The Woodcraft Girls in the City

Other unique and lovely ideas were expressed individually by each girl, so that not only was a great variety of gifts ready for the event, but the manufacturers had had experience in handicraft and were able to count the work for coups in Woodcraft.

The time had passed rapidly while everyone was at work on pleasant and absorbing occupation, and the last Wednesday preceding the Friday they expected to start for the Hallow E’en camp had arrived. That noon, Miss Miller sent word to each girl that an important letter would be considered at a special meeting in the gymnasium directly after school in the afternoon.

At such a time no one dreamed of being late or absent, so Miss Miller was able to read the letter she had received a short time after classes were dismissed.

—

“Respected Members of Wako Tribe: I have watched with deep interest the manufacturing, by your Chief, of certain objects meant to celebrate a Hallow E’en party. I also heard that no particular place had yet been determined upon for this important camp-meeting, so I hasten to solve the problem for you.

“My family and a few friends expect to visit Wickeecheokee Farm this week-end and enjoy a nutting party in the woods. If Wako Tribe will accept our invitation, they can camp on the Bluff for this week-end and join us in our out-door fun. Mrs. Baker and the other guests will occupy the house, so you will not be disturbed in your Woodcraft meetings if you desire privacy.

“The autos will leave our house at four o’clock Friday afternoon. Please reply at once.

“Cordially yours,“Frederick Baker, M.D.”

Long before Miss Miller concluded reading this communication subdued sounds of joy and excitement were heard from the girls, and the moment it was finished Jane cried:

“Did you know anything of this, Zan?”

“Cross my heart – not a thing!” declared Zan, earnestly.

“Did you know, Miss Miller?” questioned several girls, turning to the Guide.

“Not until Monday, when I was asked over the ’phone what I thought of the plan, and I said it was splendid.”

“I s’pose we will accept, eh?” asked Anne Mason, anxiously.

“Accept! Well I guess yes!” retorted Jane.

“Chump Mark for Jenny!” laughed Elena.

“Humph! Slang is imperative under such exciting conditions!” replied Zan, glancing sympathetically at Jane.

“Never mind that talk – wasting good time – hurry up and compose an answer to the doctor’s letter!” cried Hilda.

“I’ll take it home and hand it to Dad to save time,” added Zan.

“I suppose Elizabeth will go with us – shall I telephone Mrs. Remington and find out?” asked the Guide.

“If Fiji and Bob and Jack Hubert are going – as I s’pose they are – we ought to invite Fred and Billy Remington, too,” suggested Zan.

“I think your mother has already attended to that. We will find out,” and Miss Miller took up the receiver.

Then the girls learned that everyone at Mossy Crest had been invited, but Mrs. Remington had an important Woodcraft Council that Friday night and could not accept, but Elizabeth was delighted to go with Wako Tribe.

“Now that’s settled we can say ‘yes’ to the invitation,” said Jane, impatiently.

It took but a few moments to write the note to Dr. Baker and then the girls chattered excitedly again.

“Got everything ready for the Gift Ceremony?” asked Zan.

“I have,” came from many, and “Most done,” from others.

And from the Guide: “I followed an original idea that promises to give some fun but will not be a part of your ceremony. No need to ask questions of me, as I do not intend to speak of my secret until the time arrives.”

Thus warned beforehand, the girls giggled but asked no questions that would bring down a significant silence upon them.

Friday was a perfect October day and at four o’clock sharp the cars filled with happy Woodcrafters left Dr. Baker’s house. The ride through the lovely country glowing in Autumn colours, and the mingled odours of drying hay, woodsy scents, and late flowers made everyone feel good.

Arrived at Wickeecheokee Farm, Mrs. Baker and the party of boys were left at the house while the members of Wako Tribe continued on the road that ran over the Big Bridge and passed Bill Sherwood’s cottage. Here the Woodcrafters jumped out and started for the Bluff that could be plainly seen from the road.

Bill and his wife, the resident farmers, welcomed the girls and the former declared: “Looks like the good old Summertime wid all you’se girls here again.”

“Chump Mark for your slang, Bill!” laughed Zan.

And genial Bill, not knowing what a Chump Mark meant, grinned and replied: “Ya’as, Miss San, it sure was a fine camp!”

