CHAPTER VI--WORKING INTO HARNESS
A half-hour later the two girls stood on Mrs. Morrow's veranda, and withFred's mocking laughter still ringing in their ears told of their hastyexit from the gray house. With shame-mantled face and downcast eyesGrace handed Mrs. Morrow her note.
In answer to that lady's surprised inquiries the story was told atlength, a few extra flourishes unconsciously added to plead for theunexpected finale to their errand. But Mrs. Morrow was most kind, not atall like Fred, and did not laugh at them for being "scare-babies" as hehad expressed it. She voiced her sympathy most generously, saying shedid not wonder they were frightened, as she was sure at their age shewould have done the same.
"I cannot imagine what it could have been," she pondered, in muchperplexity. "I will ask the doctor. If he does not know he will probablyhear about it, if it was really anything serious."
She smiled in a way that made Nathalie, whose intuitions were keen,exclaim hastily, "Oh, indeed, Mrs. Morrow, we did not imagine it at all.I am sure if you could have heard that terrible shriek--and that laugh!Oh, I can hear it still!" Her brown eyes emphasized her words as theydarkened with the haunting terror that caused her to rush pell-mellafter Grace.
"But I do hope," remarked Mrs. Morrow, "that Mrs. Van Vorst will neverknow that the young girls who took such sudden flight from her housewere Pioneers, as Pioneers are supposed to be very courageous." Therewas a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke that partly atoned for theimplication as to the girls' lack of courage.
They made no reply for a moment, and then Grace, as if to atone for herdelinquency, exclaimed contritely, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Mrs. Morrow, I wasfrightened--but if you want me to--" her voice faltered, "I will take itto her again."
"No, indeed," quickly rejoined that lady, "I could not be so cruel as tosend you there again, for no matter if the shriek was nothing, you werereally frightened. I did not mean to rebuke you; I only wanted to seizethis opportunity to show you what an important thing courage is--and howwe should cultivate it, even in small things. As for the note, I willget the doctor to take it or send it by post. I will have to confess,however, that I am disappointed, for I was so anxious to have Mrs. VanVorst see what well-behaved and pleasing young girls belonged to theorganization."
"And you sent me!" wailed Grace. "Oh, thank you, Mrs. Morrow, but whatan arrant coward I have proved--and Nathalie of course would not have runif I had not!" The tears welled up piteously in her blue eyes.
"Oh, no, Grace," interposed Nathalie loyally, "I was just on the vergeof running away myself!" And then she told them about the mandarin withthe grinning mouth, and sinister, bead-like eyes, that she was sure hadblinked at her. This caused a laugh and cleared the atmosphere of theunpleasantness that had been created by the morning's adventure.
The Saturday of the Pilgrim Rally--the day that was to make Nathalie aPioneer--arrived. At an early hour of the morning the Pioneers of thethree bird groups--each one with a package--began to file into Seton Hall,the little stone building used by the town for important meetings andoften for social functions. Out of deference to Nathalie the girls haddecided to bring their Pilgrim costumes with them--hence the mysteriouspackages--and not don them until she had been admitted to theorganization.
With interested eyes Nathalie heard the Pioneers recite their pledge,give the sign, the salute,--the three movements of the closed hand,signifying a brave heart, an honest mind, and a resourceful hand,--andgive the rousing Girl Pioneer cheer. She felt a trifle shaky, sheconfided to Helen who was seated next to her, dreading the ordeal ofbeing made prominent as most girls do, but she regained her nervesomewhat as the Director arose and with a smiling nod of welcome beganto call the names.
Certainly it was a pretty fancy to have each member respond to her nameby giving the bird call of her group. The quick clear note of Bob White,the "Chip! chip!" of the meadow sparrow, and the oriole's greeting wereall inspiring, but it was the melodious "Tru-al-lee!" of the bluebirdgroup that held her with its sweet, low trill.
As Nathalie heard her name called when it came time to perform theinitiative ceremony of making her a Pioneer, her head began to whirl,but setting her teeth determinedly, with squared shoulders and headerect, she walked down the aisle, faced the Director, and in a clearvoice repeated her pledge. In answer to the question, would she rememberthat the honor of a world-wide organization had been placed in herhands, and that henceforth whatever she said or did was not done simplyas Nathalie Page, but as a Girl Pioneer, she answered gravely, "I will!"
The second question was now asked, if she would try to live in such away that through and by her example the words Girl Pioneer should cometo mean all that was honest, highest, best, and most efficient in thegirlhood of her country, she again replied with the solemn, "I will."
The Director now stepped to her side, and taking her by the hand said,"Nathalie Page, in the name of the Girl Pioneers of America, and by theauthority vested in me as a Director, I receive you into ourorganization. You are now a Girl Pioneer of America. May you be a worthysuccessor of those women, brave, honest, resourceful, from whom our nameis taken, and who in the early days of the country, standing side byside with the men, faced hardships, privations, and dangers, and helpedto make possible the United States of America!"
