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Show KNITTING AS THEY TRAVEL GREAT : NUMBER OF WOMEN GATHER IN THE i UNION DEPOT BETWEEN TRAINS ; i Mrs. Cordelia Fretwell. matron at the Unio ndepot, is ex-officio, in charge of one of the largest knitting classes in the country. Peculiarly, too, this knitting class, although large, completely changes Its Identity almost hourly and invariably the enrollment of today Is never the same as yesterday. The class is composed com-posed of travelers patriotic women who wait in the Union station to change cars. "The ladies' waiting room is as busy as a Red Cross knitting chapter," said Mrs. Fretwell. "Just as quickly as the travelers the passengers get Into the room and become comfortably seated, they get out their knitting equipment and begin to work. Sometimes Some-times there are fifty women and young girls busy upon socks, wristlets, helmets or other articles for a comfort com-fort kit. "All this means something, too," continued Mrs. Fretwell. whp Is no less a patriot than the transient knitting knit-ting squad and who also has turned out her proportionate supply for the fighting boys. "It means that each ones of these possibly has a son or brother with Uncle Sam's forces in France or in the cantonments. They are earnest. They make .the needles Click while they seek to picture what the boys are doing." One elderly, motherly, fine looking old lady was among the knitting squad today. She was pensive for a moment, evidently in concentrated thought Presently she jumped up and hastened across the room. "I wish it were possible for women to fight, also," she said to the sym- i pathetic Mrs. Fretwell. "I know somo- , thing of what the boys in the trenches , are doing. I am a widow of a Civil . war veteran; two of my sons wore in , the Spanish -American ' war; and I havo three grandsons, one of whom now is In France in this war. 1 havo the conciousness of knowing that an American soldier never yet has gone to war except when his cause was Just, , and for that reason I wish it were possible for the American women to do evon more." ' But tho good, kind old lady was too enthusiastic. The American woman is doing her full share as she has always al-ways done In every war or other emergency, whether in tho hut of the pioneer, the camp of the Red Cross or the homo. This fact was called to her attention by a traveling salesman who happened to be standing near tho cigar counter when she complained of tho limited sphero in which American women may act. "O, yes," she said, "but if we could only shoulder a gun and shoot. It would end the suffering so much sooner." The ladies' waiting room at the Ogden Og-den Union dopot Is an inspiring scene. The members of Mrs. Fret-well's Fret-well's knitting class represent every section of tho United States and some portions of Canada. It is the clearing house for the traveling public and thoy hail from all corners of America. Regardless of locality, there is but a single spirit; all for quick, energetic action against the kaiser and all are for the greatest' possible comfort for the American soldier. |