That night after dishes were cleared away, the boys brought the chestnuts they had found and everyone crowded about the glowing embers of the camp-fire and roasted the delicious nuts. Then the boys sang glee-songs and the girls told Folk Stories till time for bed.

“Now don’t oversleep, girls,” shouted Fiji, as the boys followed Mrs. Baker away from the Bluff.

“If you’re not ready to start when we call in the morning, we’ll just go on without you,” added Fred Remington.

“We want to get bags and bags of chestnuts in the morning, ’cause we’ve got other things to do in the afternoon for the party to-morrow night,” explained Jack Hubert.

“Oh say! Don’t talk as if we were the sleepy-heads that you boys are! Don’t we know you!” scorned Jane, as Zan and she exchanged glances which said as plain as could be: “Trying to pose with their sisters present!”

And so it proved. The girls were ready and impatiently calling or signalling before the boys appeared on the trail coming through the woods from the farm-house.

That morning a great harvest of hickory nuts and chestnuts was gathered and by the time the hunters were back at camp they were half-famished from the crisp, cold air and bracing exercise.

Fiji had seen some rabbits during the morning, and the moment he was at the house began:

“Mumsie, Fred brought his rifle and we’re going hunting this afternoon. The other little boys can do that work for you.”

“Indeed you’re not! Rifle or no rifle, Fred is my guest and he will not use the fire-arm while I have anything to do about it.”

“Oh pshaw, Mum! He knows everything about a gun! He and I won’t go near anyone else, and you know you can trust me!” coaxed Fiji.

“Fred, get the rifle for me, please. I will return it when we get back to the city. I know too much about promises to be careful. I think it is perfectly safe for you to use the gun when you are with experienced hunters or alone, but not with a party of boys who never held a rifle in proper position before. This Winter I propose having the boys take lessons in a shooting gallery I know of, and then it will be different.”

The wild dreams of bringing a deer or grizzly bear to camp, or at least a small harmless rabbit, vanished for Fiji. Consequently, he was moody when the other boys started out to gather the long creepers and branches of brilliant Autumn leaves meant to decorate the house for the evening’s entertainment.

But the effect of invigorating air and scrambling over ledges of rock could not long keep anyone in a moody or sulky spell, and Fiji was the liveliest of the lively boys before he returned home laden with the Fall harvest of the woods.

Mrs. Baker was invited to attend the afternoon Birthday Council, and at three o’clock the Chief opened the meeting with the usual prayer and other ceremonies. After Tally Reports were read, andcoups awarded to some of the new members and a few of the old ones of the Band, the feature of the Council began.

“O Chief!” commenced the Guide, standing and saluting Zan. “I suggest that we perform the Gift Ceremony of the Zuñi Indians in distributing our gifts. Mrs. Remington loaned me the sacred otter skin for this purpose and Elizabeth knows the rite by heart, so I propose that she act the principal part with Zan as second.”

“How!” approved the Council members, so the Chief took up the tomtom.

Sitting at one side of the Circle, dressed in her ceremonial robes, Zan beat the tomtom while Elizabeth, also gorgeously arrayed in beaded costume, representing Wako Tribe for that time, entered the Ring hop-stepping, and followed by the other members. As each girl passed the tomtom she paid tribute to the sacred instrument by an obeisance to the East for reverence, to the South, playfully, to the West with awe, and to the North for protection from all cold. Then they all sat in their places about the Council Fire to hear the Guide speak.

“To-day the braves of Wako Tribe won a great victory. The warriors of another Tribe, dwelling in the camp made by White Men, over-slept and were late on the war-path. But my Braves, led by our great Chief, were ready with paint and weapons to fight the as yet unseen enemy.

“With bags and baskets, we followed the trail which led to the sometime hidden chestnuts, or again some were found lying in ambush in the long wild grass. Many captives were made to bring back to camp for the fire and feast which celebrate the victory to-night. Hidden rascals, so surrounded by the sharp arrow points sticking from the chestnut burrs that we had many a finger-wound from them, were finally scalped – their burrs cracked open and the prisoners taken away.

“Some of our warriors were struck on the head by falling shells from hickory trees where the nuts had grown and awaited this opportunity to drive away assailants. But with the very act of striking us with shells, they also burst open, fell to earth, and thus were captured.

“We left many empty worthless shells on the battlefield, but the prisoners shall be roasted at our war-dance to-night!”

