The Woodcraft Girls in the City

CHAPTER THIRTEEN – INDOOR WOODCRAFT ENTERTAINMENT

November ushered itself in with cold and penetrating fogs, so that the girls found it pleasanter to hold meetings at each other’s houses or in the gymnasium, instead of out-of-doors. At the indoor meetings they learned the application of Woodcraft ideas and principles to meet their needs of everyday life.

Miss Miller had them take up knitting for the soldiers and required them to do a certain stint every day. They also completed the bead bandings for their ceremonial costumes. Nita loaned the Guide the pattern for a dancing costume and each girl cut out, fitted, and made, of cheap cotton crêpe bloomers, blouse, and skirt for dancing.

Besides designing belts, banding, and costumes, the girls began regular weekly lessons with Elizabeth as teacher, in sketching and designing. Elizabeth attended a New York School of Design and could tell the girls whatever she had learned. Many pretty patterns in cross-stitch and other work were thus made and applied to use.

“I’m going to ask Dad to send me to school next Winter,” declared Jane, who enjoyed the work immensely.

“And Elena, Nita, and May ought to go, too,” added Miss Miller, admiring the dainty work done by these girls.

One afternoon the Guide said: “Girls, have any of you entered blue prints in your Tally Books?”

No one had, so she added: “Just as soon as Spring comes with its first flowers, I want you to start a blue print album. I think it is one of the most interesting and instructive of pursuits. I have a book that I completed during a trip through the Canadian Northwest, and I wouldn’t sell those blue prints for any price – they are so beautiful and the wild flowers so interesting.”

The Saturdays during November were spent in New York, the Guide taking the girls to the splendid public libraries; lectures illustrated with motion pictures were given by white men who had spent many years with the Indians; and the unusual series of talks given at the Museum on Central Park West and 79th Street proved most interesting. Here also the Woodcrafters saw life-sized groups of Indians in wax, the individual costumes and customs of each Tribe being faithfully depicted by the clothes, items of camping outfits, and other things. In these exhibitions the girls found many suggestions that they could apply to pottery work, bead work, and other things pertaining to Indian life.

One afternoon, while visiting the large library on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, Miss Miller said: “Who knows where the first public library was founded – and when?”

No one knew, so the Guide told them.

“The first on record – there may have been private collections then as now, but it was not recorded – was founded at Athens by Hipparchus in 526 B. C.

“The second of note was founded at Alexandria by Ptolemy Philadelphus, but it was burnt when Julius Caesar set fire to Alexandria in 47 B. C. It is said that 400,000 rare and valuable books were destroyed in that disaster.

“A second library was formed from the remains of the books in this first one, and this second was reputed to have held over 700,000 volumes, but this was captured by the Saracens who used the books for fuel instead of working to gather wood.

“In 1446 A. D. the next large library was formed and from that time on collections of important books were made and offered to the public for free use.”

Such comments by Miss Miller always made the visits to public buildings very interesting to the girls, who acquired a general knowledge of things worth knowing in this manner.

One Saturday before the weather was too cold, they all went to Bedloe’s Island, now renamed Liberty Island, in New York Harbour. Here they climbed the endless round of narrow iron steps until they regretted having started the ascent. But there was no turning back, as the descent was on the other side and no one could go down when once started up.

Having wearily climbed to the crown of the head in the Liberty Goddess Statue, they were disappointed at not finding the view any better than that seen from the balcony where the elevator stopped, but which was wonderful from that vantage point. From the Statue they walked about the Island and then took the small boat back to Battery Park.

The Aquarium was visited next, and here the girls found many odd and interesting fish. One funny fish, grey in colour and about fifteen inches in length, kept bumping his nose against the glass side as if to come through. At each bump he slid back in the water and tried again.

“‘Constant dripping wears the rock away,’” said Zan, watching him come back again and again to strike the glass.

“He is only playing tag with his nose,” explained Jane.

