TO THINK ABOUT

Have you ever seen home-made furniture that you liked? What would be some advantages of home-made furniture? Before a person started to make, or to decorate furniture, what could he do to be sure that he would have something really good when the work was done? Try to find books in your library which give pictures of beau-, tiful furniture. Then make a trip to a furniture store and pick out the pieces you find like the most beautiful pictures. Then decide what you consider the marks of beautiful furniture.

What kinds of draperies should be selected for comfort and beauty and health?

How should the living-room be furnished so that it will be easy to keep clean?

THINGS TO DO

Just as you designed a bedroom, now design a livingroom. Plan the shape, the location in the house, the furniture, the furnishings you think would make a comfortable and attractive living-room. Could you make a painting of it?

Can you find pictures in magazines of very simple living-rooms? What do you think are the best things about these living-rooms?

Go to a furniture store some day and pick out draperies and furniture which are simple and beautiful. How cheaply could you furnish a pretty room?

CHAPTER XIII

A MODERN CRUSADE

It was such a warm afternoon that Uncle George had almost fallen asleep over his newspaper. He was just dozing off when he was roused by a shout from Paul, who ran up the path waving a paper over his head.

"Look, Uncle George!" he cried. "I've won my certificate! I'm a Page!"

"Bless my soul," cried Uncle George, "I thought Knights and Pages lived in the olden days, not in these commonplace times. What sort of Page are you and who made you one?"

"I made myself one, replied Paul proudly. As he spoke, he spread out on Uncle George's knee the paper, which was headed "Modern Health Crusaders."

"You see, Uncle George," he continued, "two weeks ago my teacher, Miss Hood, gave the class a long talk about tuberculosis. She told us what a dreadful lot of children and young people die of it— one every three minutes here in America, she said. Then she explained how it comes from a germ and how when a person who has tuberculosis spits or sneezes or coughs the germs fly out of his mouth. She said that's one reason why we ought never to drink from a public cup, or put things into our mouths, or spit in the street.”

"What are these 'chores' that are written down here?" asked Uncle George?

"Those are the things we have to do to help us fight tuberculosis and other diseases. You see, Miss Hood told us the story of St. George and how he killed the dragon that was eating up the little children. Then she said that tuberculosis was like a modern dragon and that if it was to be ended, we must all learn to be very strong, like St. George."

"And these are the chores that you must do in order to be strong?" asked Uncle George.

"Yes," said Paul. "Mother puts a cross every night on my record for every chore that I have done. I've done them for two weeks now, so to-day Miss Hood gave me this certificate, to show that I am a Page in the Modern Health Crusaders. If I keep it up for three more weeks, I shall be a Squire and have a round badge. Then later you get to be a Knight and finally a Knight Banneret. The Knight Bannerets have gold-plated pins. You have to do the chores for fifteen weeks to be a Knight Banneret; but of course they allow for your forgetting once in a while only you don't get to be a Knight so soon. It's lots of fun. Our whole school has joined and there are going to be tournaments to see which class can make the best record. Every year there is a National Tournament, to see which school can make the best score in Health Knighthood."

While Paul had been talking excitedly on, Uncle George had been reading the list of Health Chores. Here they are:

1. I washed my hands before each meal to-day. 2. I washed not only my face but my ears and neck and I cleaned my finger-nails to-day.

3. I kept fingers, pencils and everything likely to be unclean or injurious out of my mouth and nose to-day.

4. I brushed my teeth thoroughly after breakfast and after the evening meal to-day.

5. I took ten or more slow, deep breaths of fresh air to-day. I was careful to protect others if I spit, coughed or sneezed.

6. I played outdoors or with windows open more than thirty minutes to-day.

7. I was in bed ten hours or more last night and kept my windows open.

8. I drank four glasses of water, including a drink before each meal, and drank no tea, coffee, nor other injurious drinks to-day.

9. I tried to eat only wholesome food and to eat slowly. I went to toilet at my regular time.

10. I tried hard to-day to sit up and stand up straight; to keep neat, cheerful and clean-minded; and to be helpful to others.

11. I took a full bath on each of the days of the week that are checked (x).

Total number of chores done each day....

"Now that is what I call a fine idea," said Uncle George. "I think I'd like to become a Crusader myself. You know that while Aunt Lou and the baby are away I'm going to stay here with you. Suppose you