CHAPTER III
THE LIBERTY GIRLS
"Yes, we must prove that we have the true spirit of liberty, the spiritof humanity," Nathalie spoke very earnestly, "and that is why I haveasked Marie Katzkamof to belong to the club. She is the little lamegirl, _you know_ who she is; she sits at the news-stand on the corner ofMain and West streets, and sells the papers when her father is atbusiness. She is always knitting--sweaters for the soldiers, she says.It makes me feel ashamed when I realize how hard she works to do her'little bit.'"
"You are right, Nathalie," replied Helen thoughtfully, "for you havestruck something big in your idea that we are all Americans, and thatthe club should be free to all. But hurry over, and see what Mrs. Morrowhas to say. I believe she'll think the whole scheme is fine."
But Nathalie was already at the door, her brown eyes sparkling withsuppressed excitement, and her cheeks flushed with the soft pink thatall the girls admired, and _some_ envied. And then she was making herway across the road to the white house on the corner, still softlyhumming,
"As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free."
The Tuesday that Nathalie had designated in her notes to the invitedgirls had arrived, and the girl, somewhat pale from nervousness, wasstanding before a small table in the living-room of her home. Facing herwere a dozen or more girls, all more or less in an attitude of expectantinterest as they sat, some on chairs, others on the couch in the hall,while the Pioneers, as was their wont when chairs were limited, wereseated in a circle on the floor.
"Now, girls," cried Nathalie, determined to plunge ahead and get thething started before her enthusiasm and nerves collapsed to a frazzle,as she told Helen afterward, "I have asked you all here to-day, to forma club in the interest of liberty. The Girl Pioneers know just how big athing liberty is, for they had the pleasure of hearing Mrs. Morrow, ourPioneer director, in her little talk on liberty. Oh, Lillie Bell, wouldyou mind repeating what you remember of Mrs. Morrow's speech?" Nathaliebroke off abruptly, turning towards that young lady, one of the mostpopular of the Pioneer girls. "I know you have a good memory, Lillie,"Nathalie pleaded, "and are such a good elocutionist that you can do itbetter than any one else I know."
This calling upon Lillie Bell was a stroke of finesse on the part ofNathalie. For Lillie, when she had learned that the club was to be sodemocratic that the daughter of her newsdealer, a Russian Jew, had beeninvited, had loftily declared that although she was a good American, andwanted to do all she could for liberty, well, she didn't know that shecared to chum with all the Jews in the town.
Nathalie had been keenly alive to the desirability of having Lillie amember, because she was not only bright and efficient, but because shewas such a good entertainer. This declaration of Lillie's, however, hadcaused her spirits to fall below zero, and she began to fear that thewhole thing would prove a fizzle. But when so many girls had respondedto her invitation, all keyed to expectant curiosity--Lillie amongthem--her spirits had taken a leap into the nineties. Immediately heralert mind had begun to plan in what way, and how, she could interestLillie in the club, so that she would take an active part in its doings.And here was her chance.
Lillie Bell, with her usual timely poise, gracefully and smilingly roseto the occasion. In her most luring manner she not only repeated Mrs.Morrow's speech, but interpreted it with such a stirring Americanspirit, that not only was Nathalie electrified, but the whole audiencewere inspired to such a pitch of enthusiasm that they broke into heartyapplause.
As soon as the clamor subsided, Nathalie cried earnestly, "Now that weall know what liberty means, and the possibilities that lie before us, Ipropose that we form ourselves into a club to be known as 'The LibertyGirls.'"
Another outburst of approval brought the speaker to a halt, but only fora moment, and then she went on smilingly, "Well, I am glad that you likethe name, for it means something." Then she briefly told of theseventeen young girls, who, over a hundred and fifty years ago, hadformed a club called "The Daughters of Liberty."
"They did their bit," smiled the girl, "by sewing all day on homespungarments to prove that the colonies could be independent of themother-country, and swore that they would drink no tea until the tax hadbeen removed. They also declared that they would have nothing to do withany of their young gentlemen friends who dared to drink the detestedbeverage.
