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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/14169-0.txt b/14169-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0d569de --- /dev/null +++ b/14169-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2823 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14169 *** + + Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a Campfire Girl + + By IRENE ELLIOTT BENSON + + 1912 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING BOOK + + I--ETHEL'S PLANS + + II--ETHEL ENTERS COLLEGE + + III--ETHEL AND HARVEY BECOME FIRM FRIENDS + + IV--ETHEL'S SECOND TRIP + + V--CAMP AGAIN + + VI--UNCLE JOHN'S + + VII--MRS. HOLLISTER'S VISIT TO CAMP + + VIII--THE SCOUTS ARRIVE + + IX--NORA GIVES SERVICE + + X--A HEROINE + + XI--BREAKING UP OF CAMP AND A SURPRISE + + XII--MATTIE MAKES GOOD + + XIII--JUDGE SANDS AND KATE MARRY + + XIV--A BIRTHDAY PRESENT + + XV--MRS. HOLLISTER ENTERTAINS + + XVI--CHRISTMAS EVE + + XVII--CHRISTMAS DAY + + XVIII--ANOTHER SURPRISE + + XIX--MR. CASEY BUYS A HOUSE + + XX--ARCHIBALD'S CHANGE FOR THE BETTER + + + + +SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING BOOK + + +Ethel would have never become a Camp Fire Girl excepting for her +great-aunt Susan. + +Susan Carpenter was her Grandmother Hollister's only sister, living in +Akron, Ohio. Her family consisted of Mr. Thomas Harper and herself. Tom's +parents had been her friends, and when they were taken Aunt Susan legally +adopted him and his little brother Fred, but the younger one died before +graduating, while Tom went through college and was now a rising young +lawyer. + +Aunt Susan Carpenter was a philanthropist. At the time of her adopting +the boys she was reputed to be a millionaire. She gave her beautiful home +to the city for an Asylum for partially insane people and endowed it with +fifty thousand dollars, after which the leading men in town raised fifty +thousand more, thereby making it self-supporting. She was also on the +board of managers of many other charities, and was adored by her +townspeople. + +Four years previous to her visit to New York, she had lost every penny of +her immense fortune,--lost it through the rascality of a large and well +advertised concern calling itself the "Great Western Cereal Company." The +whole thing was a rotten affair from the first and was floated by ten +unscrupulous men who after obtaining all the money they could fled from +the country before the exposure came; that is, save three, one of whom +was arrested while the other two committed suicide. Aunt Susan wrote +nothing of it to her sister lest it should worry her, and as she had +never met her nephew's family in New York, and they knowing no one in +Akron, they were in ignorance of the change in Aunt Susan's affairs and +still thought her a wealthy woman. + +Mrs. Archibald Hollister--Ethel's mother--was worldly and ambitious; +not so much for herself as for her daughter. Grand-mother Hollister, +whose husband had belonged to one of New York's oldest families, owned +the house in which they lived, free and clear. It was an old-fashioned +brown-stone affair near Riverside Drive. Archibald, her son, paid the +taxes in lieu of rent, but as his salary was only three thousand a year +it was extremely difficult to make both ends meet, and Grandmother had no +money save what was in the house. But Mrs. Archie was clever. She could +make a dollar do the work of five. With her own hands she would fashion +for Ethel the most dainty and up-to-date gowns, wraps, hats, etc., +imaginable. + +The Hollisters kept but one maid. She always appeared trim and tidy, yet +she did the entire housework. Upon the days that Mrs. Archie gave bridge +parties or afternoon teas for Ethel's young friends, she hired two extra +girls who had been so perfectly trained that the guests never once +doubted but that they were part of the household--allowing to Mrs. +Archie's clever management. + +Ethel attended a fashionable school costing her father more money than he +could afford, but she met there the very best class of girls and really +formed for herself the most desirable acquaintances. Her mother scrimped +and saved in every way possible, while the guests who came to the +old-fashioned house with its handsome antique furniture and portraits +were wont to declare that "the Hollisters were certainty aristocratic and +of blue blood, as their house showed it--so severe and yet elegant." So +Mrs. Archie felt that the Hollister name alone should procure for Ethel a +monied husband, and she held it constantly before the girl. She must +associate only with those in the "upper circle," and marry a man who +could give her a "fine establishment." + +Among Ethel's school friends was a girl--Nannie Bigelow by name--of +whom she was very fond. Nannie had a brother in Yale whom she (Ethel) +disliked. He was a member of the ultra fashionable set and was desirous +of making a wealthy match, as his family as well had little but their +name. One of his sisters had married a titled man and lived abroad. It +was Mrs. Hollister's ambition to have Ethel like Harvey Bigelow, although +she knew that he had as little money as she. She tried to adjust things +satisfactorily, and being a clever woman she hit upon a plan which we +shall reveal later. Of course, the girl was only sixteen and must first +graduate. Ethel, who had imbibed many of her mother's fallacies, did not +openly rebel. She was quite a little snob in her way, nor did she realize +what the family daily sacrificed for her, although her heart smote her +when she saw how her father was aging, for she adored him; nor were her +eyes opened until after she had joined the Camp Fire. + +Grandmother Hollister had two sons, John and Archie. Kate Hollister was +the daughter of the former. They lived in Columbus, Ohio, and Kate had +been invited to visit her New York relatives. She was a tall, handsome +girl much older than Ethel, for she was over thirty. Kate was the +Guardian of a company of eight Camp Fire Girls called the "Ohio." She had +told her grandmother and Ethel all about the new movement one evening, +and Ethel who loved the romantic side of camping out was crazy to have +Kate obtain permission from her mother to let her join, as her father had +said that she might visit Columbus that coming summer. But lo! when she +spoke to Mrs. Archie--or Aunt Bella--about it she was politely snubbed. +When Kate tried to explain how wonderful was the organization and what +benefit a girl--especially a delicate girl like Ethel--could derive from +belonging, the lady sneered and likened it to the Salvation Army and +forbade her guest from mentioning it to the girl or even speaking of it +in her presence. But alas! the deed had been done and Ethel knew of it; +but while in New York Kate had refrained from again touching on the +subject. At that time an aunt of one of Ethel's schoolmates had formed a +company and many of the swell set had joined. Ethel longed to belong but +dared not offend her mother. + +Now for Mrs. Hollister's plan. She suddenly conceived the idea of +inviting Aunt Susan on for a visit, supposedly to give Grandmother a +chance to see her only sister once more, but in reality to have Ethel +ingratiate herself with the old lady, thereby causing her to leave the +girl the bulk of her fortune. Ethel read between the lines and at first +refused, but after listening to her mother for a while and thinking +perhaps she was right, she allowed herself to promise to further the +plan. + +Aunt Susan was a woman with fine eyes and teeth, as well as a charming +manner, but her style of dressing dated back to the eighties--full +skirts, flat hats with strings, beaded plush dolmans, etc. Ethel was +ashamed to be seen with her but she had promised to help and she had to +do her share. In the meanwhile her mother had spread the report that Aunt +Susan was a millionaire and that Ethel was to have her fortune at her +death. Everyone fell in love with Aunt Susan and ascribed her peculiar +dressing to the eccentricities of a wealthy woman. + +Mrs. Hollister's joy knew no bounds when Aunt Susan invited Ethel to +return with her to Akron. Her scheme was beginning to work. Ethel was a +lovely girl. Aunt Susan would grow fond of her and the fortune was +assured. Besides, as it would cost a small fortune to take Ethel to a +fashionable summer resort, Mrs. Archie could save money for the winter. +But, accompanying the invitation, Aunt Susan requested that during July +and August, Ethel might join her other grand niece's "Camp Fires" and +live in the woods. "It will be the making of your girl," she added, +"as now she looks thin and peaked." + +At first Mrs. Archie indignantly refused. She almost felt that she had +been trapped, but Aunt Susan met every objection and even told the lady +that she feared she was shallow and an unnatural mother to refuse to +consider her daughter's health. Mrs. Archie dared not let Aunt Susan know +that she considered the whole organization conspicuous and common, nor +that she did not wish Ethel to learn to do the work of a servant, etc., +or run the risk of meeting girls of humble origin. So after some sharp +rebukes administered to her by the old lady on the sin of worldliness +and the fact that she was not doing a mother's duty by her daughter, she +consented, mentally declaring that she would see that Ethel should forget +all about it on her return. + +While visiting Aunt Susan and living in Camp in a truthful atmosphere +Ethel Hollister began to change. She saw how the old lady was beloved. +She heard on every side of the good she had done, and when one day Aunt +Susan told her that she had been a wife and mother, and what she had +suffered at the hands of a brutal husband, she was spellbound. For years +she had been deserted, but when one day he was supposed to be dying she +was sent for that he might beg her forgiveness. She went and found that +for four years he had been stone blind and that he had sunk so low that +she shrank from the squalid house in which he was living. She took him +away and stayed with him until his death, making the last days of his +life more bearable. + +As the girl listened and thought of the old lady's goodness and how she +was visiting her and making over her old gowns, hats, etc., into +fashionable ones to ingratiate herself for an object she saw herself as +she was--a hypocrite--and she fell on her knees to Aunt Susan confessing +everything and begging her forgiveness, whereupon the old lady took her +in her arms and told her that she knew everything--that Grandmother and +she had made up their minds that Ethel might lose her worldliness under +different environments. Then she told her of the loss of her fortune and +the girl was glad, saying as she kissed her, "Now you know that I love +you for yourself, Aunt Susan." + +Ethel liked Tom Harper. He was a fine young man. He supported Aunt Susan +and gave her a liberal allowance but she banked nearly all of it, as she +told Ethel "to have something at her death to leave to those whom she +loved." + +After visiting her Uncle John's family, whom she liked at once, Kate, +Ethel, and the eight girls started for Camp. It was situated in a stretch +of woods on the banks of the Muskingum river. One of the girls--Patty +Sands--became Ethel's chum. She was motherless and the only child of +Judge Sands, ex-congressman of Ohio, and greatly respected. The rest of +the girls were also congenial save two--one a Mattie Hastings, whom Ethel +avoided saying that her eyes were too close together. Mattie's parents +were poor people but she was one of Kate's Sunday School class and has +asked to be allowed to join the "Ohios." The other girl was a large, +raw-boned Irish girl, or rather of Irish parentage. Her voice was shrill +and unpleasant, while her hair was black and her eyes dark blue and +lovely, her face was covered with freckles and she dressed loudly and in +bad taste. Pat Casey--her father---was one of the wealthiest men in town. +He was a contractor and an honest, respectable man, but his wife was +a pusher, trying to bluff her way into society. She was ignorant and +disagreeable. People refused to receive her. Nora had been only half +educated at a convent. Mrs. Casey, hearing of the Camp Fire Girls, +bethought herself that it would be an opening for Honora, so she boldly +called upon Miss Kate and asked--yes, begged--that Nora might belong; and +Kate, who was kind-hearted, received the girl to the great joy of Mrs. +Pat. Having been born in the old country, both parents spoke with a +brogue. Occasionally, from association, Nora would use it; then she would +stop suddenly, turn red, and speak perfect English. Ethel disliked her +even more than she did Mattie. + +One day as she was helping wash dishes she lost a valuable diamond ring. +It had been her Grandmother's engagement ring and she was heart-broken. +Although they searched everywhere no trace of it could they find, but as +they were walking up the hill a week or so afterwards they thought they +saw Mattie Hastings through the trees. They called as a jest, "We've seen +you and you're discovered--come out!" Whereupon someone shrieked, and +proceeding to the spot they found Mattie lying upon the ground. She had +walked in the sun and had started to run and had fallen over some stumps. +Instantly they saw that she had been prostrated by the heat, and having +recently studied "First aid to the injured" they proceeded to remove her +blouse and open her corset, when lo! there upon a silver chain around her +neck was not only Ethel Hollister's ring but another belonging to Honora +Casey. She had missed it a few days after Ethel had lost hers, but she +wisely refrained from speaking of it to anyone but Patty Sands, adding, +"Shure, it would only be afther worryin' Miss Kate, and it might turn up. +I'll bide me time." + +Mattie, upon recovering consciousness and seeing that her secret had been +discovered handed the rings to Ethel saying that she should kill herself. +The girls, seeing that she was desperate, replied that as one of their +"seven laws" was to "render service," if she would confess why she had +taken the rings they would shield her. Overjoyed, the girl did so. She +told everything. She had done it for her young sister who had dislocation +of the spine, whereby she might be converting them into money have the +child placed in the Cripples Hospital and treated. A physician had +assured her that the case was not incurable, and for two hundred dollars +the child could be watched and nursed, and eventually her spine might be +straightened. She said that since the accident that had made the child +as she was, her mother had become a drug fiend. One evening her cousin--a +young man who was a chauffeur--invited her mother to join a party and +they took a joy ride. On their way home, being under the influence of +wine, they knocked down and ran over a child near Mrs. Hasting's house. +Letting her out, they sped quickly on for fear of arrest. Upon +discovering that it was her own child, and what was worse, that from that +night she was to be a hopeless cripple, the mother nearly went insane. +Still she kept her secret and no one suspected that she had been one of +the parties in the car. Her remorse drove her to take the drug. Under its +influence she told Mattie. At that time the girl was earning six dollars +a week, three of which she was paying to her mother, supposing her to be +buying food for the invalid. When she discovered the truth she threatened +her with exposure and tried to buy little Mollie nourishing delicacies +herself, but three dollars would barely pay for the necessities of life, +and she became discouraged and desperate. In the store she saw a customer +drop her purse. She placed her foot upon it and when the lady had gone +she picked it up. The purse contained forty dollars and some cards, etc. +After depositing thirty-five dollars in the bank she took five and bought +the child fruit, books, and ice cream. It seemed to put new life into +Mollie. She took small articles from time to time, and pretending that +they had been given her she sold them. Her remorse was terrible. She was +unhappy. If only she could work harder and earn more. At that time she +heard of the Camp Fire Girls--of the useful and wonderful things that +they learned so that in time they became competent to demand and receive +large salaries. She loved Miss Kate and asked her if she might join. Kate +assented, and it was then that the girls first met her. Gradually the +desire to collect the two hundred dollars for Mollie came back, and with +it the temptation to steal. She took money from every girl. She was even +willing, after placing Mollie in the Hospital, to go to prison, if only +the child could be cured. She felt that some day she would be caught with +the goods. She adored Miss Kate and took nothing from her. Finally she +began taking jewelry to sell. + +This morning she was on her way to find a hiding place for the two rings +and a diamond locket taken from another girl, when she heard Ethel and +Patty call. Then she was sure that they had discovered her secret, and +trying to run away she tripped and lost consciousness. "Now that I have +told you all," she added, "your father--Judge Sands--will send me up," +and she sobbed piteously. Her grief was sincere. She had not stolen for +herself. She had been desperate. Pity crept into the hearts of the two +girls and they constituted themselves her friends. They made her replace +the jewelry in Nora's and Edna's suit cases. They found the lady's card +from whom she had taken the purse and had Mattie return the money and bag +with a note withholding her name. They had her draw out the money +obtained from the sale of the purloined articles and return it to the +head of the Department Store saying that the things had been taken and +sold under great provocation for a sick child, enumerating them and the +prices, after which she felt happier, for she knew that the girls would +remain her friends. "Some day," she said, "I may make good." + +Ethel wrote and got Aunt Susan interested in little Mollie. Being a +manager of a Cripples School that lady at once placed her free of charge +in one of the wards as a boarder and pupil. The resident physician +said that in a year's time he should send her out cured. Poor Mr. and +Mrs. Hastings were overjoyed, while Mattie's gratitude knew no way to +express itself. She simply regarded Ethel and Patty with looks of +adoration, while in time they overcame their prejudice, Ethel even +kissing her goodbye. + +There had been wrought in Ethel Hollister a great change. Much of her +pride and worldliness had dropped from her. She had gradually become an +earnest believer in truth despising all subterfuges and shams. + +Upon her arrival home, Mrs. Hollister, while noting her new and splendid +health, was appalled at the change. From an obedient child, easily +convinced that no matter what her mother said was right, she had become +a girl of great character with ideas of her own. Mrs. Hollister angrily +denounced her mother-in-law and Aunt Susan, saying that it was their work +and that her child, for whom she had slaved all of her life, had become +wilful, stubborn and disobedient. "She even refuses to go into Society +this winter. She talks of taking up low down settlement work. She'll +end in becoming a suffragette, and standing on a soap box she'll address +the street rabble, perhaps wearing a large bonnet and standing beside a +kettle holiday time ringing a bell and holding out a tambourine,--a +Salvation Army woman. Oh! what a fool I was to let her go away from my +influence," and she sobbed,--"to toil and save for her to make a +brilliant match. See the way she rewards me. Why did I bring into this +world such an ungrateful child! It's all that wretched Camp Fire +business." + +Then Ethel gently put her arm around her mother and told her that only +since she had been a Camp Fire girl had she appreciated how hard she had +worked for her. "I know, Mamma," she said, "how you and Papa, and even +Grandmamma, have sacrificed for me. I see myself as I have been, (not as +I am now)--a selfish, wicked girl, not even appreciating what you have +done for me, and I am appalled. I am going to do for you now. I am going +to see the roses come back into your cheeks and the wrinkles leave your +pretty face. Uncle John is Papa's senior by ten years but he looks much +younger--why? Because Papa is bent and worn getting money for me--for +us to make a show on. Everything is sham, Mamma, and let us give it +up--let us keep only friends who care for us ourselves and we shall be +happier. I shall take you up to camp next summer. You can help us so +much; you are so clever and can teach the girls. And as for a grand +marriage for me, I'll promise never to marry at all unless you approve of +the man, and I may make a better marriage than you dream of. So just let +us be happy and natural and live within our means," and she took her +sobbing mother in her arms. + + + + +Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a Camp Fire Girl + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ETHEL'S PLANS + + +The morning after Ethel had declared herself her mother came up to her +room. She could see that Mrs. Hollister had not slept and her eyes were +red from weeping. Ethel kissed her, saying: + +"Mamma, we are going to be very happy together--you and I. I don't want +to disappoint you, dear, nor would I do so willingly; but I simply can +not live as I've been living. Sit down and let us talk." + +Then she told of Aunt Susan,--of her kindness, unselfishness and +self-sacrifice. She told of Mattie and how they had helped her, and +of her Uncle John; of Patty and Judge Sands; and lastly of Kate and +what a wonderful character she was. + +"Wait, dear, I want to show you my ceremonial gown," and she quickly +slipped it on. The girl's hair was still hanging unbound, having slept in +it that way, and she hooked about it her coronation band. Said her +mother: + +"Well, I must say it is becoming. What a Pocahontas you would make in +private theatricals!" she exclaimed with maternal pride; "But then, why +should I speak of theatricals? You've given up all such things." + +"Why, Mamma," laughed Ethel, "I'm not going into a convent. I have given +up nothing but the unreal part of life." + +"I suppose you'll tell everyone how poor we are, and how I have put you +forward under false colors. Then people will despise me." + +"No, Mamma, I shall not do a thing to put you in any awkward position. +Keep on. Give your teas for me if you wish,--even have the two extra +maids. It costs very little and we have a social time; it cheers +Grandmamma and there's no need to stop them. But this is what I shall +not do: First I shall tell Harvey Bigelow that Aunt Susan was once a +millionaire but that she lost all of her money. I shall tell of her +wonderful gifts to Akron,--of her charities, and how well she is beloved, +but that I shall inherit no money from her. Harvey will tell his mother +and she'll spread the news. If people care any the less for us after +hearing it, let them go; but I don't propose to tell what Papa's salary +is, or that you--poor dear--sit until morning sewing for me,--a thing +that I'm not going to allow you to do any longer. + +"Then I shall give up attending Madam's. Yes, don't start. Every bill +Papa pays is a nail in his coffin, I know. Tomorrow I shall go to Barnard +and try to pass an examination, and for one quarter what Madam charges I +can get a sound and solid education, and were Papa to die I can leave +with my teacher's diploma knowing something that will be of use to me. +I could help support you and Grandmamma. What could I do were I forced +to support myself after leaving Madam's. Why, an education such as her +girls receive is of no earthly account unless for music or such +accomplishments; but with a degree from Barnard I can earn good money. +I am so glad that I am young and that I shall have a chance. You'll be +proud of me, Mamma,--just wait and see," and she kissed her mother +affectionately. + +They went down to breakfast. Archibald Hollister listened to his +daughter's plans. He was proud of her and his face showed it. + +"You see, Papa," continued Ethel, "every penny is spent on me. Do you and +Mamma ever go to a theatre? No. Do you ever take a drive? Never,--why? +Because you can't spare the money. Now at least we shall be able to go +to the moving picture shows and take Grandmamma. I bet you'd enjoy it, +wouldn't you, Grandmamma? And, do you know, the best people go, and a +quarter is the highest priced seat." + +The girl chatted on until the postman delivered the mail. + +"Oh! a letter from Kate. Let's see what news she has written," and she +gave a gasp as she read the first page. + +"Poor Mrs. Casey died Saturday from pneumonia. Nora is heartbroken, and +poor Pat Casey acts as though he knew not which way to turn. Nora looks +really refined in black,--almost handsome. She loved Mrs. Casey, who in +spite of her peculiarities was a good wife and mother. Later: Mr. Casey +wishes to take Nora away. He suggested New York, so you may see her, +etc." + +Then Ethel described Honora. + +"It is strange but I can never like that girl. There's something about +her that's antagonistic to me, and yet when she comes here I must be +polite and ask her to visit me." + +"If she's in mourning she'll not expect to meet people," said Mrs. +Hollister quickly, "nor to go to any places of amusement, thank heavens." + +"Oh, she's very generous. Probably she'd invite us, Mamma. Well, poor +Nora, she loved her mother. I'm sorry for her." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ETHEL ENTERS COLLEGE + + +The next morning Ethel Hollister walked up to Barnard and put in her +application for admittance. The following week upon her first examination +she failed, but she entered the class with conditions. The girl studied +hard and soon made good. + +She liked the girls of her class. They were intelligent, athletic, and +agreeable. + +Her former friends and companions from La Rue's declared that of +late--in fact, since she had become a Camp Fire Girl--Ethel Hollister +had developed fads. This Barnard was one. But as Ethel kept on +steadily progressing in college, and she was so very young--not yet +seventeen--people began to consider her a girl of great ability and +intelligence. Mrs. Hollister grew to be proud of hearing her praised +on every side and Archibald seemed less worried over money matters. +She was rather glad that things had changed. Perhaps it was all for +the best, and people would respect them no less. + +Grandmother never wearied of hearing her grandchild tell of her visit. +"And to think," she'd say, "that Susan has had all the trouble she tells +of and has made no sign. How gladly would I have helped her. Still, had +I done so we would have had no house. Well, the Lord knows what's best. +We could only have offered her a home. I'm glad the Insane Asylum was +endowed and the boys educated before the crash came." + +Nora did not visit New York in the winter. She went South with her +father. The girls--Kate and Ethel--corresponded, and in that way Ethel +heard all of the news. The Judge came often and took Patty and Kate on +long motor trips. Mattie was doing nicely. She was employed in a Woman's +Exchange where she received twelve dollars a week and taught cooking and +sewing. Mollie was improving daily. Mr. Hastings had a fine position with +Judge Sands. Honora was away, but the rest of the girls were as usual. +The Camp Fires met weekly and everyone missed Ethel, but no one missed +her as did Aunt Susan. "Why," wrote Kate, "she says the light has gone +out of her life, and Tom roams around disconsolate. But," she added, "you +should see the up-to-date way in which he dresses. He is the pink of +fashion, I tell you." + +Ethel laughed, and while reading would stop every now and then to +explain. + +Then Ethel answered: + +"I have joined Miss Westcott's Camp Fire Girls, and if you believe it, +Mamma goes with me. She doesn't like it, but she's a great help to me and +to the girls, for she teaches them so much. She's consistent and it will +take her some time to overcome her prejudices. Nanny Bigelow belongs, +and Harvey takes us when Mamma can not go. By the way, Harvey seems +quite interested in medicine, and after graduating he is going to study +it. We call him 'Doctor' Bigelow. + +"Dorothy Kip's Day Nursery has proved a great success. It is the dearest +little flat, and the babies are sweet. Dorothy's old woman is a great +help, and I want you to know that Dorothy works hard. Why, she almost +runs the place on contributions and her allowance, and the little ones +are just as happy and comfortable as possible. She has books and toys, +and we girls take turns in going in and reading to the elder children, as +well as amusing the younger ones. That is a good charity, and Grandmother +(Kate noticed that Ethel had begun to call Mrs. Hollister 'Mother' and +the old lady 'Grandmother') goes nearly every pleasant day and takes +flowers. She generally spends the afternoon with them, so in a small way +Dorothy Kip is emulating Jane Addams. Who knows but some day she may be +her equal,--Oh!" + +The second letter said: + +"I must tell you something. The other evening Harvey Bigelow called. You +know I never liked him any more than I liked Mattie nor Nora. Now I like +Mattie and I am beginning to like Harvey. I hope I shall change towards +Nora, but I see no sign now. Well, Harvey began. + +"'Miss Ethel,' he said, 'I've determined to become a physician. I presume +you've heard that, and I'm determined to become a good one, too. You may +not know it, but I have always liked boys. I don't say that I dislike +girls,--but I do like boys. (Harvey is developing a sense of humor.) +When I visited my college chum--Joe Atkinson--this last summer, I was +surprised to learn that he was the Scout Master to a troop of eight boys. +He lives in Springfield, Illinois. I had a corking visit and a fine time +with the kids, two of whom are his young brothers. + +"'Do you know, I became mightily interested in the movement. I have +studied and watched it and I think it's the finest thing ever started. +I came home quite enthusiastic and I talked of it to the two younger +Kip boys and Alan McAllister,--Grace's brother. If you'll believe it, +before I realized what I'd done, these boys had formed a troop and began +to importune me to be the Scout Master of it. There's the two Kips, Tom +Wilder (Sara Judson's cousin), a brother of Grace McAllister, Tommy +Westcott, and my cousin, Jack Atwater, besides two other boys from the +East Side Y.M.C.A. Miss Westcott, the Guardian of the Camp Fire Girls, +asked that they might be allowed to join, making eight in all.' + +"I caught him by the hand and I said: + +"'Harvey Bigelow, I take off my hat to you. I never liked you so well in +my life." + +"He blushed awfully and seemed embarrassed, but he simply said: + +"'Don't you think it about time that I became in earnest over something +in life? The opportunity presented itself and I grasped it--that's all.' + +"Well, to make a long story short, several of these boys are desirous +of going West next summer and spending their vacations instead of East, +and he called to ask me about the Muskingum Camp. He is going there, +Kate, and he'll be near us. I made him write to Mr. Adams--your father's +man--who did everything for us, and ask him to reserve a place for the +Scouts. I'm just wild for summer to come. I'm going to bring Mother and +Grandmother. Grandmother will visit Aunt Susan, and Mother can spend her +time between Aunt Susan's, your house, and the Camp. She doesn't say +much but I really think the change is a relief to her--poor dear little +mother. I was the selfish juggernaut who made her sacrifice everyone for +me. I realize it now, and thank God it's not too late to mend. + +"I am doing finely at college. I should like to form from some of my +class another Company of Camp Fire Girls, but the trouble is they are too +busy with study. They say that they're worn out when summer comes and +have to go away to rest, but they intend to join during their third year. +Then it won't be such a continuous _grind_ as it is now. + +"I am so glad that I had the good sense to start in college. I intend to +be self-supporting after I graduate. I consider it a glorious thing for +an unmarried woman--don't you? + +"Well, dear, I must close. Kiss Uncle John, etc." + +That was great news for Kate--that Harvey Bigelow should have become a +man. It was too good to be true. She sent the letter to Aunt Susan, whom +she knew would be interested in it. + +"I tell you, Ethel is made of good stuff!" ejaculated Uncle John. "She +was in the right church but in the wrong pew--that's all." