marked a tall girl decidedly.
"Let's take our handkerchiefs and socks to the Relief rooms and begin
right away."

The girls set to work joyfully, and labored zealously for their fair.
Their parents were amused at their earnestness, but seeing them happy and
contented encouraged them in their efforts. The days were busy ones,
but the knowledge that every boat and train was bringing hundreds of
wounded soldiers into the hospitals from the disastrous Yorktown campaign
spurred them to greater exertion, until at last they declared themselves
ready to open the sale.

Handkerchiefs, aprons, homemade candies, dolls, with all the paraphernalia
belonging to them, pin cushions, pen wipers, and books, presented a
goodly appearance as they were spread enticingly upon the steps of the
mansion in lower Fifth Avenue. A large card, which Mr. Vance had had
printed for them with the inscription, "For the relief of our wounded
and sick soldiers. Please buy," reared its head imposingly over the
articles, and five little maids, neatly dressed, stood in expectant
attitude eagerly watching each passer-by in the hope of a customer.

The placard caught the eyes of an elderly man, and the little girls could
scarcely conceal their delight as he paused before them.

"Well, my little ladies, what have we here?" he asked kindly. "For the
soldiers, eh? Who put you up to this?"

"No one, sir," answered Jeanne as the other girls shrank back abashed.
"We are doing it ourselves to help buy things for the boys."

"But who made the articles?" queried the old gentleman. "I am a poor judge
of such things, but these handkerchiefs seem to be very neatly done. They
are not of your making, I presume."

"Indeed they are," answered the girl earnestly. "We have done all the
sewing, and made the candies. The toys were our own, given to us by our
parents, but we would rather have the money to give to the soldiers, so
they are for sale too. We girls have made everything but the toys and
the books."

"But why," persisted he good-naturedly. "The government provides for its
soldiers, and there are women and men to do what the government doesn't
do. Why should you interest yourselves in such things? The war doesn't
concern you!"

"Whatever concerns our country concerns us," answered Jeanne with dignity.
"We are only girls, sir, and cannot do much, but what we can do to help
those who are fighting for us we will do."

"Nobly said, my little maid. I was anxious t