"But, girls," said Nathalie rather hurriedly, as she stepped from behindthe little table, "if we are to form ourselves into a club, we shallhave to have a chairman, for although the idea originated with me, thatdoes not mean that you have got to have me for a leader," she endedmodestly.
"But we don't want any one but you," called out some oneenthusiastically, which cry was so emphatically echoed by others, thatNathalie stood hopelessly bewildered, a wave of color dyeing her face arose-pink.
But in this crucial moment Helen came to her rescue, and jumping on herfeet cried,--even Lillie, Grace, and Edith bobbed up too,--"Girls, Imake the motion that we form ourselves into a club to be known as 'TheLiberty Girls,' and that we elect for president, Miss Nathalie Page. Allin favor of this motion stand up!"
There was a quick, simultaneous movement of many feet, and then, asHelen sensed that Nathalie had been duly elected leader by her mates,she called out, "Well, Nathalie, you will have to be president, forevery one wants you."
"Yes, and we won't have any one else," added Edith quickly, with asudden clap of her hands. This was the signal for the girls to start upa loud clapping in approval of the newly elected president, whoserose-pink cheeks had deepened to scarlet as she stood bowing, somewhatconfusedly, to them.
Whereupon Lillie Bell gracefully came to the fore, and dramaticallyseizing the hand of the young girl while leading her back to her seat,in an impressive manner cried, "Allow me, Miss Nathalie Page, to leadyou to the seat of honor, as the president of the club, 'The LibertyGirls.'"
Nathalie bowed and laughed with embarrassment, but she determined tocarry off the honors bestowed upon her with a good grace, and as soon asthe somewhat noisy demonstrations of pleasure from the girls had ended,she said modestly, "Girls, I thank you for wanting me to be your leader,and only hope I will make a good one."
There was more plaudits, and then Nathalie, with grave seriousness,said: "Girls, now that we have pledged ourselves not only as a club, butas individuals, to further the cause of liberty, I would suggest thatour watchword be, 'Liberty and humanity--our best.' Humanity means to behelpful and kind to our neighbors, our best means to work with astrenuous will to do everything we can to that end. Our neighbors at thepresent moment loom very large and big as the needy and suffering onesoverseas, as the sick, the wounded, the dying, the prisoners, therefugees, and all those who are fighting on land and sea: yes, and thosein the air, and all those who are helping to care for the ones I havementioned, as the doctors and nurses, for they, too, all need help. Ifwe can't fight, we have got to help those who are fighting in our stead.Yes," she added solemnly, "and we must be prepared even to have thedesire to do what we can for our enemies, for as liberty makes nodiscrimination as to who shall enjoy it, so in the doing of humane actswe should remember all."
As Nathalie, highly elated by the enthusiasm shown by her audience,stood waiting for quietness, suddenly her eyes rested on little lameMarie Katzkamof, whose big black eyes shone like two stars from herpale, sallow face. Nathalie had another inspiration.
She bent forward and in a low, earnest voice cried, "Do you think,little Marie, that you would enjoy being a member of this club? Wouldn'tyou like to do something--yes, _your best_--to help the poor refugees inFrance and Belgium, and the brave soldier boys who are fighting, so thatthe whole world can enjoy liberty?"
"Yiss, ma'am; I have a glad on liberty," the girl giggled nervously,"but it's like this mit me, I likes I shure I don't make you notrouble."
"But it won't be any trouble to us, Marie," answered Nathalie with asmile. "We will all help you; humanity me
ans to help others."
"But, Missis Page," the girl's face was scarlet, her big eyes mournful."It's like this mit me, I ain't stylish like these young ladies; I makenottings mit them, for I ain't shmardt, hein? Und this leg it ain't yetso healthy. Und, Missis Page, I'm lovin' mit liberty, but I ain't lovin'much mit Krisht, for I'm a Jewess."
Nathalie faltered a moment, for she had seen a smile creep into the eyesof the girls, which she knew would become a laugh if she did not say theright thing. "Yes, you may not love Christ, as we Christians," sheanswered quickly, "but if you love the liberty, perhaps you may learn toknow what it means to love Him. And then, Marie, that will make nodifference, for as long as you want to help the suffering ones, and showhumanity, that makes you an American, no matter who, or what you are."
