HAPPY LAND GIRLS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 46, 19 November 1918, Page 2

HAPPY LAND GIRLS

t hardly recognised her as she stepped briskly from the shaft of the cart and held out a sunbrowned hand (says W. M. Gallichan in tho ".Daily Mail"). Eight months ago Ethel was a slip of a girl, pale and anaemic, a semi-invalid, and very nervous. How she had changed! Sho had gained at least u stono in weight, and had bccoiuu younger. The ' corners of her mouth, which turned down when I last saw her, now curved upwards, giving a happier expression to her wind-flushed face. Her eyes - wero deeper and more lustrous blue. She was a picture of robust and buoyant health. In a workmanlike fashion sho unhitched the traces, coiled them, and released Dandy, the young horse, from tho shafts. I t'oltowcd her to tho stable, and while she removed the .harness she expatiated upon tho joys of being a farmer's girl. "I did not think I was strong enough for this work," said Ethel, "l'ou know that my people always thought me delicate. I was supposed' to have spinal weakness. When 1, began hoeing I really thought that my back was injured. After about two hours' work I had to lie down. I was completely 'done.' If. I dropped tho hoe it was torture to stoop and pick it up. 1 was so stiff and aching when I went to bed that 1 could not sleep for hours. Hut I. wouldn I; givo in and go home. In a few days tho I pain left. mo'. At first my hands blistered badly. Look at them now!' Sho showed 'a pair of work-hardened 1 palms with pride. . „ "Turnip-hoeing is not very exciting, continued Ethel, "but there is -a great satisfaction in looking back on a long row and seeing tho weeds dying in tho sun. And when the whole field is finished it is a pleasure to see how tho turnips have grown. "Things happen, too, when you archoeing. Early ono morning a beautiful red fox camo within live yards of mo, gave. liio an inquisitive glance,' and ran back to the spinney. One day I caught a lovely dormouse. I am getting quite, a keen naturalist. I did nut know a greenfinch from a chaffinch when I began to work on tho land, and I called rooks and jackdaws 'crows.' "I was rather afraid of horses at first, | too. When I curry-combed Dandy housed to nut back his ears and fidget, and I thought ho wa-8 going to kick or bite mo. But wo are the best of chums now. When Handy is out at grass ho will come when [ call him, and he answers me with a polly whinny. (She pressed her lips' to Dandy's noso and called him 'Darling.') "When I lived in London I never had a real appetite. I never wanted breakfast. Now 1 can eat fat rashers and two eggs at seven in the morning, and I 'am ravenously hungry again at twelve "•Vni'l over going back to town life? No, most emphatically! I know now what it is to bo really well and happy. I have learned that, health is everything. And I like wearing mens clothes."