As the Guide sat down a chorus of laughing “How’s!” came from the girls for the extemporaneous war-talk.

At a signal sounded on the tomtom, Elizabeth came from the shelter of a huge tree-trunk and entered the Council Ring in solemn manner. She carried the Ceremonial Blanket which was upheld high with both hands in front of her. This blanket was spread out upon the ground, the four corners being four-square to the four imaginary corners of the earth and the four winds.

Standing on the rear edge of the blanket, Elizabeth bowed to the East, then to the South, next to the West, and fourth to the North; last, to Wakanda and to Maka Ina.

She then took the peace-pipe from the Chief and wafted its smoke to the four winds and placed the pipe on the blanket parallel to its front edge near the circle of Woodcrafters, and near the front edge of the blanket.

The Chief then brought the Sacred Otter Skin and placed it over Elizabeth’s out-stretched hands. This was presented to Wakanda and Maka Ina, then a magic circle was woven all about the outside of the blanket to ward off all evil spirits.

This motion was done by waving the otter skin, as if swimming, holding it about two feet above the ground, being careful to keep the skin extended horizontally on top of the hands, which were held about eighteen inches apart. The circle woven, the otter skin was placed upon the blanket next to the pipe and parallel with it.

The Chief then brought and presented to Elizabeth the bowl of Sacred Corn Meal. This was lifted up and presented to Wakanda and Maka Ina, then corn meal was sprinkled on the pipe and otter skin, Elizabeth kneeling on the blanket and moving on her knees to accomplish this ceremony.

“This magic circle now woven and complete may not be crossed by anyone holding evil intentions,” said Elizabeth solemnly.

Now came the ceremony of distributing the gifts which were brought in baskets or upon large grass mats and left near the blanket where the Chief could reach them. As each gift was taken up, the Chief handed it to Elizabeth who called out the name written on the package. Then the receiver came up, bowed low before the blanket, and received the gift. It was then opened, admired, and gratefully acknowledged, before the recipient stepped backward to her seat in the Circle.

When all the gifts were bestowed, Elizabeth bowed and lifted the sacred otter skin and placed it across the bowl of corn meal. Next the pipe was taken up and laid upon the otter skin and then all three were lifted in both hands and held high above her head as she moved backward on her knees to the rear edge of the blanket. There she rose to her feet and departed with the bowl, otter skin, and pipe.

After many exclamations of delight, surprise, and thanks to the girls who had worked so well on the gifts, it was found that not one gift had been bestowed by Miss Miller. This was the proper time for the Guide to speak.

“O Chief! If you and Elizabeth will accompany me to yon cabin I will see that my share of the entertainment is finished.”

Wonderingly, the two girls went with the Guide and carried many suggestive packages from the cabin to the Council Ring. Miss Miller carried an enormous bundle, but no one could gain the slightest hint of its contents.

Laughing at the curious faces of the girls watching as the strings were cut, the Guide unwrapped a red, white, and blue paper object that had a long bamboo handle protruding from its midst of rioting colours.

“O Brother Warriors, what can it be?” laughed Zan, looking at the girls.

“O Chief, no one but Wakanda can answer that question!” retorted Jane, creating a general laugh at her irreverent reply.

“But Wakanda gave me the idea to make this and I hold the power to explain it,” said Miss Miller, rebukingly, even as she smiled at Jane’s retort.

As she spoke she pushed down upon a wire and as the patriotic colours spread out lo! there appeared a giant umbrella in the American colours. The bamboo pole was the centre-rod and handle.

“Goodness gracious me!” exclaimed Zan. “How under the sun did you ever get it so large and to work so easy?”

“I took an ancient umbrella for a foundation and then bound on the extra reeds to the original ribs to make it longer and larger all round. Then I glued the paper on the tops,” explained the Guide.

“It makes a great American shade for us,” giggled Elena.

“Ought to be labelled ‘Made in America,’” added Jane.

“But what I want to know is ‘Why-for and Where-for?’” said Nita.

“I see that no one suspects the plot, so I will have to tell,” laughed Miss Miller, sticking the bamboo handle in a wooden block having a clamp to hold it upright – something like the tree holders at Christmas time. But this holder permitted the upper section of the block to swing around on a pivot fastened to the lower section-block.