Mrs. Morrow paused a moment, and then with one of her ready smiles tookNathalie's hand in hers and gave her a cordial welcome. Then turningtoward the Pioneers she said, "Let us welcome our new member."
The girls sprang quickly but noiselessly on their feet, crying:
"Whom have we here? A new Pioneer! Come give a cheer Girl Pi-o-neer Nathalie Page!"
The new Pioneer unconsciously heaved a deep sigh when the ceremony wasover and she was allowed to return to her seat. She was tempted to smileat her palpitating heart when going through such a simple ceremony asthe initiation to an organization of girls; and yet she was vaguelyconscious that it was a momentous episode in her life, and she firmlyresolved that her vow should be a binding one, and that she would tryher best to become a worth-while Pioneer and a Blue Robin.
The seriousness of her act became even more apparent as she listenedwith keen interest to Mrs. Morrow's little talk, which was, in memory ofthe day's celebration, about the Pilgrims. It was the desire to do rightin the face of all difficulties which animated the Founders of thisgreat nation in their struggle for Freedom and Right, and which ledtheir wives, daughters, and sisters to forego the necessities of life,to cross an unknown sea and to face the perils of the wilderness and toaid them in their noble purpose.
It was this sacrifice of the things that made life endurable, and theirstrict adherence to duty that gave rise to the sterling qualities ofunflinching determination, hardy courage, stern endurance, unrepiningcheerfulness, untiring loyalty, patient industry, and quickresourcefulness that has gained the name of the Pioneer spirit, and madethese early women founders of our nation models of all that is pure andbest in womanhood.
Their Director then went on and told of the handicrafts of the Pilgrims,such as baking, brewing, sewing, knitting, quilting, spinning, plantingthe foodstuffs, carding wool, and the many industries that werenecessary to keep life in those pioneer days.
As the new Pioneer heard the gentle, persuasive voice, she began to seelife in a new aspect, and to understand something of what it meant toemulate these noble women. "In your hikes, before your cheer fires, inyour camps, in your home and school life, as well as in the tests andyour outdoor and indoor activities, and in your sports and games, keepthese women as your cheer star," said Mrs. Morrow earnestly, "so thatyou, too, will be actuated by the qualities that ennobled them. And whenthe call comes, be kindly, helpful, resourceful, pure, and upright inthe midst of all temptation and danger, and you will not only have thename of Pioneer, but will be filled with the real pioneer spirit."
Mrs. Morrow stood silent a moment and then repeated slowly:
"Life is more than the breath and the quick round of blood, It is a great spirit
and a busy heart. We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not breaths; In feelings, not figures on a dial. We should count time as heart throbs. He most lives Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best." --Bailey.
The girls now seated themselves in a circle, and as Jessie read the newsfrom the monthly "Pioneer," which reported a flower hike for theSaturday two weeks hence, they took out their materials and set to work.Some wove gay-colored yarn on small frames, others braided raffiabaskets, or made squares of plaited slips of paper, while Mrs. Morrowtold them something about the art of weaving.
After some time spent in learning this old-time craft, the Directorasked the girls how they could best apply this industry to a very commonfundamental of the home. There was a slight pause, and then some onecalled out "To the carpet!" Another girl ventured to say "Our clothes."Mrs. Morrow smiled as she said they were all right in a sense, but theparticular craft she meant at that time was what Helen had timidlysuggested, and that was, darning stockings!
There was a ripple of laughter at this truism and then, to Nathalie'ssurprise, there was a stocking drill, every one hauling forth a stockingfrom her basket and setting to work to practice this homely art. It wasindeed a trial by needle to Nathalie, and she suffered someembarrassment when, after borrowing a stocking from her neighbor, andtrying her very best to do it well, it was returned to her from theDirector with the remark that she needed training in the science.
Later, when Mrs. Morrow came to her side and showed how neatly herstocking hole appeared after weaving her thread back and forth, and madeNathalie practice doing the same, the girl suddenly realized what abraggart she had been. "Oh, I told Mother I was the champion mender,"she thought remorsefully. "What a bungle I must have been making ofthose stockings!" With the avowed purpose that she was going to makedarning her life-work for the next three weeks, she laid her work asideand hurried with the girls into the adjoining dressing-room to get readyfor the real Pilgrimy time, when they were to represent the women ofPlymouth town.
"Do you always have an all-day meeting?" she asked Grace, who waspinning a blue bird on Nathalie's gown, for at Helen's suggestion shewas to appear at this, her first Rally, as a Blue Robin, in memory ofthe first songster that welcomed the Pilgrims.
"Oh, no, indeed," answered Grace, "but we departed from our usual plan,which is to meet in the afternoon only, unless we have a hike ordemonstration, as we wanted to make our luncheon the Mayflower Feast.But, oh, Nathalie," she ended enthusiastically, "you are a veritableblue bird! Look, girls, isn't she the dearest? That bluebird blue makesher cheeks like pink roses!"