“But why should he always keep his mouth open half-way, as if he had difficulty in breathing?” asked Nita.

“Maybe he has – that constant bumping on his nose will cause a swelling and close up the nostrils,” ventured Elena.

“Oh, I have it!” cried Zan, nodding her head vigourously. “The poor thing has asthma from that damp atmosphere! He gasps through his open mouth and tries to break down the screen of glass to get more air!”

This explanation brought a laugh not only from the girls who crowded about the glass case, but from some observers who also stood watching the queer fish.

Just before Thanksgiving, Mrs. Remington invited Wickeecheokee Band to spend the week-end in camp in the woods back of the house. Fred’s Tribe would also camp there, and it was thought a good time to hold contests between the boys and the girls.

The girls hailed the treat with many varied expressions, but the days immediately preceding the Holidays grew so cold that most mothers objected to having the girls sleep out in the open.

“They can camp in the Council House,” said Mrs. Remington over the telephone, when Miss Miller told her of the trouble.

“Oh, yes, yes!” cried everyone at that.

Beaded Ceremonial Costumes were finished but had not yet had an opportunity to be worn, so these were packed in the suit-cases with head-bands, moccasins,coup-sticks, and many other fine articles of Indian costume.

Wednesday was a beautiful day but so cold that Dr. Baker said he was relieved to know the girls would be in the Council House at night. The boys refused to be so molly-coddled, they averred, and so they camped out in the woods. However, Mrs. Remington whispered to the girls the next morning that Fred had made use of two Sibley stoves brought from Maine for camp use.

“There will be skating on the lake if we have another day and night of this cold,” said Mr. Remington, rubbing his ears to keep up the circulation as he stood in front of the Council House early Thursday morning.

“I say, girls! Want your picture took? Get into your robes and pose out in the sun, if you do!” shouted Elizabeth, from the porch of the house.

It did not take long for the Woodcrafters to change to their Woodcraft costumes and when they ran over to the group of pine trees where Elizabeth stood waiting, they found the boys had decorated the place with totems, shields, and coup-sticks to create a genuine Woodcraft atmosphere.

Zan’s costume, with its picturisation of the camp on the farm, was pronounced the handsomest of all, although Elena’s ran a close second. So these two girls were selected for individual pictures which could be used in the Tally Book of the Tribe. Zan held Elizabeth’s coup-stick, her own only having a few feathers on it, and the former being well-decorated by marks of achievement, for Elizabeth was a zealous Woodcrafter.

Thanksgiving dinner was not to be served until four that afternoon, and it was only ten when many of the campers began to wish it was late afternoon. Mrs. Remington was a perfect hostess and, having five healthy children, she suspected the gnawings under many belts. Hence her next suggestion:

“Fred, why don’t you boys invite the girls to dinner at your camp in the woods?”

“How!” eagerly chorused the girls.

“Why, so we will, if the girls will bring the grub over from the barn. We haven’t enough to go around such a crowd.”

Everyone laughed, and Mrs. Remington added: “If I was a Black Bear, I’d scout for victuals and not expect the squaws to bring their own feast!”

Fred understood his mother only too well, and he quickly took the hint, calling Fiji to help him. In another moment the two had disappeared in the woods and were seen no more for some time. The others walked slowly back to the Council House to change the beaded costumes to camp clothes again.

About the time the girls were ready to follow the hosts to the camp in the woods, Fred and Fiji were seen crossing the field, carrying heavy baskets on their arms and bags suspended over their shoulders.

“They must have scouted, Mother!” laughed Mr. Remington.

And “mother” nodded understandingly and laughed also.

At camp the Woodcrafters found Fred and Fiji unpacking boiled ham, potatoes, pickles and preserves, bread, a pie, and other edibles. In the bag that had been slung over Fiji’s back was a stone crock filled with delicious cookies still warm.

“There girls, the cookies will hold you together while we roast potatoes and get the lunch ready,” said Fred.

“Um-m! I want this recipe from someone to put in our book. These are the best cookies I ever tasted,” said Elena.