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +ETHEL AND HARVEY BECOME FIRM FRIENDS + + +Vacation arrived. Ethel had acquitted herself well, and her examinations +were excellent. She and her mother began making preparations to go West. + +This time it was Grandmother and Mrs. Hollister whose wardrobes needed +replenishing. Ethel bought for herself two new suits and some blouses. +She had actually outgrown hers of the preceding summer. + +"My dear, I am spending very little money now," said Mrs. Hollister, "and +I'm going to put some by for your trousseau." + +Ethel laughed merrily. + +"Why, Mother, where's the man?" + +"Never mind," replied her mother, "he'll come." + +"Mother, you're a born matchmaker!" exclaimed the girl. "I wish you had +had other daughters." + +"Heaven forbid!" ejaculated Mrs. Hollister with a funny little smile. +"One is enough." + +"Is that intended for a compliment?" laughed the girl. "If so it's a +doubtful one." + +During the month of May, Harvey would invite her to go horseback riding +up to Van Cortlandt Park. They had to make it Saturdays, as that was +Ethel's only free day. They usually started early. On the country roads +the apple and peach blossoms were like pictures. To the girl they brought +back the previous spring at Aunt Susan's, and especially the morning when +she had revealed to Ethel the sad story of her married life. On one of +these excursions the girl related it to Harvey. + +"By George!" he ejaculated when she had finished, "that old lady is +a sport and no mistake. She's all right. I imagined she was made of +different stuff from other women, and do you know I sort of suspected +that she hadn't all the money that your mother thought she had. She was +too refined and showed good blood. Had she been so wealthy, from her +dressing people might have taken her for a miser, and gentle folks are +seldom misers. I thought that it was necessity that caused her to wear +those old-fashioned clothes, so I argued that though Mrs. Hollister +imagined her wealthy and that you were in a line to inherit her money +there was a great mistake somewhere. But pshaw! as for that every mother +is ambitious for her daughter. Why, my mother left no stone unturned +until she had married Edith to Lord Ashurst, and I must admit that I was +easily led by my mother. Why, I've been out for a rich wife ever since I +left school; but, Ethel, I've changed. Now I propose to pay my bills with +the money I earn, not with hers; nor shall I allow her to buy what she +wears." + +"Does your mother realize how you feel?" asked Ethel, pushing her fair, +curling locks from her eyes. + +"Bless you, yes. She and I had one long talk, and after it I tell you +there was something doing in the Bigelow family; but Nannie who has lots +of horse sense sided with me, and together we were too many for mother. +She saw that it was up to her to make the best of it and she did, but +like your mother she still cherishes her ambitions. Nan said to her: + +"'You have one daughter who has done the grand marriage stunt and she's +some class. Do let us choose for ourselves." + +"What did your mother say to that?" laughed Ethel. + +"I think she boxed Nannie's ears and then apologized. She loses her +self-control sometimes. Poor mother," and Harvey laughed. "Nannie has +some temper, too, and don't you make any mistake." + +Ethel was beginning to have a real friendly feeling for Harvey. He asked +many questions about her cousin Kate. + +"She rings true," he said. "I liked her from the first." + +"She _is_ true," replied Ethel. "You'll see her this summer, and I'm sure +you'll like Uncle John and his wife. He's just a dear." + +Those were red letter days for Ethel. She enjoyed the air, the +scenery, and the rides; and she enjoyed talking to Harvey, for now +that he understood she could talk to him as though he were one of +the family--without restriction and without embarrassment. + +"What puzzles me," said Ethel, "is the way our mothers argue. When they +plan our marriages it's only money and position. Love never seems to +enter into their heads. Oh! I grew so tired of it. Thank God it's over, +and our family are now normal. Even Grandmother wished me to marry well. +I had far rather be an old maid than to be tied to a man for whom I care +nothing, and have to sit opposite and pour tea for him three hundred and +sixty-five days in a year. Imagine the horrible monotony of that. I heard +that advice given to a girl in a play and I never forgot it; and if only +girls could be brought to realize beforehand the sin of it there would be +fewer unhappy marriages." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +ETHEL'S SECOND TRIP + + +The time arrived for the Hollisters to start. There were tears in +Archibald Hollister's eyes as he kissed them goodbye at the train. Within +the last year his life had been happier. He had seen more of his wife and +had grown to love her better than he had since Ethel was a child. She and +he were together nearly all of the time, and it was like reading over a +forgotten love story. + +"Don't you worry, papa," said Ethel, patting his cheek. "We're going +to keep well and have a lovely summer, and when you come up for your +vacation you'll be like a boy again." + +"Yes, Archie," spoke up Mrs. Hollister "Be sure that Mirinda gives you +good things to eat and has them well cooked. She'll have little else to +do, and you go out and call on the Bigelows and Judsons. Take in the +moving pictures and roof gardens. I'll trust you," she laughed, "but +don't fail to write me three times a week, will you, telling me how +things are going on. And don't let Mirinda's young man come to the house +but once a week and on Sundays." + +"Remember everything," laughed Ethel. + +Grandmother kissed her son and murmured: + +"God bless you, Archie. I expect to take on a new lease of life." + +"Do mother," said the man, "we all need you." + +The trip was pleasant. The scenery was fine and the country looked as +though it had been freshly swept and dusted, everything seemed so clean. +Grandmother's eyes glistened with pleasure. They were to stop at Akron +first, where they were to leave Grandmother, and after a visit of a week +Ethel and her mother were to go on to Columbus and hence to Camp. + +As the train drew into the depot at Akron, there stood Tom with Aunt +Susan, but what a metamorphosis! Tom just escaped being a fashionably +dressed swell. He was too manly for that. He wore a blue serge suit, +colored negligee shirt with tie to match, a Panama hat, and russet ties. +His handsome face was so full of character that Mrs. Hollister whispered +to Ethel: + +"What a remarkably distinguished looking man he is. You never told me of +his being so." + +Ethel blushed when Tom took her up and kissed her as he might have done +had she been his sister, and as for Aunt Susan, even Grandmother gazed +at her with amazement. She was attired in a modish little automobile +bonnet, close fitting and of grey, while her grey linen suit gave her +an up-to-date air, for now, she proudly informed Ethel, Tom owned his +own car. + +"Aunt Susan, you look out of sight," said Ethel, kissing her. "I never +knew you." + +Mrs. Hollister was happy. Ethel had not half told her, and she was +agreeably disappointed. They took their seats in the new and commodious +car and soon reached the little house. The ingrain and rag carpets had +disappeared. In their places were Oriental rugs. Striped red awnings +shaded the windows and piazzas. The porch had been converted into the +cosiest of lounging places with willow furniture, scarlet cushions, rugs, +birds, plants, etc., as well as small tables filled with the latest +magazines and Aunt Susan's sewing baskets. They had a hammock at either +end, and altogether it was lovely. Mrs. Hollister simply raved over it +and the artistic interior with its fine old furniture. + +"Ethel is responsible for this change," said Tom, removing his hat and +wiping his handsome brow. "Last summer when she came here I dressed like +a countryman, but in the most tactful manner she suggested high collars, +different ties, and fairly talked my army hat right off my head, saying +that I looked like a G.A.R. Little by little she's converted Aunt Susan +into a fashionable woman. But how careless of me. Let me get you a cup of +tea," he said to Mrs. Hollister, placing a table before her and a stool +under her feet. + +He soon returned, bringing the tray and a plate of delicious jumbles. + +"You see," he continued, "Aunt Susan will not keep two girls, so I have +to be waitress now and then. She is attached to Jane, who though is a +good cook, but her trouble is she's set in her way and refuses to stay +if we allow another girl to enter the house. We are handicapped, you +see, for we can't spare Jane, nor could we replace her." + +Gradually he took Mrs. Hollister into his confidence and told her of +his early life and of Aunt Susan's misfortunes. "But bless you," he +continued, "the Lord is good to us. She'll never need a penny for my +income is increasing and my practice is more than I can attend to. I +should have a partner but she won't hear of my taking one. She is too +cautious. So I have several young students who study law in my office +and help me as well." + +Then he proceeded to extol Ethel. + +"Mrs. Hollister," he said, "she's a girl of wonderful character and +she'll make a magnificent woman. I notice she's improved since she was +here." + +"Yes, it's her college," replied her mother, "and the life at camp last +summer. I must admit she knew more than I when she broke loose from my +foolish and unwise influence. I was not fit to guide her, Mr. Harper, +I realize it now." + +"Never mind, madam; it's to you she owes her beauty. Why, you and she +look exactly like sisters," whereupon Mrs. Hollister capitulated to Tom +Harper. She couldn't speak of him with enough enthusiasm and praise. She +wrote pages to Archibald. + +"My dear, everyone says he'll yet be Governor, and while I wouldn't have +you breathe it for the world I'm sure he's in love with Ethel. What a +couple they'd make. Of course she has no suspicion of such a thing, nor +would I hint it to her; but you wait and see." + +Mr. Hollister smiled as he read his wife's letter, and his heart was +glad. He had known Tom Harper's father and had respected him highly. + +"Well," he thought, "this time Bella is on the right tack. I'll not +interfere," and he softly whistled "Comin' Thro' the Rye." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CAMP AGAIN + + +"Aunt Susan, you've grown so young," said Ethel, "and as for Tom, well +he's the glass of fashion and mould of form. He looks fine. Oh! I'm so +glad to be back and to have Mother and Grandmother with me; and Father +will be here soon. It seems like a dream--too good to be true. Hasn't +Mother grown lovely?" + +"Never saw anything like the change," replied the old lady. "In fact, +you've worked wonders in us all, my dear," she said. "Look at me. Why! I +feel like an up-to-date fashion plate." + +Ethel laughed. + +"Yes, Madam, you're up-to-date all right and no mistake. I didn't know +you that day at the depot." + +"I often wonder," continued the elderly woman, "if people think I'm +putting on airs. Really, Jane told me of some woman who said 'old Mrs. +Carpenter was mighty upraised, dressing like a young girl.' It's funny, +isn't it, what dress will do. But I should look young for I'm so happy +to have Alice here again, and to think that we shall be together all +summer. I don't yet seem to realize it." + +"Did you notice how Grandmother cried as this house came to view,--her +birthplace?" + +"No wonder. She hasn't been here," said Aunt Susan, "since Mother's +funeral, I presume it brought it all back to her. Poor Alice! I ought +not to say it, but Archie Hollister was not the man to make her happy. +He ran through with nearly all of her money. It slipped through his +fingers just like water, and I guess her life with his family was none +too peaceful and happy. They had the name of being great fighters. Of +course she has her recompense in John and Archibald--that's something. +A woman needs peace. Now take your mother, for instance. Why has she +grown young? Because she's quit worrying--that is the secret." + +"Yes, and when I think that she did it all for me--why, Aunt Susan, +I can't lay up anything against her; I love her too well. She sees +now how useless it all was. But what do you know about Harvey Bigelow? +Isn't he developing into a fine man?" + +"He certainly is," replied Aunt Susan, "and I always liked him. He looked +one squarely in the eye, and such a man can be trusted." + +"I don't know," answered Ethel, "of late everyone seems to be changing +for the better. The whole world appears different to me. It makes me +happy to see others happy," and the girl went out to call her mother and +Tom in to tea. + +"I'm transferring my allegiance to your mother, young woman," said Tom. + +"I'm not a bit jealous," replied Ethel. "Mother is really more +interesting to men than I, and what's more, she's always been. But +hurry in; Jane will be furious if her biscuits grow cold." + +The two weeks passed only too quickly. They spent their days touring +all over Ohio, so it seemed to Ethel, and at night the young people came +in shoals to see her, while the grown-ups had bridge parties. Said Mrs. +Hollister: + +"How hospitable and lovely these Westerners are. I had no idea that they +were so refined." + +"What did you expect to meet, Mother?" laughed Ethel--"not cowboys?" + +"Susan," said Grandmother one morning, "I notice that you curl your hair. +It's very becoming, I think." + +"Alice, you don't consider me too old, do you? Sometimes I wonder if I'm +not sort of making a fool of myself, but Ethel got me in the way of it +and I try to keep the front as fluffy as possible, for she asked me to. +And I've another confession to make," said Aunt Susan. "Alice, I blue my +hair--regular bluing water so as to keep it white. There now--what do you +think of that?" + +"So do I, Susan," laughed her sister. "I've done it for several years. It +certainly does improve the color. Grey hairs grow so yellow looking. The +child is right. We ought to keep ourselves up while we're able. We polish +up old mahogany and keep it fresh and clean--why not old women?" and the +two laughed merrily. + +"I think the Camp Fire business has made a woman of Ethel, don't you?" + +"How could it fail to?" said Aunt Susan. "Women are coming into +their own, Alice. They're growing sensible and self-reliant. Look +at our Grandmothers and at us. Do you notice the difference? And +our grandchildren will be just as far ahead of us as we are of our +grandmothers. Isn't it wonderful?" + +"I like you Western people," said Mrs. Hollister, coming in at that +moment followed by Ethel. + +"I've just told Mother," said the girl, "that Western people can give +points to us. They are natural, kind-hearted, hospitable, and they seldom +measure their friendship by the amount of people's bank accounts. With +them it's character that talks." + +"How did you like my sanitarium, Bella?" asked Aunt Susan. + +"I couldn't half express myself," replied Mrs. Hollister. "You're a +wonderful woman, Aunt Susan, and the people here have cause to bless +you. I've never before admitted this to Ethel, but I'm very glad that +she came here last summer. I see my short-sightedness every day when +I look back and realize how I was bringing her up," and Mrs. Hollister +wiped her eyes. + +"You've been a lovely and kind mother to me," replied Ethel. "You have +sacrificed far too much for me and I never half appreciated it." + +"I have been an unwise mother my dear," said she, "and you stopped +me just in time. I only now begin to realize my limitations. I've been +self-centered and conceited." + +Ethel kissed her mother affectionately, and the two old ladies coughed +and knitted vigorously. + +"We are all liable to make mistakes, Bella," said Aunt Susan. "Yours has +been in loving your child too dearly." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +UNCLE JOHN'S + + +They arrived in Columbus where Uncle John greeted them affectionately and +insisted upon kissing his sister-in-law. Mrs. Hollister was persuaded not +to go to camp until after a few days, when the girls should be settled. +Then Uncle John was to take her up. So Ethel, Kate, and the girls, with +one new member, went alone. + +Save that Nora Casey wore mourning and seemed quiet, everything was the +same as the summer before. Patty Sands was wild with delight upon seeing +Ethel. Edna Whitely was the same happy-go-lucky Edna as of old. Mollie +Long and Edith Overman had grown very tall, while Sallie Davis had become +a perfect roly poly. She had gained twenty pounds and was constantly +dieting and taking long walks. + +Mattie Hastings cried when she beheld Ethel. Mattie had grown quiet and +dignified, while in her face she showed more character. + +Ethel looked at them all, especially at Honora. + +"Can I not put my dislike of that girl behind me?" she thought. "Why +can't I be nice to her?" + +She tried hard. She began asking her of her mother, and tears filled +Nora's eyes, but after a while her voice began to take on its old shrill +tones, while in her manner there came that indescribable something that +had always repelled Ethel. + +"That girl is my cross," she thought. "I must like her, and yet I can't. +I shall never become worthy to be a Camp Fire Girl until I overcome it. +I wonder if she'll affect Mother as she does me." + +Ethel was now a Fire Maker. In addition to her Wood Gatherer's ring she +wore the pretty silver bracelet of the Fire Maker. + +The second evening they had a Council Fire. The wood and kindling +had been gathered and brought by Edna Whitely and a new girl named +Kate Winthrop, who had never been to Camp before. Edna couldn't seem +to advance. She was actually too lazy to work for honors and it worried +Kate Hollister not a little. + +"What's the difference?" she would say. "Someone will have to gather +wood and we have but one new girl--that's Kate. You may be glad that +I stayed." + +The girls looked pretty in their brown ceremonial gowns and their long +hair banded with the ceremonial band. Ethel advanced and lighted the +fire, intoning the usual Fire Makers' song. Then they had the exercises. +Honors were awarded and several girls advanced to the next higher grade. +This is the Fire Makers' ode to Fire that they intoned as Ethel lighted +the Council Fire: "Oh, Fire, long years ago when our fathers fought with +the great animals you were their protection. From the cruel cold of +winter you saved them. When they needed food you changed the flesh of +beasts into savory meat for them. During all the ages your mysterious +flame has been a symbol to them for Spirit. So (tonight) we light our +fire in remembrance of the great Spirit who gave you to us." + +In the darkness of the woods with the bright flames shooting upward the +effect of the chanting was weird, mysterious and unusual. + +Then Kate showed Ethel the typed copy of the Legend of Ohio which had +been attached to each count book, handing her a copy for her own. + +The roll was called, reports read of the last Council Fire, and of the +weekly meeting. Edna Whitely had really exerted herself and had written +it in clever rhyme. + +Then to their surprise a report of Ethel's and Patty's kindness to Mattie +Hastings was read. It seems that Mattie's conscience had troubled her and +at one of the meetings she had confessed it all and how she had been +saved by the two girls. She also requested that it should be read upon +Ethel's return. It told how under unusual distress she had been tempted +to do a great wrong,---how the two girls caused her to make restitution, +and how after that they placed Mollie in the Cripples School, and that +now she was on her way to recovery. It said that she began from then to +try and lead a better life and that with God's help she was doing so. + +The girls looked at one another, but although they made no sign they knew +what the wrong was. But they smiled at Mattie in the most friendly way, +Nora grasping her by the hand said: + +"I hope yere sister will be after walkin' soon." + +Then came the Wohelo ceremony. Mattie came forward and lighted a +branch, throwing it on the ashes, while Patty Sands knelt and lighted +it chanting: + +"Wohelo means work. We glorify work because through work we are free. We +work to win, to conquer, to be masters. We work for the joy of working +and because we are free." + +Then she stepped back and Edith Overman came forward chanting and +lighting another branch. + +"Wohelo means health. We hold on to health because through health we +serve and are happy; in caring for the health and beauty of our persons +we are caring for the very shrine of the Great Spirit. Wohelo means +health." + +Then Sallie Davis stepped forward while Edith retired. She lighted the +third branch which crackled and threw up numberless red sparks, after +which she chanted the last verse: + +"I light the light of love, for Wohelo means love. We love Love, for +love is life and light and joy and sweetness. And love is comradeship +and motherhood and fatherhood, and all dear kinship. Love is the joy +of service so deep that self is forgotten. Wohelo means love." + +After that this song was sung: +"Lay me to sleep in thy sheltering flame. + O Master of the Hidden Fire. +Wash pure my heart and cleanse for me + My Soul's desire. +In flame of sunrise bathe my soul + O Master of the Hidden Fire. +That when I wake clear-eyed may be + My Soul's desire." + +This is by Fiona Macleod. + +They stood around talking to Miss Kate for a little while, who walking +over to Mattie kissed her tenderly, after which each girl followed her +example before retiring, and poor Mattie was all broken up over it. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +MRS. HOLLISTER'S VISIT TO CAMP + + +When the morning dawned on the day Mrs. Hollister was expected, great +were the preparations made for that lady. + +"Listen to me, girls; she's the cleverest woman you ever met," said +Cousin Kate. "She has not been exactly in favor of our organization, +so I wish each of you girls to do your best, and Mrs. Hollister can +teach you so many useful things." + +"Yes, indeed," said Ethel. "Cousin Kate is right. There's very little +that Mother can not do." + +Old Mr. Adams came up with a load of delicacies which had been ordered by +the thoughtful Uncle John. + +He paid no attention to the girls but as on previous occasions he gave +his entire attention to his horses. He wiped off their foaming sweat with +his hands. Last year it had been his handkerchief varied with bundles of +grass and leaves. After cleaning them to his satisfaction he calmly +walked to the clear brook and washed his hands thoroughly. + +"Isn't that awful?" whispered Patty to Miss Kate. "I shall never feel +like drinking water from that brook again." + +"Why my dear," laughed Kate, "that water changes every minute. It's gone +now and in its place there's fresh--don't worry." + +"Here they are!" called Nora, and there came to view Uncle John and a +lady whom from Ethel's resemblance to her they at once knew and fell +deeply in love with, especially Mattie. + +And everything pleased Mrs. Hollister,--the girls, their costumes, their +tents, and the delicious dinner cooked over an open fire interested her +greatly. She even held one of the forked branches on which reposed the +chicken and broiled it as well as a chef, but she thought the green corn +was the most delicious thing that she'd ever tasted. After dinner she +said: + +"Now girls, see if I have it correct: 'After tying a string to the end +of each ear, soak the corn in water for an hour. Then lay it on the hot +coals, turning frequently. Draw it out by the string and eat with salt +and melted butter.' Well, it's simply great. I wish I were young again. +I think I'd like to be a Camp Fire Girl." She was as enthusiastic as a +child. Ethel looked at Kate and they smiled over the change that had +taken place since the day Kate wished to explain to her aunt what the +Camp Fire Girl was. + +"Don't you think that Mother grows young?" asked Ethel proudly of her +cousin. + +"She's a changed woman," replied Kate, "in every way. She's simply +lovely." + +Mrs. Hollister adapted herself and made friends quickly. She became +tactful, a quality that had hitherto been unknown. She liked Nora and +the girl loved Mrs. Hollister. Ethel marveled. That her mother who +disliked anything savoring of loudness could tolerate Nora seemed +wonderful. + +"The fault must lie with me," she thought. "Even Mother likes her." + +Mrs. Hollister went right to work and taught the girls how to cut and +fit. She taught them many of the little arts and niceties of dressmaking, +and the girls became proficient and at the next Council meeting each +received several honors. Then she taught them to trim hats and make the +daintiest bows; and after she had taught them how to crochet and make +Irish lace their gratitude was boundless. + +She also taught them how to cook--how to make delicious corn bread +with one egg, where they had been in the habit of using two, insisting +upon their first scalding their meal. Then she made them delicious +gingerbread, using cold coffee left from breakfast in place of milk +or cream and many other dishes of which they had never heard. + +"Really, Aunt Bella," said Kate, as the girls were receiving their +honors, "I feel that you deserve some of these beads." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE SCOUTS ARRIVE + + +Great was the surprise of the girls when the next afternoon they beheld +walking towards the Camp two young men in Scout costume. They were none +other than Harvey Bigelow and young Teddy Kip, the Master and assistant +Scout Master of the "Flying Eagles" Scout Patrol. Each wore a small flag, +and upon a red ground was a black and white eagle. As they advanced they +gave their cry--"Yeh--yeh--yeh!" + +"Oh! Harvey," screamed Ethel, and rushed forward, greeting them warmly. + +Then Cousin Kate came and welcomed them cordially, introducing them to +the nine girls. + +"Why, Mrs. Hollister," said Harvey, catching sight of her in her tent, +"it does seem good to see you here," and he gazed at her thoughtfully +and curiously. "'Pon my word you've grown so young I thought you were +Ethel at first." + +She wore one of her daughter's costumes and really she did look +wonderfully youthful. + +"Well, you can't complain. The Camp life has done you some good, and +there you were so down on it." + +"Yes, I was, but people change. Look at yourself," replied she seriously. + +"Mrs. Hollister," said he, "I've been here only one week, but I already +feel that I'm another man. It's splendid for both boy and girl. It's a +boon to be able to get away from city people and fashionable resorts. +Nan has put up a big fight and, Ethel, she's coming out to see you next +month," he said. + +"Oh, how lovely! Kate, hear this: Nannie Bigelow is coming here to see us +next month." + +"I shall be here until the middle," said Harvey, "and she'll go home +with us. I've an aunt in Springfield and she'll go there for a visit +first. After that she'll come on here and spend a few days if you +girls want her to." + +"I'm so glad," said Ethel, and she ran to tell her mother. + +Teddy Kip was a handsome lad of about eighteen. Immediately Patty Sands +suggested that he must see everything, so she took him off under her +wing. The rest sat on the ground while Harvey related several anecdotes +and funny experiences that had befallen his patrol since they came to +Camp. + +"Now you must stay and dine with us," said Kate. "Our cooking may not +surprise you, as it is the Scouts' way as well, but we'll give you a +change--a shore dinner. Father sent up some very fresh clams. We'll +steam them, and we'll have roasted potatoes, corn, and broiled chicken, +a little salad and a ripe watermelon to finish." + +"Well, I declare--'pon my word, one might imagine himself in Rhode +Island. We'll stay," and he smacked his lips. + +"Nora, will you take Mr. Bigelow and show him our cellar. And the +boys--perhaps they'll help us to prepare our meal," said Kate. + +The young fellows were delighted to help the girls. Nora arose slowly and +Harvey followed. + +Kate remarked to Ethel that Nora had changed so since her mother's death +and asked her if she had noticed it. + +"Yes, I do notice that she seems more quiet," replied Ethel. + +"But you still dislike her though?" asked Kate. + +"I don't know," replied Ethel. "I'm ashamed to admit it, Cousin Kate, +but I can never seem to overcome that antipathy to her. If only her voice +would lower a little, and if she'd cease to come up and slap one on the +back I might feel differently, but she's so rough and unladylike." + +"Ethel, environments may have had much to do with that. She seems to love +your mother. But here comes Patty with young Kip." + +"What a dandy site you have here for a Camp," said the young man. "Gee! +it's choice. It beats ours." + +When dinner was ready how they ate! They pronounced it equal to the +best shore dinner ever prepared, and when finished there was nothing +left excepting clam shells and corn cobs. + +That was Mrs. Hollister's last day in Camp. She had been with the girls +for two weeks. After leaving Camp she was to spend half of her time with +Kate's parents and the remaining with Aunt Susan. + +Harvey and Teddy stayed until nearly five o'clock, and it was with regret +on both sides that they had to go. + +The next day being Sunday, Kate read the prayers while they all sung +several hymns, after which each girl was left to do as she chose. Ethel +proposed to ride horseback. Several joined together and hired a buckboard +for the afternoon. + +"We'll meet you at the Lake," they said to Ethel, and off they went. + +It was a warm afternoon. The sky looked alternately bright, then cloudy, +but they started not minding though it rained. + +Nora declined to join the buckboard party and strolled off by herself. +She looked almost pretty in her clean, white linen suit and her hair +tightly bound by a broad black ribbon. The goldenrod and sumac were +opening, but the summer flowers looked old and tired, as though they +needed new gowns and freshening up a bit. The girl thought of how alone +she was and sighed. Then her mother came into her mind. To think that +she had to be taken while so young--not yet forty-five, and the tears +rolled down her cheeks. But "Thank God," she thought, "I never caused +her any unhappiness, and I still have my dear, kind father," and Nora +wiped her eyes. "It's Miss Ethel who dislikes me. No matter what I say +to her nor how friendly I am, she won't like me. And when I try to joke +or do her a little kindness, if she smiles sure her smile chills me. It's +like a piece of ice going down me back. And her 'thank you, Honora' is +as cold as charity. I like her mother the best. And yet Miss Ethel kissed +me goodbye at the train last summer; but she was kissing everyone and I +suppose she had to kiss me, for she's too much of a lady to slight a +body. Yet she'd be glad to see the last of me--that I know." