CHAPTER X Camp Fire Plans and Purposes
On the following evening, after an earlier and far simpler dinner, withno guests present, at half past seven o'clock, the group of Camp Firegirls assembled in their French drawing-room for their first ceremonialmeeting since their arrival at Versailles.
The girls were wearing their Camp Fire costumes and the honor beadsacquired by most of them through several years of membership in theirCamp Fire group. The only new members who had been recently admitted wereMary Gilchrist and Yvonne Fleury, who had been taken into the Camp Fireduring their residence in the old French farmhouse on the Aisne.Marguerite Arnot, who had only made the acquaintance of the other CampFire girls in the last few weeks was not at present a member of theorganization.
Assuredly the present drawing-room had never before been the scene of sounusual a ceremony! The atmosphere it created, with its artificial andconventional furnishing, was in truth a far cry from the simplicity andoutdoor setting of the original camp fires.
Nevertheless, the Camp Fire girls had no idea of giving up theirceremonial meetings for any such reason. This evening to the best oftheir ability the drawing-room had been adapted to their purposes.
In the grate a fire burned brightly; on the high white mantel, instead ofits usual ornaments, were three white candles, representing Work, Health,Love, the symbols of the American Camp Fire.
The candles were lighted, and there was no other light in the room, saveone shaded lamp in the background.
Seated in a semicircle about the fire on the ceremonial cushions were thegirls; Mrs. Burton had not appeared. She would come in later.
Miss Patricia had announced that she would not take part in the presentceremony and would not be seen until about bed time.
Now and then, either because she was too much engaged with some interestof her own, or because she wished the girls to feel greater liberty fortheir discussions and plans, she refused to be present at the Camp Firemeetings. Yet if Miss Patricia had any particular suggestion to offer, orcommand to enforce, she was then very much in evidence.
Tonight, before the arrival of the Camp Fire guardian, Bettina Graham hadtaken charge of the meeting at the request of the other girls.
"We are supposed to begin a discussion of our plans for any new Camp Firework we wish to undertake in France," Bettina announced.
"Since we were forced to retreat from our farmhouse on the Aisne toParis, we seem not to have had any definite purposes. Tante and I spokeof this the other afternoon and decided to bring the question up beforethe Camp Fire for an open debate. Any one of us who has any idea of whatcharacter of work our Camp Fire group should undertake in France for thenext few months, will please state it.
"To most of us it does seem a great enough experience to be allowed tolive here at Versailles while the work of the Peace Conference is goingon in Paris. I have wondered if in any possible way the Peace Conferencecould offer us a personal inspiration. Does it sound too visionary tosuggest that we might in some small fashion work toward future peace?"
During Bettina's speech the Camp Fire guardian had entered the roomunobserved and now stood silent, listening to the discussion.
Always a little amused over Bettina's idealistic points of view andconsidering herself severely practical, Peggy Webster smiled a littleteasingly.
"I don't believe we are going to be able to help forward the peace of theworld very seriously, Princess," she argued, using the other girl'sformer Camp Fire title. "Moreover, I don't believe many of us will payespecial attention to the proceedings of the Peace Conference, orunderstand them if we did. Perhaps you and Tante and Aunt Patricia may bethe exceptions. The rest of us were not brought up in a politicalatmosphere as you have been on account of your father's position inWashington. Our chief pleasure in being in glorious France at this timelies in the opportunity we may have to see so many famous persons. Nevershall I forget President Wilson's arrival in Paris and the wonderfulenthusiasm of his reception! We must go into Paris again within a fewdays to witness the arrival of the Peace Delegates, who will open theplenary session of the conference at the foreign office on the Quaid'Orsai.
"So far as our own Camp Fire work is concerned, for the present don't youthink being so near Paris affords us the best chance for continuing theorganization of a French Camp Fire? We did start a few groups of CampFire girls during the months we spent on the Aisne, but the seconddevastation of the country by the German horde probably separated thegirls so that they may never meet again. Here in Paris we can start anumber of Camp Fire units at the same time. We must also try to interestsome prominent French women to go on with the French Camp Fireorganization after we return home."