“Someone can tell you the recipe right now, Elena. It happens to be my own that Mrs. Remington tried,” laughed Miss Miller.

“Tell us, then, while I write it down,” urged Elena, with a pencil and scrap of paper ready for use.

“To one-half cup of butter I use one-half cup of lard and one-half cup of sugar. Two eggs, one level tablespoon each of ginger, cinnamon, and soda, with enough flour to roll out the dough easily.

“Cream the butter and lard together first, then add the sugar gradually. When the eggs are well beaten I add them. The spices and soda are mixed with two cups of flour and sifted into the batter. I use enough flour so the dough will roll out well. Cut them with a biscuit cutter and bake in a quick oven. Last of all, lock safely away in a secret vault where children cannot follow the scent and eat them up before the cook has washed the tins that the cookies were baked in.”

The girls laughed at the last part of the recipe and Fred said it was the most important if cookies were to be kept on hand.

After the stolen provender was thoroughly enjoyed by the hosts and guests in camp, the boys entertained the girls with relay races, Deer Hunts, Bat Ball, and a Bear Spearing Contest.

Just as the bear was killed by Fred, the gong sounded from the house calling the people to the Thanksgiving Dinner – the greatest contest of the day, Billy said.

The wide rear verandah of the Remington house was inclosed in glass in the Winter, and being ten feet wide and extending across the entire back of the house, it afforded an excellent place for the dinner. The table, made of four fifteen-inch-wide planks eighteen feet in length, placed on wooden horses, was covered with two long table-cloths. Benches made of wide planks also resting on boxes provided enough seats for all.

Mose, the family fixture who plays so important a rôle in the “Woodcraft Boys at Sunset Island” (the island being the Remingtons’ Summer resort off the coast of Maine), bossed the serving of the dinner. He had been given charge of Mary, the upstairs girl, and Katy the kitchen maid, and these, with Anna the governess, proved efficient to wait on the hungry horde of children.

Strange, however, that after that dinner not one of the Woodcrafters felt like dancing an Indian War Dance to entertain others!

During the night the temperature grew warmer and the sky clouded over with snow-clouds. Early Friday morning a very light snow began falling, but grew heavier until noon, when great gusts of snow were swept across the valley at every fresh hurricane of wind. All day Friday and most of Friday night, the snow continued falling, but the Woodcrafters cared little about that when they were having such a jolly time indoors. They were entertaining the Black Bears in the Council House, and many a wild shout echoed up through the loft, as a Bear caught a Wako Triber in a war-dance.

Before ten o’clock the boys were summoned to go to camp, and much against their inclinations to leave the cosy fire in the chimney-place of the Council House, they started out in the driving snow to plough over the field to their cold and cheerless camp.

In the early morning, however, the sun sparkled on the glistening snow and the Woodcraft girls were awakened by a fusillade of snow-balls striking the side of the barn, some of the soft snow falling through the opened windows and scattering over the faces of the sleepy girls.

They were soon up and dressed and out-doors to return the cold welcome given by the Black Bears. The snow-balls flew back and forth rapidly, until Fred had an idea.

“I say! What’s the matter with having a regular fight! Build a fort and choose up sides?”

“Down on the flats by the road-side!” added Billy, pointing to the low-land that fronted the lawns by the private road.

“Just the thing!” exclaimed Fiji.

“Will you girls help?” asked Jack Hubert.

The girls looked at the Guide for approval, and she, seeing the gleam of battle shining from those many eyes, laughed.

“No ice to be packed in the balls, remember!” warned the Guide, trying to be severe.

“Of course not!” agreed Bobby Baker.

“And no hard-packed snow, either. Just the soft feathery kind that gets down your back and blinds your eyes,” added Miss Miller, knowing well how to disguise her advice and make it sound enticing to the boys.