When the handle was securely fastened Miss Miller gave the huge umbrella a twirl to see if it worked well, and still the girls stood wondering what it all was for.

“Now get busy, girls, and hand me the packages while I tie them on these sticks,” advised the Guide, attaching a small package as she spoke.

“The heavy ones that will drag the ribs down too far we will spread on the grass and tie a card with the name of the owner on the stick instead of the bundle itself,” continued Miss Miller, as a large box was handed her.

With many hands to help, the packages were soon in place, and then the Guide said:

“We will all stand in a circle about the umbrella and as I swing it about we sing:

“Merrily in this Council Ring,Dancing gayly as we sing,What will this umbrella bringWhen we change to hippety-hopAnd our Chief calls out to stop?”

“We can dance any step we like, but the moment I call out ‘Change!’ you all have to change your steps to a hippety-hop step; then when Zan calls out ‘Stop’ you have to stop short where you are. I will call a name from my list and whoever is opposite that name removes it from the umbrella. If it happens to belong to the one removing it from the stick, well and good, but if the one who opens it is not the owner, she holds it up to view and calls out the name of the owner. At the same time she starts to run around the ring on the outside, and the owner to whom the package belongs must catch her. If she has not caught her in three rounds about the ring, the hunter pays a forfeit to secure the prize. At the end of our game we will redeem the forfeits.”

“What an original game!” exclaimed May.

“But so childish!” complained Eleanor.

“Pity we haven’t more of the simple childlike pleasures,” added Mrs. Baker, who had overheard the remark.

“Now then, girls – ready?” called the Guide, ignoring the criticism from Eleanor.

“Yes – all ready!” called most of the girls.

The umbrella was given a swift twirl and it spun around while the girls sang the rollicking verse, but Zan forgot to call “Change,” so they concluded the song and the umbrella still whirled, the paper packages flying out to the extreme end of the strings.

Everyone jeered at Zan for forgetting to call, and she promised to do better next time. “I only did it that time to give you girls practise,” said she, laughingly.

The chorus of denials might have deafened everyone had not the Guide shouted: “Now, once again, girls! If Zan makes a second mistake she pays two forfeits!”

“How! How!” followed this agreeable statement, and the umbrella whirled again.

“Change!” shouted Zan at the word, and some of the girls did change the step correctly while others were in doubt.

“Here – a forfeit from each one of you!” demanded Zan, and the punishment made the game more exciting.

“The next time the same one mistakes she pays double!” added Zan, placing the forfeits in a basket. But the girls were beginning to learn how it was played, and the first game ended with everyone laughing or jesting. Miss Miller had Mrs. Baker take a paper from a bag and read out a name.

“Elena Marsh,” read Mrs. Baker.

Everyone looked eagerly at the laden stick opposite her, and Jane called: “Here it is, in front of me.”

“Jane removes it and runs about the circle with Elena after her,” added Miss Miller.

Twice around the ring flew Jane, and Elena, fleet-footed, after her, until in the third round the pursuer caught up and held her captive.

Great interest was shown as Elena opened the package and showed a small box of French pastels.

“Oh!” sighed she in ecstasy, “I’ve wanted one of these ever since I was born!”

Everyone laughed and Zan added: “I bet you daubed and designed through many incarnations before this present one.”

“Come ahead, girls! I want to see if Miss Miller gave me a new riding-habit – I want one badly!” called Jane.

So with laughing and merriment, the second whirl began.

It happened to be Edith Remington’s name that was chosen, and the package stopped directly opposite the child, so with trembling fingers she untied the string and found a box of water-colours and all the accessories to work with.

“Oh, Miss Miller, I’m so much obliged to you!” exclaimed the delighted little girl, making a quaint curtsey.

The game continued, some claimants having to pay forfeits and some winning the award, until all were called out. The gifts were very appropriate for each one and afforded much pleasure; but Zan had a grievance.

“Miss Miller, I think you’re real mean not to give us a chance to have something on the umbrella for you, too.”

“That wasn’t my fault, Zan. I thought of the umbrella and made it, but your mother insisted upon buying the gifts. She brought them to the farm all wrapped and ready to distribute.”

“It isn’t like mother to forget anyone – Mumsie, where is Miss Miller’s gift?” shouted Zan, as she saw her mother returning from the cabin.