There was a little murmur of applause as Peggy Webster ended herextemporaneous talk.
The next instant Alice Ashton interposed, in a slightly offended tone:
"I think your suggestion for our Camp Fire work in France for the nextfew months admirable, Peggy. But I don't in the least agree with yourstatement that living here at Versailles during the dawn of peace, noone, except Bettina, is to be interested in the details of the PeaceConference. Neither do I see why Bettina's suggestion, that we try insome humble fashion to help toward peace, need be altogether scorned.Each human being can contribute a tiny quota. In the future women are tobe allowed the vote, which means a voice in just such questions as maydecide war or peace. Our own group of Camp Fire girls is growing up sothat in a few more years we shall perhaps be too old to think ofourselves as Camp Fire girls and must begin the work of guardians. If webelieve in peace, if we preach and practice it among ourselves and in ourCamp Fire organization, and if the Camp Fire becomes international, as itseems to be doing, why then just so many girls will be trained to lendthe weight of their influence toward the future peace of the world!"
"Bravo, Alice! You have just said what I wished to say, only you havesaid it more convincingly. I did not wish to interrupt you and you girlswere too interested to notice my entrance!" Mrs. Burton exclaimed.
She then sat down in a low chair which had been kept ready for her in thecenter of the group of girls.
"Suppose we try to follow Bettina's, Peggy's and Alice's suggestions, asthey seem to me not to oppose each other," she continued.
"For my part I will undertake to find some interesting women in Paris whowill agree to aid us with our French Camp Fire and take charge of itafter we leave France. We must interest poorer French girls as well asrich ones, we must introduce them by letter to Camp Fire girls in theUnited States so they may exchange ideas and plans and learn from eachother. I hate to confess the fact that you girls are growing older andmust soon look forward to undertaking the duties of Camp Fire guardians,nevertheless it is true. Your efforts here in France will be a great helplater on.
"In regard to Bettina's and Alice's points of view. Naturally we cannotsee at present how any one of us can help toward the future peace ofsociety. And yet Alice is right when she insists that every tiny quotadoes make some difference. Every life that both preaches and practicespeace is an influence for peace.
"But there is a suggestion I wish to make, which may strike you girls asmore impracticable than any one else's. You girls must have read andheard, as I have recently, that a surprising amount of ill feeling hasbeen developing between the French and American soldiers since the closeof the war. Strange, isn't it, when they were such loyal comrades inarms! But I suppose it is harder to keep up the morale during the slowapproach of peace than under the greater excitement of war. Senator Duvaltold me the other night that there is also a secret German propagandawhich is trying to create ill feeling between the soldiers of the Alliedarmies. Well, it may be possible that you girls will meet a number ofthese men in the next few weeks. Perhaps, more than you realize, you maybe an influence for peace and good feeling between them! If the chancecomes to any of you, do your best."
At the farthest end of the circle away from Mrs. Burton, at this momentSally Ash
ton's expression changed from one of previous indifference toamusement, mingled with a faint sarcasm.
"Where did you receive the impression, Tante, that friendship betweengirls and men has ever been an influence for peace? So far I have notseen a great deal of the world, but I think it has more often been anoccasion for war. However, you may know best!"
Sally's unexpected rejoinder had the effect of a thunderbolt launchedfrom a clear sky into a sun warmed atmosphere.
There was only one way to receive so ill tempered a speech. Mrs. Burtonlaughed, the girls following her example.
Of late Sally had been so unreasonably bad tempered, so nervous andirritable, that, having made up their minds, either that she was ill, orelse seriously troubled, the Camp Fire girls had refused to pay anyspecial attention to her rapidly changing moods.
