[Illustration]
Boston
Richard G. Badger
The Gorham Press
Copyright, 1919, by Richard G. Badger
All Rights Reserved
Made in the United States of America
The Gorham Press, Boston, U.S.A.
At the solicitation of many friends I am publishing, unknown to my
daughter, these letters written by her while in the service of the
Y.M.C.A. The letters have come to me scribbled in lead pencil and in
every color of ink upon an assortment of stationery that in itself
revealed the snatching of whatever opportunity to write occurred in a
busy life.
I make here public apology to the author if I have caused to be
printed anything she would prefer not to have said outside the family
circle.
The spirit manifest in these letters has been that of hundreds of
girls wearing the same colors, doing faithfully and perseveringly the
work that was given them to do, whether it chanced to be dramatic and
exhilarating or plain drudgery. To each one of them as she doffs her
uniform I would say, in the recent happy phrasing of a statesman: "Let
us not demobilize the Spirit of Helpfulness!" and with sincere homage
I dedicate this little book
TO OUR "Y" GIRLS.
M.C.S.
September, 1919.