Mary Louise and the Liberty Girls | Page 4

for subscriptions
would wreck you entirely. So you're to stop short--this very
minute--and rest up and take it easy and not worry."
"But--my dear!"
"See here, Gran'pa Jim," with assumed sternness, "you've worked hard
to secure Dorfield's quota, and you've failed. Why, the biggest
subscribers for bonds in the whole city are you and Jason Jones!
There's plenty of wealth in Dorfield, and over at the mills and factories
are thousands of workmen who can buy bonds; but you and your
Committee don't know how to interest the people in your proposition.
The people are loyal enough, but they don't understand, and you don't
understand how to make them understand."
"No," he said, shaking his head dolefully, "they're a dense lot, and we
can't make them understand."
"Well, I can," said Mary Louise, cheerfully.
"You, child?"
"Yes. You mustn't imagine I've tackled the problem this very morning;
I've been considering it for some time, and I've talked and consulted
with Alora and Irene and Laura and the other girls about the best way
to redeem the situation. We knew the situation was desperate long
before last night's meeting. So all our plans are made, and we believe
we can sell all the bonds required. It was our policy to keep silent until
we knew what the big mass-meeting last night would accomplish, but
we suspected it would turn out just the way it did--a fizzle. So the job's
up to us, and if you'll sit quiet, Gran'pa Jim, and let us girls do the work,
we'll put Dorfield in the honor column by Saturday night."
"This is nonsense!" exclaimed the Colonel, but there was an accent of

hope in his voice, nevertheless.
"We girls are thoroughly organized," said Mary Louise, "and we'll sell
the bonds."
"Girls!"
"Why, just think of it, Gran'pa. Who would refuse a group of young
girls--earnest and enthusiastic girls? The trouble with you men is that
you accept all sorts of excuses. They tell you they're hard up and can't
spare the money; there's a mortgage to pay, or taxes or notes to meet,
and they can't afford it, anyway. But that kind of talk won't do when we
girls get after them."
"What arguments can you use that we have disregarded?"
"First, we'll coax; then we'll appeal to their patriotism; then we'll
threaten them with scorn and opprobrium, which they'll richly deserve
if they hang on till it comes to that. If the threats don't make 'em buy,
we'll cry--and every tear will sell a bond!"
The Colonel stirred his coffee thoughtfully.
"You might try it," he suggested. "I've read that in some cities the Boy
Scouts have been successful in placing the bonds. It's an honorable
undertaking, in any event, but--I hope you will meet with no insults."
"If that rank pro-German, Jake Kasker, will buy bonds, there isn't a
man in Dorfield who can give a logical excuse for not doing likewise,"
declared Mary Louise. "I'm going to use Kasker to shame the rest of
them. But, before I undertake this job, I shall make a condition, Gran'pa.
You must stay quietly at home while we girls do the work."
"Oh, I could not do that, Mary Louise."
"You're not fit to leave the house. Will you try my plan for one
day--just for to-day."
"I'll think it over, dear," he said, rising.

She assisted him to the library and then ran down the street to the
doctor's office.
"Dr. McGruer," she said, "go over at once and see my grandfather. He's
completely exhausted with the work of selling Liberty Bonds. Be sure
you order him to keep at home and remain quiet--at least for to-day."
CHAPTER III
THE LIBERTY GIRLS
An hour later six girls met at the home of Alora Jones, who lived with
her father in a fine mansion across the street from Colonel Hathaway's
residence. These girls were prepared to work, and work diligently,
under the leadership of Mary Louise, for they had been planning and
discussing this event for several days, patiently awaiting the word to
start their campaign.
"Some girls," said Mary Louise, "are knitting, and that's a good thing to
do, in a way. Others are making pajamas and pillows for the Red Cross,
and that's also an admirable thing to do. But our duty lies on a higher
plane, for we're going to get money to enable Uncle Sam to take care of
our soldier boys."
"Do--do you think we can make people buy bonds?" asked little Laura
Hilton, with a trace of doubt in her voice.
Mary Louise gave her a severe look.
"We not only can, but we shall make people buy," she replied. "We
shall ask them very prettily, and they cannot refuse us. We've all been
loaded to the brim with arguments, if