The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 33

"Maybe it hurts at first, but I'm going to get that bag!" declared Jane, plunging in and trying to open her eyes while swimming under the water.

Others dared the test also, and soon all were sputtering or laughing at their trials and failures. Finally, however, each one could brag of being able to keep eyes open if but for a few seconds while swimming under water.

As they climbed the cliff again, Miss Miller said: "I think it is as important to know how to swim under water with your eyes open to see what you are meeting, as it is to keep your eyes open when crossing a thoroughfare."

"Ha! Discovered in the act!" laughed Zan, pointing an accusing finger at the Guide.

Miss Miller laughed also and nodded.

"What?" questioned May.

"She did that stunt on purpose to make us keen to learn the trick,"

hastily explained Jane, who saw the nod and guessed rightly.

That evening while sitting about the camp-fire Miss Miller suggested a Hallow E'en treat for Zan's birthday. She spoke of many ways Woodcrafters could celebrate, providing the weather was fair for a weekend camp in the woods.

Then Elena made a suggestion. "I am going to design and make a Woodcraft article to give our Chief for a birthday gift."

"I think that's great! I'll do one, too," added Jane.

"So will I," echoed Hilda.

"Let's all make something in Woodcraft for the party," said Nita.

"Girls, why not exchange gifts with each other and make them ourselves in Woodcraft style? We need not limit the giving to Zan, you know,"

suggested the Guide.

"Gracious me! It will take a pile of presents and ages to finish them all," exclaimed Eleanor Wilbur; "I can't do it."

"I had no idea of elaborate gifts. For instance, Nita can dance a new step on the evening of the party, and teach it to Zan for a present.

That will not take her long nor be much work," explained Miss Miller.

"Oh, that won't be a gift!" laughed Nita.

"Why not? Won't it be the expression of your desire to give pleasure to another? And won't Zan remember your love and generosity that really const.i.tutes _true_ giving? It is a mistake to look at the material object as the gift, and forget the loving spirit that formed the thought which expressed itself in the thing. The material gift is destructible, but the love of a friend remains forever the true gift."

"According to Miss Miller, then, we will be silly to waste time on producing material objects when we can easily wish our love on anyone,"

retorted Eleanor, in an unpleasant tone.

"Eleanor, when we reach that state of perfect brotherhood of which Jesus spoke as Heaven, we shall exchange love and goodness without the material accompaniment, but while still on earth our limited vision and other senses require the expression in kind as we are, to be able to realise the love and desire to make others happy. That is why we are compelled to plan and work before our friends know the state of our feelings. For instance, your words spoken in tones and expression of human resentment show me quite plainly that your thought is wrong-that you rebel in mind against doing what was proposed by the love of the other girls. But I may not have realised this state of your thought had you not expressed it-see what I mean?" said Miss Miller, meaningly.

Eleanor flushed but said nothing. And Zan quickly said: "Say, girls, we can all win _coups_ that will count if we make some Woodcraft things mentioned in the Manual!"

"So we can! And each can choose what she likes," abetted Jane.

CHAPTER TWELVE-A BIRTHDAY COUNCIL ON HALLOW E'EN

In the days following the camp-talk, the girls saw little of each other after school, as they were busy working on the gifts to be distributed at the Hallow E'en camp.

Zan had spoken of a pattern Nita had for a dancing costume, so Nita made the dress of cotton crepe, costing very little in coin of the realm but much in thought and work. She disliked sewing and the very fact that she spent so much time to have the costume neatly finished spoke highly for her progress in character as well as of her way of expressing friends.h.i.+p.

For the other girls, Nita wrote out simple directions to dance improvised steps of old dances. She also printed simple music fitted to go with the unique steps.

For Miss Miller, she made an artistic programme for the Gift Ceremony which was explained to her by Mrs. Remington. This was to be used on the occasion of the birthday evening.

Hilda naturally followed the line of least resistance in selecting her gifts. She made candy, baked a cake, wrote out a tiny Tally Book of recipes for the Guide, and having packed the candies in empty boxes she always saved for the purpose, she did each package up in yellow crepe paper and tied it with black cord; on the knot tied on top of the boxes she fastened a black cardboard bat or a witch with a broom-stick.

Elena, adept with the brush, made individual Tally Books of brown butcher paper and bound them in leather with thong strips to fasten them together. She had secured the small remnants of tanned leather at a wholesale leather house in the factory-district of the city. The Tallies were decorated with the name of the individual artistically printed in India ink, and the scroll decorations were so wrought that black cats, witches, pumpkins, broom-sticks, bats, and other suggestive things of Hallow E'en were featured as a remembrance of the party.

Jane made a dozen narrow beaded head-bands which showed in the designs the meaning of Hallow E'en. They were very beautiful and were sure to be appreciated by the girls. Besides those for each member of the Band she made one for Elizabeth Remington, who was invited to the party, and one for Miss Miller.

Zan made the unique decorations for the party. Each was wrapped in paper and the name of the girl printed in plain view. These gifts were original and diversified in style.

She took empty cereal boxes-square ones as well as the round cartons used by Quaker Oats-and cut designs in the sides, having sketched the pattern on the cardboard before cutting away. A metal clip as is generally used on Christmas trees to hold the candles was inserted in the bottom of the box and fastened to hold a candle when necessary.

Picture wire was fastened at the top to suspend the box. When this was finished, she blackened the entire box with cheap shoe-polish to represent wrought iron.

Zan also found two Edam cheese cases about to be thrown away and these she captured for use. The contents had all been sc.r.a.ped out, so she cut a hole in the bottom of the rind for a candle socket, then cut grotesque mouth, nose, and eyes in the sides. Wire was used at the top to hang them by and when finished they looked very funny. These Zan meant for Miss Miller as a joke.

Her next idea was to collect a number of empty tin cans and melt off the jagged rims left when the covers had been cut out. A few perforations were made in the bottoms for drainage, and the sides painted an ivory white with black stencilled designs on them. Some of these were Egyptian figures copied from ancient friezes shown in a book. When these cans were filled with soil and a plant inserted, the effect was very artistic and at little expense.

May Randall, who had won the prize for carpentry, made small boxes with leather hinges and bra.s.s-studded corners. She burnt designs on covers and sides and touched up points here and there with red or blue paint, then varnished the whole surfaces. These were meant for wampum, badges, or other Woodcraft trinkets.

Another new member selected pottery for her gifts. She made original designs and when these were finished and touched up with black paint and bright colours they were very artistic.

Another girl made fire-boards. She used the oval bread-boards sold for five cents each in the five and ten cent stores. The ovals were sawed in the centre, giving two sections for each. Four half-ovals were hinged to a square board so they would fold down when not in use. The rounded sides were then decorated with symbols of the Winds and Fire. When varnished and completed, they proved very fine and useful.

Frances used the birch bark she had saved from the Alpine camp. Trays, jewel-boxes, waste-baskets, picture frames, work-boxes, and other ideas were carried out. The birch bark was soaked in hot water until soft, then shaped as desired. The lacing of edges was made of raffia also softened in water. Where strong lacing was necessary several strands of raffia or gra.s.s were braided together and used. The sides of the ornaments made were decorated in sepia paint, representing forest scenes or Woodcraft designs.

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 pa.s.sed 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 cla.s.ses 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."