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +NORA GIVES SERVICE + + +Honora was an unconscious lover of Nature. She turned and beheld the sun +slowly sinking. + +"Ah! it must be nearly six o'clock," she thought. "I must make haste," +but she stood spellbound, watching the glowing crimson, purple and yellow +changing into orange, green, and greyish pink, and she gazed at the fiery +ball sinking slowly behind the hills. + +"How lovely!" she thought, "and it's gone down in a cloud. That means +rain. It's growing very dark. Me for a quick walk down these hills before +I lose my way." + +She started down the path not a little worried. She had strayed off the +main road and was on a side one leading through the woods. If only it +would keep light until she reached Camp, and then if she could strike +the broad road she'd be all right. + +Walking rapidly through the woods she suddenly fancied that she hard a +low moan, as though from someone in pain. + +"It's a tramp perhaps," she thought. "He may be in trouble. Well, tramp +or no tramp I must help him. I'll see." + +Unafraid, Nora walked to the spot whence the cry had proceeded. Her eye +fell upon an object huddled together on the ground. As it was out of the +beaten path she stepped from branches and logs to stones and rocks +before she reached it. She stooped down and gazed at it intently; then +she uttered an exclamation of surprise. + +"It's Miss Ethel!" she gasped. "God help her." + +She was right. There lay Ethel Hollister--the girl who had never liked +her--the girl from whom, no matter how hard she might try, Nora could +get nothing beyond a cool "Thank you very much, Nora." + +From the arm of this young woman trickled a stream of bright, red blood. +Honora wondered if she was dead. She gently shook her. + +"Miss Ethel!" she called once and twice, "Are ye much hurt?" Then she +half lifted her to a sitting posture and Ethel opened her eyes. + +"Oh, Miss Casey--Honora!" she gasped feebly. "Thank God it is you who +have found me. I have been so frightened. Two men were searching for +me. I passed them on the road before my horse took fright and threw me. +I heard them say: 'It must be the same girl. She rode a white horse. +Now I know who she is. She's the niece of John Hollister. Her father +is a rich New Yorker. We can sell the horse. We've got him safe, and +we can keep the girl for a ransom. Probably she's injured and is lying +somewhere around here.' Nora, I dared not breathe lest they should find +me. I prayed to God as I've never prayed before to let them pass me and +to send me help. He has answered my prayer and I'm grateful. When I heard +your footsteps I thought they had returned. Oh! I am so glad that it's +you," and she burst into tears. + +Nora knelt down and took her by the hand. + +"Where is your pain, my dear?" she asked. + +"My leg. I guess it must be broken, and my arm---I have had that nearly +cut off. The horse became frightened and unmangeable. He turned into +these woods and started to run. I was knocked off by the branch of a +tree. I don't know how long I've lain here--it seems for hours. I must +have fainted, but Nora the pain in my arm and leg is terrible. Whatever +can we do?" + +The girl's hat hung from the tree. Her hair was unloosed and hanging +about her face. Evidently she was suffering agony, and to make matters +worse upon the leaves overhead Nora heard a pattering of rain. + +"This will never do," she said to herself. Not a sign of a house or a +vehicle in sight. A damp chill pervaded the air. They were too far from +the main road to seek assistance. + +"Your arm has been cut by this jagged stone, Miss Ethel," said Nora, +kneeling and starting to roll from the girl's arm the sleeve of her +blouse. "I don't think there are any bones broken. But first I must stop +its bleeding." + +Nora, having had considerable experience with cuts, wounds and bruises, +went to work as though she were about to teach the girls "first aid." + +Her handkerchief was soiled. Ethel had lost hers. Both women wore silk +petticoats. How could she manage to secure a bandage? + +Suddenly her mother wit came to the rescue. She slipped off her linen +skirt. It was perfectly clean. With her strong teeth she tore into strips +the front breadth. + +"Hark!" she exclaimed. "Glory be to God! I think I hear running water." +She said it devoutly and in gratitude, for now it was water that she +needed. Taking Ethel's hat from the tree she started up the road where to +her joy she beheld a watering trough that was fed by a little waterfall +trickling down the side of the rocks. + +After thoroughly washing the long linen strips so as to be sure that the +starch was out of them she filled Ethel's hat with water and hurried +back. + +"Here, dearie," she said, "Let me wash your face. I brought the water in +your hat," and with the balance of her skirt she washed the girl's face +and then proceeded to tear open the sleeve, cleansing the wound with a +fresh hatful of water. She did it carefully and thoroughly, with the +skill of a surgeon. It was an ugly wound, but she bound the arm firmly +with the strips. + +"There now! So much for that," ejaculated Nora, rising and pushing back +from her brow one curly lock that always insisted upon falling over her +eyes. + +"Oh, Honora! you are an angel," exclaimed Ethel, "and I have always been +so unfriendly." + +Nora appeared not to hear but went on: + +"Can you stand, my dear?" she asked. + +"No," sobbed the girl, "I guess my leg must be broken. However are we +to reach Camp? Oh, Nora, for God's sake don't leave me. I should die of +fright were you to do so, and the men may be hiding near even now. Don't +go, I beseech. I know I am selfish and I've been unkind to you, but +forgive me, Nora. I'll be your slave after this if only you'll stay with +me. Don't go for help. Just stay here until I die," and the girl fell to +sobbing. + +"I'm cold," she murmured--"I'm so chilly, Nora," and she shivered. + +Quickly Nora removed her heavy white sweater that she had just put on, +and raising Ethel to a sitting posture she first put in her good arm. +Then she fastened the sweater about the girl's neck. + +"There, dear, that will keep you warm, and I'll not be after leaving +you--never fear--not if we stay together all night in these woods. But +I must think how we can manage with you and your injuries. Faith it's +raining and you may catch your death." + +"And I have your sweater on, Nora!" exclaimed Ethel. "Oh, how selfish I +am." + +"Keep still," replied Nora. "I couldn't wear it now, for I'm going to try +and carry you home." + +For a moment Nora gazed tentatively at Ethel. Then suddenly there +appeared a dawn of hope in her strong honest face. + +"Miss Ethel, listen," she began. "When a child did ye ever play +pig-a-back? Perhaps I might get you home that way." + +"Yes, Nora. Papa always carried me up to bed that way," and the girl +burst into tears. + +"Ye mustn't cry," said Nora. "If ye do I shan't be able to carry ye. Now +wipe your pretty eyes and help me carry ye as Papa used to. Forget your +pain and try to be patient, for, Ethel, we must reach camp some way. +Doubtless they are searching for us even now, but this is a side road far +from the main one. They'll never think to look here, nor could they hear +us were we of call. And then those men you spoke of. They may be near. +There's no time to lose. Get on my back and cling for dear life." + +Nora had great sense. She realized that until she had thoroughly +frightened Ethel she would not exert herself and forget her pain. Then, +too, if what she had told her were true, the men might really be lying in +wait to capture the supposed wealthy New York girl. + +Sitting on the ground with her back before Ethel she first gently raised +the wounded arm, bringing the other one around to meet it. Thanks to the +low branch of a tree and to Nora's recent physical culture exercises, +making an almost superhuman effort she arose with her burden on her +back. Then grasping the girl's knees she held them firmly, thereby +supporting her injured leg, and started for the road, stopping now and +then by a fence or stone to take breath and rest. On and on in that +failing light she bravely walked. + +As she descended the hill she seemed to have gained new strength. Now and +then she'd speak cheering words to the wounded girl, trying to encourage +her to bear her pain. The rain pelted in Honora's face, often blinding +her. The thunder rolled and the lightning played, but she showed no +sign of faltering. Onward she went, even faster. + +Soon to her joy she beheld the main road, and after a few more rods a +light from the Camp Fire. + +"Shure," she thought, "now I know why men in olden times looked for the +fire from their camps. It does cheer a body and give them new life." + +She was ready to drop when she reached Camp. Ethel was no light weight. +While in Camp she had gained, and now she weighed nearly a hundred and +thirty-seven pounds. As Nora neared home she saw parties of men about to +start on searching tours. They had sent word by Mr. Adams to Harvey, and +there he and his patrol stood ready to start. Uncle John with the second +party were there as well. In some way the horse had escaped from the two +men and had returned to Camp, but without Ethel. Then they knew that she +had been thrown. And as for Nora, something dreadful must have happened +to her, for Nora was so strong and self-reliant. + +A shout rent the air when they beheld Nora Casey drenched to the skin, +hatless, coatless, with nearly all of her skirt missing, and carrying on +her back a hysterical, shrieking girl, while with no apparent effort +she walked steadily towards them. Harvery Bigelow's admiration for one so +strong and courageous showed itself on every line of his face. + +Uncle John took Ethel from Nora and laid her on the Camp bed that had +been brought from the tent. + +"By Jove!" ejaculated Harvey as he examined Ethel's ankle and pronounced +it a compound fracture, "you're all right, Miss Casey, first to staunch +the blood and bandage her arm, and second to bind her ankle in such a +surgeon-like manner, say nothing of carrying her on your back for over a +mile and a half and holding her leg so that you saved her pain. I take +off my hat to you, Miss Casey. You have the nerve and strength of a man." + +"I don't see," said Uncle John, "how in the name of heaven you managed to +raise her, wounded as she was, upon your back--let alone bringing her +through the pouring rain a dark night like this. Why! it's been a regular +thunder shower. I'm glad that her mother knows nothing of it." + +Nora sighed. She was very tired. Miss Kate came forward and put her arm +around her. + +"My dear, you are an honor to the Camp Fires. We owe a vote of thanks to +this brave girl," and taking Nora's face between her hands she kissed her +affectionately. + +"I've done nothing wonderful," replied Nora simply, taking her sweater +from Patty Sands. "Luckily I heard her moan and found her. I couldn't go +away and leave her helpless and alone in a blinding storm, and two men +waiting to seize her." Then she told Ethel's story of the conversation +that she had overheard. + +"Nor could we stay in the woods over night alone." + +A buckboard appeared and Mrs. Hollister jumped out. She had heard of the +accident through Mr. Adams and had made him bring her up. + +After seeing Ethel for a few moments she rushed out and threw her arms +about Nora. + +"You are a dear brave girl," she sobbed, kissing her. "You have saved +Ethel's life. Never while I live shall I forget it." + +"Nor I," broke in Uncle John, grasping the hands of the girl. "Miss Nora, +you're a fine young woman and you're father has cause to be proud of his +daughter." + +"Miss Nora," ejaculated Harvey, "allow me to congratulate you. You're a +dead game sport," and he wrung her hands heartily, after which Teddy Kip +grasped her by the arm saying: + +"Why, Miss Casey, you're a regular Scout--you are, and no mistake." + +Nora smiled faintly. + +"Thank you all," she said. "I am very tired. I think I shall go to bed. +Good night." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A HEROINE + + +So Nora Casey became the heroine of the Camp. An account of her bravery +was in all the papers and the entire Camp was written up. The once +neglected and disliked girl was now in a fair way to be spoiled. But +Nora could not be spoiled. She was too sensible. + +"I say, Miss Nora," exclaimed Harvey the next day, "I don't think I'd +dare marry a woman with your strength. You'd put me to shame." + +Nora laughed good naturedly. + +"Quit yere blarney," she said. + +As for Ethel, she couldn't bear to let Nora out of her sight, and Nora +whose heart was tender and whose nature was forgiving devoted herself to +the girl, reading aloud, relating funny stories of her father, and when +tired of talking Patty, Mattie, she and Ethel would play bridge. + +The men considered that Ethel had had a narrow escape. Uncle John +consulted with Judge Sands as to what was best to do about the kidnapers. +A few days later two suspicious looking creatures were arrested. They had +escaped from Joliet jail and admitted having been for days in the woods. +Ethel rode to the trial and identified their voices but she had not seen +their faces. They were returned to jail in Joliet and before they left +they confessed that they had contemplated finding the girl and holding +her for a ransom. They were intending to sell the horse but they had not +tied him securely and he had broken loose. They were ugly looking +customers. + +The next week before the breaking up of camp, when Mr. Casey came to +take Nora home, everyone flocked around him telling of his daughter's +brave act. He took Ethel by the hand and remarked simply: + +"It was like Honora to do that. There's none more brave than she--God +bless her." + +From that day Nora had no better friend than Ethel. She felt that the +girl had saved her life and her gratitude was boundless. + +"Tell me," asked; Nora, "why did you dislike me so?" + +"I was wicked, Nora," replied Ethel, "I am ashamed of it now." + +"But," persisted the girl, "did you think me vulgar?" + +"No," replied Ethel. "I thought you had a loud voice, and there's +something about a loud voice that I dislike. But even so I should have +overlooked that, had I been a good girl. You are so far above me, Nora, +that I am ashamed to even acknowledge it." + +"Miss Ethel--" said Nora. + +"Call me Ethel in future," said the girl--"please do." + +"Well--Ethel--you are not the first one who has criticised my voice. My +teachers have always done so, and even my mother used to say, 'Not so +loud, Nora dear. Speak more gentle like.'" + +"Did she?" asked Ethel. + +"Yes, my mother had her faults, Ethel, but at heart she was a lady. So +your dislike of me was not so strange after all." + +"But," interrupted Ethel, "Nora, perhaps I wasn't thankful to hear your +loud voice when I lay there wounded and helpless, and I'm ashamed to even +have told you." + +"I wish you to help me," broke in Nora. "I wish to make myself +different--more of a lady. Will you tell me when I talk too loud? +It will be a favor if you will." + +Ethel assented and kissed Nora affectionately. + +Nannie Bigelow arrived and the girl became a general favorite. She at +once fell in love with Nora. + +"Why, she's a heroine," she said. "She'd give her life for another. I +think she's splendid." + +Nannie had much to say of their New York Camp Fire, and of the girls who +belonged. + +"You know some of them are quite unlike us, but Miss Westcott says +they'll improve--that being with us will make them more gentle. And +you have no idea how they _are_ improving. And as for Dorothy's nursery, +it's just booming. There is a waiting list a mile long," and she chatted +on, entertaining the girls with her talk. + +At the next and last Council Meeting, the girls received honors for +having slept three months out of doors, for learning to swim, and rowing +twenty miles on the Muskingum River, and for sailing a boat without +help for fifty miles. They also received extra honors for cooking, and +for learning and making a mattress out of the twigs of trees; for long +walks, and for washing and ironing, which the girls did well. + +Whenever she looked at Nora, Ethel's conscience troubled her. She seemed +to feel her own unworthiness. Mrs. Hollister suggested to Mr. Casey that +Nora should visit them for a couple of months in the city. + +"I'll gladly let her go to ye next winter, Ma'am, but not to visit. I +would like her to be wid a grand lady like yourself, and if you'll let +me pay her board I'll consider it a great favor. And if she might go to +some fine school, Ma'am, where she could learn how to be a lady and stay +at your house I would pay any price." + +At first Mrs. Hollister objected to the money part, but Mr. Casey begged +so hard that, realizing what Nora had done for Ethel, she felt she should +be willing to do anything to benefit her. So she consented. + +"You can put me anywhere," said Nora, "I will be like one of your +family." + +Mrs. Hollister put her arm around the girl. + +"My dear," she said, "the best I have ought not to be good enough for +you. It's little enough for me to take you, and I should like to do so +without having your father pay me a penny." + +So it was all arranged. In November, Nora was to become an inmate of the +Hollister household. + +Ethel had made up her mind to give the girl her room, she taking one on +the top floor. + +"I would gladly sleep on bare boards for her," she said to her +mother,--"the brave girl to whom I have been so unjust. I'm glad +she's coming. I'll devote all my extra time to her happiness." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +BREAKING UP OF CAMP AND A SURPRISE + + +The time had arrived for the girls to separate. The Scouts came up and +carried Nannie off. She had become a great favorite. As Patty expressed +it, Nannie was a comfortable visitor because she seemed to "belong." She +made no fuss and adapted herself to their ways. + +She promised to return the following summer and Harvey pronounced their +camp as fine as any place they might select. + +"So there's no reason why we boys should not come back, too; but you +must let us entertain you Camp Fire girls next year. It's been all on +your side this." + +So they all went to the train to see them off, and people crowded around +as though they might be a circus troupe, staring curiously at them and +making remarks. + +Then after saying goodbye the different members went to their homes. +Ethel and her cousin Kate were to go to Akron for a week or so, as +Uncle Archie Hollister was coming up to spend his vacation. + +The girls met him at the train and Ethel was overjoyed. + +"Oh, Papa," she said, "if only you could have been here before Camp +broke up. But we are going up for the day and give you a regular Camp +Fire dinner," and she kissed him affectionately. + +"Next year I'll get off earlier," replied Mr. Hollister, "but our +President was very ill and none of us liked to leave." + +They gave Mr. Hollister a rousing dinner. Nearly all of the girls were +present. They did their cooking like desserts, bread, etc., at home, but +the meat, corn and potatoes were roasted on the coals. They had Uncle +John, Judge Sands, Mr. Casey and Mr. Hollister for guests, and everything +went off finely. Mr. Hollister was loud in his praises of the cooking, +and in fact, the whole organization. + +"It's great," he said, smacking his lips. "I think the person who +invented it should have a gold medal." + +They spent a few days at Columbus. Ethel went to see Mattie and her +mother. She also spent the night with Nora. Their home was very handsome +and Ethel could not help but respect kind-hearted Mr. Casey, who tried +to make it so pleasant for her. She had grown very fond of Nora. She saw +her good traits,--her splendid unselfishness, and her tenderness towards +her father as she tried to take her mother's place with him. + +"What a narrow, selfish girl I've been," she thought, "never to have +noticed them before. Why, the way Nora shielded Mattie when the girl took +her ring was a lesson to me, and I never took it." + +During their stay at Uncle John's Mrs. Hollister came up, and the meeting +between her husband and self was like lovers. Ethel was glad. + +"And it was I that kept them apart," she told Kate--"I with my society +and expensive schools. Poor Father! what could he do but grind from +morning until night; and Mother with her hopes and ambitions--what +could she do? Why, they had no time to speak to each other except on +business and money. It was all so false and wrong. Now they are as +they should have been, but think of the lost years, and all for me." +"Never think of it, Ethel," said Kate, "it's past and over. Everything +has come smooth. Forget it, dear; you were not to blame." + +Judge Sands called nearly every evening. He and Uncle Archie struck +up quite a friendship. The Judge took him on auto trips far into the +country, Kate, Patty, and Ethel going along. + +One evening, after they all had gone back to Akron, Judge Sands called +Patty into the library. + +"I wish to have a little talk with you, my dear," he said. + +"Are you going to scold me for running over my allowance last month?" +she replied, "because if you are I just couldn't help it. I wanted to +give all of the girls a little remembrance, and--" + +"Patty, my child, have I ever scolded you for anything--think? Haven't +you done exactly as you chose since your childhood?" + +"Yes," replied the girl, "but I know that there are times when you should +scold me, Papa, for I know I am self-willed and disobedient." + +"Well, we shall forget that. You're a pretty good girl considering that +you have but one parent. Now this is what I wish to see you about. Your +mother died when you were three, dear, and you've been with me ever +since. It's been lonely for both of us at times, and for me especially +so while you are away at school. Patty, how should you like a mother? Of +course, no one can take the place of her who has gone, but I mean another +one." + +The girl began to cry. + +"I should not like it, Papa." + +Then she looked at him. He was a handsome man, and if ever she were to +marry he would be alone, in the prime of life. + +"I suppose I'm selfish," she sobbed, clinging to him, "but I should hate +a stepmother. Think of her taking Mamma's place. Oh, Papa! I couldn't +bear it." + +"But supposing she was a woman of whom you were fond. Would you feel that +way then?" + +"I couldn't be fond of her." + +"You might be fond of her already," said the Judge. + +"Who--who can it be?" asked Patty, wiping her eyes and pushing back her +hair. + +The Judge smiled. + +"Think, my dear." + +"Is it Miss Kate Hollister?" cried the girl joyfully. "Tell me quick." + +Then Judge Sands blushed like a schoolboy. + +"Yes," he said, "she is the only woman who can take your mother's place, +Patty. No--not that--no one can take her dear place; but she is the only +woman upon earth whom I should ask to be my wife." + +Then Patty jumped up and kissed her father many times. + +"Oh, Papa!" she said, "why didn't you tell me at first and not frighten +me to death. Oh! I should love her so, and I should never be jealous of +her. Are you engaged?" + +"No," laughed the Judge, "I have never asked her. I thought you deserved +the compliment of being first consulted on the matter." + +"But, Papa, perhaps she'll refuse you." + +"That's my end of it," laughed her father, "but when I do ask her I wish +to say that you desire it, too, for Kate might not think it agreeable to +you." + +"Papa, she's got to say 'yes.' I'll go along and make her if you wish. +I'd just love her for a mother," and the girl clung to his neck and wept. +"I only now realize how lonely you must have been all these years, and +you've done it for me. But don't let her refuse. Tell her I desire it +above all things." + +"All right, dearie," said the Judge. "I'll go tonight." + +"And wake me up, Papa. I shall be so anxious." + +Judge Sands laughed and promised. + +That night no matter how hard Patty tried she couldn't keep awake. Now +that she knew who it was that her father desired she was happy, and one +can always sleep when one is happy. + +The Judge ran up the stairs two steps at a time and woke his daughter +with a kiss. + +"Will she, Papa?" + +"Yes, dear," he answered. "She has been good enough to say 'yes.' We'll +make her happy, won't we, Patty?" + +"We shall," replied the girl. "And how young you seem to have grown!" +she gasped. "I never noticed it before. I'm glad for you and I'm glad +for her. She's a dear. I've always loved her and she's such a stunning +looking woman, too. I tell you, we'll be proud of her, Papa." + +They talked for half an hour over the virtues of Miss Kate, and each went +to sleep thinking of how lovely she was. + +When Kate and Patty met they said not a word, but from the quiet, sincere +embrace each knew that the other would try and make her happy. + +Congratulations poured in from all sides. Archie and his wife with Aunt +Susan, Grandmother and Tom, motored all the way over to Columbus to offer +theirs. Ethel was wild with joy. + +"Why," she exclaimed, "everything is getting better! People are doing +such sensible things lately, just as they should do. Isn't it wonderful? +But, Tom, I always thought that you cared for Cousin Kate." + +"So I have all along, but just as I was considering, in walked the Judge +and took her off under my very nose. While I was a poor lawyer I felt +that she might refuse me and I took no chances, but I never imagined +she'd look at a man of his age. She's certainly met the one for her. What +a splendid couple they'll make." + +"You always were slow, Tom; that's your fault," laughed Ethel, "and +you'll always get left. It serves you right." + +"Yes, that's going to be my fate, I fear. Before I can muster up courage +to propose, these girls will be snatched up--every one of them." + +Judge Sands and Kate were to be married in November. They were to go to +New York, Washington, etc., on a wedding trip, after which they were to +meet Patty and sail for Egypt to be gone indefinitely. + +"Oh, dear! who can take your place at Camp?" said the girls. "We'll never +find another Guardian like you." + +"I'll ask Louise Morehouse," said Miss Kate. "She's lovely, and very much +interested in this Camp Fire movement. She'll be one of you just as I +have been." + +"Yes, and then she'll meet someone and go off and marry," said Mollie +Long. "There should be a law against it. A Guardian should be obliged to +serve for five years unmarried--it isn't fair," and the girls voted that +Mollie was correct. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +MATTIE MAKES GOOD + + +After Camp had broken up, Mattie Hastings, who was now associated with a +Woman's Exchange in Columbus, started one afternoon to call for Patty +Sands. It was Saturday and the Exchange closed early. Mattie was doing +well. She received a good salary and her heart was light. Her sister was +beginning to walk. The doctors considered that next year she could +discard her brace. The child was not only attending school but she was +learning many useful things and Mattie was happy. Her mother had entirely +given up the drug habit; her father was with Judge Sands and everything +seemed as though it had come straight like a fairy story. + +This lovely autumn afternoon they were going to Sallie Davis's to look at +a wonderful centerpiece done by her mother. Mattie, whose fingers were +extremely clever, had offered to do the work of copying it, while Patty +was to pay for the silks, linen, etc. Then, jointly, they were to give it +to Miss Kate for an engagement present. In case the servant should be out +Sallie had given Patty her latch key. + +"This is Sophronia's day out, and mother is going to a bridge party. +I have an engagement, so here's the key. When you leave the flat, put +it on the hall stand. Sophronia and mother will be back before I am, +and they will let me in. I'll leave the centerpiece on the piano." + +The apartment was on the seventh story and commanded a wonderful view +of the city. After looking at the centerpiece and studying the different +stitches the girls went to a window and looked out. + +"Have you put the key on the hall stand?" asked Mattie. + +"Yes," replied Patty. "I put it there when I first came in." + +Suddenly Mattie exclaimed: + +"I smell smoke." + +They looked around. The odor was plainly perceptible. + +"Let's go into the kitchen," said Patty. + +Together they ran through the pantry and opened the kitchen door. The +smoke was very thick. + +"Why, Mattie, the house is afire!" said Patty Sands. "Let's get out +quickly." + +They opened the hall door, closing it tightly after them. They had +far better have stayed in the apartment and have descended by the +fire escape, but they thought of it too late. The hall door had locked +behind them. The outer halls were black with smoke. People were rushing +wildly up and down. The entrance leading to the roof was locked. The +elevator boy called "last trip," and opened the iron doors. Frightened +women and little children crowded in with servants and elderly people. + +"Room for one more," yelled the boy, "quick, for God's sake!" + +"You go, Mattie," said Patty. + +"You go." Then Mattie Hastings lifted Patty Sands up bodily and fairly +threw her into the crowded elevator. + +"If the cable holds I'll come back, Miss," cried the boy half choked with +smoke. + +Through the smoke Mattie peered at the cable. Through the shaft she saw +the angry flames shooting upward. The sparks were flying. The elevator +had made its last trip and she realized it. She turned to the hall window +and looked down upon the crowd. A ladder was raised. Someone had seen +her. + +"Thank God!" she said, "I may yet be saved." + +The smoke was now black and the flames came nearer and nearer to the +brave girl, who so unselfishly had given her place to her friend. She +leaned out of the window. She watched the fireman ascending. Then she +knew no more but fell back into the flames unconscious. + +"I've got her," said the fireman, "but I guess she's gone. No one could +live in the smoke up there. She's badly burned, too, poor girl--her back +and arms. Lift her carefully, boys." + +Patty rushed forward. "She has given her life for me," she shrieked. +"Mattie, Mattie dear! don't you hear me? Speak--oh! speak to Patty." + +The dying girl opened her eyes and half smiled. Patty knelt beside her +and put her ear close to Mattie's mouth. + +"Patty," she whispered, "tell Ethel that I made good." + +Then she closed them wearily and the brave soul of Mattie Hastings passed +on. + +It took Patty Sands many years to recover from the shock of her friend's +death. She was too ill to even know when the funeral took place. She had +told her father and Kate of Mattie's last words. Ethel Hollister sent a +telegram requesting that Mattie's funeral might be postponed until she +arrived. The Camp Fire girls were the pallbearers. + +Fortunately the cruel flames had left Mattie's face untouched and she +looked lovely. The church was crowded to overflowing, as well as the +street. The text of the sermon was: + +"Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for a friend." + +Mattie had "given service" as well as laying down her life for a friend, +and the whole town marvelled at her bravery. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +JUDGE SANDS AND KATE MARRY + + +In November Kate was married. The wedding was quiet, as Patty was still +an invalid. They took her with them and left her at Mrs. Hollister's +while they went on their trip. Nora had arrived for the winter two weeks +before. Mrs. Hollister had entered her in Madam La Rue's school. Ethel +had insisted upon giving Nora her room and had moved up stairs. + +The three girls were sad. They talked of Mattie and Patty cried +constantly. So after a while they avoided speaking of her in her +presence. + +Nora looked like one to the manner born. Mrs. Hollister, having carte +blanche to buy for her anything she saw fit, purchased the loveliest +second mourning costumes imaginable, and Nora wore them remarkably +well. She had grown more quiet since Mattie's death. A great change +seemed to have come over her. She was one of Madam's brightest pupils and +very popular. Mrs. Hollister was genuinely fond of her and they went +everywhere together. + +When Mr. Casey came to New York he was surprised at the change. He'd say +to Mrs. Hollister: + +"Faith, ma'am, it's a perfect lady you're afther makin' of my girl. Her +mother would bless you were she here," and Mrs. Hollister would reply: + +"She is naturally a perfect lady, Mr. Casey, so it's not hard work. I +consider Nora a very superior girl and I'm very fond of her," at which +the father's eyes would grow half tearful, and he'd seem proud to hear +it. + +Nannie Bigelow and Nora became very intimate and she was made much of +by Dorothy Kip and Sara Judson. Nora took an active interest in the Day +Nursery and donated generously for its maintenance. Twice a week she'd +go and read to the elder children and get on the floor and play with +the younger ones, for she adored babies. She was especially sweet and +generous to Grandmother, spending hours with her lest she should become +lonely. It was like a mother and daughter, instead of a girl and +chaperon, to see Mrs. Hollister and Nora go about together. + +"I wish I had a son, Nora," said that lady one day. "Then I should never +have to see you leave me." + +Nora blushed rosy red, saying: + +"I wish you had, Mrs. Hollister. I dislike to think of our separation." + +Mr. Casey sent the most wonderful barrels of apples and potatoes from +his own place to the Hollisters, and when he came to New York he'd order +fruit from the most expensive fruiterers to be sent three times a week, +say nothing of boxes of flowers which came regularly throughout the +entire winter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A BIRTHDAY PRESENT + + +On one of Mr. Casey's flying trips to the city it happened to be Mrs. +Hollister's birthday. Nora told him of the fact and after school together +they whisked away in a taxi to shop. Upon their return he presented Mrs. +Hollister with a large box, and in the most delicate manner begged her to +accept it as a slight token of his gratitude for her interest in and +kindness to Nora. + +"Ye've been a mother to my girl and she loves ye well. Her own +mother--God rest her soul--as I've often told ye, would be proud of +her, and she'd know better what to give a lady, but if ye'll accept +these, ma'am, Nora and I will be pleased." + +Mrs. Hollister was visibly affected. She actually wiped her eyes. + +"I will accept them with pleasure, Mr. Casey," she said, "but don't +forget Nora is a great comfort to all of us. We have grown to love her +as our own," and she opened the box thinking it might contain a pretty +waist or something of that sort when to her surprise there she beheld a +most magnificent set of sables. She couldn't speak. The poor woman had +never dared to dream of owning such a thing. Her heart stood still and +she turned and took Nora in her arms, kissing her fondly. Then she shook +Mr. Casey's hand as though she would never stop. + +"Mr. Casey, you are too generous. I have always loved sables, but I never +expected to own a set. I don't know how to thank you for your kindness." + +"Say nothing about it," replied the man. "Nora and I consider it a +privilege if ye'll wear our gifts, don't we, Nora?" + +"Indeed we do," replied the girl. "There are so many things that you do +for me, Mrs. Hollister, that money can not compensate." + +Ethel was now eighteen. One evening Harvey Bigelow invited her to the +theatre. On their way home he asked her if she ever could care for him +enough to become his wife. + +"Oh, Harvey!" gasped Ethel, "I am so sorry. Why did you spoil our +lovely friendship? I'll have to answer 'no,' and I dislike to hurt +your feelings." + +"That's all right, little girl," said Harvey, swallowing hard. "I was an +ass to even imagine that you could care for me, but you see I'm coming on +so well that I shall soon put out my sign, and I felt that you might be +such a help to me; that is, if you could care for me a little bit." + +"And there are so many nice girls," she said, "waiting for just such a +good man as yourself." + +"But, Ethel, I don't want any girl. I want one. If I can't have her I +guess I'll stay single. Anyway, I suppose a man needs to practice a lot +before he marries. There's a couple of years in the Hospital. But I'm +glad I know the truth, Ethel. By Jove! it's off my chest. I've tried to +speak of it before but I couldn't." + +"I wish I could say 'yes,' Harvey; but can't we still remain the good +pals that we are?" + +"Why, sure," replied the man, and he took her hand. "A man needs a woman +friend, don't you think?" + +"Yes," replied Ethel, "and I hope to prove my friendship for you." + +Ethel never spoke of her proposal, nor did Harvey; but there was a firmer +bond between them than formerly. + +Patty wrote often. "You never saw two people so in love as Papa and +Kate. It is wonderful and remarkably right. I only feel sorry to think +that through all of these years they might have been so happy, and I'm +sure papa kept single for me. How selfish daughters are, Ethel; and at +the same time how little they realize that they are selfish." + +Ethel folded the letter and said: + +"What she writes is true. You and Papa might have had all of the years +of my youth to be happy in, but you sacrificed them for me, and they'll +never, never come back." + +"That's all right," said her mother, kissing her. "My happiness since you +entered college has compensated for it, believe me, my dear little girl," +and she kissed her tenderly. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +MRS. HOLLISTER ENTERTAINS + + +That winter Mrs. Hollister again had her teas and bridge parties, but +there was no more worry about where the money was coming from; in fact, +thanks to Mr. Casey's generosity she was able to pay all of her bills +and put some away for a rainy day. Her little functions were delightful +as usual, and the young people came in throngs to the house. + +Ethel was happy in seeing her mother so contented, and in knowing that +her father had no more worries. Grandmother had grown younger, and better +than all, after Christmas Tom was coming to bring Aunt Susan. He had +business East and he was to leave her for three weeks, after which he +was to return for her. + +Nora seemed less sad. She had developed into a very stylish up-to-date +young woman and everyone admired and liked her. + +Mrs. Hollister was in her glory. Things for her were now so comfortable +and easy that she couldn't believe but what it was a dream from which +she might awaken and find everything the same old way. + +Mrs. Bigelow made much of Nora, taking her around and introducing her +to her friends. Harvey called regularly and invited her twice a week +to the theatre. He was now a young surgeon in Roosevelt Hospital on the +ambulance, with a fine career open before him, and what's more he worked +very hard--often until late at night. People prophesied a great future +for Harvey and his parents were delighted, but none more so than Ethel, +whose encouragement was genuine and like the encouragement of a sister. + +Teddy Kip kept up a great correspondence with Patty, who sent him postals +from every place. + +"By George!" he said to the Hollisters, "do you know I correspond +with three girls who are abroad and they never write letters--only +postals--and if you believe it, I've got nearly a hamper filled with +them--'pon my word I have. If only Miss Patty would write a fellow a +real letter once in a while I'd be grateful." + +Nora received a letter from Edna Whitely. + +"I have some news for all of your girls. Mollie Long and Sallie Davis are +going to marry clergymen. They are brothers. Sallie's husband is going to +be a missionary to China." + +"Isn't that awful?" said Mrs. Hollister. "Sallie will be massacred as +sure as fate--that's the end of missionaries. I had a second cousin who +went and both she and her husband were victims. I wouldn't allow a child +of mine to marry one. Let him stay in his own country, but to drag a +young girl out into those heathen places--it's an outrage." + +"Well, our Ohio Camp Fire will resolve itself into only half, I fear," +said Nora. "There's poor Mattie, Miss Kate, Sallie and Mollie from right +there. I wonder who's going to take their places." + +"Perhaps," said Ethel, "little Mollie Hastings if she's pronounced cured. +It may be of great benefit to her. Let's see what can be done." + +"Dorothy Kip might become an Ohio girl and spend her summers up there +with us too," suggested Nora. "And if Dr. Bigelow goes with the Scouts +Nannie can join." + +"We'll see," replied Ethel. "It's quite a few months before next summer. +'Sufficient unto the day, etc.'" + +Ethel was getting along famously at Barnard. + +"What profession shall you follow--the law or ministry?" Harvey would ask +jokingly. + +"Something that shall enable me to become self supporting," Ethel would +reply seriously. + +"There's where you make a mistake," said Harvey. "A woman was made to be +supported by a man--not to support herself." + +"Why not?" asked Ethel. "How many wives today support their husbands? +Have you any idea of the number?" + +"Oh, well, then it's because the men are lazy or sick. No decent, +self-respecting man would allow it." + +"Supposing a woman can not marry. She can't propose to a man. What can +she do in that case--starve? No, Dr. Bigelow, you can't even argue. Every +woman should have in her hand, say, a weapon or trade with which to take +care of herself. Then when the time comes she's ready to start in the +battle of life, and not sit around helpless while others do for her, or +become dependent upon charity, or worse. The day of Elsie Dinsmores has +gone. In her place we have strong, capable, broad-minded women. Seldom do +we hear of a woman fainting today, yet look back sixty years and recall +the Lydia Languish females with long ringlets and wasp waists, who +invariably carried smelling salts. I'm proud to belong to the women of +today--healthy, strong, athletic, and brave--women who _do_ and are not +ashamed of it. Look at Aunt Susan. There's a woman who is an example. I +hope I may amount to as much as she before I die." + +"Ethel, I fear you are strong-minded," laughed Harvey. + +"Don't fear, but know it. I try to be strong in mind and body. I believe +in a woman getting all that's coming to her and working for that end." + +Harvey laughed. + +"Well, I shan't argue with you." + +"Because you agree with me, and you know it," said Ethel quietly. "You +have made yourself amount to something. Look where you were three years +ago. What were your views of life then? A rich marriage. Behold the +change! Now you are a man." + +"Thanks," said Harvey, rising and making a low bow. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +CHRISTMAS EVE + + +Christmas was near. The Hollisters wrote and invited Mr. Casey to spend +the Christmas holidays with them. They also wrote Tom Harper to see if it +were possible to bring Aunt Susan to be with them during the holidays. +Tom replied he would make it possible. So they were to have a house full. + +Nora and Ethel vied in dressing up the rooms tastefully with holly and +mistletoe. Every chandelier and door had a piece of mistletoe fastened +above it. + +"What a grand kissing time there'll be," said Archibald. "When do we +begin--on Christmas morning?" + +"Now, Papa, don't you get gay," laughed Ethel. "You've led an exemplary +life for fifty years. Please keep on and don't let this mistletoe make of +you a different man." + +Well--first came Mr. Casey. Every day he and Nora boarded a taxi and went +shopping, returning with huge boxes and parcels which gradually filled +Nora's closets as well as under her bed. + +Then came Tom and Aunt Susan, even looking younger than before. + +"Really it's ridiculous, Aunt Susan," said Ethel, "for you to keep +growing so much younger and more stylish. You've got to stop." + +And the bell rang so often that Mrs. Hollister was obliged to hire an +extra maid for Christmas week. Everyone was so perfectly happy that it +was a joy to enter the house. Harvey was there as often as his hospital +practice would admit of, and he was the first to kiss Aunt Susan under +the mistletoe; and Aunt Susan, if you please, now appeared in the +daintiest of gowns--up-to-date and rather youthful. Ethel and Grandmother +laughed over it. + +"Why, Grandmother, how old is Aunt Susan?" + +"She's about sixty-one," said her sister--"why?" + +"Nothing, but I've been thinking wouldn't it be funny if she should marry +again? She's mighty attractive in her up-to-date gowns." + +"I don't see whom she could marry," said Grandmother with some asperity, +"unless Mr. Casey or Dr. Bigelow." Ethel laughed. + +Christmas eve arrived. They had a large tree and distributed the gifts. +Everyone received exactly what he or she desired. Mr. Casey's generosity +was boundless. He gave Mrs. Hollister a small limousine with the +understanding that all bills should be sent to him. + +"Madam," he said, "you and Nora have a great deal of shopping and social +duties to perform. Nora tells me that you go by the cars and rarely in a +taxi, and that you seldom allow her to pay her fare. Now this will set +everything right, and Grandmother--God bless her--must have her ride +daily. It is money well invested, for you and Nora can take comfort. I +have engaged a good chauffeur and have made arrangements with a garage +near by. All bills are to be sent to me. Nora will attend to the sending +of them." + +Mrs. Hollister couldn't speak. They stood under the mistletoe. She just +raised herself up and gave Mr. Casey two hearty smacks, at which there +arose a shout. + +"I shan't try to thank you," she said, "for I can not." + +Then another surprise came in shape of a wonderful diamond la valliere or +pendant, and poor Mrs. Hollister was most embarrassed. + +"Mr. Casey," she said, "you are going to get me in wrong. People may +criticise me." + +Then Tom's present came--a lovely grey silk evening wrap trimmed with +chinchilla, and verily Mrs. Hollister was nearly off her head. + +Grandmother received a long silk coat lined with fur and trimmed with a +large lynx collar and cuffs--from Mr. Casey also. + +"Don't think that I bought out a furrier," he said, "but I know people +always need them." + +Ethel received a lovely pendant from Mr. Casey and one from Tom, while +Nora presented her with a beautiful diamond ring. + +Everyone was happy this Christmas eve and strange to say Mr. Casey took +Aunt Susan right under the mistletoe and kissed her, which made +Grandmother laugh immoderately. + +During one of the moments when people were rather quiet, Harvey Bigelow +took Nora by the hand and walked up to Mr. Casey who was standing under +the mistletoe; in fact, he had stood nowhere else during the evening. + +"Mr. Casey," he said, "I ask of you the most valuable gift that a father +can give. I ask the hand of this dear girl," and he kissed Nora gently. + +Mr. Casey, who had imbibed somewhat plentifully of punch, and who was +quite warm, looked at the two for a moment. + +"An' is it this that ye two have been up to?" he said. "Nora, me child, +do ye wish it to be?" + +"Yes, Papa," faltered the girl, "I love Harvey." + +"An' suppose I withhold my consent--what then?" + +"Then I shall still love him, but I shall never marry without it." + +"Hear that now. Nora, my good girl," and taking her hand he placed it in +Harvey's, "I give her to ye. All I ask is that ye shall make her happy. +Let her niver regret this day--that's all," and he wiped his eyes. + +Nora flung her arms around him while Harvey wrung his hand. + +"You'll never have cause to regret, nor shall she," he said. "I'll love +and cherish her until death parts us, and I'll work for her so that +she'll be proud of me." + +Ethel kissed them both; in fact, so did everyone. Aunt Susan and Tom were +delighted. + +"I always liked him," she said. "Anyone who looks me square in the eye, +Mr. Casey, I'll bank on every time." + +It was long after midnight when the Xmas party broke up. The young man +who had always played at Mrs. Hollister's teas for the sum of three +dollars played the Virginia Reel, and everyone danced,--even Grandmother. +Mr. Casey took so many funny fancy steps that it was hard to get him +through with the figures, after which Nora and Ethel showed the elderly +people how to dance the turkey trot, which of course was shocking. When +the young musician left he was richer by fifty dollars--gifts of Mr. +Casey, Tom Harper, and Mrs. Hollister, for she told of how lovely his +mother was and how she had been her bridesmaid. + +"And here's a gift for her," said Mr. Casey. "Take it and buy her a +fur-lined coat," at which everyone shouted, for poor Mr. Casey's gifts +had all been so comfortable and warm. + +"Niver mind," he laughed, "I bet she'll like one. And give her me +compliments and a Merry Christmas. And let me have your address, sir." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +CHRISTMAS DAY + + +It was a typical Christmas day. There was even snow on the ground. The +pretty limousine stood before the Hollisters' door and a well-groomed +good-looking chauffeur was taken in and presented to Mrs. Hollister, +his future mistress. Grandmother, in her handsome new cloak, and Aunt +Susan with Mr. Casey, took the first ride. Mr. Casey was in high spirits +over Nora's choice. + +"Shure they till me that he has a great future." + +"Of course he has," said Grandmother. "Why, he's advanced to the +operating room and he is in line to be second assisting surgeon. Think, +Mr. Casey, of the lives he may save. I think Nora has made a wise choice, +and he cared for her for herself--not for her money--for he's always said +that his wife's money should be settled on herself--that only the husband +should pay the bills. And Nora, dear child, has improved so. She's grown +so handsome and has a face full of character." + +"That's so, ma'am. I would that her poor mother--God rest her soul--could +but see her." + +"She does," said Aunt Susan. "I firmly believe that our loved ones see +us and are near us constantly. Wait a bit; I have to stop," and Mr. Casey +got out at a market. + +"Now what is he up to?" said Grandmother. "Susan, he's the +kindest-hearted and most generous man that I ever knew." + +They could catch a glimpse of him now and then. Presently he emerged with +an immense basket containing a large turkey, a pair of ducks, and paper +bags of vegetables, and in one corner a smaller basket of delicious +fruit and a couple of wreaths. From a card he read an address to the +chauffeur, who placed the Christmas basket beside him. + +"Now where is he going, I wonder?" said Aunt Susan. "Perhaps some of his +poor relations." + +The chauffeur drove up before a cheap flat, alighted, and left the +basket. Returning he nodded "yes" to Mr. Casey. + +Mr. Casey said in a hesitating manner: + +"The young piano player,--I thought I'd surprise him and his mother. Mrs. +Hollister speaks highly of the mother and I need just such a young man +with me in Columbus. I think I can find an opening for him in my office; +if not, in the office of some of my friends. There are too many young men +in New York; there are not enough places for them all. Now wid me they +have a chance to advance, and when I'm gone they'll take my place. I've +no son." + +"Yes," said Grandmother, "this young musician supports his mother. My +daughter-in-law says that the mother comes from a good old family. She +and Mrs. Hollister were at school together in Elmira, New York state. +Then when my son married Bella this lady was her bridesmaid. Bella said +she was a raving beauty, but she married a man who drank himself to +death, leaving her with her child alone in the world and without a penny. +The boy was musical and someone taught him how to play. He used to go to +school through the day and practice at night. Then he graduated and +obtained a position as clerk, receiving a very moderate salary. Bella +met them one night in the cars and had them come up to the house. She +did all that she could for them, and employed him every time she had a +tea or needed music. He played well and was glad to get his little three +dollars. I know that Bella always sent home a box of refreshments to the +mother." + +"Well, I shall persuade them to go back wid me, and they'll have enough +then, I'm thinkin'." + +"Mr. Casey, you are a good man," said Aunt Susan. "The world would be +better if we had more like you." + +"But, Mrs. Carpenter, I think this way. The Lord has been good to me. He +has caused me to prosper. Why should I consider it all me own? No, I +think whenever I can help a fellow man He expects me to do so--that's +all--and I try to make good." + +The elderly women made no reply. He was a rough self-made man--a Roman +Catholic, although not a churchman, who could give them points on charity +and who did his good deeds quietly and without boasting. Mr. Casey was a +Scout, although not a young one, for that was the way they were taught to +do their good deeds. + +Upon their arrival home he directed the chauffeur to get his dinner or +luncheon and return, and after the Hollister luncheon, Nora, Harvey, +Ethel and Tom went to Van Courtlandt Park, where there was skating, +returning in time for six o'clock dinner. + +"I think, ma'am," said Mr. Casey, "we have monopolized your car pretty +well, and you never have been inside of it." + +"But I'm too busy, Mr. Casey. Today is Christmas and I love to view it +from the window. Just to think that it belongs to me! I can't realize it. +Mr. Casey, you are my fairy Godfather and nothing else. How can I ever +repay you?" + +"By always being a mother to my girl, ma'am, as ye have been since she +met ye. Why, ye deserve a whole garage of automobiles for the kindness +ye've shown her, and see the good man she now has through ye. Don't thank +me, ma'am. It's ourselves who can't thank ye enough." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +ANOTHER SURPRISE + + +After a delicious Christmas dinner the Bigelows came over. They welcomed +and embraced Nora. Mrs. Bigelow really seemed sincere on this occasion. +Mr. Casey liked them at once, especially Mr. Bigelow and Nannie. + +"They'll make her happy all right. My girl has chosen wisely," he +thought. + +Tom and Ethel went out together during Christmas week. They skated and +visited all the art galleries, enjoying every moment. They had many +serious talks, and Ethel took Tom to call on several of her friends. +The girls voted him delightful and Ethel was proud of him. They spoke of +Mattie Hastings. + +"Tom, Patty will never get over it," she said, "of that I'm sure." + +"Ethel, don't you see, Patty witnessed it, and the shock is indelibly +stamped on her memory. Time will help remove it--nothing else." + +"But what a brave act, wasn't it?" continued Ethel. "Patty sends orders +for flowers once a week for her grave, and they say it looks very lovely. +And I even disliked her once. I said her eyes were too close together and +I misjudged her. Then I fairly hated Nora--think!--she who saved my life. +Each one has done something. What have I done? Whom have I benefited? +Who is better for having had me for a friend?" + +They were sitting on a bench in the picture gallery of the Metropolitan +Museum Ethel looked very lovely. She wore a bunch of Tom's orchids and a +grey velvet suit. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were burning red. +She was visibly excited. Tom saw that she felt her life had been a +failure. + +"Ethel," he said, taking her hand, "think of the joy you have brought +to Aunt Susan. Can't you see how much happier she is today than when +you first knew her? Look at Nora. Through you she has changed from an +awkward girl into a cultivated and charming woman, engaged to a fine +young physician belonging to one of New York's oldest families. +Indirectly you are responsible for it all. Look at little Mary Hastings. +Through you she has been, or will be completely cured of her spine +trouble. And lastly, look at me, Ethel, you have brought sunshine and +happiness into my life. It is not always the big things that go to make +happiness. It is the small things as well; and in your sweet, quiet way +you have scattered light and joy in many paths. I had not intended, my +dear, to speak to you of my love. I wished to wait until I had more of +a name for you, and until you had come out and had a chance to choose +from many men more worthy perhaps than I, but I can not keep my secret. +I love you, dear, and I would have you for my wife. Can I hope? Do you +care for me a little?" + +Ethel's eyes shone like stars. She looked up into his face and said: + +"I care for you a great deal,--until you spoke I never knew how much. If +you wish I will be your wife." + +Then Tom lifted her hand to his lips. + +"I will make you as happy as I know how," he said. "I had a feeling that +I couldn't keep my secret back after today. Come, dear, let us go and +tell them all; and never under-rate yourself again." + +People stared at the handsome couple and at their beaming faces. Joy was +stamped on their countenances and happiness shone from their eyes. + +When they arrived home, Tom walked up to Mrs. Hollister, and kissing her +he said: + +"I have asked Ethel to be my wife. Will you and Mr. Hollister give her to +me?" + +Mrs. Hollister gasped. + +"Why Tom! Ethel! Is it true?" + +Ethel put her arm around her mother. + +"Yes, Mamma, Tom has asked me to marry him and I said 'yes,' for I know +that you and Papa like him. Now you say 'yes'--do dear." + +"Yes, I will say it gladly. Tom, I have always liked you and I'm sure +you and Ethel will be happy. I give my consent with all my heart," and +Tom took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. + +"Thank you," he said, "you have given me a precious gift. You shall never +regret it." + +Then they sought Mr. Hollister and were closeted with him for a long +time, after which Grandmother and Aunt Susan had to be told, and lastly +Nora. + +So that Christmas brought two engagements in the Hollister circle. + +Ethel decided to finish college before marrying, and Nora her school. The +men had to be content. + +"We'll have one more year at Camp anyway," said Nora. "I shall be glad to +spend my last single summer there." + +"And Tom and Harvey will practically be with us," said Ethel. "Nora, are +you not a happy girl?" + +"I am," said Nora. + +"So am I," rejoined Ethel. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +MR. CASEY BUYS A HOUSE + + +Aunt Susan at once began to make plans. In the meanwhile Mr. Casey asked +Mr. Hollister and his mother to give him a few moments conversation on +business. + +"I understand that ye own this house, ma'am," he began. "What would ye +sell it for?" + +Mrs. Hollister looked at her son. + +"Why?" she asked. + +"Because I'm about to buy a house for Nora and the Doctor, and I want to +buy one in this neighborhood. I also have a proposition to make to ye, +Mr. Hollister. Frankly, what might be yere salary?" + +Mr. Hollister reddened. + +"I mean no disrespect or pryin', sir. It is a business proposition I have +to make to ye, before I do to anyone else." + +"My salary is three thousand a year, Mr. Casey," said Archibald +Hollister. "I'm with an old and respected firm and have been with them +for thirty years." + +"Thin they don't value your services as they should,--pardon my sayin'. +This minnit they ought to give ye more. Now I need a man like yourself +to be me representative in New York. I give you the first option. Will +ye come and accept the position for six thousand a year?" + +Mr. Hollister acted dazed. Grandmother spoke up: + +"Answer, Archibald," + +But still Archibald kept quiet. + +"Is it because ye think it not honorable to leave them? Thin tell thim +that I have offered ye more and see if they will do the same. I'll give +you a week to see." + +"And now, ma'am, I have heard that ye wished to sell. Yere Granddaughter +will marry and this house will be too big for the three of yees. A pretty +apartment on the Park will be far better for ye. What is yere price for +the house?" + +"We refused thirty thousand for it in 1900," replied Mrs. Hollister, "and +real estate has increased in value since that." + +"Very well," said Mr. Casey, "I know what ye say is true, and I will pay +a fair price. I will give ye fifty thousand for this house, ma'am, and I +will have it remodeled for my girl." + +"I will accept," said Mrs. Hollister, in a prompt businesslike way. +"There is no mortgage on the house," she added. + +"Yere more of a business woman than yere son. Faith, he's worryin' over +hurtin' feelings of his employers I do be thinkin'," and Mr. Casey laid +back and laughed. + +But Archibald felt as though the earth was slowly slipping from under his +feet. His luck was changing too rapidly. It was coming upon him too late +in life, and Mr. Casey! Well, he was indeed the fairy Godfather. He and +his wife had so longed for an apartment overlooking the Park, but +Grandmother would never hear of selling. + +"When I die will be time enough," she would say, and now she had actually +seemed glad. And to think she would have fifty thousand dollars to live +on for the rest of her life. Then this new offer from Mr. Casey, double +the salary he was now receiving--it was like a dream. And his girl +engaged to one of the finest men in the West. God was too good to him--he +didn't deserve it. + +His wife was overjoyed. + +"Oh, Archie," she said "how wonderful it all is. It seems to have +happened since Ethel joined the Camp Fire girls. I'm sure they have +brought her luck. They have brought Nora to us and her dear father, +who has been so generous, and but for the Camp Fire she never would +have met Nora. Isn't it strange?" + +Archibald Hollister laid the case before the Company by which he had been +employed for thirty years, not telling how much his new salary was to +be. + +"Mr. Hollister," they said, "we can not afford to increase your salary. +To be sure you have served us faithfully, but you are no longer young, +and you know we need young blood in business. There are plenty waiting +for your place." + +That was a terrible blow to Archibald. He had not expected to get +three thousand extra, but he had looked for an increase of a thousand +rather than they should let him go, and to hear them calmly sit and +tell him that they needed young blood was too much. He left the office, +and the next morning in place of Archibald Hollister there arrived his +resignation. So thirty years of faithfulness to their interests and +strict attention to business didn't count with them, and there he had +been so loyal to the concern! + +"Ah!" said Mr. Casey, "what did I tell ye? Do ye think these corporations +care for the man? No. It's for what they can get out of him--for the +amount of work he can do, and for how small a salary. Let them hire their +young blood and you come along with me, and we'll see how much better off +they'll be!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +ARCHIBALD'S CHANGE FOR THE BETTER + + +So Archibald Hollister found himself the New York manager of a large +Ohio Realty Company, with four clerks under him and a couple of handsome +offices; and Mr. Casey was proud of his personal appearance, for +Archibald was a handsome man. One of the clerks was the young fellow +who on Christmas eve had played Money Musk for them to dance the +Virginia Reel, and whose mother received on the following morning the +Christmas basket from Mr. Casey. + +"Now yere where ye belong," said the kind-hearted man. "I tell ye, Mr. +Hollister, an honest employee should have been appreciated, and ye were +not." + +The family moved from the house and took a pretty apartment overlooking +the Park. They were delighted with the change and every day Ethel took +long walks around the reservoir. + +Mr. Casey began to renovate the interior of the house and modernize the +outside. + +The family lived in the limousine, and everyone seemed happy. Aunt Susan +did not go home with Tom but stayed on until the family were settled in +their new house. Then Tom who only wished for an excuse came on East for +her. It was nearly Easter. They persuaded him to stay over, which he +did. + +And so here we shall leave them. After one more year there will be a +double wedding, and Ethel and Nora will marry. We see Harvey making rapid +strides in his profession, and Tom building a pretty home for his Ethel, +while Aunt Susan will be busy embroidering towels, napkins, etc., for +their linen chest; and not only for them, but for Nora as well, for was +it not through Nora and Mr. Casey that much of their happiness came? + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a +Campfire Girl, by Irene Elliott Benson + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14169 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..619fece --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #14169 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14169) diff --git a/old/14169.txt b/old/14169.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..eafc0c8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/14169.