But you certainly look fascinating, if
you're a fair sample of the others, and I don't see how anyone can
refuse to back up our girls in their patriotic 'drive.' God bless you,
Mary Louise, and help you to achieve your noble object."

There were many offices in the building, above the bank, and the girl
visited every one of them. Her appearance, garbed in the national
colors and bearing her banner, was a sign of conquest, for it seemed to
these busy men as if Uncle Sam himself was backing this crusade and all
their latent patriotism was stirred to the depths. So they surrendered
at discretion and signed for the bonds.

Mary Louise was modest and sweet in demeanor; her pleas were as
pleasant as they were persuasive; there was nothing virulent or
dominant in her attitude. But when she said: "Really, Mr. So-and-so,
you ought to take more bonds than that; you can afford it and our
country needs the money," the argument was generally effective, and
when she had smilingly pinned the bond button on a man's coat and
passed on to interview others, she left him wondering why he had bought
more bonds than he ever had intended to, or even provoked with himself
that he had subscribed at all. These were the people who had generally
resisted all former pleadings of the regular committee and had resolved
to ignore the bond sale altogether. But perhaps their chagrin was
equalled by their satisfaction in having been won over by a pretty
girl, whose manner and appearance were alike irresistible.

The men of Dorfield are a fair sample of men everywhere. At this period
the full meaning of the responsibilities we had assumed in this
tremendous struggle was by no means fully realized. The war was too far
away, and life at home was still running in its accustomed grooves.
They could not take the European war to themselves, nor realize that it
might sweep away their prosperity, their liberties--even their homes.
Fear had not yet been aroused; pity for our suffering and hard-pressed
allies was still lightly considered; the war had not struck home to the
hearts of the people as it has since. I doubt if even Mary Louise fully
realized the vital importance of the work she had undertaken.

When the Liberty Girls met at Colonel Hathaway's for a light luncheon,
their eyes were sparkling with enthusiasm and their cheeks rosy from
successful effort. Their individual sales varied, of course, for some
were more tactful and winning than others, but all