It took full two hours to complete the great fort and build refuges like pockets in the snow-wall, where daring scouts venturing away from the army could find temporary protection. While the boys were building the fort the girls rolled great piles of snow ammunition for both sides to use when the battle should rage.

Then came the commandeering of the two sides. Fred gallantly offered his services to Wako Tribe, while Fiji Baker undertook to command the boys’ side. As there were but eleven girls and seventeen boys, some of the surplus male contingent had to come over to join the girls’ side.

Then began preliminary tactics, followed by an engagement of the main armies. This was followed by the most active fighters running back and forth to plant a well-aimed shot whenever they discovered an unprotected head or body for a target. The battle waged for more than an hour, first one side winning a victory, then the other side, but at last Fiji’s side showed signs of defeat, and soon was retreating at full speed. The shots fell so fast and furious at that, that the boys were almost routed when Fiji made a grand rally.

To have it said that a lot of girls were victorious over the Black Bears or Grey Foxes was not to be thought of, so the General spurred his fighters back again to try and win the lost trench, but Fred was a fine general, too, and he was quick to take advantage of the other’s mistake in leaving the protection of the fort.

In less than half an hour’s time after Fiji rallied his men, the fort was demolished, most of Fiji’s men were prisoners, and the girls were triumphant! The captives then had to submit to having their faces well washed in the soft cold snow.

That was a glorious day and one to be remembered, for not only were merry faces as red as Baldwin apples and hands swollen and purple from handling much snow, but the Remington larder suffered from such secret raids that the cook finally stumped up to the library to “give notice.”

Mose intercepted her, however, and tried to pacify her with the news that the visitors would soon go home, and “anyway, Thanksgivin’ onny comes once a year, Maria!”

“Agh! G’wan! Don’t Oi know this fam’ly? It’s foriver havin’ comp’ny an’ eatin’ me out av iverything Oi cook! It’s cook, cook, COOK aul the toime an’ niver a crumb to eat!” declared Maria.

“But just think, Maria, how soon this thing will have to stop. The high cost of livin’ and the laws made by the President won’t let us eat much anny more, an’ you’ll have an easy time, then,” said Mose, trying to placate the angry cook.

“An’ it’s good wages an’ plenty of my friends to visit me to tay,” said Maria, thoughtfully, so Mose knew he had won a different kind of battle than the one fought on the Flats with snow.

After a red-hot luncheon that partly thawed out the half-frozen warriors, Mrs. Remington asked if they would like to take a sleigh-ride in a great farmer’s sleigh that afternoon. The man called twice a week to deliver eggs, butter, and chickens from his farm some miles in the country, and would be glad to have the extra fee offered for driving a party of young folks on a joy-ride.

That evening was spent in quiet ways, as everyone felt weary and ready for bed the moment it could reasonably be suggested.

The rest of the visit was devoted to indoor pastimes, as a thaw set in and made the ground too wet and muddy for any games or fun on the lawn.

Then came the time for good-byes and the Woodcrafters were carried away, leaving a sense of loneliness with the family where they had had such a good time.

December came in with much wind and snow so that all hope of week-end camps was at low ebb. But the girls found plenty of work to do and the applicants for the second Band were ready to qualify, and attention had to be paid to this important matter.

Most of the girls applying for membership were so anxious to belong to Wako Tribe that it seemed hard to deny any one of them. But the rules in the Manual were to be followed and some had to be left out. Hence the choosing of the crowd of girls that had asked for admission was to be done by drawing lots.

The names of the girls were written on slips of paper and these were folded up into small cubes, then shaken well in a covered tin. The Guide drew forth the first ten papers and these were the ones drawn to form the second Band – Suwanee, it was called.

The ten girls selected were delighted, but the others half cried with bitter disappointment, so that the Guide agreed to ask Mrs. Baker to start a new Band for them which would eventually grow into a Tribe of its own. And this promise soothed the wounded hearts of the unfortunate ones.

Although the improvement in Eleanor Wilbur had been so slow that none of her daily associates had noticed it, still it was constantly going on, so that when Ethel Clifford returned from the Californian trip she exclaimed at the great change in the girl.

