Betty's Battles: An Everyday Story Read online

  Produced by Chris Curnow, Julia Neufeld, Lindy Walsh andthe Online Distributed Proofreading Team athttps://www.pgdp.net

  "How can I ever go!" cries Betty (_See page 1_]

  BETTY'S BATTLES

  _AN EVERYDAY STORY_

  BY S. L. M._Author of "Jabez the Unlucky"_

  PREFACE BY MRS. BRAMWELL BOOTH

  _Illustrated by Gertrude M. Bradley_

  THE SALVATIONIST PUBLISHING AND SUPPLIES, LTD.

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  MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAINBY THE CAMPFIELD PRESS, ST. ALBANS

  PREFACE

  I have derived real pleasure from the reading of "Betty's Battles,"because I am sure if we can only get it into the hands of other"Bettys," that they will be inspired and helped to take up arms in theirown cause, and fight, as Betty did, for the love and peace andorderliness of their own dear homes.

  I think a fact is revealed in this story which is not actuallytranscribed in black and white. It is that the Grandmother--throughstaying with whom Betty had been so much blessed and helped--bore thesame surname as Betty's father. For if she had brought up Betty'smother, I am quite sure there never could have been so much difficultyin the home as was the case when Betty returned from her holiday!

  This little book will, I believe, help our Young People to realise theirresponsibility towards their own homes and their fathers and mothers.

  Nothing is more grievous at the present time in many countries wherecivilisation is most advanced, than the decay of all that which isprecious and beautiful in home life. There are many causes which havecontributed to this, to which I cannot allude here; but there is oneremedy which by the blessing of God cannot fail. It is that our youngwomen should be enlightened and trained to acknowledge and to carrytheir responsibilities for that work which God has committed to women.

  Undoubtedly, it is God's arrangement that women should beautify andadorn the home. A home is an absolute necessity to her; and only by theretirement and protection of a good home, can women ever be fitted totrain and mould the nation's youth. As a wise, far-seeing writer hassaid: "It is not too much to say that the prosperity or adversity of anation rests in the hands of its women. They are the mothers of the men;they make and mould the characters of their sons, and the centre oftheir influence should be, as Nature intended it to be, the home. Homeis the pivot round which the wheel of a country's highest statesmanshipshould revolve; the preservation of home, its interests, its duties andprinciples, should be the aim of every good citizen.... A happy home isthe best and surest safeguard against all evil; and where home is nothappy, there the Devil may freely enter and find his hands full. Withwomen, and women only, this happiness in the home must find itsfoundation."

  I believe in the successful mission of this little book, and wish itgood speed.

  Florence E. Booth

  _November 1907_

  CONTENTS

  CHAP. PAGE

  I. "GOOD-BYE, GRANNIE" 1

  II. HOME AGAIN 7

  III. THE BATTLES BEGIN 19

  IV. BETTY'S BIRTHDAY 31

  V. REAL TROUBLE 48

  VI. FOR FATHER'S SAKE 59

  VII. DAY BY DAY 71

  VIII. THE CAPTAIN 83

  IX. A PLACE FOR EVERY ONE 95

  X. A QUARREL 107

  XI. FATHER AT HOME 123

  XII. LUCY 129

  XIII. COMRADES 140

  XIV. BETTY'S BIRTHDAY ONCE MORE 147

  BETTY'S BATTLES