The Next of Kin: Those who Wait and Wonder

ERVA

to general circulation since the war. One

to carry with it the unpleasant suggestion of something that needs to be changed. The dictionary, which knows everything, says that "Conservatio

ttle girl who wore a sunbonnet all summer and a hood all winter, and cried one whole day ea

ept back many a needed reform, for people have grown to think that wh

ood tory (small t, please), thinking that by this utterance he convinces an adm

ge without notice." We cannot all indulge ourselves in the complacency of the maiden lady who gave her age year after year as

ing and bleaching it. Change is a characteristic of life, and we must reckon on it! Progress is Life's first law! In order to be as good as we were

at enmity with the spirit of change

Canada, and have gone into the ranks of destroyers, becoming a drain upon our resources for all that they eat, wear, and use. Many thousand other men are making munitions, whose end is destruction and waste. We spend more in a day now to kill and hurt our fellow men than we ever spent in a month to educate or help them. Great new ways of wasting a

ill in our blood, for the time of reaction is surely to be reckoned with by and by. Now we are sustained by the blare of the bands and the flourish of flags, but in the cold, gray dawn of the morning after, we shall count our dead with disillusioned e

g extravagance with generosity, thrift with meanness. The Indians in the old days killed off the buffalo for the sport of killing, and left the carcases to rot, never thinking of a time of w

gances that go on without much comment. Economy is a broad term used to express the many ways in which other people might save money. Members of Parliament have been known to tell many ways in which women might economize; their tender hearts are cut to the quick as they notice the fancy footwear and expensive millinery worn by women. Great economy meetings have been held in London, to which the Cabinet Ministers rode in expensive cars, and where they drank champagne, enjoi

sugar than would feed the army, impairs the efficiency of the working-man one sixth, and wastes two million dollars every day in what is at best a questionable indulgence, and

ering what they can do. There will be women sitting on verandas in the cities and towns in the summer, knitting socks, or maybe crocheting edges on handkerchiefs, who would gladly be raising potatoes and chickens if they knew how to begin; and a corresponding number of chickens and potatoes will go unraised. But the idea of co?peration is taking root, and here and

d by the real, honest settler, who comes to make his home, increases the value of the section of land next him, probably held by a railway company, and the increase makes it ha

and which we hope will be increased, will make it unprofitable to hold land

conveniences and hardships and dangers of pioneer life, miles from neighbors, many miles from a doctor, and without school or church; while g

ve intensified. But people are beginning to talk of these

and if the advent of women into politics does not mean that life is made easier and safer for other women and for children, then we will have to confess with shame and sorrow that politically we have failed! But we are not going to fail! Already the

to care for them and give instruction to the mothers. Ours will follow the same line, because the heart of woman is the same everywhere. Drea

f the Abilene Valley, some of the old-time festivity of Christmas was felt. Mary's mother had had good ti

s, so that her father might not have them to do when he came home. It was so mean that it would not even go round Mary Wood, aged eleven, and small for her age-

Mary's mother was always waiting to open the door and shut it quick again, but to-night

, and hastened to the bedr

all right in the morning. But Mary Wood, aged eleven, had grown wise in her short years, and she knew ther

them up after writing them; and here in the home-made waste-paper basket was a torn and crumpled sheet. Mary did not know that it was not the square thing

raid of it to-night-it's so big and white and far away, and it seems as if nobody cares. Mary does not know, and I cannot tell her; but I know I should, for she may be left w

ing out some of the grim facts of life. She knew that the angels brought babies at very awkward times, and to places where they were not wanted a bit, and she also knew that sometimes, when they

to see down the trail, but the moon was foggy an

fire and filled the kettle with water; she vigorously swept

ather came in, pale and worri

and spoke hurriedly to his wife; b

other cry and instinctiv

urned her face into the pillow, and cried; and even little Bobbie, who had been awak

er explaine

e depending on her to come over and take care of your mother-for a while-and

m beginning to see things-and I know what it means. There are black things in every corner-trying to

n beside her, an

e things like this. We wanted a home of our own, Millie,-you remember how we used to talk,-and we thought we had found it here-good land and a running stream. We

in his voice, just a settled sad

orth mentioning. There was a sudden jangle of sleighbells in the yard, and Mary's father went hastily to the door and called to the dog to be

and brought her into the house, too astonis

e spoke, and then, as she wiped the fr

y have a little more to say about things than they used to have, and one of the things they are keen on is to help pioneer women over their rough places. Your

understand!"

all goes well, why, God bless her!-but when things go wrong-God help her! No one else was concerned at all. But, as I told you, women vote now in Alberta, and what they say goes. Men are always ready to help women in any good cause, but, naturally enough, they don't see the tragedy of the lonely woman, as women see it. They are just as sympathetic, but they do not know what to do. Some time ago, before

our wife, in slight appreciation of the work you are doing in settling the country and making all the land in this district more valuable. They are a little late in ackno

er's side while the nurse s

ked Mary's father-

n of settlers like yourself, and these owners get the benefit. The Government thinks these landowners should be made to pay something toward helping the settlers, so they have put on a wild-lands tax of one per cent of the value of the land; they have also put a telephone

o hold it, and it will be released for real, sure-enough settlers. The Government holds to th

a great sigh that seemed h

aid the women hav

t interested audience. When she was done, Mar

e said; "I intended to be a missionary, but I