have the necessities. At the luncheon table next noon Beth outlined a proposition. It startled her mother and made her realize that her little girl was growing up fast. This was what Beth had suggested: 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 summer? Beth had that all thought out, too. Uncle Jim, father’s brother, had a farm up-state a ways ahd would be sure to hire help for the summer. Why couldn’t Beth be one of that “help?” Mother could go up for a visit. Finally Mrs. Marvin decided to give Beth’s plan a chance, and wrote the letter to Uncle Jim. Then, a 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 brother’s wife and child. So, a week later, Mrs. Marvin and Beth were on their way to the farm. Early in the fall they came back home after their long summer in the country—Beth tanned and tir ed, 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 surprised, one day a short time later, when she suggested that they go doupi town and do some shopping, with the money Beth had earned, to have Beth say, “No, mother, we won’t do any shopping, I’m afraid,” and then mother looked at her in amazement: “No, mother, not now. I —l hope you ■ won’t mind, but, well, mother. I’ve ’ sent all that money to dad!” “ Sent it to dad!” cried Mrs. Marvin, “why, how could you, Beth? The money that meant so much —!” “There, ft’s all right, mother”, said Beth. “I just couldn’t tell /you, you see. I thought maybe you might object simply because little selfish me thought she wanted pretty things, and so I did it before you could know anything aWout it, and have time to stop me. You remember that last letter we had from dad, where he spoke of those boys in his company who had no real homes or friends? And he said, too, that they were lonesoaw ‘over there,’ and that if they only had something to cheer them up, a phonograph, perhaps—a cheap one, of course —it might help a lot. But It seemed almost Impossible to raise the money for it. Every one had chipped In and was looking forward to the time when there would be enough, but —well, you know how long It would take to get enough for that phonograph. So I knew that my little bit would help enough! Oh, Ido hope it did! And you don’t mind, do you. mother? You see how it waaF«*’fe£| Mind? Of course, Mrs. Marvin didn’t mind. She-simply gathered her little daughter into her arms and kissed her. As far the boys “over there,” they did get their phonograph and blessed the girl who had gone without the pretty things that were so attractive to her. that they, a few unknown soldiers who had thought no one caredJ for them, might have a little pleasure. But it was not the glorious deed they pictured it to be, although it was one of the little things that count—jusf one of the things that the people ail over this broad land are doing today, that these soldiers of ours may be kept happy and cheerful, so that itmay be easier for them to win the Sght.