"Thank you, Missis Page," the girl's face had lighted with repressedjoy, "sure I'm an American. I can't do nottings mit the fight, like thesoldiers, but you bet yer life I can knit for them, hein?" And thelittle daughter of Israel held up a strip of wool with its two shinyneedles. "Shure und my hands are straight," she continued pathetically,"even if my legs ain't healthy."
Nathalie's eyes blurred, but she answered smilingly, "Why, that will belovely, Marie." Then, turning towards the girls, she cried, "Every onein favor of appointing Marie Katzkamof captain of the Knitting Squad,please hold up her hand." And every hand went up. "And we'll call youCaptain Molly," went on Nathalie, "in memory of that brave young woman,Molly Pitcher, who, when her husband fell dead at the battle ofMonmouth, during the Revolution, took his place,--she was carrying waterto the soldiers,--seized the rammer of his gun, and fired it. And shekept on firing it," cried Nathalie with glowing eyes, "with the shot andshell flying all about her, until the battle was over. And with thatname and the bravery of _that_ Molly--for I know you are brave, Marie--Iknow you will do _your best_ for liberty, and for the soldiers who areon the firing-line, doing their best, as the Sons of Liberty, for theright of every man in the world."
After Lillie Bell had been duly elected vice-president of the club, andseveral other club matters had been disposed of, Nathalie proposed, asan inspiration to the girls, that they form a circle in the center ofthe room, and stand with clasped hands, to show the interdependence ofone upon the other. "Then in turn," she explained, "let each girl tellof some woman, or girl, who, by her bravery in doing what she could forsome one else, or for the world, has given of her best to mankind, andshown that she was a true lover of humanity, and a daughter of liberty."
The girls, quickly grasping Nathalie's idea, were soon standing in acircle, hurriedly trying to concentrate their minds on some one womanwho had given of her greatness to mankind.
"Can we tell about the Pioneer women?" asked a Girl Pioneer timidly.
"Yes, indeed," answered the young president, "and we ought to hear aboutthem first, too, for they were the ones who really taught us what itmeans to love liberty. Although they were not the first women who didgreat things for their fellow-beings, they were the ones who made clearto us that real liberty means humanity, justice, and democracy for all."
Helen now started the liberty chain by clasping the hand of her neighboron each side of her and telling of the women of the _Mayflower_, who, bytheir acts of sacrifice, and stern determination to worship God as theythought right, gave us religious freedom.
Nita told of the coming of the ship, the _Arbella_, to Gloucester withJohn Winthrop, the governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the twonoted Puritan brides, the Lady Arbella and Anne Bradstreet, the latterour first American poetess. And gave testimony of their devotion toPuritanism, and their desire to benefit mankind.
One Pioneer told of America's first club-woman, Anne Hutchinson,portraying her trial and banishment from Boston, in her efforts tobenefit mankind by teaching them freedom of thought. Another told ofMary Dyer, the noted Quakeress, and how she was hanged from an old elmon Boston Common because she believed in freedom of religion.
Margaret, the wife of John Winthrop, the governor, and Susannah, themother of John Wesley, both beloved for their sweet piety and charity,were cited as examples of having given of their best in being the idealwife and mother. Lillie Bell told of Florence Nightingale, the youngEnglish woman who gave up a life of luxury to help the soldiers duringthe Crimean War in 1854. She became known as "The Lady of the Lamp,"from a statue of her as she stands with a nurse's lamp in her hand,erected in a church in London.
A Girl Scout told of Dorothy Dix, that wonderful woman who made it herlife-work to visit prisons and insane asylums, in order to institutereforms for the care and comfort of the inmates. She also did much forthe relief of wounded soldiers during the American Civil War.
Jenny Lind, the great Swedish singer, was cited as having given tohumanity when she gave her time and voice to raise thousands of dollarsfor the benefit of broken-down musicians and writers. Mrs. HarrietBeecher Stowe gave of her best, Edith declared, when she wrote her book,"Uncle Tom's Cabin," and showed the world the evils of slavery; as alsoMrs. Julia Ward Howe when she wrote that wonderful patriotic song, "TheBattle Hymn of the Republic."