Moreover, Sally had never made a pretence of wholly forgiving them fortheir suspicion of her during the time she was nursing Lieutenant Fleuryback to health.[3]
In spite of Lieutenant Fleury's appreciation of Sally's kindness and selfsacrifice, never afterwards had she and his sister, Yvonne Fleury, becomeintimate friends.
"Well, Sally, I was far from suggesting that any one of you girls developa romantic friendship in the next few weeks. Difficulties only developwhen romance creeps in.
"I think _one_ marriage, Gerry Williams to Felipe Morris, and alsoPeggy's and Ralph's engagement is a sufficient supply of romance for ourCamp Fire for some time to come! I am hoping Gerry and Felipe may join uswhen Felipe is finally discharged from the army. Gerry writes they intendreturning to California and will make their home at their ranch near thespot where we spent our summer together 'Behind the Lines.'"
Purposely Mrs. Burton had changed the subject of her conversation from aCamp Fire discussion to one which she hoped might be of personal interestto Sally Ashton. After her sarcastic little speech, Sally had flusheduncomfortably, as if sorry she had spoken, and Gerry Williams had beenthe only one of the Camp Fire girls for whom Sally had ever displayed anyparticular affection.
At present Mrs. Burton was more unhappy over Sally than she had dreamedpossible, having always taken it for granted that Sally would be one ofthe persons who would accept life in an indolent, slightly selfishfashion, without much trouble either to herself or to other people.
Certainly she had altered. And something must have occurred which wasresponsible for Sally's present state of mind and health.
As she was as much in the dark as ever, Mrs. Burton hoped that AuntPatricia knew; but if Miss Patricia had expected that Sally would alsomake a confidante of her in the few moments they had spent together theother evening, she had been mistaken. Sally had appeared interested onlyin the approaching dinner party. In answer to a direct question she hadmerely protested that she had nothing to confide and did not understandwhy she was supposed to have changed.
Two hours longer the Camp Fire girls and their guardian continued todiscuss the details of their new Camp Fire work in France.
Marguerite Arnot and Yvonne Fleury both offered to introduce the Americangirls to their acquaintances in Paris.
And this afforded the very opportunity Mrs. Burton had hoped for;Yvonne's friends would probably be fairly well off, while Marguerite'swould offer a sharp contrast.
The young French dressmaker had been working in a dressmakingestablishment when Miss Patricia had first learned to know her, andbefore becoming a member of the household at Versailles had been livingin a garret in an old house in Paris. Tonight she explained that herfriends were poor girls who were making their living just as she was.
It was actually toward midnight, with the Camp Fire rules of earlybedtime forgotten, when a sharp knock came at the drawing-room door.
The girls and Mrs. Burton started guiltily; there was no need to ask whohad knocked, the sound had been too peremptory.
The next instant Miss Patricia stalked in.
She was frowning and yet she carried a large tray of hot chocolate.
"Vera, please go into the dining-room and bring in the wafers you willfind there," she demanded, always preferring Vera's aid to any one of theother girls. "Naturally the maids are in bed and asleep at this hour ofthe night. No other Camp Fire guardian than Polly Burton would havepermitted you to remain until nearly morning. I suppose I shall have toallow all of you an extra hour of sleep."
Still grumbling Miss Patricia set down her tray, allowing the girls toserve themselves, while she pretended to ignore Mrs. Burton's apology.
"I am sorry, we had no idea it was so late. You are right, Aunt Patricia,I suppose I shall never make a really satisfactory guardian, no matterhow many years I have the honor. But don't you think we get on fairlywell with you to supervise us? I wish you had heard our discussionto-night! We have many new plans and no one can say what rich experiencesmay not develop through them. At least we shall keep busy while we awaitthe dawn of peace!"
Miss Patricia's grim expression relaxed slightly.
"Certainly if peace of the kind we hope and pray for, Polly Burton, everarrives upon this earth, it will be a peace which passes many people'sunderstanding at the present time."
A few moments later, placing her arm about Mrs. Burton with anunconscious display of tenderness, Miss Patricia led the way toward bed.