KEEPING BUSY
The Liberty Girls were forced to abandon their Shop when a substantial
offer was made by a business firm to rent the store they had occupied.
However, they were then, near the end of their resources, with depleted
stock, for they had begged about all the odds and ends people would
consent to part with. What goods remained to them were of inferior
worth and slow to dispose of, so they concluded their enterprise with a
"grand auction," Peter Conant acting as auctioneer, and cleaned up the
entire stock "in a blaze of glory," as Mary Louise enthusiastically
described the event.
The venture had been remarkably successful and many a soldier had cause
to bless the Liberty Girls' Shop for substantial comforts provided from
its funds.
"But what can we do now," inquired Mary Louise anxiously as the six
captains met with Irene one afternoon following the closing of the
shop. "We must keep busy, of course. Can't someone think of something?"
One and all had been thinking on that subject, it seemed. Various
proposals were advanced, none of which, however, seemed entirely
practical until Irene said:
"We mustn't lose our reputation for originality, you know, nor must we
interfere with those who are doing war relief work as well, if not much
better, than we could. I've pondered the case some, during the past few
days, and in reading of the progress of events I find that quite the
most important thing on the government programme, at present, is the
conservation of foods. 'Food will win the war' is the latest slogan,
and anyone who can help Mr. Hoover will be doing the utmost for our
final victory."
"That's all very well, Irene," said Alora, "but I'm sure we are all as
careful as possible to conserve food."
"Don't ask us to eat any less," pleaded Edna, "for my appetite rebels
as it is."
"I don't see how we Liberty Girls can possibly help Mr. Hoover more
than everyone else is doing," remarked Laura.
"Well, I've an idea we can," replied Irene. "But this is just another
case where I can only plan, and you girls must execute. Now, listen to
my proposition. The most necessary thing to conserve, it seems, is
wheat."
"So it seems, dear."
"People are eating large quantities of wheat flour simply because they
don't know what else to eat," Irene continued. "Now, corn, properly
prepared, is far more delicious and equally as nourishing as wheat. The
trouble is that people don't know how to use corn-meal and corn-flour
to the best advantage."
"That is true; and they're not likely to learn in time to apply the
knowledge usefully," commented Mary Louise.
"Not unless you girls get busy and teach them," admitted Irene, while a
smile went round the circle. "Don't laugh, girls. You are all very fair
cooks, and if properly trained in the methods of preparing corn for
food, you could easily teach others, and soon all Dorfield would be
eating corn and conserving wheat. That would be worth while, wouldn't
it?"
"But who's to train us, and how could we manage to train others?" asked
Mary Louise.
"The proposition sounds interesting, Irene, and if carried through
would doubtless be valuable, but is it practical?"
"Let us see," was the reply. "Some time ago I read of the wonderful
success of Mrs. Manton in preparing corn for food. She's one of the
most famous professional cooks in America and her name is already a
household word. We use her cook-book every day. Now, Mrs. Manton has
been teaching classes in Cleveland, and I wrote her and asked what she
would charge to come here and teach the Liberty Girls the practical
methods of preparing her numerous corn recipes. Here's her answer,
girls. She wants her expenses and one hundred dollars for two weeks'
work, and she will come next week if we telegraph her at once."
They considered and discussed this proposition very seriously.
"At the Masonic Temple," said Mary Louise, "there is a large and fully
equipped kitchen, adjoining the lodge room, and it is not in use except
on special occasions. Gran'pa Jim is a high Mason, and so is Alora's
father. Perhaps they could secure permission for us to use the lodge
kitchen for our class in cookery."
The colonel and Jason Jones, being consulted, promised the use of the
kitchen and highly approved the plan of the Liberty Girls. Mrs. Manton
was telegraphed to come to Dorfield and the cookery class was soon
formed. Alora confessed she had no talent whatever for cooking, but all
the other five were ready to undertake the work and a selection was
made from among the other Liberty Girls--of the rank and file--which
brought the total number of culinary endeavorers up to fifteen--as
large a class as Mrs. Manton was able to handle efficiently.
While these fifteen were being trained, by means of practical daily
demonstration, in the many appetizing preparations for the table from
corn-meal and corn-flour, Alora and one or two others daily visited the
homes of Dorfield and left samples of bread, buns, cookies, cakes,
desserts and other things that had come fresh from the ovens and range
of the cooking-school. At the same time an offer was made to teach the
family cook--whether mistress or servant--in this patriotic branch of
culinary art, and such offers were usually accepted with eagerness,
especially after tasting the delicious corn dainties.
When Mrs. Manton left Dorfield, after two weeks of successful work, she
left fifteen Liberty Girls fully competent to teach others how to
prepare every one of her famous corn recipes. And these fifteen,
divided into "shifts" and with several large kitchens at their
disposal, immediately found themselves besieged by applicants for
instruction. Before winter set in, all Dorfield, as predicted by Irene,
was eating corn, and liking it better than wheat, and in proof of their
success, the Liberty Girls received a highly complimentary letter from
Mr. Hoover, thanking them for their help in the time of the nation's
greatest need. A fee, sufficient to cover the cost of the material
used, had been exacted from all those willing and able to pay for
instruction, so no expense was involved in this work aside from the
charges of Mrs. Manton, which were cared for by voluntary subscription
on the part of a few who were interested in the girls' patriotic
project.
Another thing the Liberty Girls did was to start "Community Concerts"
one evening each week, which were held in various churches and attended
by throngs of men, women and children who joined lustily in the singing
of patriotic and popular songs. This community singing became immensely
popular and did much to promote patriotic fervor as well as to
entertain those in attendance.
And so Mary Louise's Liberty Girls, at the time this story ends, are
still active workers in the cause of liberty, justice and democracy,
and will continue to support their country's welfare as long as they
can be of use.
"We're a real part of the war," Mary Louise has often told her
co-workers, "and I'm sure that in the final day of glorious victory
our girls will be found to have played no unimportant part."
THE END