The two noted women astronomers, Caroline Herschel and Maria Mitchell,when they studied the heavens in the interest of science, gave of theirbest. Also Charlotte Cushman, the great actress, who raised large sumsof money by her acting, and gave it to the Sanitary Fund, during theCivil War, was quoted as a lover of humanity.
The Baroness Burdett-Coutts and Miss Helen Gould, two of the world'snoted philanthropists, as well as Miss Louisa Alcott, in her writingsfor the youth of America, and other women writers were added to thegrowing list of Liberty Daughters. Dolly Madison, the beautiful FirstLady of the Land, showed herself a true American during the War of 1812.When the British burned Washington she refused to leave the White Houseuntil the portrait of Washington was carried to a place of safety, whileshe herself took the Declaration of Independence, with its autographs ofthe signers, away with her, so that it would not be lost to America.
Even Marie, alias Captain Molly, caught the inspiration of the LibertyChain, and told of a young Russian girl, who, rather than betray thesecrets of a great man, from a paper that had fallen into her hands,allowed herself to be exiled to Siberia. Then came the war stories, asthat of the noted Quakeress, Lydia Darrach, who, during the Revolution,on learning the secrets of the British officers who were quartered ather house, endured untold hardship in traveling many miles in the deadof winter to reveal them to the American patrol, so as to save theContinental Army from disaster.
Hannah Weston, who filled a pillow-case with pewter-ware when she heardthat a certain town was in need of ammunition, and carried it many milesthrough the woods at night, was cited for her bravery and her sacrifice,in her effort to help others. The story of Betty Zane and how she ranfrom the palisade of a Western fort to her brother's hut for a keg ofpowder in the fire of a tribe of Indians, although a familiar one, waslistened to with glowing interest.
Ruth Wyllis, who hid the charter of Connecticut in an oak tree, and KatyBrownell, the color-bearer at the battle of Bull Run, who stood by theflag in the face of the advancing foe, and who would have been shot todeath if a soldier had not pulled her away, were but two recitals ofbrave deeds for the sake of humanity.
But at last the liberty chain came to an end by Nathalie telling ofSaint Margaret, a plain, uneducated Irish woman, who, after losing herhusband and child, devoted her life and every penny she made to thecause of orphan children. A statue, she said, had been erected in NewOrleans to this noble woman, who gave of her best to humanity when shedevoted her life to these little waifs.
After the girls had returned to their seats, Nathalie appointed sevensquads. She had made it seven, she said, not only because it was a luckynumber, but because there were just seven letters in the name,_Liberty_. Helen was made the captain of the Florence Nightingale Squad,since she had gained many honors, as a Girl Pioneer, as an expert makerof bandages.
Nita, with a Girl Scout as a running mate, was made captain of theScra
p-Book Squad, which meant the making of scrap-books for theconvalescing soldiers in the hospitals. Lillie Bell and a Camp Fire Girlwere placed at the head of the Garments Squad for the cutting and sewingof garments for the refugee children of France and Belgium. Two GirlScouts were made captains of the Flower Squad, with the purpose ofraising and selling flowers for the Liberty Loan fund.
Jessie Ford had charge of the comfort-kits for the soldier-boys, whileBarbara Worth, who was an expert knitter, was appointed to work withCaptain Molly, the Russian Jewess. Nathalie was unanimously chosen asthe captain of the Liberty Garden, with Edith Whiton and several otherGirl Pioneers. They were not only to raise vegetables and fruits intheir garden-to-be, but they were to do canning as well.
After some discussion it was decided that the club members wear auniform consisting of a white shirtwaist, with the letters L. G. in redon the arm, on the corners of their white sailor-collars, and on thehatbands of their white sailor-hats, and to wear white or khaki skirts.
Nathalie had just appointed a committee to scour the town for a parcelof ground to use as a flower and Liberty garden, when a sudden noise washeard. The girl looked quickly up, to see Mrs. Morrow standing in thedoorway leading from the dining-room, with her arms filled with flowers.In her hand was a large bell, which she was jingling softly, while herblue eyes smiled down upon the girls with radiant good-will.