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3214 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a +Campfire Girl, by Irene Elliott Benson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a Campfire Girl + +Author: Irene Elliott Benson + +Release Date: November 26, 2004 [EBook #14169] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMPFIRE GIRL *** + + + + +Produced by Audrey Longhurst, Mary Meehan, and the PG Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + + + + + Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a Campfire Girl + + By IRENE ELLIOTT BENSON + + 1912 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING BOOK + + I--ETHEL'S PLANS + + II--ETHEL ENTERS COLLEGE + + III--ETHEL AND HARVEY BECOME FIRM FRIENDS + + IV--ETHEL'S SECOND TRIP + + V--CAMP AGAIN + + VI--UNCLE JOHN'S + + VII--MRS. HOLLISTER'S VISIT TO CAMP + + VIII--THE SCOUTS ARRIVE + + IX--NORA GIVES SERVICE + + X--A HEROINE + + XI--BREAKING UP OF CAMP AND A SURPRISE + + XII--MATTIE MAKES GOOD + + XIII--JUDGE SANDS AND KATE MARRY + + XIV--A BIRTHDAY PRESENT + + XV--MRS. HOLLISTER ENTERTAINS + + XVI--CHRISTMAS EVE + + XVII--CHRISTMAS DAY + + XVIII--ANOTHER SURPRISE + + XIX--MR. CASEY BUYS A HOUSE + + XX--ARCHIBALD'S CHANGE FOR THE BETTER + + + + +SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING BOOK + + +Ethel would have never become a Camp Fire Girl excepting for her +great-aunt Susan. + +Susan Carpenter was her Grandmother Hollister's only sister, living in +Akron, Ohio. Her family consisted of Mr. Thomas Harper and herself. Tom's +parents had been her friends, and when they were taken Aunt Susan legally +adopted him and his little brother Fred, but the younger one died before +graduating, while Tom went through college and was now a rising young +lawyer. + +Aunt Susan Carpenter was a philanthropist. At the time of her adopting +the boys she was reputed to be a millionaire. She gave her beautiful home +to the city for an Asylum for partially insane people and endowed it with +fifty thousand dollars, after which the leading men in town raised fifty +thousand more, thereby making it self-supporting. She was also on the +board of managers of many other charities, and was adored by her +townspeople. + +Four years previous to her visit to New York, she had lost every penny of +her immense fortune,--lost it through the rascality of a large and well +advertised concern calling itself the "Great Western Cereal Company." The +whole thing was a rotten affair from the first and was floated by ten +unscrupulous men who after obtaining all the money they could fled from +the country before the exposure came; that is, save three, one of whom +was arrested while the other two committed suicide. Aunt Susan wrote +nothing of it to her sister lest it should worry her, and as she had +never met her nephew's family in New York, and they knowing no one in +Akron, they were in ignorance of the change in Aunt Susan's affairs and +still thought her a wealthy woman. + +Mrs. Archibald Hollister--Ethel's mother--was worldly and ambitious; +not so much for herself as for her daughter. Grand-mother Hollister, +whose husband had belonged to one of New York's oldest families, owned +the house in which they lived, free and clear. It was an old-fashioned +brown-stone affair near Riverside Drive. Archibald, her son, paid the +taxes in lieu of rent, but as his salary was only three thousand a year +it was extremely difficult to make both ends meet, and Grandmother had no +money save what was in the house. But Mrs. Archie was clever. She could +make a dollar do the work of five. With her own hands she would fashion +for Ethel the most dainty and up-to-date gowns, wraps, hats, etc., +imaginable. + +The Hollisters kept but one maid. She always appeared trim and tidy, yet +she did the entire housework. Upon the days that Mrs. Archie gave bridge +parties or afternoon teas for Ethel's young friends, she hired two extra +girls who had been so perfectly trained that the guests never once +doubted but that they were part of the household--allowing to Mrs. +Archie's clever management. + +Ethel attended a fashionable school costing her father more money than he +could afford, but she met there the very best class of girls and really +formed for herself the most desirable acquaintances. Her mother scrimped +and saved in every way possible, while the guests who came to the +old-fashioned house with its handsome antique furniture and portraits +were wont to declare that "the Hollisters were certainty aristocratic and +of blue blood, as their house showed it--so severe and yet elegant." So +Mrs. Archie felt that the Hollister name alone should procure for Ethel a +monied husband, and she held it constantly before the girl. She must +associate only with those in the "upper circle," and marry a man who +could give her a "fine establishment." + +Among Ethel's school friends was a girl--Nannie Bigelow by name--of +whom she was very fond. Nannie had a brother in Yale whom she (Ethel) +disliked. He was a member of the ultra fashionable set and was desirous +of making a wealthy match, as his family as well had little but their +name. One of his sisters had married a titled man and lived abroad. It +was Mrs. Hollister's ambition to have Ethel like Harvey Bigelow, although +she knew that he had as little money as she. She tried to adjust things +satisfactorily, and being a clever woman she hit upon a plan which we +shall reveal later. Of course, the girl was only sixteen and must first +graduate. Ethel, who had imbibed many of her mother's fallacies, did not +openly rebel. She was quite a little snob in her way, nor did she realize +what the family daily sacrificed for her, although her heart smote her +when she saw how her father was aging, for she adored him; nor were her +eyes opened until after she had joined the Camp Fire. + +Grandmother Hollister had two sons, John and Archie. Kate Hollister was +the daughter of the former. They lived in Columbus, Ohio, and Kate had +been invited to visit her New York relatives. She was a tall, handsome +girl much older than Ethel, for she was over thirty. Kate was the +Guardian of a company of eight Camp Fire Girls called the "Ohio." She had +told her grandmother and Ethel all about the new movement one evening, +and Ethel who loved the romantic side of camping out was crazy to have +Kate obtain permission from her mother to let her join, as her father had +said that she might visit Columbus that coming summer. But lo! when she +spoke to Mrs. Archie--or Aunt Bella--about it she was politely snubbed. +When Kate tried to explain how wonderful was the organization and what +benefit a girl--especially a delicate girl like Ethel--could derive from +belonging, the lady sneered and likened it to the Salvation Army and +forbade her guest from mentioning it to the girl or even speaking of it +in her presence. But alas! the deed had been done and Ethel knew of it; +but while in New York Kate had refrained from again touching on the +subject. At that time an aunt of one of Ethel's schoolmates had formed a +company and many of the swell set had joined. Ethel longed to belong but +dared not offend her mother. + +Now for Mrs. Hollister's plan. She suddenly conceived the idea of +inviting Aunt Susan on for a visit, supposedly to give Grandmother a +chance to see her only sister once more, but in reality to have Ethel +ingratiate herself with the old lady, thereby causing her to leave the +girl the bulk of her fortune. Ethel read between the lines and at first +refused, but after listening to her mother for a while and thinking +perhaps she was right, she allowed herself to promise to further the +plan. + +Aunt Susan was a woman with fine eyes and teeth, as well as a charming +manner, but her style of dressing dated back to the eighties--full +skirts, flat hats with strings, beaded plush dolmans, etc. Ethel was +ashamed to be seen with her but she had promised to help and she had to +do her share. In the meanwhile her mother had spread the report that Aunt +Susan was a millionaire and that Ethel was to have her fortune at her +death. Everyone fell in love with Aunt Susan and ascribed her peculiar +dressing to the eccentricities of a wealthy woman. + +Mrs. Hollister's joy knew no bounds when Aunt Susan invited Ethel to +return with her to Akron. Her scheme was beginning to work. Ethel was a +lovely girl. Aunt Susan would grow fond of her and the fortune was +assured. Besides, as it would cost a small fortune to take Ethel to a +fashionable summer resort, Mrs. Archie could save money for the winter. +But, accompanying the invitation, Aunt Susan requested that during July +and August, Ethel might join her other grand niece's "Camp Fires" and +live in the woods. "It will be the making of your girl," she added, +"as now she looks thin and peaked." + +At first Mrs. Archie indignantly refused. She almost felt that she had +been trapped, but Aunt Susan met every objection and even told the lady +that she feared she was shallow and an unnatural mother to refuse to +consider her daughter's health. Mrs. Archie dared not let Aunt Susan know +that she considered the whole organization conspicuous and common, nor +that she did not wish Ethel to learn to do the work of a servant, etc., +or run the risk of meeting girls of humble origin. So after some sharp +rebukes administered to her by the old lady on the sin of worldliness +and the fact that she was not doing a mother's duty by her daughter, she +consented, mentally declaring that she would see that Ethel should forget +all about it on her return. + +While visiting Aunt Susan and living in Camp in a truthful atmosphere +Ethel Hollister began to change. She saw how the old lady was beloved. +She heard on every side of the good she had done, and when one day Aunt +Susan told her that she had been a wife and mother, and what she had +suffered at the hands of a brutal husband, she was spellbound. For years +she had been deserted, but when one day he was supposed to be dying she +was sent for that he might beg her forgiveness. She went and found that +for four years he had been stone blind and that he had sunk so low that +she shrank from the squalid house in which he was living. She took him +away and stayed with him until his death, making the last days of his +life more bearable. + +As the girl listened and thought of the old lady's goodness and how she +was visiting her and making over her old gowns, hats, etc., into +fashionable ones to ingratiate herself for an object she saw herself as +she was--a hypocrite--and she fell on her knees to Aunt Susan confessing +everything and begging her forgiveness, whereupon the old lady took her +in her arms and told her that she knew everything--that Grandmother and +she had made up their minds that Ethel might lose her worldliness under +different environments. Then she told her of the loss of her fortune and +the girl was glad, saying as she kissed her, "Now you know that I love +you for yourself, Aunt Susan." + +Ethel liked Tom Harper. He was a fine young man. He supported Aunt Susan +and gave her a liberal allowance but she banked nearly all of it, as she +told Ethel "to have something at her death to leave to those whom she +loved." + +After visiting her Uncle John's family, whom she liked at once, Kate, +Ethel, and the eight girls started for Camp. It was situated in a stretch +of woods on the banks of the Muskingum river. One of the girls--Patty +Sands--became Ethel's chum. She was motherless and the only child of +Judge Sands, ex-congressman of Ohio, and greatly respected. The rest of +the girls were also congenial save two--one a Mattie Hastings, whom Ethel +avoided saying that her eyes were too close together. Mattie's parents +were poor people but she was one of Kate's Sunday School class and has +asked to be allowed to join the "Ohios." The other girl was a large, +raw-boned Irish girl, or rather of Irish parentage. Her voice was shrill +and unpleasant, while her hair was black and her eyes dark blue and +lovely, her face was covered with freckles and she dressed loudly and in +bad taste. Pat Casey--her father---was one of the wealthiest men in town. +He was a contractor and an honest, respectable man, but his wife was +a pusher, trying to bluff her way into society. She was ignorant and +disagreeable. People refused to receive her. Nora had been only half +educated at a convent. Mrs. Casey, hearing of the Camp Fire Girls, +bethought herself that it would be an opening for Honora, so she boldly +called upon Miss Kate and asked--yes, begged--that Nora might belong; and +Kate, who was kind-hearted, received the girl to the great joy of Mrs. +Pat. Having been born in the old country, both parents spoke with a +brogue. Occasionally, from association, Nora would use it; then she would +stop suddenly, turn red, and speak perfect English. Ethel disliked her +even more than she did Mattie. + +One day as she was helping wash dishes she lost a valuable diamond ring. +It had been her Grandmother's engagement ring and she was heart-broken. +Although they searched everywhere no trace of it could they find, but as +they were walking up the hill a week or so afterwards they thought they +saw Mattie Hastings through the trees. They called as a jest, "We've seen +you and you're discovered--come out!" Whereupon someone shrieked, and +proceeding to the spot they found Mattie lying upon the ground. She had +walked in the sun and had started to run and had fallen over some stumps. +Instantly they saw that she had been prostrated by the heat, and having +recently studied "First aid to the injured" they proceeded to remove her +blouse and open her corset, when lo! there upon a silver chain around her +neck was not only Ethel Hollister's ring but another belonging to Honora +Casey. She had missed it a few days after Ethel had lost hers, but she +wisely refrained from speaking of it to anyone but Patty Sands, adding, +"Shure, it would only be afther worryin' Miss Kate, and it might turn up. +I'll bide me time." + +Mattie, upon recovering consciousness and seeing that her secret had been +discovered handed the rings to Ethel saying that she should kill herself. +The girls, seeing that she was desperate, replied that as one of their +"seven laws" was to "render service," if she would confess why she had +taken the rings they would shield her. Overjoyed, the girl did so. She +told everything. She had done it for her young sister who had dislocation +of the spine, whereby she might be converting them into money have the +child placed in the Cripples Hospital and treated. A physician had +assured her that the case was not incurable, and for two hundred dollars +the child could be watched and nursed, and eventually her spine might be +straightened. She said that since the accident that had made the child +as she was, her mother had become a drug fiend. One evening her cousin--a +young man who was a chauffeur--invited her mother to join a party and +they took a joy ride. On their way home, being under the influence of +wine, they knocked down and ran over a child near Mrs. Hasting's house. +Letting her out, they sped quickly on for fear of arrest. Upon +discovering that it was her own child, and what was worse, that from that +night she was to be a hopeless cripple, the mother nearly went insane. +Still she kept her secret and no one suspected that she had been one of +the parties in the car. Her remorse drove her to take the drug. Under its +influence she told Mattie. At that time the girl was earning six dollars +a week, three of which she was paying to her mother, supposing her to be +buying food for the invalid. When she discovered the truth she threatened +her with exposure and tried to buy little Mollie nourishing delicacies +herself, but three dollars would barely pay for the necessities of life, +and she became discouraged and desperate. In the store she saw a customer +drop her purse. She placed her foot upon it and when the lady had gone +she picked it up. The purse contained forty dollars and some cards, etc. +After depositing thirty-five dollars in the bank she took five and bought +the child fruit, books, and ice cream. It seemed to put new life into +Mollie. She took small articles from time to time, and pretending that +they had been given her she sold them. Her remorse was terrible. She was +unhappy. If only she could work harder and earn more. At that time she +heard of the Camp Fire Girls--of the useful and wonderful things that +they learned so that in time they became competent to demand and receive +large salaries. She loved Miss Kate and asked her if she might join. Kate +assented, and it was then that the girls first met her. Gradually the +desire to collect the two hundred dollars for Mollie came back, and with +it the temptation to steal. She took money from every girl. She was even +willing, after placing Mollie in the Hospital, to go to prison, if only +the child could be cured. She felt that some day she would be caught with +the goods. She adored Miss Kate and took nothing from her. Finally she +began taking jewelry to sell. + +This morning she was on her way to find a hiding place for the two rings +and a diamond locket taken from another girl, when she heard Ethel and +Patty call. Then she was sure that they had discovered her secret, and +trying to run away she tripped and lost consciousness. "Now that I have +told you all," she added, "your father--Judge Sands--will send me up," +and she sobbed piteously. Her grief was sincere. She had not stolen for +herself. She had been desperate. Pity crept into the hearts of the two +girls and they constituted themselves her friends. They made her replace +the jewelry in Nora's and Edna's suit cases. They found the lady's card +from whom she had taken the purse and had Mattie return the money and bag +with a note withholding her name. They had her draw out the money +obtained from the sale of the purloined articles and return it to the +head of the Department Store saying that the things had been taken and +sold under great provocation for a sick child, enumerating them and the +prices, after which she felt happier, for she knew that the girls would +remain her friends. "Some day," she said, "I may make good." + +Ethel wrote and got Aunt Susan interested in little Mollie. Being a +manager of a Cripples School that lady at once placed her free of charge +in one of the wards as a boarder and pupil. The resident physician +said that in a year's time he should send her out cured. Poor Mr. and +Mrs. Hastings were overjoyed, while Mattie's gratitude knew no way to +express itself. She simply regarded Ethel and Patty with looks of +adoration, while in time they overcame their prejudice, Ethel even +kissing her goodbye. + +There had been wrought in Ethel Hollister a great change. Much of her +pride and worldliness had dropped from her. She had gradually become an +earnest believer in truth despising all subterfuges and shams. + +Upon her arrival home, Mrs. Hollister, while noting her new and splendid +health, was appalled at the change. From an obedient child, easily +convinced that no matter what her mother said was right, she had become +a girl of great character with ideas of her own. Mrs. Hollister angrily +denounced her mother-in-law and Aunt Susan, saying that it was their work +and that her child, for whom she had slaved all of her life, had become +wilful, stubborn and disobedient. "She even refuses to go into Society +this winter. She talks of taking up low down settlement work. She'll +end in becoming a suffragette, and standing on a soap box she'll address +the street rabble, perhaps wearing a large bonnet and standing beside a +kettle holiday time ringing a bell and holding out a tambourine,--a +Salvation Army woman. Oh! what a fool I was to let her go away from my +influence," and she sobbed,--"to toil and save for her to make a +brilliant match. See the way she rewards me. Why did I bring into this +world such an ungrateful child! It's all that wretched Camp Fire +business." + +Then Ethel gently put her arm around her mother and told her that only +since she had been a Camp Fire girl had she appreciated how hard she had +worked for her. "I know, Mamma," she said, "how you and Papa, and even +Grandmamma, have sacrificed for me. I see myself as I have been, (not as +I am now)--a selfish, wicked girl, not even appreciating what you have +done for me, and I am appalled. I am going to do for you now. I am going +to see the roses come back into your cheeks and the wrinkles leave your +pretty face. Uncle John is Papa's senior by ten years but he looks much +younger--why? Because Papa is bent and worn getting money for me--for +us to make a show on. Everything is sham, Mamma, and let us give it +up--let us keep only friends who care for us ourselves and we shall be +happier. I shall take you up to camp next summer. You can help us so +much; you are so clever and can teach the girls. And as for a grand +marriage for me, I'll promise never to marry at all unless you approve of +the man, and I may make a better marriage than you dream of. So just let +us be happy and natural and live within our means," and she took her +sobbing mother in her arms. + + + + +Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a Camp Fire Girl + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ETHEL'S PLANS + + +The morning after Ethel had declared herself her mother came up to her +room. She could see that Mrs. Hollister had not slept and her eyes were +red from weeping. Ethel kissed her, saying: + +"Mamma, we are going to be very happy together--you and I. I don't want +to disappoint you, dear, nor would I do so willingly; but I simply can +not live as I've been living. Sit down and let us talk." + +Then she told of Aunt Susan,--of her kindness, unselfishness and +self-sacrifice. She told of Mattie and how they had helped her, and +of her Uncle John; of Patty and Judge Sands; and lastly of Kate and +what a wonderful character she was. + +"Wait, dear, I want to show you my ceremonial gown," and she quickly +slipped it on. The girl's hair was still hanging unbound, having slept in +it that way, and she hooked about it her coronation band. Said her +mother: + +"Well, I must say it is becoming. What a Pocahontas you would make in +private theatricals!" she exclaimed with maternal pride; "But then, why +should I speak of theatricals? You've given up all such things." + +"Why, Mamma," laughed Ethel, "I'm not going into a convent. I have given +up nothing but the unreal part of life." + +"I suppose you'll tell everyone how poor we are, and how I have put you +forward under false colors. Then people will despise me." + +"No, Mamma, I shall not do a thing to put you in any awkward position. +Keep on. Give your teas for me if you wish,--even have the two extra +maids. It costs very little and we have a social time; it cheers +Grandmamma and there's no need to stop them. But this is what I shall +not do: First I shall tell Harvey Bigelow that Aunt Susan was once a +millionaire but that she lost all of her money. I shall tell of her +wonderful gifts to Akron,--of her charities, and how well she is beloved, +but that I shall inherit no money from her. Harvey will tell his mother +and she'll spread the news. If people care any the less for us after +hearing it, let them go; but I don't propose to tell what Papa's salary +is, or that you--poor dear--sit until morning sewing for me,--a thing +that I'm not going to allow you to do any longer. + +"Then I shall give up attending Madam's. Yes, don't start. Every bill +Papa pays is a nail in his coffin, I know. Tomorrow I shall go to Barnard +and try to pass an examination, and for one quarter what Madam charges I +can get a sound and solid education, and were Papa to die I can leave +with my teacher's diploma knowing something that will be of use to me. +I could help support you and Grandmamma. What could I do were I forced +to support myself after leaving Madam's. Why, an education such as her +girls receive is of no earthly account unless for music or such +accomplishments; but with a degree from Barnard I can earn good money. +I am so glad that I am young and that I shall have a chance. You'll be +proud of me, Mamma,--just wait and see," and she kissed her mother +affectionately. + +They went down to breakfast. Archibald Hollister listened to his +daughter's plans. He was proud of her and his face showed it. + +"You see, Papa," continued Ethel, "every penny is spent on me. Do you and +Mamma ever go to a theatre? No. Do you ever take a drive? Never,--why? +Because you can't spare the money. Now at least we shall be able to go +to the moving picture shows and take Grandmamma. I bet you'd enjoy it, +wouldn't you, Grandmamma? And, do you know, the best people go, and a +quarter is the highest priced seat." + +The girl chatted on until the postman delivered the mail. + +"Oh! a letter from Kate. Let's see what news she has written," and she +gave a gasp as she read the first page. + +"Poor Mrs. Casey died Saturday from pneumonia. Nora is heartbroken, and +poor Pat Casey acts as though he knew not which way to turn. Nora looks +really refined in black,--almost handsome. She loved Mrs. Casey, who in +spite of her peculiarities was a good wife and mother. Later: Mr. Casey +wishes to take Nora away. He suggested New York, so you may see her, +etc." + +Then Ethel described Honora. + +"It is strange but I can never like that girl. There's something about +her that's antagonistic to me, and yet when she comes here I must be +polite and ask her to visit me." + +"If she's in mourning she'll not expect to meet people," said Mrs. +Hollister quickly, "nor to go to any places of amusement, thank heavens." + +"Oh, she's very generous. Probably she'd invite us, Mamma. Well, poor +Nora, she loved her mother. I'm sorry for her." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ETHEL ENTERS COLLEGE + + +The next morning Ethel Hollister walked up to Barnard and put in her +application for admittance. The following week upon her first examination +she failed, but she entered the class with conditions. The girl studied +hard and soon made good. + +She liked the girls of her class. They were intelligent, athletic, and +agreeable. + +Her former friends and companions from La Rue's declared that of +late--in fact, since she had become a Camp Fire Girl--Ethel Hollister +had developed fads. This Barnard was one. But as Ethel kept on +steadily progressing in college, and she was so very young--not yet +seventeen--people began to consider her a girl of great ability and +intelligence. Mrs. Hollister grew to be proud of hearing her praised +on every side and Archibald seemed less worried over money matters. +She was rather glad that things had changed. Perhaps it was all for +the best, and people would respect them no less. + +Grandmother never wearied of hearing her grandchild tell of her visit. +"And to think," she'd say, "that Susan has had all the trouble she tells +of and has made no sign. How gladly would I have helped her. Still, had +I done so we would have had no house. Well, the Lord knows what's best. +We could only have offered her a home. I'm glad the Insane Asylum was +endowed and the boys educated before the crash came." + +Nora did not visit New York in the winter. She went South with her +father. The girls--Kate and Ethel--corresponded, and in that way Ethel +heard all of the news. The Judge came often and took Patty and Kate on +long motor trips. Mattie was doing nicely. She was employed in a Woman's +Exchange where she received twelve dollars a week and taught cooking and +sewing. Mollie was improving daily. Mr. Hastings had a fine position with +Judge Sands. Honora was away, but the rest of the girls were as usual. +The Camp Fires met weekly and everyone missed Ethel, but no one missed +her as did Aunt Susan. "Why," wrote Kate, "she says the light has gone +out of her life, and Tom roams around disconsolate. But," she added, "you +should see the up-to-date way in which he dresses. He is the pink of +fashion, I tell you." + +Ethel laughed, and while reading would stop every now and then to +explain. + +Then Ethel answered: + +"I have joined Miss Westcott's Camp Fire Girls, and if you believe it, +Mamma goes with me. She doesn't like it, but she's a great help to me and +to the girls, for she teaches them so much. She's consistent and it will +take her some time to overcome her prejudices. Nanny Bigelow belongs, +and Harvey takes us when Mamma can not go. By the way, Harvey seems +quite interested in medicine, and after graduating he is going to study +it. We call him 'Doctor' Bigelow. + +"Dorothy Kip's Day Nursery has proved a great success. It is the dearest +little flat, and the babies are sweet. Dorothy's old woman is a great +help, and I want you to know that Dorothy works hard. Why, she almost +runs the place on contributions and her allowance, and the little ones +are just as happy and comfortable as possible. She has books and toys, +and we girls take turns in going in and reading to the elder children, as +well as amusing the younger ones. That is a good charity, and Grandmother +(Kate noticed that Ethel had begun to call Mrs. Hollister 'Mother' and +the old lady 'Grandmother') goes nearly every pleasant day and takes +flowers. She generally spends the afternoon with them, so in a small way +Dorothy Kip is emulating Jane Addams. Who knows but some day she may be +her equal,--Oh!" + +The second letter said: + +"I must tell you something. The other evening Harvey Bigelow called. You +know I never liked him any more than I liked Mattie nor Nora. Now I like +Mattie and I am beginning to like Harvey. I hope I shall change towards +Nora, but I see no sign now. Well, Harvey began. + +"'Miss Ethel,' he said, 'I've determined to become a physician. I presume +you've heard that, and I'm determined to become a good one, too. You may +not know it, but I have always liked boys. I don't say that I dislike +girls,--but I do like boys. (Harvey is developing a sense of humor.) +When I visited my college chum--Joe Atkinson--this last summer, I was +surprised to learn that he was the Scout Master to a troop of eight boys. +He lives in Springfield, Illinois. I had a corking visit and a fine time +with the kids, two of whom are his young brothers. + +"'Do you know, I became mightily interested in the movement. I have +studied and watched it and I think it's the finest thing ever started. +I came home quite enthusiastic and I talked of it to the two younger +Kip boys and Alan McAllister,--Grace's brother. If you'll believe it, +before I realized what I'd done, these boys had formed a troop and began +to importune me to be the Scout Master of it. There's the two Kips, Tom +Wilder (Sara Judson's cousin), a brother of Grace McAllister, Tommy +Westcott, and my cousin, Jack Atwater, besides two other boys from the +East Side Y.M.C.A. Miss Westcott, the Guardian of the Camp Fire Girls, +asked that they might be allowed to join, making eight in all.' + +"I caught him by the hand and I said: + +"'Harvey Bigelow, I take off my hat to you. I never liked you so well in +my life." + +"He blushed awfully and seemed embarrassed, but he simply said: + +"'Don't you think it about time that I became in earnest over something +in life? The opportunity presented itself and I grasped it--that's all.' + +"Well, to make a long story short, several of these boys are desirous +of going West next summer and spending their vacations instead of East, +and he called to ask me about the Muskingum Camp. He is going there, +Kate, and he'll be near us. I made him write to Mr. Adams--your father's +man--who did everything for us, and ask him to reserve a place for the +Scouts. I'm just wild for summer to come. I'm going to bring Mother and +Grandmother. Grandmother will visit Aunt Susan, and Mother can spend her +time between Aunt Susan's, your house, and the Camp. She doesn't say +much but I really think the change is a relief to her--poor dear little +mother. I was the selfish juggernaut who made her sacrifice everyone for +me. I realize it now, and thank God it's not too late to mend. + +"I am doing finely at college. I should like to form from some of my +class another Company of Camp Fire Girls, but the trouble is they are too +busy with study. They say that they're worn out when summer comes and +have to go away to rest, but they intend to join during their third year. +Then it won't be such a continuous _grind_ as it is now. + +"I am so glad that I had the good sense to start in college. I intend to +be self-supporting after I graduate. I consider it a glorious thing for +an unmarried woman--don't you? + +"Well, dear, I must close. Kiss Uncle John, etc." + +That was great news for Kate--that Harvey Bigelow should have become a +man. It was too good to be true. She sent the letter to Aunt Susan, whom +she knew would be interested in it. + +"I tell you, Ethel is made of good stuff!" ejaculated Uncle John. "She +was in the right church but in the wrong pew--that's all." