OUR VILLAGE 



tion from the payment of dues and the per- 

 formance of manual labor, but by all means 

 let women come into the society. Their opin- 

 ions will be found valuable and helpful, and 

 they will do much by their enthusiasm to en- 

 courage good work. 



As was stated in the paper to which we sub- 

 scribed our names, the work of improvement 

 was to begin at home. We began it at once. 

 It was surprising to note what a change was 

 made in the general appearance of the place 

 by one day's work about each home. It seemed 

 incredible that so much could be accomplished 

 in so short a time. We began to realize, then, 

 as never before, the importance of concerted 

 action. 



Our first day's work was a valuable object- 

 lesson to us. But many of our members were 

 not satisfied with one day's work. They felt 

 that entire satisfaction could only come from 

 thoroughness, and accordingly they kept at it 

 until everything about their places was in 

 apple-pie order. Their efforts proved conta- 

 gious. Those who were not members of the 

 society caught the enthusiasm of improvement, 

 and the good work went forward on every 

 hand. It lasted long enough to enable us to 



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