“Why, Miss Miller, it doesn’t seem possible! Really, can’t you see the improvement?” said the girl.

“Now that you mention some small things, I can see where she has been helped, but I almost gave up in despair several times, and I’d rather you would not let her hear of this conversation as she is not ‘out of the woods’ yet, by any means,” said Miss Miller.

Nevertheless, it was as Ethel had said: there was a change for the higher and better life that was making an impression in Eleanor’s character and desires, and these in time would overcome her former weaknesses.

That Winter, needle-craft was taken up and many practical as well as beautiful things were made by the girls. The Christmas-tide gave each one plenty to do, as they planned to make all their gifts this year with as little cost in money as possible. And these gifts were all beautiful and artistic, as well as sensible and useful articles.

Not a mother or father of these girls but felt proud to show the gifts made by their daughters that Christmas, and many a parent thanked Miss Miller for the patience and time she had devoted to the Woodcrafters to bring them to this point in their education and improvement of character.

In January the Guide suggested that an entirely new departure be taken up before Spring.

“I didn’t think there was anything more on earth that we could learn,” said May, laughing.

“Now that we have exhausted all the foolishness, maybe we will start on something worth while,” said Eleanor.

“Just what I have in mind, Eleanor. I shall have you all start practical and cumbersome work this time,” smiled Miss Miller, but to the eager questions of the girls, she maintained strict silence, merely saying:

“‘Sufficient unto the day’ – then you’ll see what I have in mind for you.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN – WINTER WOODCRAFT WORK

“Girls, how many are willing to start making a tent?” said the Guide, at the next meeting in the gymnasium.

“A tent! Good gracious!” exclaimed Zan, while the other girls echoed their Chief’s amazement.

“Easy as hemming a towel, if you know how,” laughed Miss Miller.

“It sounds like a stupendous work, but I suppose Miss Miller will explain it so that a child like Teddy Remington can sit down and make one every day,” laughed Jane.

“If you will try I will order the material to-day and show you how to begin the work,” urged the Guide.

“All right, go ahead! I’m willing to sew my fingers to the bone if you say so,” sighed Zan, who detested sewing.

The other girls laughed and Miss Miller immediately took up the telephone receiver and called up a department store. Her conversation showed that she had already priced materials and had all information at hand to start the tents without delay.

“Now, then, the stuff will be here Monday morning and we can start any time you like. We will allow fifteen yards of stuff for each tent. Four of you can work on one, for the completed tent will accommodate four cots. There being enough girls to work on five tents, I have ordered the material for five.”

Once launched on this unusual task, the girls felt a certain pride in saying, “We are making our own tents for camp, you know,” and when they heard the large bundle of canvas had arrived they were eager to work.

“First I will cut two strips of the goods, each strip being thirteen feet long. Then lap the selvage of one side over the other, about a quarter of an inch, and sew it down firmly with back-stitching. If we had a machine it would be better still. There must be a double row of stitching in case one row breaks in a strain or sudden yank.

“Now we will spread the whole piece out flat on the floor and fold over each end crosswise of the long strip toward the centre, and about two feet three inches from each end.

“These seams must be stitched or double-seamed on the folds all the way down each fold, about three or four inches in from the outer edge of the fold. As this will be the place where the tent-ropes are fastened, you can stitch it over and over four or five times, for it will have considerable strain come on it.

“The two unfinished ends of the strips will then have a narrow hem which will complete the roof and sides of the tent. ”Cut the rest of the cloth into two strips about two feet and seven inches long for the front and back ends of the tent. Each of these is to be cut into two pieces with a slanting cut running from a side two feet one inch at one end to a point two feet one inch on the other side.

“The sharp pointed corners are cut off by folding over the cloth three inches from the edge and by cutting the first slanting edge. You can save these pieces to use for patches when you reinforce the roof at the ends of the ridge-pole.