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +ETHEL AND HARVEY BECOME FIRM FRIENDS + + +Vacation arrived. Ethel had acquitted herself well, and her examinations +were excellent. She and her mother began making preparations to go West. + +This time it was Grandmother and Mrs. Hollister whose wardrobes needed +replenishing. Ethel bought for herself two new suits and some blouses. +She had actually outgrown hers of the preceding summer. + +"My dear, I am spending very little money now," said Mrs. Hollister, "and +I'm going to put some by for your trousseau." + +Ethel laughed merrily. + +"Why, Mother, where's the man?" + +"Never mind," replied her mother, "he'll come." + +"Mother, you're a born matchmaker!" exclaimed the girl. "I wish you had +had other daughters." + +"Heaven forbid!" ejaculated Mrs. Hollister with a funny little smile. +"One is enough." + +"Is that intended for a compliment?" laughed the girl. "If so it's a +doubtful one." + +During the month of May, Harvey would invite her to go horseback riding +up to Van Cortlandt Park. They had to make it Saturdays, as that was +Ethel's only free day. They usually started early. On the country roads +the apple and peach blossoms were like pictures. To the girl they brought +back the previous spring at Aunt Susan's, and especially the morning when +she had revealed to Ethel the sad story of her married life. On one of +these excursions the girl related it to Harvey. + +"By George!" he ejaculated when she had finished, "that old lady is +a sport and no mistake. She's all right. I imagined she was made of +different stuff from other women, and do you know I sort of suspected +that she hadn't all the money that your mother thought she had. She was +too refined and showed good blood. Had she been so wealthy, from her +dressing people might have taken her for a miser, and gentle folks are +seldom misers. I thought that it was necessity that caused her to wear +those old-fashioned clothes, so I argued that though Mrs. Hollister +imagined her wealthy and that you were in a line to inherit her money +there was a great mistake somewhere. But pshaw! as for that every mother +is ambitious for her daughter. Why, my mother left no stone unturned +until she had married Edith to Lord Ashurst, and I must admit that I was +easily led by my mother. Why, I've been out for a rich wife ever since I +left school; but, Ethel, I've changed. Now I propose to pay my bills with +the money I earn, not with hers; nor shall I allow her to buy what she +wears." + +"Does your mother realize how you feel?" asked Ethel, pushing her fair, +curling locks from her eyes. + +"Bless you, yes. She and I had one long talk, and after it I tell you +there was something doing in the Bigelow family; but Nannie who has lots +of horse sense sided with me, and together we were too many for mother. +She saw that it was up to her to make the best of it and she did, but +like your mother she still cherishes her ambitions. Nan said to her: + +"'You have one daughter who has done the grand marriage stunt and she's +some class. Do let us choose for ourselves." + +"What did your mother say to that?" laughed Ethel. + +"I think she boxed Nannie's ears and then apologized. She loses her +self-control sometimes. Poor mother," and Harvey laughed. "Nannie has +some temper, too, and don't you make any mistake." + +Ethel was beginning to have a real friendly feeling for Harvey. He asked +many questions about her cousin Kate. + +"She rings true," he said. "I liked her from the first." + +"She _is_ true," replied Ethel. "You'll see her this summer, and I'm sure +you'll like Uncle John and his wife. He's just a dear." + +Those were red letter days for Ethel. She enjoyed the air, the +scenery, and the rides; and she enjoyed talking to Harvey, for now +that he understood she could talk to him as though he were one of +the family--without restriction and without embarrassment. + +"What puzzles me," said Ethel, "is the way our mothers argue. When they +plan our marriages it's only money and position. Love never seems to +enter into their heads. Oh! I grew so tired of it. Thank God it's over, +and our family are now normal. Even Grandmother wished me to marry well. +I had far rather be an old maid than to be tied to a man for whom I care +nothing, and have to sit opposite and pour tea for him three hundred and +sixty-five days in a year. Imagine the horrible monotony of that. I heard +that advice given to a girl in a play and I never forgot it; and if only +girls could be brought to realize beforehand the sin of it there would be +fewer unhappy marriages." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +ETHEL'S SECOND TRIP + + +The time arrived for the Hollisters to start. There were tears in +Archibald Hollister's eyes as he kissed them goodbye at the train. Within +the last year his life had been happier. He had seen more of his wife and +had grown to love her better than he had since Ethel was a child. She and +he were together nearly all of the time, and it was like reading over a +forgotten love story. + +"Don't you worry, papa," said Ethel, patting his cheek. "We're going +to keep well and have a lovely summer, and when you come up for your +vacation you'll be like a boy again." + +"Yes, Archie," spoke up Mrs. Hollister "Be sure that Mirinda gives you +good things to eat and has them well cooked. She'll have little else to +do, and you go out and call on the Bigelows and Judsons. Take in the +moving pictures and roof gardens. I'll trust you," she laughed, "but +don't fail to write me three times a week, will you, telling me how +things are going on. And don't let Mirinda's young man come to the house +but once a week and on Sundays." + +"Remember everything," laughed Ethel. + +Grandmother kissed her son and murmured: + +"God bless you, Archie. I expect to take on a new lease of life." + +"Do mother," said the man, "we all need you." + +The trip was pleasant. The scenery was fine and the country looked as +though it had been freshly swept and dusted, everything seemed so clean. +Grandmother's eyes glistened with pleasure. They were to stop at Akron +first, where they were to leave Grandmother, and after a visit of a week +Ethel and her mother were to go on to Columbus and hence to Camp. + +As the train drew into the depot at Akron, there stood Tom with Aunt +Susan, but what a metamorphosis! Tom just escaped being a fashionably +dressed swell. He was too manly for that. He wore a blue serge suit, +colored negligee shirt with tie to match, a Panama hat, and russet ties. +His handsome face was so full of character that Mrs. Hollister whispered +to Ethel: + +"What a remarkably distinguished looking man he is. You never told me of +his being so." + +Ethel blushed when Tom took her up and kissed her as he might have done +had she been his sister, and as for Aunt Susan, even Grandmother gazed +at her with amazement. She was attired in a modish little automobile +bonnet, close fitting and of grey, while her grey linen suit gave her +an up-to-date air, for now, she proudly informed Ethel, Tom owned his +own car. + +"Aunt Susan, you look out of sight," said Ethel, kissing her. "I never +knew you." + +Mrs. Hollister was happy. Ethel had not half told her, and she was +agreeably disappointed. They took their seats in the new and commodious +car and soon reached the little house. The ingrain and rag carpets had +disappeared. In their places were Oriental rugs. Striped red awnings +shaded the windows and piazzas. The porch had been converted into the +cosiest of lounging places with willow furniture, scarlet cushions, rugs, +birds, plants, etc., as well as small tables filled with the latest +magazines and Aunt Susan's sewing baskets. They had a hammock at either +end, and altogether it was lovely. Mrs. Hollister simply raved over it +and the artistic interior with its fine old furniture. + +"Ethel is responsible for this change," said Tom, removing his hat and +wiping his handsome brow. "Last summer when she came here I dressed like +a countryman, but in the most tactful manner she suggested high collars, +different ties, and fairly talked my army hat right off my head, saying +that I looked like a G.A.R. Little by little she's converted Aunt Susan +into a fashionable woman. But how careless of me. Let me get you a cup of +tea," he said to Mrs. Hollister, placing a table before her and a stool +under her feet. + +He soon returned, bringing the tray and a plate of delicious jumbles. + +"You see," he continued, "Aunt Susan will not keep two girls, so I have +to be waitress now and then. She is attached to Jane, who though is a +good cook, but her trouble is she's set in her way and refuses to stay +if we allow another girl to enter the house. We are handicapped, you +see, for we can't spare Jane, nor could we replace her." + +Gradually he took Mrs. Hollister into his confidence and told her of +his early life and of Aunt Susan's misfortunes. "But bless you," he +continued, "the Lord is good to us. She'll never need a penny for my +income is increasing and my practice is more than I can attend to. I +should have a partner but she won't hear of my taking one. She is too +cautious. So I have several young students who study law in my office +and help me as well." + +Then he proceeded to extol Ethel. + +"Mrs. Hollister," he said, "she's a girl of wonderful character and +she'll make a magnificent woman. I notice she's improved since she was +here." + +"Yes, it's her college," replied her mother, "and the life at camp last +summer. I must admit she knew more than I when she broke loose from my +foolish and unwise influence. I was not fit to guide her, Mr. Harper, +I realize it now." + +"Never mind, madam; it's to you she owes her beauty. Why, you and she +look exactly like sisters," whereupon Mrs. Hollister capitulated to Tom +Harper. She couldn't speak of him with enough enthusiasm and praise. She +wrote pages to Archibald. + +"My dear, everyone says he'll yet be Governor, and while I wouldn't have +you breathe it for the world I'm sure he's in love with Ethel. What a +couple they'd make. Of course she has no suspicion of such a thing, nor +would I hint it to her; but you wait and see." + +Mr. Hollister smiled as he read his wife's letter, and his heart was +glad. He had known Tom Harper's father and had respected him highly. + +"Well," he thought, "this time Bella is on the right tack. I'll not +interfere," and he softly whistled "Comin' Thro' the Rye." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CAMP AGAIN + + +"Aunt Susan, you've grown so young," said Ethel, "and as for Tom, well +he's the glass of fashion and mould of form. He looks fine. Oh! I'm so +glad to be back and to have Mother and Grandmother with me; and Father +will be here soon. It seems like a dream--too good to be true. Hasn't +Mother grown lovely?" + +"Never saw anything like the change," replied the old lady. "In fact, +you've worked wonders in us all, my dear," she said. "Look at me. Why! I +feel like an up-to-date fashion plate." + +Ethel laughed. + +"Yes, Madam, you're up-to-date all right and no mistake. I didn't know +you that day at the depot." + +"I often wonder," continued the elderly woman, "if people think I'm +putting on airs. Really, Jane told me of some woman who said 'old Mrs. +Carpenter was mighty upraised, dressing like a young girl.' It's funny, +isn't it, what dress will do. But I should look young for I'm so happy +to have Alice here again, and to think that we shall be together all +summer. I don't yet seem to realize it." + +"Did you notice how Grandmother cried as this house came to view,--her +birthplace?" + +"No wonder. She hasn't been here," said Aunt Susan, "since Mother's +funeral, I presume it brought it all back to her. Poor Alice! I ought +not to say it, but Archie Hollister was not the man to make her happy. +He ran through with nearly all of her money. It slipped through his +fingers just like water, and I guess her life with his family was none +too peaceful and happy. They had the name of being great fighters. Of +course she has her recompense in John and Archibald--that's something. +A woman needs peace. Now take your mother, for instance. Why has she +grown young? Because she's quit worrying--that is the secret." + +"Yes, and when I think that she did it all for me--why, Aunt Susan, +I can't lay up anything against her; I love her too well. She sees +now how useless it all was. But what do you know about Harvey Bigelow? +Isn't he developing into a fine man?" + +"He certainly is," replied Aunt Susan, "and I always liked him. He looked +one squarely in the eye, and such a man can be trusted." + +"I don't know," answered Ethel, "of late everyone seems to be changing +for the better. The whole world appears different to me. It makes me +happy to see others happy," and the girl went out to call her mother and +Tom in to tea. + +"I'm transferring my allegiance to your mother, young woman," said Tom. + +"I'm not a bit jealous," replied Ethel. "Mother is really more +interesting to men than I, and what's more, she's always been. But +hurry in; Jane will be furious if her biscuits grow cold." + +The two weeks passed only too quickly. They spent their days touring +all over Ohio, so it seemed to Ethel, and at night the young people came +in shoals to see her, while the grown-ups had bridge parties. Said Mrs. +Hollister: + +"How hospitable and lovely these Westerners are. I had no idea that they +were so refined." + +"What did you expect to meet, Mother?" laughed Ethel--"not cowboys?" + +"Susan," said Grandmother one morning, "I notice that you curl your hair. +It's very becoming, I think." + +"Alice, you don't consider me too old, do you? Sometimes I wonder if I'm +not sort of making a fool of myself, but Ethel got me in the way of it +and I try to keep the front as fluffy as possible, for she asked me to. +And I've another confession to make," said Aunt Susan. "Alice, I blue my +hair--regular bluing water so as to keep it white. There now--what do you +think of that?" + +"So do I, Susan," laughed her sister. "I've done it for several years. It +certainly does improve the color. Grey hairs grow so yellow looking. The +child is right. We ought to keep ourselves up while we're able. We polish +up old mahogany and keep it fresh and clean--why not old women?" and the +two laughed merrily. + +"I think the Camp Fire business has made a woman of Ethel, don't you?" + +"How could it fail to?" said Aunt Susan. "Women are coming into +their own, Alice. They're growing sensible and self-reliant. Look +at our Grandmothers and at us. Do you notice the difference? And +our grandchildren will be just as far ahead of us as we are of our +grandmothers. Isn't it wonderful?" + +"I like you Western people," said Mrs. Hollister, coming in at that +moment followed by Ethel. + +"I've just told Mother," said the girl, "that Western people can give +points to us. They are natural, kind-hearted, hospitable, and they seldom +measure their friendship by the amount of people's bank accounts. With +them it's character that talks." + +"How did you like my sanitarium, Bella?" asked Aunt Susan. + +"I couldn't half express myself," replied Mrs. Hollister. "You're a +wonderful woman, Aunt Susan, and the people here have cause to bless +you. I've never before admitted this to Ethel, but I'm very glad that +she came here last summer. I see my short-sightedness every day when +I look back and realize how I was bringing her up," and Mrs. Hollister +wiped her eyes. + +"You've been a lovely and kind mother to me," replied Ethel. "You have +sacrificed far too much for me and I never half appreciated it." + +"I have been an unwise mother my dear," said she, "and you stopped +me just in time. I only now begin to realize my limitations. I've been +self-centered and conceited." + +Ethel kissed her mother affectionately, and the two old ladies coughed +and knitted vigorously. + +"We are all liable to make mistakes, Bella," said Aunt Susan. "Yours has +been in loving your child too dearly." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +UNCLE JOHN'S + + +They arrived in Columbus where Uncle John greeted them affectionately and +insisted upon kissing his sister-in-law. Mrs. Hollister was persuaded not +to go to camp until after a few days, when the girls should be settled. +Then Uncle John was to take her up. So Ethel, Kate, and the girls, with +one new member, went alone. + +Save that Nora Casey wore mourning and seemed quiet, everything was the +same as the summer before. Patty Sands was wild with delight upon seeing +Ethel. Edna Whitely was the same happy-go-lucky Edna as of old. Mollie +Long and Edith Overman had grown very tall, while Sallie Davis had become +a perfect roly poly. She had gained twenty pounds and was constantly +dieting and taking long walks. + +Mattie Hastings cried when she beheld Ethel. Mattie had grown quiet and +dignified, while in her face she showed more character. + +Ethel looked at them all, especially at Honora. + +"Can I not put my dislike of that girl behind me?" she thought. "Why +can't I be nice to her?" + +She tried hard. She began asking her of her mother, and tears filled +Nora's eyes, but after a while her voice began to take on its old shrill +tones, while in her manner there came that indescribable something that +had always repelled Ethel. + +"That girl is my cross," she thought. "I must like her, and yet I can't. +I shall never become worthy to be a Camp Fire Girl until I overcome it. +I wonder if she'll affect Mother as she does me." + +Ethel was now a Fire Maker. In addition to her Wood Gatherer's ring she +wore the pretty silver bracelet of the Fire Maker. + +The second evening they had a Council Fire. The wood and kindling +had been gathered and brought by Edna Whitely and a new girl named +Kate Winthrop, who had never been to Camp before. Edna couldn't seem +to advance. She was actually too lazy to work for honors and it worried +Kate Hollister not a little. + +"What's the difference?" she would say. "Someone will have to gather +wood and we have but one new girl--that's Kate. You may be glad that +I stayed." + +The girls looked pretty in their brown ceremonial gowns and their long +hair banded with the ceremonial band. Ethel advanced and lighted the +fire, intoning the usual Fire Makers' song. Then they had the exercises. +Honors were awarded and several girls advanced to the next higher grade. +This is the Fire Makers' ode to Fire that they intoned as Ethel lighted +the Council Fire: "Oh, Fire, long years ago when our fathers fought with +the great animals you were their protection. From the cruel cold of +winter you saved them. When they needed food you changed the flesh of +beasts into savory meat for them. During all the ages your mysterious +flame has been a symbol to them for Spirit. So (tonight) we light our +fire in remembrance of the great Spirit who gave you to us." + +In the darkness of the woods with the bright flames shooting upward the +effect of the chanting was weird, mysterious and unusual. + +Then Kate showed Ethel the typed copy of the Legend of Ohio which had +been attached to each count book, handing her a copy for her own. + +The roll was called, reports read of the last Council Fire, and of the +weekly meeting. Edna Whitely had really exerted herself and had written +it in clever rhyme. + +Then to their surprise a report of Ethel's and Patty's kindness to Mattie +Hastings was read. It seems that Mattie's conscience had troubled her and +at one of the meetings she had confessed it all and how she had been +saved by the two girls. She also requested that it should be read upon +Ethel's return. It told how under unusual distress she had been tempted +to do a great wrong,---how the two girls caused her to make restitution, +and how after that they placed Mollie in the Cripples School, and that +now she was on her way to recovery. It said that she began from then to +try and lead a better life and that with God's help she was doing so. + +The girls looked at one another, but although they made no sign they knew +what the wrong was. But they smiled at Mattie in the most friendly way, +Nora grasping her by the hand said: + +"I hope yere sister will be after walkin' soon." + +Then came the Wohelo ceremony. Mattie came forward and lighted a +branch, throwing it on the ashes, while Patty Sands knelt and lighted +it chanting: + +"Wohelo means work. We glorify work because through work we are free. We +work to win, to conquer, to be masters. We work for the joy of working +and because we are free." + +Then she stepped back and Edith Overman came forward chanting and +lighting another branch. + +"Wohelo means health. We hold on to health because through health we +serve and are happy; in caring for the health and beauty of our persons +we are caring for the very shrine of the Great Spirit. Wohelo means +health." + +Then Sallie Davis stepped forward while Edith retired. She lighted the +third branch which crackled and threw up numberless red sparks, after +which she chanted the last verse: + +"I light the light of love, for Wohelo means love. We love Love, for +love is life and light and joy and sweetness. And love is comradeship +and motherhood and fatherhood, and all dear kinship. Love is the joy +of service so deep that self is forgotten. Wohelo means love." + +After that this song was sung: +"Lay me to sleep in thy sheltering flame. + O Master of the Hidden Fire. +Wash pure my heart and cleanse for me + My Soul's desire. +In flame of sunrise bathe my soul + O Master of the Hidden Fire. +That when I wake clear-eyed may be + My Soul's desire." + +This is by Fiona Macleod. + +They stood around talking to Miss Kate for a little while, who walking +over to Mattie kissed her tenderly, after which each girl followed her +example before retiring, and poor Mattie was all broken up over it. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +MRS. HOLLISTER'S VISIT TO CAMP + + +When the morning dawned on the day Mrs. Hollister was expected, great +were the preparations made for that lady. + +"Listen to me, girls; she's the cleverest woman you ever met," said +Cousin Kate. "She has not been exactly in favor of our organization, +so I wish each of you girls to do your best, and Mrs. Hollister can +teach you so many useful things." + +"Yes, indeed," said Ethel. "Cousin Kate is right. There's very little +that Mother can not do." + +Old Mr. Adams came up with a load of delicacies which had been ordered by +the thoughtful Uncle John. + +He paid no attention to the girls but as on previous occasions he gave +his entire attention to his horses. He wiped off their foaming sweat with +his hands. Last year it had been his handkerchief varied with bundles of +grass and leaves. After cleaning them to his satisfaction he calmly +walked to the clear brook and washed his hands thoroughly. + +"Isn't that awful?" whispered Patty to Miss Kate. "I shall never feel +like drinking water from that brook again." + +"Why my dear," laughed Kate, "that water changes every minute. It's gone +now and in its place there's fresh--don't worry." + +"Here they are!" called Nora, and there came to view Uncle John and a +lady whom from Ethel's resemblance to her they at once knew and fell +deeply in love with, especially Mattie. + +And everything pleased Mrs. Hollister,--the girls, their costumes, their +tents, and the delicious dinner cooked over an open fire interested her +greatly. She even held one of the forked branches on which reposed the +chicken and broiled it as well as a chef, but she thought the green corn +was the most delicious thing that she'd ever tasted. After dinner she +said: + +"Now girls, see if I have it correct: 'After tying a string to the end +of each ear, soak the corn in water for an hour. Then lay it on the hot +coals, turning frequently. Draw it out by the string and eat with salt +and melted butter.' Well, it's simply great. I wish I were young again. +I think I'd like to be a Camp Fire Girl." She was as enthusiastic as a +child. Ethel looked at Kate and they smiled over the change that had +taken place since the day Kate wished to explain to her aunt what the +Camp Fire Girl was. + +"Don't you think that Mother grows young?" asked Ethel proudly of her +cousin. + +"She's a changed woman," replied Kate, "in every way. She's simply +lovely." + +Mrs. Hollister adapted herself and made friends quickly. She became +tactful, a quality that had hitherto been unknown. She liked Nora and +the girl loved Mrs. Hollister. Ethel marveled. That her mother who +disliked anything savoring of loudness could tolerate Nora seemed +wonderful. + +"The fault must lie with me," she thought. "Even Mother likes her." + +Mrs. Hollister went right to work and taught the girls how to cut and +fit. She taught them many of the little arts and niceties of dressmaking, +and the girls became proficient and at the next Council meeting each +received several honors. Then she taught them to trim hats and make the +daintiest bows; and after she had taught them how to crochet and make +Irish lace their gratitude was boundless. + +She also taught them how to cook--how to make delicious corn bread +with one egg, where they had been in the habit of using two, insisting +upon their first scalding their meal. Then she made them delicious +gingerbread, using cold coffee left from breakfast in place of milk +or cream and many other dishes of which they had never heard. + +"Really, Aunt Bella," said Kate, as the girls were receiving their +honors, "I feel that you deserve some of these beads." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE SCOUTS ARRIVE + + +Great was the surprise of the girls when the next afternoon they beheld +walking towards the Camp two young men in Scout costume. They were none +other than Harvey Bigelow and young Teddy Kip, the Master and assistant +Scout Master of the "Flying Eagles" Scout Patrol. Each wore a small flag, +and upon a red ground was a black and white eagle. As they advanced they +gave their cry--"Yeh--yeh--yeh!" + +"Oh! Harvey," screamed Ethel, and rushed forward, greeting them warmly. + +Then Cousin Kate came and welcomed them cordially, introducing them to +the nine girls. + +"Why, Mrs. Hollister," said Harvey, catching sight of her in her tent, +"it does seem good to see you here," and he gazed at her thoughtfully +and curiously. "'Pon my word you've grown so young I thought you were +Ethel at first." + +She wore one of her daughter's costumes and really she did look +wonderfully youthful. + +"Well, you can't complain. The Camp life has done you some good, and +there you were so down on it." + +"Yes, I was, but people change. Look at yourself," replied she seriously. + +"Mrs. Hollister," said he, "I've been here only one week, but I already +feel that I'm another man. It's splendid for both boy and girl. It's a +boon to be able to get away from city people and fashionable resorts. +Nan has put up a big fight and, Ethel, she's coming out to see you next +month," he said. + +"Oh, how lovely! Kate, hear this: Nannie Bigelow is coming here to see us +next month." + +"I shall be here until the middle," said Harvey, "and she'll go home +with us. I've an aunt in Springfield and she'll go there for a visit +first. After that she'll come on here and spend a few days if you +girls want her to." + +"I'm so glad," said Ethel, and she ran to tell her mother. + +Teddy Kip was a handsome lad of about eighteen. Immediately Patty Sands +suggested that he must see everything, so she took him off under her +wing. The rest sat on the ground while Harvey related several anecdotes +and funny experiences that had befallen his patrol since they came to +Camp. + +"Now you must stay and dine with us," said Kate. "Our cooking may not +surprise you, as it is the Scouts' way as well, but we'll give you a +change--a shore dinner. Father sent up some very fresh clams. We'll +steam them, and we'll have roasted potatoes, corn, and broiled chicken, +a little salad and a ripe watermelon to finish." + +"Well, I declare--'pon my word, one might imagine himself in Rhode +Island. We'll stay," and he smacked his lips. + +"Nora, will you take Mr. Bigelow and show him our cellar. And the +boys--perhaps they'll help us to prepare our meal," said Kate. + +The young fellows were delighted to help the girls. Nora arose slowly and +Harvey followed. + +Kate remarked to Ethel that Nora had changed so since her mother's death +and asked her if she had noticed it. + +"Yes, I do notice that she seems more quiet," replied Ethel. + +"But you still dislike her though?" asked Kate. + +"I don't know," replied Ethel. "I'm ashamed to admit it, Cousin Kate, +but I can never seem to overcome that antipathy to her. If only her voice +would lower a little, and if she'd cease to come up and slap one on the +back I might feel differently, but she's so rough and unladylike." + +"Ethel, environments may have had much to do with that. She seems to love +your mother. But here comes Patty with young Kip." + +"What a dandy site you have here for a Camp," said the young man. "Gee! +it's choice. It beats ours." + +When dinner was ready how they ate! They pronounced it equal to the +best shore dinner ever prepared, and when finished there was nothing +left excepting clam shells and corn cobs. + +That was Mrs. Hollister's last day in Camp. She had been with the girls +for two weeks. After leaving Camp she was to spend half of her time with +Kate's parents and the remaining with Aunt Susan. + +Harvey and Teddy stayed until nearly five o'clock, and it was with regret +on both sides that they had to go. + +The next day being Sunday, Kate read the prayers while they all sung +several hymns, after which each girl was left to do as she chose. Ethel +proposed to ride horseback. Several joined together and hired a buckboard +for the afternoon. + +"We'll meet you at the Lake," they said to Ethel, and off they went. + +It was a warm afternoon. The sky looked alternately bright, then cloudy, +but they started not minding though it rained. + +Nora declined to join the buckboard party and strolled off by herself. +She looked almost pretty in her clean, white linen suit and her hair +tightly bound by a broad black ribbon. The goldenrod and sumac were +opening, but the summer flowers looked old and tired, as though they +needed new gowns and freshening up a bit. The girl thought of how alone +she was and sighed. Then her mother came into her mind. To think that +she had to be taken while so young--not yet forty-five, and the tears +rolled down her cheeks. But "Thank God," she thought, "I never caused +her any unhappiness, and I still have my dear, kind father," and Nora +wiped her eyes. "It's Miss Ethel who dislikes me. No matter what I say +to her nor how friendly I am, she won't like me. And when I try to joke +or do her a little kindness, if she smiles sure her smile chills me. It's +like a piece of ice going down me back. And her 'thank you, Honora' is +as cold as charity. I like her mother the best. And yet Miss Ethel kissed +me goodbye at the train last summer; but she was kissing everyone and I +suppose she had to kiss me, for she's too much of a lady to slight a +body. Yet she'd be glad to see the last of me--that I know." