Select a cheery, happy girl for
Postmaster
—one who cannot help giving a bright smile with every letter, and try to induce her to make some pleasant appropriate remark when handing out the mail, as this will add much to the enjoyment of the occasion.
More important though than anything else will be the large, the small, the useful, the beautiful and the odd articles for sale made by the girls and boys. There should be a lot of original valentines, May baskets, Easter-egg novelties, paper fireworks, Hallowe’en games, funny and instructive toys, tiny log cabins, scenes from Japan, Russia, the Philippines, and many other interesting things, not forgetting the Punch and Judy shows, the circus, the seven wonders of the world, and the home-made rugs, candles and candlesticks.
The post-office entails little or no extra expense and money taken in for letters will be almost clear gain. Expense incurred by the entire fair need be but slight and all the proceeds might be devoted to some charitable purpose.
One of the best of objects for the money obtained by your fair is the “Fresh Air Fund,” which helps the poor little suffering city children to a breath of pure fresh air and saves the lives of many frail girls and boys. Think how glad you can make some of these young people; then, of all the enjoyment your own companions will have in getting up the fair, and how proud and happy your parents and teachers will feel when they see the result of your work. If a “Fresh Air Fund” does not exist in your locality there are other methods of using your profits to good ends. Really there is no telling how much good your fair may accomplish in many ways.
CHAPTER XVII
CAMPING OUT IN YOUR BACK YARD