“Right here! It was so heavy it would have broken down the carefully built up umbrella, so I left it for the last gift.”

The large flat package was handed to the Guide, who took it with amazement in her eyes, for she had not expected anything. Midst the laughter of her girls, the Guide carried the heavy parcel to the rustic table and began opening the outside paper.

She found another well-tied paper covering within and tried to unknot the string. But it had to be cut, as it was so twisted and bound about the package.

Inside this wrapper was still another, and Mrs. Baker cried: “That Fiji! I told him to wrap the box up carefully and I shouldn’t wonder but what he used as many papers as he does on April Fool’s Day!”

After more than a dozen wrappers, each tied well and knotted with heavy twine, had been removed, the last paper was cut away. The Guide took out a japanned-tin box and upon opening it the Woodcrafters all said “Ah!”

There was a complete set of pyrography tools, a roll of stencilled Woodcraft designs (made by Elizabeth Remington), and transfer paper, copying inks, etc.

“Not an item forgotten – even a bottle of alcohol for the fuel!” cried Miss Miller, too surprised to remember to thank Mrs. Baker.

The girls watched and smiled in sympathy, and suddenly, as the Guide remembered she had not expressed her gratitude, they all burst out laughing at her expense.

After many apologies and profuse thanks, she added: “Such a teacher of morals and manners to these girls!”

As usual, Nita was called upon to dance and the Storm Cloud was done so gracefully by her that the audience said she should be given an extra dish of ice-cream for dessert that night.

When the forfeits had been paid off it was time to cook camp-supper. Before they were ready to sit and sup, however, the boys were heard shouting in the woods, and Miss Miller said:

“Suppose we invite the boys to supper, as we are going to be their guests to-night at the house?”

A merry group sat about the great flat rock that evening while Mrs. Baker and the Guide waited on the hungry Woodcrafters. The girls told about the umbrella and the boys of their mountain hike.

The dishes cleared away, they all marched through the woods in the gloaming, and reached the house ready for more sport. Many exclamations of surprise and admiration came from the girls as they saw the way the boys had spent their afternoon.

Brightly coloured foliage festooned the doors, window-casings, and pictures of the large living-room. Pumpkins shed subdued light from the candles within their grinning faces. Red peppers, golden corn on stalks, and tall grasses formed decorations in the corners of the room. Black paper witches, bats, and yowling cats swung from invisible threads from the beams of the ceiling, and many other Hallow E’en ideas were carried out.

Regular Hallow E’en games were played at first, then Fred called for the Jack Horner Pie he had spied in the kitchen.

“Well, then, help me carry it in,” laughed Mrs. Baker.

Shortly they were seen carrying in the galvanized wash-tub that had been used for the pie-tin. A brown pie-crust fitted over the top of it, but no one knew what was under the crust. “How under the sun did you bake it?” wondered Zan.

“That’s a culinary secret!” laughed Mrs. Baker.

“Tell us, so we can enter the recipe in the Tally,” replied Elena, also laughing.

“I made the pastry rather moist and rolled it out into a great sheet and placed it on the wooden bread-board. The oven was very hot and after the sheet of dough had been in it a few moments it baked and browned enough to spread it over the tub. I pinched down the edges to the tin, and there you are! Not to be eaten, however, for you will find it too pasty.”

The strings that came up through the pie-crust led to objects hidden in the tub of flour. And as each player took a string to hold as his prize, every string was soon claimed. When the crust was broken and the prizes drawn from the flour, the players found many funny gifts. Great was the Bedlam when tin horns, rattles, and “crackers” began sounding everywhere.

The young folks then played other games and ended with a peanut hunt that led and misled many hunters to every corner of the house in search of a hidden peanut.

“It must be time for refreshments, Mumsie,” said Bob, at last.

“All right, Son, call them all to the feast,” laughed Mrs. Baker.

As the group of merry-makers sat about the room munching sandwiches, Jane said, “Mrs. Baker, tell us how you made these delicious fillings. We’ll write it down and make some too.”

“I took a can of salmon and chopped it well with soft cream cheese. This I did at home and brought it here in a glass jar. It is very good on butter-thins, as you just said.

“The speckled sandwich-fillings are made of cream cheese, chopped olives, a bit of pimento, and seasoning. Thin slices of dark rye bread are best for this filling.