Screenland (Sept 1922–Feb 1923)

Hoiiy™*!. SCREENLAND C»iift«uv 59 MY TRIP ABROAD (Continued from page 58) And what a delightful retreat! All the charm of an English country home, and Sir Philip is a perfect host. I get English food and treatment. I have a perfect rest, with no duties, and entertainment as I desire. A day and a half that are most pleasant ! Next day there is to be a ceremonial in the schoolhouse, when a memorial is to be unveiled. It is in honor of the boys of the town who had fallen. There are mothers, fathers, and many old people, some of them old in years, others aged by the trials of the war. The ^simple affair is most impressive and the streets are crowded on our way. I was to blame for an unhappy contrast. Outside people were shouting "Hooray for Charlie!" while inside souls were hushed in grief. Such a discordant note. I wished I had not been so prominent. I wanted every one to bow in respect to these dead. The crowds did not belong outside. And inside, on the little children's faces, I could see conflicting emotions. There is the reverence for the dead and yet there is eagerness as they steal glances at me. I wish I hadn't come. I feel that I am the disturbing element. From the school Sir Philip and I went to the Star and Garter hospital for wounded soldiers. Sheer tragedy was here. Young men suffering from spinal wounds, some of them with legs withered, some suffering from shell shock. No hope for them, yet they smiled. There was one whose hands were all twisted and he was painting signs with a brush held between his teeth. I looked at the siens. They were mottoes: "Arc We Downhearted?" "Never Say Die." A superman. Here is a lad who must take an anaesthetic whenever his nails are cut because of his twisted limbs. And he is smiling and to all appearances happy. The capacity that God gives for suffering is so tremendous. I marvel at their endurance. I inquire about food and general conditions. They suggest that the food could be better. This is attended to. ( Continued on Page 6j) The Girl He Left Behind By Edith Erwin "Mary Lou! t toot / you for a flower !" Bruce Webster had gone up to the city to make his fortune. And Mary Louise Kenyon had gone back home (after the train had whizzed itself away into a dot on the horizon) to keep her mother's cottage fresh and bright, to write long, newsy letters — and once in a while a whimsically tender little note which she mailed blushingly. And then — Stella Anthony went up to the city, too ! , gatped Bruce. "B'J There was much George, I didn't news in Brace's next know mi> eret were letter. What do you «o starved." think ! His employer's son was a fraternity brother ! A regular * fellow, Joe. Invited him to a stag party next week. And — oh, yes— whom do you suppose he met coming out of the office the other evening? A home town girl ! It surely was good to see any one from home. A lucky coincidence, her passing that moment. She was so delighted— had been so lonely in the city. Mary Lou let the letter flutter to the floor. Coincidence ! Lonely ! It was amusing, if one happened to be in the mood for amasement. Stella Anthony was perfectly capable of guiding the long arm of coincidence with her own firm hand. Brace's letters grew less frequent, but told of good times, for Joe was taking him to parties and the country club. But he didn't forget the old town. He and Stella compared letters and kept up with the news, he said. "But there ought to be a way." Mary Lou dug her nails into her palms. 'It— it isn t fan! And be — wouldn't really be happy. Oh— I must find a way." Something inside of her set to work intently — seemed to whisper, "Don't give up yet. Don t give up yet." MAYBE it was this something that led her to buy a once-favorite magazine one day. Mary Lou had stopped getting it, for she didn't like to read love stories any more. But she took it, anyway, and that night picked it up disconsolately. The pages fell open at a story. Something made her begin it eagerly. Then she re-read it. "Why I wonder — " whispered Mary Lou. And she read it a third time. "They say men always jjke " After which she resolutely took pen and ink, then ran out to mail a letter in the dusk. Then, for the rest of the summer, Mary Lou was very busy in a mysterious sort of way. When Bruce got a vacation late in October. Springdale was not surprised that Stella Anthony managed to get a vacation then, too. Yet Mary Lou was remarkably unruffled by this later news. And there was a mystifying twinkle in her eye! It remained there, even when Bruce failed to come over the day he arrived, and the second day of his absence failed to entirely dim its light. That afternoon, the gate at last opened to a familiar hand, a well-known footfall sounded — stopped — Over in a corner of the garden was what might reasonably be taken for a chrysanthemum, one of those huge yellow, fringy ones. But never yet did chrysanthemums boast silken hose and * buckled slippers. "Mary Lou! I took you for a flower!" gasped Bruce. "By George, I didn't know my eyes were so starved." NOT only Bruce, but all Springdale, was surprised at the wonderful new clothes of Mary Lou. Surprised at the gay little sports frock, with its orange scallops ; astonished at the charming rose jersey touched by a lavish hand with wool embroidery. Dazzled by the crisp, jaunty little things Mary Lou slipped on of mornings; bewildered by the frillier garments in which she bloomed later in the day. Not to mention lace and silken mysteries glimpsed through filmy blouses. Stella Anthony in her dark, tailored things was almost unnoticed. Mary Lou kept the pink dotted swiss for the last evening. A little girl sort of a frock it was, with Mary Lou nervously twisting her pink ribbons. "The sweetest of all," was Bruce's verdict. "Mary Lou," he bent suddenly toward her. "Don't ever wear anything but those dainty, frilly things. A man— out in the world— likes to know there's a cool little island of a home somewhere, with somebody waiting. Somebody in soft, feminine things — " Then he stopped. "I've no right to ask you. You're used to lovely things— it will be some time befoie 1 can afford — " "Oh— if that's ell the objection," said Mary Lou, brazenly. Comfortably snuggled against his ana she told him, later in the evening. "I wanted pretty things more this year than ever before. For — well, just because. But I couldn't afford any— and I wasn't trained to earn money. Then, one day, I read of a school, the Woman's Institute, in Scran ten, Pennsylvania, that teaches girls and women, right in their homes, to sew. Just think what that means. Why, one can have prettier clothes for a fourth the usual price. "I just felt I could learn, for I wanted to. so l adly. So I began the lessons. And, do you know — I started right in making actual garments. After just a few weeks I made my first dress. I made some things for mother and then some cunning dresses and rompe s for a neighbor's children. This brought me enough money to buy the yellow organdie that you liked so much. "Since then everything has been easy, for if s such fun to plan and make clothes when you know how. So many people want me to sew for them — why, I could open a little shop if I wanted to." "But you a-e not going to !" wbis-Jered Bruce. "Christmas, isn't it V TT7HAT Mary Lou <IM. you can Co. too. There VY is not the slightest doubt about it. More '.ban 140,000 women and girls in city, town and country have proved that you can quickly learn at home, in spare time, through the Woman's Institute, to make all your own and your children's clothes and hats or prepare for success in Dressmaking or Millinery as a business. It costs you absolutely nothing to find out what it can do for you. Just send a letter, post card or the convenient coupon below to the Woman's Institute, Dept. 100-K. Scranton, Penna.. and you will receive, without obligation, the full story of this great school that is bringing to women and girls all over the world, the happiness of having dainty, becoming clothes and hats, savings almost too good to be true, and the joy of being independent in a successful business. TEAR OUT HERE WOMAN'S INSTITUTE Dept. 100-K, Scranton, Penna. Without cost or obligation, please send me one of your booklets and tell me how I can learn the subject which I have marked below : □ Home Dressmaking □ Professional Dressmaking □ Millinery □ Cooking Name (Please specify whether Mrs. or Miss) Address .. — .— ~ '••