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +NORA GIVES SERVICE + + +Honora was an unconscious lover of Nature. She turned and beheld the sun +slowly sinking. + +"Ah! it must be nearly six o'clock," she thought. "I must make haste," +but she stood spellbound, watching the glowing crimson, purple and yellow +changing into orange, green, and greyish pink, and she gazed at the fiery +ball sinking slowly behind the hills. + +"How lovely!" she thought, "and it's gone down in a cloud. That means +rain. It's growing very dark. Me for a quick walk down these hills before +I lose my way." + +She started down the path not a little worried. She had strayed off the +main road and was on a side one leading through the woods. If only it +would keep light until she reached Camp, and then if she could strike +the broad road she'd be all right. + +Walking rapidly through the woods she suddenly fancied that she hard a +low moan, as though from someone in pain. + +"It's a tramp perhaps," she thought. "He may be in trouble. Well, tramp +or no tramp I must help him. I'll see." + +Unafraid, Nora walked to the spot whence the cry had proceeded. Her eye +fell upon an object huddled together on the ground. As it was out of the +beaten path she stepped from branches and logs to stones and rocks +before she reached it. She stooped down and gazed at it intently; then +she uttered an exclamation of surprise. + +"It's Miss Ethel!" she gasped. "God help her." + +She was right. There lay Ethel Hollister--the girl who had never liked +her--the girl from whom, no matter how hard she might try, Nora could +get nothing beyond a cool "Thank you very much, Nora." + +From the arm of this young woman trickled a stream of bright, red blood. +Honora wondered if she was dead. She gently shook her. + +"Miss Ethel!" she called once and twice, "Are ye much hurt?" Then she +half lifted her to a sitting posture and Ethel opened her eyes. + +"Oh, Miss Casey--Honora!" she gasped feebly. "Thank God it is you who +have found me. I have been so frightened. Two men were searching for +me. I passed them on the road before my horse took fright and threw me. +I heard them say: 'It must be the same girl. She rode a white horse. +Now I know who she is. She's the niece of John Hollister. Her father +is a rich New Yorker. We can sell the horse. We've got him safe, and +we can keep the girl for a ransom. Probably she's injured and is lying +somewhere around here.' Nora, I dared not breathe lest they should find +me. I prayed to God as I've never prayed before to let them pass me and +to send me help. He has answered my prayer and I'm grateful. When I heard +your footsteps I thought they had returned. Oh! I am so glad that it's +you," and she burst into tears. + +Nora knelt down and took her by the hand. + +"Where is your pain, my dear?" she asked. + +"My leg. I guess it must be broken, and my arm---I have had that nearly +cut off. The horse became frightened and unmangeable. He turned into +these woods and started to run. I was knocked off by the branch of a +tree. I don't know how long I've lain here--it seems for hours. I must +have fainted, but Nora the pain in my arm and leg is terrible. Whatever +can we do?" + +The girl's hat hung from the tree. Her hair was unloosed and hanging +about her face. Evidently she was suffering agony, and to make matters +worse upon the leaves overhead Nora heard a pattering of rain. + +"This will never do," she said to herself. Not a sign of a house or a +vehicle in sight. A damp chill pervaded the air. They were too far from +the main road to seek assistance. + +"Your arm has been cut by this jagged stone, Miss Ethel," said Nora, +kneeling and starting to roll from the girl's arm the sleeve of her +blouse. "I don't think there are any bones broken. But first I must stop +its bleeding." + +Nora, having had considerable experience with cuts, wounds and bruises, +went to work as though she were about to teach the girls "first aid." + +Her handkerchief was soiled. Ethel had lost hers. Both women wore silk +petticoats. How could she manage to secure a bandage? + +Suddenly her mother wit came to the rescue. She slipped off her linen +skirt. It was perfectly clean. With her strong teeth she tore into strips +the front breadth. + +"Hark!" she exclaimed. "Glory be to God! I think I hear running water." +She said it devoutly and in gratitude, for now it was water that she +needed. Taking Ethel's hat from the tree she started up the road where to +her joy she beheld a watering trough that was fed by a little waterfall +trickling down the side of the rocks. + +After thoroughly washing the long linen strips so as to be sure that the +starch was out of them she filled Ethel's hat with water and hurried +back. + +"Here, dearie," she said, "Let me wash your face. I brought the water in +your hat," and with the balance of her skirt she washed the girl's face +and then proceeded to tear open the sleeve, cleansing the wound with a +fresh hatful of water. She did it carefully and thoroughly, with the +skill of a surgeon. It was an ugly wound, but she bound the arm firmly +with the strips. + +"There now! So much for that," ejaculated Nora, rising and pushing back +from her brow one curly lock that always insisted upon falling over her +eyes. + +"Oh, Honora! you are an angel," exclaimed Ethel, "and I have always been +so unfriendly." + +Nora appeared not to hear but went on: + +"Can you stand, my dear?" she asked. + +"No," sobbed the girl, "I guess my leg must be broken. However are we +to reach Camp? Oh, Nora, for God's sake don't leave me. I should die of +fright were you to do so, and the men may be hiding near even now. Don't +go, I beseech. I know I am selfish and I've been unkind to you, but +forgive me, Nora. I'll be your slave after this if only you'll stay with +me. Don't go for help. Just stay here until I die," and the girl fell to +sobbing. + +"I'm cold," she murmured--"I'm so chilly, Nora," and she shivered. + +Quickly Nora removed her heavy white sweater that she had just put on, +and raising Ethel to a sitting posture she first put in her good arm. +Then she fastened the sweater about the girl's neck. + +"There, dear, that will keep you warm, and I'll not be after leaving +you--never fear--not if we stay together all night in these woods. But +I must think how we can manage with you and your injuries. Faith it's +raining and you may catch your death." + +"And I have your sweater on, Nora!" exclaimed Ethel. "Oh, how selfish I +am." + +"Keep still," replied Nora. "I couldn't wear it now, for I'm going to try +and carry you home." + +For a moment Nora gazed tentatively at Ethel. Then suddenly there +appeared a dawn of hope in her strong honest face. + +"Miss Ethel, listen," she began. "When a child did ye ever play +pig-a-back? Perhaps I might get you home that way." + +"Yes, Nora. Papa always carried me up to bed that way," and the girl +burst into tears. + +"Ye mustn't cry," said Nora. "If ye do I shan't be able to carry ye. Now +wipe your pretty eyes and help me carry ye as Papa used to. Forget your +pain and try to be patient, for, Ethel, we must reach camp some way. +Doubtless they are searching for us even now, but this is a side road far +from the main one. They'll never think to look here, nor could they hear +us were we of call. And then those men you spoke of. They may be near. +There's no time to lose. Get on my back and cling for dear life." + +Nora had great sense. She realized that until she had thoroughly +frightened Ethel she would not exert herself and forget her pain. Then, +too, if what she had told her were true, the men might really be lying in +wait to capture the supposed wealthy New York girl. + +Sitting on the ground with her back before Ethel she first gently raised +the wounded arm, bringing the other one around to meet it. Thanks to the +low branch of a tree and to Nora's recent physical culture exercises, +making an almost superhuman effort she arose with her burden on her +back. Then grasping the girl's knees she held them firmly, thereby +supporting her injured leg, and started for the road, stopping now and +then by a fence or stone to take breath and rest. On and on in that +failing light she bravely walked. + +As she descended the hill she seemed to have gained new strength. Now and +then she'd speak cheering words to the wounded girl, trying to encourage +her to bear her pain. The rain pelted in Honora's face, often blinding +her. The thunder rolled and the lightning played, but she showed no +sign of faltering. Onward she went, even faster. + +Soon to her joy she beheld the main road, and after a few more rods a +light from the Camp Fire. + +"Shure," she thought, "now I know why men in olden times looked for the +fire from their camps. It does cheer a body and give them new life." + +She was ready to drop when she reached Camp. Ethel was no light weight. +While in Camp she had gained, and now she weighed nearly a hundred and +thirty-seven pounds. As Nora neared home she saw parties of men about to +start on searching tours. They had sent word by Mr. Adams to Harvey, and +there he and his patrol stood ready to start. Uncle John with the second +party were there as well. In some way the horse had escaped from the two +men and had returned to Camp, but without Ethel. Then they knew that she +had been thrown. And as for Nora, something dreadful must have happened +to her, for Nora was so strong and self-reliant. + +A shout rent the air when they beheld Nora Casey drenched to the skin, +hatless, coatless, with nearly all of her skirt missing, and carrying on +her back a hysterical, shrieking girl, while with no apparent effort +she walked steadily towards them. Harvery Bigelow's admiration for one so +strong and courageous showed itself on every line of his face. + +Uncle John took Ethel from Nora and laid her on the Camp bed that had +been brought from the tent. + +"By Jove!" ejaculated Harvey as he examined Ethel's ankle and pronounced +it a compound fracture, "you're all right, Miss Casey, first to staunch +the blood and bandage her arm, and second to bind her ankle in such a +surgeon-like manner, say nothing of carrying her on your back for over a +mile and a half and holding her leg so that you saved her pain. I take +off my hat to you, Miss Casey. You have the nerve and strength of a man." + +"I don't see," said Uncle John, "how in the name of heaven you managed to +raise her, wounded as she was, upon your back--let alone bringing her +through the pouring rain a dark night like this. Why! it's been a regular +thunder shower. I'm glad that her mother knows nothing of it." + +Nora sighed. She was very tired. Miss Kate came forward and put her arm +around her. + +"My dear, you are an honor to the Camp Fires. We owe a vote of thanks to +this brave girl," and taking Nora's face between her hands she kissed her +affectionately. + +"I've done nothing wonderful," replied Nora simply, taking her sweater +from Patty Sands. "Luckily I heard her moan and found her. I couldn't go +away and leave her helpless and alone in a blinding storm, and two men +waiting to seize her." Then she told Ethel's story of the conversation +that she had overheard. + +"Nor could we stay in the woods over night alone." + +A buckboard appeared and Mrs. Hollister jumped out. She had heard of the +accident through Mr. Adams and had made him bring her up. + +After seeing Ethel for a few moments she rushed out and threw her arms +about Nora. + +"You are a dear brave girl," she sobbed, kissing her. "You have saved +Ethel's life. Never while I live shall I forget it." + +"Nor I," broke in Uncle John, grasping the hands of the girl. "Miss Nora, +you're a fine young woman and you're father has cause to be proud of his +daughter." + +"Miss Nora," ejaculated Harvey, "allow me to congratulate you. You're a +dead game sport," and he wrung her hands heartily, after which Teddy Kip +grasped her by the arm saying: + +"Why, Miss Casey, you're a regular Scout--you are, and no mistake." + +Nora smiled faintly. + +"Thank you all," she said. "I am very tired. I think I shall go to bed. +Good night." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A HEROINE + + +So Nora Casey became the heroine of the Camp. An account of her bravery +was in all the papers and the entire Camp was written up. The once +neglected and disliked girl was now in a fair way to be spoiled. But +Nora could not be spoiled. She was too sensible. + +"I say, Miss Nora," exclaimed Harvey the next day, "I don't think I'd +dare marry a woman with your strength. You'd put me to shame." + +Nora laughed good naturedly. + +"Quit yere blarney," she said. + +As for Ethel, she couldn't bear to let Nora out of her sight, and Nora +whose heart was tender and whose nature was forgiving devoted herself to +the girl, reading aloud, relating funny stories of her father, and when +tired of talking Patty, Mattie, she and Ethel would play bridge. + +The men considered that Ethel had had a narrow escape. Uncle John +consulted with Judge Sands as to what was best to do about the kidnapers. +A few days later two suspicious looking creatures were arrested. They had +escaped from Joliet jail and admitted having been for days in the woods. +Ethel rode to the trial and identified their voices but she had not seen +their faces. They were returned to jail in Joliet and before they left +they confessed that they had contemplated finding the girl and holding +her for a ransom. They were intending to sell the horse but they had not +tied him securely and he had broken loose. They were ugly looking +customers. + +The next week before the breaking up of camp, when Mr. Casey came to +take Nora home, everyone flocked around him telling of his daughter's +brave act. He took Ethel by the hand and remarked simply: + +"It was like Honora to do that. There's none more brave than she--God +bless her." + +From that day Nora had no better friend than Ethel. She felt that the +girl had saved her life and her gratitude was boundless. + +"Tell me," asked; Nora, "why did you dislike me so?" + +"I was wicked, Nora," replied Ethel, "I am ashamed of it now." + +"But," persisted the girl, "did you think me vulgar?" + +"No," replied Ethel. "I thought you had a loud voice, and there's +something about a loud voice that I dislike. But even so I should have +overlooked that, had I been a good girl. You are so far above me, Nora, +that I am ashamed to even acknowledge it." + +"Miss Ethel--" said Nora. + +"Call me Ethel in future," said the girl--"please do." + +"Well--Ethel--you are not the first one who has criticised my voice. My +teachers have always done so, and even my mother used to say, 'Not so +loud, Nora dear. Speak more gentle like.'" + +"Did she?" asked Ethel. + +"Yes, my mother had her faults, Ethel, but at heart she was a lady. So +your dislike of me was not so strange after all." + +"But," interrupted Ethel, "Nora, perhaps I wasn't thankful to hear your +loud voice when I lay there wounded and helpless, and I'm ashamed to even +have told you." + +"I wish you to help me," broke in Nora. "I wish to make myself +different--more of a lady. Will you tell me when I talk too loud? +It will be a favor if you will." + +Ethel assented and kissed Nora affectionately. + +Nannie Bigelow arrived and the girl became a general favorite. She at +once fell in love with Nora. + +"Why, she's a heroine," she said. "She'd give her life for another. I +think she's splendid." + +Nannie had much to say of their New York Camp Fire, and of the girls who +belonged. + +"You know some of them are quite unlike us, but Miss Westcott says +they'll improve--that being with us will make them more gentle. And +you have no idea how they _are_ improving. And as for Dorothy's nursery, +it's just booming. There is a waiting list a mile long," and she chatted +on, entertaining the girls with her talk. + +At the next and last Council Meeting, the girls received honors for +having slept three months out of doors, for learning to swim, and rowing +twenty miles on the Muskingum River, and for sailing a boat without +help for fifty miles. They also received extra honors for cooking, and +for learning and making a mattress out of the twigs of trees; for long +walks, and for washing and ironing, which the girls did well. + +Whenever she looked at Nora, Ethel's conscience troubled her. She seemed +to feel her own unworthiness. Mrs. Hollister suggested to Mr. Casey that +Nora should visit them for a couple of months in the city. + +"I'll gladly let her go to ye next winter, Ma'am, but not to visit. I +would like her to be wid a grand lady like yourself, and if you'll let +me pay her board I'll consider it a great favor. And if she might go to +some fine school, Ma'am, where she could learn how to be a lady and stay +at your house I would pay any price." + +At first Mrs. Hollister objected to the money part, but Mr. Casey begged +so hard that, realizing what Nora had done for Ethel, she felt she should +be willing to do anything to benefit her. So she consented. + +"You can put me anywhere," said Nora, "I will be like one of your +family." + +Mrs. Hollister put her arm around the girl. + +"My dear," she said, "the best I have ought not to be good enough for +you. It's little enough for me to take you, and I should like to do so +without having your father pay me a penny." + +So it was all arranged. In November, Nora was to become an inmate of the +Hollister household. + +Ethel had made up her mind to give the girl her room, she taking one on +the top floor. + +"I would gladly sleep on bare boards for her," she said to her +mother,--"the brave girl to whom I have been so unjust. I'm glad +she's coming. I'll devote all my extra time to her happiness." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +BREAKING UP OF CAMP AND A SURPRISE + + +The time had arrived for the girls to separate. The Scouts came up and +carried Nannie off. She had become a great favorite. As Patty expressed +it, Nannie was a comfortable visitor because she seemed to "belong." She +made no fuss and adapted herself to their ways. + +She promised to return the following summer and Harvey pronounced their +camp as fine as any place they might select. + +"So there's no reason why we boys should not come back, too; but you +must let us entertain you Camp Fire girls next year. It's been all on +your side this." + +So they all went to the train to see them off, and people crowded around +as though they might be a circus troupe, staring curiously at them and +making remarks. + +Then after saying goodbye the different members went to their homes. +Ethel and her cousin Kate were to go to Akron for a week or so, as +Uncle Archie Hollister was coming up to spend his vacation. + +The girls met him at the train and Ethel was overjoyed. + +"Oh, Papa," she said, "if only you could have been here before Camp +broke up. But we are going up for the day and give you a regular Camp +Fire dinner," and she kissed him affectionately. + +"Next year I'll get off earlier," replied Mr. Hollister, "but our +President was very ill and none of us liked to leave." + +They gave Mr. Hollister a rousing dinner. Nearly all of the girls were +present. They did their cooking like desserts, bread, etc., at home, but +the meat, corn and potatoes were roasted on the coals. They had Uncle +John, Judge Sands, Mr. Casey and Mr. Hollister for guests, and everything +went off finely. Mr. Hollister was loud in his praises of the cooking, +and in fact, the whole organization. + +"It's great," he said, smacking his lips. "I think the person who +invented it should have a gold medal." + +They spent a few days at Columbus. Ethel went to see Mattie and her +mother. She also spent the night with Nora. Their home was very handsome +and Ethel could not help but respect kind-hearted Mr. Casey, who tried +to make it so pleasant for her. She had grown very fond of Nora. She saw +her good traits,--her splendid unselfishness, and her tenderness towards +her father as she tried to take her mother's place with him. + +"What a narrow, selfish girl I've been," she thought, "never to have +noticed them before. Why, the way Nora shielded Mattie when the girl took +her ring was a lesson to me, and I never took it." + +During their stay at Uncle John's Mrs. Hollister came up, and the meeting +between her husband and self was like lovers. Ethel was glad. + +"And it was I that kept them apart," she told Kate--"I with my society +and expensive schools. Poor Father! what could he do but grind from +morning until night; and Mother with her hopes and ambitions--what +could she do? Why, they had no time to speak to each other except on +business and money. It was all so false and wrong. Now they are as +they should have been, but think of the lost years, and all for me." +"Never think of it, Ethel," said Kate, "it's past and over. Everything +has come smooth. Forget it, dear; you were not to blame." + +Judge Sands called nearly every evening. He and Uncle Archie struck +up quite a friendship. The Judge took him on auto trips far into the +country, Kate, Patty, and Ethel going along. + +One evening, after they all had gone back to Akron, Judge Sands called +Patty into the library. + +"I wish to have a little talk with you, my dear," he said. + +"Are you going to scold me for running over my allowance last month?" +she replied, "because if you are I just couldn't help it. I wanted to +give all of the girls a little remembrance, and--" + +"Patty, my child, have I ever scolded you for anything--think? Haven't +you done exactly as you chose since your childhood?" + +"Yes," replied the girl, "but I know that there are times when you should +scold me, Papa, for I know I am self-willed and disobedient." + +"Well, we shall forget that. You're a pretty good girl considering that +you have but one parent. Now this is what I wish to see you about. Your +mother died when you were three, dear, and you've been with me ever +since. It's been lonely for both of us at times, and for me especially +so while you are away at school. Patty, how should you like a mother? Of +course, no one can take the place of her who has gone, but I mean another +one." + +The girl began to cry. + +"I should not like it, Papa." + +Then she looked at him. He was a handsome man, and if ever she were to +marry he would be alone, in the prime of life. + +"I suppose I'm selfish," she sobbed, clinging to him, "but I should hate +a stepmother. Think of her taking Mamma's place. Oh, Papa! I couldn't +bear it." + +"But supposing she was a woman of whom you were fond. Would you feel that +way then?" + +"I couldn't be fond of her." + +"You might be fond of her already," said the Judge. + +"Who--who can it be?" asked Patty, wiping her eyes and pushing back her +hair. + +The Judge smiled. + +"Think, my dear." + +"Is it Miss Kate Hollister?" cried the girl joyfully. "Tell me quick." + +Then Judge Sands blushed like a schoolboy. + +"Yes," he said, "she is the only woman who can take your mother's place, +Patty. No--not that--no one can take her dear place; but she is the only +woman upon earth whom I should ask to be my wife." + +Then Patty jumped up and kissed her father many times. + +"Oh, Papa!" she said, "why didn't you tell me at first and not frighten +me to death. Oh! I should love her so, and I should never be jealous of +her. Are you engaged?" + +"No," laughed the Judge, "I have never asked her. I thought you deserved +the compliment of being first consulted on the matter." + +"But, Papa, perhaps she'll refuse you." + +"That's my end of it," laughed her father, "but when I do ask her I wish +to say that you desire it, too, for Kate might not think it agreeable to +you." + +"Papa, she's got to say 'yes.' I'll go along and make her if you wish. +I'd just love her for a mother," and the girl clung to his neck and wept. +"I only now realize how lonely you must have been all these years, and +you've done it for me. But don't let her refuse. Tell her I desire it +above all things." + +"All right, dearie," said the Judge. "I'll go tonight." + +"And wake me up, Papa. I shall be so anxious." + +Judge Sands laughed and promised. + +That night no matter how hard Patty tried she couldn't keep awake. Now +that she knew who it was that her father desired she was happy, and one +can always sleep when one is happy. + +The Judge ran up the stairs two steps at a time and woke his daughter +with a kiss. + +"Will she, Papa?" + +"Yes, dear," he answered. "She has been good enough to say 'yes.' We'll +make her happy, won't we, Patty?" + +"We shall," replied the girl. "And how young you seem to have grown!" +she gasped. "I never noticed it before. I'm glad for you and I'm glad +for her. She's a dear. I've always loved her and she's such a stunning +looking woman, too. I tell you, we'll be proud of her, Papa." + +They talked for half an hour over the virtues of Miss Kate, and each went +to sleep thinking of how lovely she was. + +When Kate and Patty met they said not a word, but from the quiet, sincere +embrace each knew that the other would try and make her happy. + +Congratulations poured in from all sides. Archie and his wife with Aunt +Susan, Grandmother and Tom, motored all the way over to Columbus to offer +theirs. Ethel was wild with joy. + +"Why," she exclaimed, "everything is getting better! People are doing +such sensible things lately, just as they should do. Isn't it wonderful? +But, Tom, I always thought that you cared for Cousin Kate." + +"So I have all along, but just as I was considering, in walked the Judge +and took her off under my very nose. While I was a poor lawyer I felt +that she might refuse me and I took no chances, but I never imagined +she'd look at a man of his age. She's certainly met the one for her. What +a splendid couple they'll make." + +"You always were slow, Tom; that's your fault," laughed Ethel, "and +you'll always get left. It serves you right." + +"Yes, that's going to be my fate, I fear. Before I can muster up courage +to propose, these girls will be snatched up--every one of them." + +Judge Sands and Kate were to be married in November. They were to go to +New York, Washington, etc., on a wedding trip, after which they were to +meet Patty and sail for Egypt to be gone indefinitely. + +"Oh, dear! who can take your place at Camp?" said the girls. "We'll never +find another Guardian like you." + +"I'll ask Louise Morehouse," said Miss Kate. "She's lovely, and very much +interested in this Camp Fire movement. She'll be one of you just as I +have been." + +"Yes, and then she'll meet someone and go off and marry," said Mollie +Long. "There should be a law against it. A Guardian should be obliged to +serve for five years unmarried--it isn't fair," and the girls voted that +Mollie was correct. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +MATTIE MAKES GOOD + + +After Camp had broken up, Mattie Hastings, who was now associated with a +Woman's Exchange in Columbus, started one afternoon to call for Patty +Sands. It was Saturday and the Exchange closed early. Mattie was doing +well. She received a good salary and her heart was light. Her sister was +beginning to walk. The doctors considered that next year she could +discard her brace. The child was not only attending school but she was +learning many useful things and Mattie was happy. Her mother had entirely +given up the drug habit; her father was with Judge Sands and everything +seemed as though it had come straight like a fairy story. + +This lovely autumn afternoon they were going to Sallie Davis's to look at +a wonderful centerpiece done by her mother. Mattie, whose fingers were +extremely clever, had offered to do the work of copying it, while Patty +was to pay for the silks, linen, etc. Then, jointly, they were to give it +to Miss Kate for an engagement present. In case the servant should be out +Sallie had given Patty her latch key. + +"This is Sophronia's day out, and mother is going to a bridge party. +I have an engagement, so here's the key. When you leave the flat, put +it on the hall stand. Sophronia and mother will be back before I am, +and they will let me in. I'll leave the centerpiece on the piano." + +The apartment was on the seventh story and commanded a wonderful view +of the city. After looking at the centerpiece and studying the different +stitches the girls went to a window and looked out. + +"Have you put the key on the hall stand?" asked Mattie. + +"Yes," replied Patty. "I put it there when I first came in." + +Suddenly Mattie exclaimed: + +"I smell smoke." + +They looked around. The odor was plainly perceptible. + +"Let's go into the kitchen," said Patty. + +Together they ran through the pantry and opened the kitchen door. The +smoke was very thick. + +"Why, Mattie, the house is afire!" said Patty Sands. "Let's get out +quickly." + +They opened the hall door, closing it tightly after them. They had +far better have stayed in the apartment and have descended by the +fire escape, but they thought of it too late. The hall door had locked +behind them. The outer halls were black with smoke. People were rushing +wildly up and down. The entrance leading to the roof was locked. The +elevator boy called "last trip," and opened the iron doors. Frightened +women and little children crowded in with servants and elderly people. + +"Room for one more," yelled the boy, "quick, for God's sake!" + +"You go, Mattie," said Patty. + +"You go." Then Mattie Hastings lifted Patty Sands up bodily and fairly +threw her into the crowded elevator. + +"If the cable holds I'll come back, Miss," cried the boy half choked with +smoke. + +Through the smoke Mattie peered at the cable. Through the shaft she saw +the angry flames shooting upward. The sparks were flying. The elevator +had made its last trip and she realized it. She turned to the hall window +and looked down upon the crowd. A ladder was raised. Someone had seen +her. + +"Thank God!" she said, "I may yet be saved." + +The smoke was now black and the flames came nearer and nearer to the +brave girl, who so unselfishly had given her place to her friend. She +leaned out of the window. She watched the fireman ascending. Then she +knew no more but fell back into the flames unconscious. + +"I've got her," said the fireman, "but I guess she's gone. No one could +live in the smoke up there. She's badly burned, too, poor girl--her back +and arms. Lift her carefully, boys." + +Patty rushed forward. "She has given her life for me," she shrieked. +"Mattie, Mattie dear! don't you hear me? Speak--oh! speak to Patty." + +The dying girl opened her eyes and half smiled. Patty knelt beside her +and put her ear close to Mattie's mouth. + +"Patty," she whispered, "tell Ethel that I made good." + +Then she closed them wearily and the brave soul of Mattie Hastings passed +on. + +It took Patty Sands many years to recover from the shock of her friend's +death. She was too ill to even know when the funeral took place. She had +told her father and Kate of Mattie's last words. Ethel Hollister sent a +telegram requesting that Mattie's funeral might be postponed until she +arrived. The Camp Fire girls were the pallbearers. + +Fortunately the cruel flames had left Mattie's face untouched and she +looked lovely. The church was crowded to overflowing, as well as the +street. The text of the sermon was: + +"Greater love hath no man than he who lays down his life for a friend." + +Mattie had "given service" as well as laying down her life for a friend, +and the whole town marvelled at her bravery. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +JUDGE SANDS AND KATE MARRY + + +In November Kate was married. The wedding was quiet, as Patty was still +an invalid. They took her with them and left her at Mrs. Hollister's +while they went on their trip. Nora had arrived for the winter two weeks +before. Mrs. Hollister had entered her in Madam La Rue's school. Ethel +had insisted upon giving Nora her room and had moved up stairs. + +The three girls were sad. They talked of Mattie and Patty cried +constantly. So after a while they avoided speaking of her in her +presence. + +Nora looked like one to the manner born. Mrs. Hollister, having carte +blanche to buy for her anything she saw fit, purchased the loveliest +second mourning costumes imaginable, and Nora wore them remarkably +well. She had grown more quiet since Mattie's death. A great change +seemed to have come over her. She was one of Madam's brightest pupils and +very popular. Mrs. Hollister was genuinely fond of her and they went +everywhere together. + +When Mr. Casey came to New York he was surprised at the change. He'd say +to Mrs. Hollister: + +"Faith, ma'am, it's a perfect lady you're afther makin' of my girl. Her +mother would bless you were she here," and Mrs. Hollister would reply: + +"She is naturally a perfect lady, Mr. Casey, so it's not hard work. I +consider Nora a very superior girl and I'm very fond of her," at which +the father's eyes would grow half tearful, and he'd seem proud to hear +it. + +Nannie Bigelow and Nora became very intimate and she was made much of +by Dorothy Kip and Sara Judson. Nora took an active interest in the Day +Nursery and donated generously for its maintenance. Twice a week she'd +go and read to the elder children and get on the floor and play with +the younger ones, for she adored babies. She was especially sweet and +generous to Grandmother, spending hours with her lest she should become +lonely. It was like a mother and daughter, instead of a girl and +chaperon, to see Mrs. Hollister and Nora go about together. + +"I wish I had a son, Nora," said that lady one day. "Then I should never +have to see you leave me." + +Nora blushed rosy red, saying: + +"I wish you had, Mrs. Hollister. I dislike to think of our separation." + +Mr. Casey sent the most wonderful barrels of apples and potatoes from +his own place to the Hollisters, and when he came to New York he'd order +fruit from the most expensive fruiterers to be sent three times a week, +say nothing of boxes of flowers which came regularly throughout the +entire winter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A BIRTHDAY PRESENT + + +On one of Mr. Casey's flying trips to the city it happened to be Mrs. +Hollister's birthday. Nora told him of the fact and after school together +they whisked away in a taxi to shop. Upon their return he presented Mrs. +Hollister with a large box, and in the most delicate manner begged her to +accept it as a slight token of his gratitude for her interest in and +kindness to Nora. + +"Ye've been a mother to my girl and she loves ye well. Her own +mother--God rest her soul--as I've often told ye, would be proud of +her, and she'd know better what to give a lady, but if ye'll accept +these, ma'am, Nora and I will be pleased." + +Mrs. Hollister was visibly affected. She actually wiped her eyes. + +"I will accept them with pleasure, Mr. Casey," she said, "but don't +forget Nora is a great comfort to all of us. We have grown to love her +as our own," and she opened the box thinking it might contain a pretty +waist or something of that sort when to her surprise there she beheld a +most magnificent set of sables. She couldn't speak. The poor woman had +never dared to dream of owning such a thing. Her heart stood still and +she turned and took Nora in her arms, kissing her fondly. Then she shook +Mr. Casey's hand as though she would never stop. + +"Mr. Casey, you are too generous. I have always loved sables, but I never +expected to own a set. I don't know how to thank you for your kindness." + +"Say nothing about it," replied the man. "Nora and I consider it a +privilege if ye'll wear our gifts, don't we, Nora?" + +"Indeed we do," replied the girl. "There are so many things that you do +for me, Mrs. Hollister, that money can not compensate." + +Ethel was now eighteen. One evening Harvey Bigelow invited her to the +theatre. On their way home he asked her if she ever could care for him +enough to become his wife. + +"Oh, Harvey!" gasped Ethel, "I am so sorry. Why did you spoil our +lovely friendship? I'll have to answer 'no,' and I dislike to hurt +your feelings." + +"That's all right, little girl," said Harvey, swallowing hard. "I was an +ass to even imagine that you could care for me, but you see I'm coming on +so well that I shall soon put out my sign, and I felt that you might be +such a help to me; that is, if you could care for me a little bit." + +"And there are so many nice girls," she said, "waiting for just such a +good man as yourself." + +"But, Ethel, I don't want any girl. I want one. If I can't have her I +guess I'll stay single. Anyway, I suppose a man needs to practice a lot +before he marries. There's a couple of years in the Hospital. But I'm +glad I know the truth, Ethel. By Jove! it's off my chest. I've tried to +speak of it before but I couldn't." + +"I wish I could say 'yes,' Harvey; but can't we still remain the good +pals that we are?" + +"Why, sure," replied the man, and he took her hand. "A man needs a woman +friend, don't you think?" + +"Yes," replied Ethel, "and I hope to prove my friendship for you." + +Ethel never spoke of her proposal, nor did Harvey; but there was a firmer +bond between them than formerly. + +Patty wrote often. "You never saw two people so in love as Papa and +Kate. It is wonderful and remarkably right. I only feel sorry to think +that through all of these years they might have been so happy, and I'm +sure papa kept single for me. How selfish daughters are, Ethel; and at +the same time how little they realize that they are selfish." + +Ethel folded the letter and said: + +"What she writes is true. You and Papa might have had all of the years +of my youth to be happy in, but you sacrificed them for me, and they'll +never, never come back." + +"That's all right," said her mother, kissing her. "My happiness since you +entered college has compensated for it, believe me, my dear little girl," +and she kissed her tenderly. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +MRS. HOLLISTER ENTERTAINS + + +That winter Mrs. Hollister again had her teas and bridge parties, but +there was no more worry about where the money was coming from; in fact, +thanks to Mr. Casey's generosity she was able to pay all of her bills +and put some away for a rainy day. Her little functions were delightful +as usual, and the young people came in throngs to the house. + +Ethel was happy in seeing her mother so contented, and in knowing that +her father had no more worries. Grandmother had grown younger, and better +than all, after Christmas Tom was coming to bring Aunt Susan. He had +business East and he was to leave her for three weeks, after which he +was to return for her. + +Nora seemed less sad. She had developed into a very stylish up-to-date +young woman and everyone admired and liked her. + +Mrs. Hollister was in her glory. Things for her were now so comfortable +and easy that she couldn't believe but what it was a dream from which +she might awaken and find everything the same old way. + +Mrs. Bigelow made much of Nora, taking her around and introducing her +to her friends. Harvey called regularly and invited her twice a week +to the theatre. He was now a young surgeon in Roosevelt Hospital on the +ambulance, with a fine career open before him, and what's more he worked +very hard--often until late at night. People prophesied a great future +for Harvey and his parents were delighted, but none more so than Ethel, +whose encouragement was genuine and like the encouragement of a sister. + +Teddy Kip kept up a great correspondence with Patty, who sent him postals +from every place. + +"By George!" he said to the Hollisters, "do you know I correspond +with three girls who are abroad and they never write letters--only +postals--and if you believe it, I've got nearly a hamper filled with +them--'pon my word I have. If only Miss Patty would write a fellow a +real letter once in a while I'd be grateful." + +Nora received a letter from Edna Whitely. + +"I have some news for all of your girls. Mollie Long and Sallie Davis are +going to marry clergymen. They are brothers. Sallie's husband is going to +be a missionary to China." + +"Isn't that awful?" said Mrs. Hollister. "Sallie will be massacred as +sure as fate--that's the end of missionaries. I had a second cousin who +went and both she and her husband were victims. I wouldn't allow a child +of mine to marry one. Let him stay in his own country, but to drag a +young girl out into those heathen places--it's an outrage." + +"Well, our Ohio Camp Fire will resolve itself into only half, I fear," +said Nora. "There's poor Mattie, Miss Kate, Sallie and Mollie from right +there. I wonder who's going to take their places." + +"Perhaps," said Ethel, "little Mollie Hastings if she's pronounced cured. +It may be of great benefit to her. Let's see what can be done." + +"Dorothy Kip might become an Ohio girl and spend her summers up there +with us too," suggested Nora. "And if Dr. Bigelow goes with the Scouts +Nannie can join." + +"We'll see," replied Ethel. "It's quite a few months before next summer. +'Sufficient unto the day, etc.'" + +Ethel was getting along famously at Barnard. + +"What profession shall you follow--the law or ministry?" Harvey would ask +jokingly. + +"Something that shall enable me to become self supporting," Ethel would +reply seriously. + +"There's where you make a mistake," said Harvey. "A woman was made to be +supported by a man--not to support herself." + +"Why not?" asked Ethel. "How many wives today support their husbands? +Have you any idea of the number?" + +"Oh, well, then it's because the men are lazy or sick. No decent, +self-respecting man would allow it." + +"Supposing a woman can not marry. She can't propose to a man. What can +she do in that case--starve? No, Dr. Bigelow, you can't even argue. Every +woman should have in her hand, say, a weapon or trade with which to take +care of herself. Then when the time comes she's ready to start in the +battle of life, and not sit around helpless while others do for her, or +become dependent upon charity, or worse. The day of Elsie Dinsmores has +gone. In her place we have strong, capable, broad-minded women. Seldom do +we hear of a woman fainting today, yet look back sixty years and recall +the Lydia Languish females with long ringlets and wasp waists, who +invariably carried smelling salts. I'm proud to belong to the women of +today--healthy, strong, athletic, and brave--women who _do_ and are not +ashamed of it. Look at Aunt Susan. There's a woman who is an example. I +hope I may amount to as much as she before I die." + +"Ethel, I fear you are strong-minded," laughed Harvey. + +"Don't fear, but know it. I try to be strong in mind and body. I believe +in a woman getting all that's coming to her and working for that end." + +Harvey laughed. + +"Well, I shan't argue with you." + +"Because you agree with me, and you know it," said Ethel quietly. "You +have made yourself amount to something. Look where you were three years +ago. What were your views of life then? A rich marriage. Behold the +change! Now you are a man." + +"Thanks," said Harvey, rising and making a low bow. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +CHRISTMAS EVE + + +Christmas was near. The Hollisters wrote and invited Mr. Casey to spend +the Christmas holidays with them. They also wrote Tom Harper to see if it +were possible to bring Aunt Susan to be with them during the holidays. +Tom replied he would make it possible. So they were to have a house full. + +Nora and Ethel vied in dressing up the rooms tastefully with holly and +mistletoe. Every chandelier and door had a piece of mistletoe fastened +above it. + +"What a grand kissing time there'll be," said Archibald. "When do we +begin--on Christmas morning?" + +"Now, Papa, don't you get gay," laughed Ethel. "You've led an exemplary +life for fifty years. Please keep on and don't let this mistletoe make of +you a different man." + +Well--first came Mr. Casey. Every day he and Nora boarded a taxi and went +shopping, returning with huge boxes and parcels which gradually filled +Nora's closets as well as under her bed. + +Then came Tom and Aunt Susan, even looking younger than before. + +"Really it's ridiculous, Aunt Susan," said Ethel, "for you to keep +growing so much younger and more stylish. You've got to stop." + +And the bell rang so often that Mrs. Hollister was obliged to hire an +extra maid for Christmas week. Everyone was so perfectly happy that it +was a joy to enter the house. Harvey was there as often as his hospital +practice would admit of, and he was the first to kiss Aunt Susan under +the mistletoe; and Aunt Susan, if you please, now appeared in the +daintiest of gowns--up-to-date and rather youthful. Ethel and Grandmother +laughed over it. + +"Why, Grandmother, how old is Aunt Susan?" + +"She's about sixty-one," said her sister--"why?" + +"Nothing, but I've been thinking wouldn't it be funny if she should marry +again? She's mighty attractive in her up-to-date gowns." + +"I don't see whom she could marry," said Grandmother with some asperity, +"unless Mr. Casey or Dr. Bigelow." Ethel laughed. + +Christmas eve arrived. They had a large tree and distributed the gifts. +Everyone received exactly what he or she desired. Mr. Casey's generosity +was boundless. He gave Mrs. Hollister a small limousine with the +understanding that all bills should be sent to him. + +"Madam," he said, "you and Nora have a great deal of shopping and social +duties to perform. Nora tells me that you go by the cars and rarely in a +taxi, and that you seldom allow her to pay her fare. Now this will set +everything right, and Grandmother--God bless her--must have her ride +daily. It is money well invested, for you and Nora can take comfort. I +have engaged a good chauffeur and have made arrangements with a garage +near by. All bills are to be sent to me. Nora will attend to the sending +of them." + +Mrs. Hollister couldn't speak. They stood under the mistletoe. She just +raised herself up and gave Mr. Casey two hearty smacks, at which there +arose a shout. + +"I shan't try to thank you," she said, "for I can not." + +Then another surprise came in shape of a wonderful diamond la valliere or +pendant, and poor Mrs. Hollister was most embarrassed. + +"Mr. Casey," she said, "you are going to get me in wrong. People may +criticise me." + +Then Tom's present came--a lovely grey silk evening wrap trimmed with +chinchilla, and verily Mrs. Hollister was nearly off her head. + +Grandmother received a long silk coat lined with fur and trimmed with a +large lynx collar and cuffs--from Mr. Casey also. + +"Don't think that I bought out a furrier," he said, "but I know people +always need them." + +Ethel received a lovely pendant from Mr. Casey and one from Tom, while +Nora presented her with a beautiful diamond ring. + +Everyone was happy this Christmas eve and strange to say Mr. Casey took +Aunt Susan right under the mistletoe and kissed her, which made +Grandmother laugh immoderately. + +During one of the moments when people were rather quiet, Harvey Bigelow +took Nora by the hand and walked up to Mr. Casey who was standing under +the mistletoe; in fact, he had stood nowhere else during the evening. + +"Mr. Casey," he said, "I ask of you the most valuable gift that a father +can give. I ask the hand of this dear girl," and he kissed Nora gently. + +Mr. Casey, who had imbibed somewhat plentifully of punch, and who was +quite warm, looked at the two for a moment. + +"An' is it this that ye two have been up to?" he said. "Nora, me child, +do ye wish it to be?" + +"Yes, Papa," faltered the girl, "I love Harvey." + +"An' suppose I withhold my consent--what then?" + +"Then I shall still love him, but I shall never marry without it." + +"Hear that now. Nora, my good girl," and taking her hand he placed it in +Harvey's, "I give her to ye. All I ask is that ye shall make her happy. +Let her niver regret this day--that's all," and he wiped his eyes. + +Nora flung her arms around him while Harvey wrung his hand. + +"You'll never have cause to regret, nor shall she," he said. "I'll love +and cherish her until death parts us, and I'll work for her so that +she'll be proud of me." + +Ethel kissed them both; in fact, so did everyone. Aunt Susan and Tom were +delighted. + +"I always liked him," she said. "Anyone who looks me square in the eye, +Mr. Casey, I'll bank on every time." + +It was long after midnight when the Xmas party broke up. The young man +who had always played at Mrs. Hollister's teas for the sum of three +dollars played the Virginia Reel, and everyone danced,--even Grandmother. +Mr. Casey took so many funny fancy steps that it was hard to get him +through with the figures, after which Nora and Ethel showed the elderly +people how to dance the turkey trot, which of course was shocking. When +the young musician left he was richer by fifty dollars--gifts of Mr. +Casey, Tom Harper, and Mrs. Hollister, for she told of how lovely his +mother was and how she had been her bridesmaid. + +"And here's a gift for her," said Mr. Casey. "Take it and buy her a +fur-lined coat," at which everyone shouted, for poor Mr. Casey's gifts +had all been so comfortable and warm. + +"Niver mind," he laughed, "I bet she'll like one. And give her me +compliments and a Merry Christmas. And let me have your address, sir." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +CHRISTMAS DAY + + +It was a typical Christmas day. There was even snow on the ground. The +pretty limousine stood before the Hollisters' door and a well-groomed +good-looking chauffeur was taken in and presented to Mrs. Hollister, +his future mistress. Grandmother, in her handsome new cloak, and Aunt +Susan with Mr. Casey, took the first ride. Mr. Casey was in high spirits +over Nora's choice. + +"Shure they till me that he has a great future." + +"Of course he has," said Grandmother. "Why, he's advanced to the +operating room and he is in line to be second assisting surgeon. Think, +Mr. Casey, of the lives he may save. I think Nora has made a wise choice, +and he cared for her for herself--not for her money--for he's always said +that his wife's money should be settled on herself--that only the husband +should pay the bills. And Nora, dear child, has improved so. She's grown +so handsome and has a face full of character." + +"That's so, ma'am. I would that her poor mother--God rest her soul--could +but see her." + +"She does," said Aunt Susan. "I firmly believe that our loved ones see +us and are near us constantly. Wait a bit; I have to stop," and Mr. Casey +got out at a market. + +"Now what is he up to?" said Grandmother. "Susan, he's the +kindest-hearted and most generous man that I ever knew." + +They could catch a glimpse of him now and then. Presently he emerged with +an immense basket containing a large turkey, a pair of ducks, and paper +bags of vegetables, and in one corner a smaller basket of delicious +fruit and a couple of wreaths. From a card he read an address to the +chauffeur, who placed the Christmas basket beside him. + +"Now where is he going, I wonder?" said Aunt Susan. "Perhaps some of his +poor relations." + +The chauffeur drove up before a cheap flat, alighted, and left the +basket. Returning he nodded "yes" to Mr. Casey. + +Mr. Casey said in a hesitating manner: + +"The young piano player,--I thought I'd surprise him and his mother. Mrs. +Hollister speaks highly of the mother and I need just such a young man +with me in Columbus. I think I can find an opening for him in my office; +if not, in the office of some of my friends. There are too many young men +in New York; there are not enough places for them all. Now wid me they +have a chance to advance, and when I'm gone they'll take my place. I've +no son." + +"Yes," said Grandmother, "this young musician supports his mother. My +daughter-in-law says that the mother comes from a good old family. She +and Mrs. Hollister were at school together in Elmira, New York state. +Then when my son married Bella this lady was her bridesmaid. Bella said +she was a raving beauty, but she married a man who drank himself to +death, leaving her with her child alone in the world and without a penny. +The boy was musical and someone taught him how to play. He used to go to +school through the day and practice at night. Then he graduated and +obtained a position as clerk, receiving a very moderate salary. Bella +met them one night in the cars and had them come up to the house. She +did all that she could for them, and employed him every time she had a +tea or needed music. He played well and was glad to get his little three +dollars. I know that Bella always sent home a box of refreshments to the +mother." + +"Well, I shall persuade them to go back wid me, and they'll have enough +then, I'm thinkin'." + +"Mr. Casey, you are a good man," said Aunt Susan. "The world would be +better if we had more like you." + +"But, Mrs. Carpenter, I think this way. The Lord has been good to me. He +has caused me to prosper. Why should I consider it all me own? No, I +think whenever I can help a fellow man He expects me to do so--that's +all--and I try to make good." + +The elderly women made no reply. He was a rough self-made man--a Roman +Catholic, although not a churchman, who could give them points on charity +and who did his good deeds quietly and without boasting. Mr. Casey was a +Scout, although not a young one, for that was the way they were taught to +do their good deeds. + +Upon their arrival home he directed the chauffeur to get his dinner or +luncheon and return, and after the Hollister luncheon, Nora, Harvey, +Ethel and Tom went to Van Courtlandt Park, where there was skating, +returning in time for six o'clock dinner. + +"I think, ma'am," said Mr. Casey, "we have monopolized your car pretty +well, and you never have been inside of it." + +"But I'm too busy, Mr. Casey. Today is Christmas and I love to view it +from the window. Just to think that it belongs to me! I can't realize it. +Mr. Casey, you are my fairy Godfather and nothing else. How can I ever +repay you?" + +"By always being a mother to my girl, ma'am, as ye have been since she +met ye. Why, ye deserve a whole garage of automobiles for the kindness +ye've shown her, and see the good man she now has through ye. Don't thank +me, ma'am. It's ourselves who can't thank ye enough." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +ANOTHER SURPRISE + + +After a delicious Christmas dinner the Bigelows came over. They welcomed +and embraced Nora. Mrs. Bigelow really seemed sincere on this occasion. +Mr. Casey liked them at once, especially Mr. Bigelow and Nannie. + +"They'll make her happy all right. My girl has chosen wisely," he +thought. + +Tom and Ethel went out together during Christmas week. They skated and +visited all the art galleries, enjoying every moment. They had many +serious talks, and Ethel took Tom to call on several of her friends. +The girls voted him delightful and Ethel was proud of him. They spoke of +Mattie Hastings. + +"Tom, Patty will never get over it," she said, "of that I'm sure." + +"Ethel, don't you see, Patty witnessed it, and the shock is indelibly +stamped on her memory. Time will help remove it--nothing else." + +"But what a brave act, wasn't it?" continued Ethel. "Patty sends orders +for flowers once a week for her grave, and they say it looks very lovely. +And I even disliked her once. I said her eyes were too close together and +I misjudged her. Then I fairly hated Nora--think!--she who saved my life. +Each one has done something. What have I done? Whom have I benefited? +Who is better for having had me for a friend?" + +They were sitting on a bench in the picture gallery of the Metropolitan +Museum Ethel looked very lovely. She wore a bunch of Tom's orchids and a +grey velvet suit. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were burning red. +She was visibly excited. Tom saw that she felt her life had been a +failure. + +"Ethel," he said, taking her hand, "think of the joy you have brought +to Aunt Susan. Can't you see how much happier she is today than when +you first knew her? Look at Nora. Through you she has changed from an +awkward girl into a cultivated and charming woman, engaged to a fine +young physician belonging to one of New York's oldest families. +Indirectly you are responsible for it all. Look at little Mary Hastings. +Through you she has been, or will be completely cured of her spine +trouble. And lastly, look at me, Ethel, you have brought sunshine and +happiness into my life. It is not always the big things that go to make +happiness. It is the small things as well; and in your sweet, quiet way +you have scattered light and joy in many paths. I had not intended, my +dear, to speak to you of my love. I wished to wait until I had more of +a name for you, and until you had come out and had a chance to choose +from many men more worthy perhaps than I, but I can not keep my secret. +I love you, dear, and I would have you for my wife. Can I hope? Do you +care for me a little?" + +Ethel's eyes shone like stars. She looked up into his face and said: + +"I care for you a great deal,--until you spoke I never knew how much. If +you wish I will be your wife." + +Then Tom lifted her hand to his lips. + +"I will make you as happy as I know how," he said. "I had a feeling that +I couldn't keep my secret back after today. Come, dear, let us go and +tell them all; and never under-rate yourself again." + +People stared at the handsome couple and at their beaming faces. Joy was +stamped on their countenances and happiness shone from their eyes. + +When they arrived home, Tom walked up to Mrs. Hollister, and kissing her +he said: + +"I have asked Ethel to be my wife. Will you and Mr. Hollister give her to +me?" + +Mrs. Hollister gasped. + +"Why Tom! Ethel! Is it true?" + +Ethel put her arm around her mother. + +"Yes, Mamma, Tom has asked me to marry him and I said 'yes,' for I know +that you and Papa like him. Now you say 'yes'--do dear." + +"Yes, I will say it gladly. Tom, I have always liked you and I'm sure +you and Ethel will be happy. I give my consent with all my heart," and +Tom took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly. + +"Thank you," he said, "you have given me a precious gift. You shall never +regret it." + +Then they sought Mr. Hollister and were closeted with him for a long +time, after which Grandmother and Aunt Susan had to be told, and lastly +Nora. + +So that Christmas brought two engagements in the Hollister circle. + +Ethel decided to finish college before marrying, and Nora her school. The +men had to be content. + +"We'll have one more year at Camp anyway," said Nora. "I shall be glad to +spend my last single summer there." + +"And Tom and Harvey will practically be with us," said Ethel. "Nora, are +you not a happy girl?" + +"I am," said Nora. + +"So am I," rejoined Ethel. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +MR. CASEY BUYS A HOUSE + + +Aunt Susan at once began to make plans. In the meanwhile Mr. Casey asked +Mr. Hollister and his mother to give him a few moments conversation on +business. + +"I understand that ye own this house, ma'am," he began. "What would ye +sell it for?" + +Mrs. Hollister looked at her son. + +"Why?" she asked. + +"Because I'm about to buy a house for Nora and the Doctor, and I want to +buy one in this neighborhood. I also have a proposition to make to ye, +Mr. Hollister. Frankly, what might be yere salary?" + +Mr. Hollister reddened. + +"I mean no disrespect or pryin', sir. It is a business proposition I have +to make to ye, before I do to anyone else." + +"My salary is three thousand a year, Mr. Casey," said Archibald +Hollister. "I'm with an old and respected firm and have been with them +for thirty years." + +"Thin they don't value your services as they should,--pardon my sayin'. +This minnit they ought to give ye more. Now I need a man like yourself +to be me representative in New York. I give you the first option. Will +ye come and accept the position for six thousand a year?" + +Mr. Hollister acted dazed. Grandmother spoke up: + +"Answer, Archibald," + +But still Archibald kept quiet. + +"Is it because ye think it not honorable to leave them? Thin tell thim +that I have offered ye more and see if they will do the same. I'll give +you a week to see." + +"And now, ma'am, I have heard that ye wished to sell. Yere Granddaughter +will marry and this house will be too big for the three of yees. A pretty +apartment on the Park will be far better for ye. What is yere price for +the house?" + +"We refused thirty thousand for it in 1900," replied Mrs. Hollister, "and +real estate has increased in value since that." + +"Very well," said Mr. Casey, "I know what ye say is true, and I will pay +a fair price. I will give ye fifty thousand for this house, ma'am, and I +will have it remodeled for my girl." + +"I will accept," said Mrs. Hollister, in a prompt businesslike way. +"There is no mortgage on the house," she added. + +"Yere more of a business woman than yere son. Faith, he's worryin' over +hurtin' feelings of his employers I do be thinkin'," and Mr. Casey laid +back and laughed. + +But Archibald felt as though the earth was slowly slipping from under his +feet. His luck was changing too rapidly. It was coming upon him too late +in life, and Mr. Casey! Well, he was indeed the fairy Godfather. He and +his wife had so longed for an apartment overlooking the Park, but +Grandmother would never hear of selling. + +"When I die will be time enough," she would say, and now she had actually +seemed glad. And to think she would have fifty thousand dollars to live +on for the rest of her life. Then this new offer from Mr. Casey, double +the salary he was now receiving--it was like a dream. And his girl +engaged to one of the finest men in the West. God was too good to him--he +didn't deserve it. + +His wife was overjoyed. + +"Oh, Archie," she said "how wonderful it all is. It seems to have +happened since Ethel joined the Camp Fire girls. I'm sure they have +brought her luck. They have brought Nora to us and her dear father, +who has been so generous, and but for the Camp Fire she never would +have met Nora. Isn't it strange?" + +Archibald Hollister laid the case before the Company by which he had been +employed for thirty years, not telling how much his new salary was to +be. + +"Mr. Hollister," they said, "we can not afford to increase your salary. +To be sure you have served us faithfully, but you are no longer young, +and you know we need young blood in business. There are plenty waiting +for your place." + +That was a terrible blow to Archibald. He had not expected to get +three thousand extra, but he had looked for an increase of a thousand +rather than they should let him go, and to hear them calmly sit and +tell him that they needed young blood was too much. He left the office, +and the next morning in place of Archibald Hollister there arrived his +resignation. So thirty years of faithfulness to their interests and +strict attention to business didn't count with them, and there he had +been so loyal to the concern! + +"Ah!" said Mr. Casey, "what did I tell ye? Do ye think these corporations +care for the man? No. It's for what they can get out of him--for the +amount of work he can do, and for how small a salary. Let them hire their +young blood and you come along with me, and we'll see how much better off +they'll be!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +ARCHIBALD'S CHANGE FOR THE BETTER + + +So Archibald Hollister found himself the New York manager of a large +Ohio Realty Company, with four clerks under him and a couple of handsome +offices; and Mr. Casey was proud of his personal appearance, for +Archibald was a handsome man. One of the clerks was the young fellow +who on Christmas eve had played Money Musk for them to dance the +Virginia Reel, and whose mother received on the following morning the +Christmas basket from Mr. Casey. + +"Now yere where ye belong," said the kind-hearted man. "I tell ye, Mr. +Hollister, an honest employee should have been appreciated, and ye were +not." + +The family moved from the house and took a pretty apartment overlooking +the Park. They were delighted with the change and every day Ethel took +long walks around the reservoir. + +Mr. Casey began to renovate the interior of the house and modernize the +outside. + +The family lived in the limousine, and everyone seemed happy. Aunt Susan +did not go home with Tom but stayed on until the family were settled in +their new house. Then Tom who only wished for an excuse came on East for +her. It was nearly Easter. They persuaded him to stay over, which he +did. + +And so here we shall leave them. After one more year there will be a +double wedding, and Ethel and Nora will marry. We see Harvey making rapid +strides in his profession, and Tom building a pretty home for his Ethel, +while Aunt Susan will be busy embroidering towels, napkins, etc., for +their linen chest; and not only for them, but for Nora as well, for was +it not through Nora and Mr. Casey that much of their happiness came? + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ethel Hollister's Second Summer as a +Campfire Girl, by Irene Elliott Benson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMPFIRE GIRL *** + +***** This file should be named 14169.txt or 14169.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/4/1/6/14169/ + +Produced by Audrey Longhurst, Mary Meehan, and the PG Online +Distributed Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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