At this sudden thrust into notoriety the girl's color grew more vivid asshe turned for the inspection of the girls. They grew very enthusiasticover her bluebird costume with its bluish-gray slip with scallopededges, and bluebird cap edged with tiny blue wings, where a blue bird,standing up in the front, poised with outspread wings "ready to fly," asone of the girls asserted.
"Oh, it's only blue paper muslin," explained the "flier," as her mateshad called her, when they examined the Blue Robin gown. "Helen helped memake it, and what a time we had making that birdie stick--hands off," shefinished laughingly, as some too ardent admirer pressed her close, "or Ishall not fly away but fall to pieces."
By this time, however, her admirers had found a new love in the Tike,who came dancing before them all in white. She was literally a bower oftrailing arbutus, as sprays of that spring flower were fastened all overher gown.
"I am the Pilgrim flower," she piped pertly, "some call me the Mayflowerblossom." And then catching up her skirts, with a low curtsey sherepeated softly:
"Oh I'm the flower that never dies, 'Neath leaves so brown in bed so low. The arbutus, who in glad surprise Bloomed 'Welcome' from fields of snow To our Pilgrim sires of long ago."
"Oh, here's Lillie Bell!" called some one. "Isn't she a duck of a dear!"Simultaneously the girls forsook the Tike and flocked around Lillie,who, gowned in pure white, with kerchief and lace cap, representedSusannah White, the first bride of the colony.
"Yes, and I want you to note, girls," she asserted impressively, with anonchalant nod to the welcome accorded her, "that I am not only thefirst bride, but the first mother of the colony, for my little Peregrinewas born when the _Mayflower_ rode at anchor in Cape Cod Bay, and Mrs.Morrow claims this is even a greater honor than to be the first bride.But, girls--" she ended abruptly, dropping her matronly pose, "have youseen Edith--she was to be Helen Billington--I never knew her to be so latebefore?"
"There! that accounts for the aching void in my heart, I know I missedsome one," cried Jessie half mockingly. "O dear, what will become of myPioneer article if the Sport does not appear?" The girls all laughed inappreciation of Jessie's serio-comic declaration, for it was generallyconceded that Edith was the most active spirit of the band, as hersporting proclivities, her general good-nature, and her dashingescapades always furnished plenty of "copy" when any of their varioushikes or demonstrations were in progress.
"Oh, don't fret; a bad penny always turns up!" chimed in Kitty, who didnot particularly admire the Sport.
"I'll bet you a cookie that she has been arrested for appearing indisorderly apparel on the street," observed Grace roguishly; "for shetold me she was going to dress at home."
"Oh, girls, aren't you ready?" at this instant asked Louise Gaynor,suddenly appearing in the doorway leading to the room where Mrs. Morrow,as Mistress Carver, the Governor's lady, was waiting to receive them.
"Her Sweet Graciousness, Mistress Carver, waits for you without in theCommon House."
"Modest and simple and sweet, the very type of Priscilla, Priscilla, the Mayflower of Plymouth!"
Thus hummed Lillie as she walked around this winsome representation ofthat Puritan maiden, surveying her critically, but with approving eye.
"Oh, you're just too sweet for anything!" warbled another bluebird,"you're--"
"You're too sweet to have to do your own proposing, methinks," broke inJessie, touching one of the long golden braids that fell from beneaththe demure little cap of this first edition of women's rights.
But at sweet Priscilla's gentle reminder that the first lady of the landshould not be kept waiting, the merry girls ceased their chatter, didtheir best to assume the decorous manners of the Puritan women, filedinto line, and were soon in the adjoining room.
Here they were greeted by Dame Brewster, the Elder's wife, no other thanHelen, who, in ruffled cap and quaintly flowered gown, excelled even herown aspirations to appear like that motherly dame, as in speech ofquaint wording she made each Mayflower damsel known to Mistress Carver.
After the greetings had been voiced, the first surprise came, and thatwas when the Tike came bounding into the midst of the gentle dames andinformed them that a cheer fire was blazing on the grass-plot in therear of the Hall. The Pioneers in profound wonder--as they had notexpected to have a cheer fire--followed Mistress Carver to the garden,where a circle was formed around this magic inspirer of cheer, whoseburning fagots snapped and crackled noisily, as if to do its share inthe old-time celebration. It was in memory, Grace declared, of the manyfires that had cheered the settlers in the cold and desolation of thenew world.
Murmurs of wonder and queries about this mysterious surprise weresilenced, as some one started a general clapping, a recognition oftenaccorded the Pioneers' cheer star. Then, as they gathered around theflaming light, some one suggested that perhaps the Governor's lady couldtell as to who was the magic fire-maker.
The lady in question, although disclaiming that she knew who lighted themagic inspirer, did finally admit that she could guess who had done it,but as that was a privilege that every one had, she had nothing to tell.However, the mystery remained unsolved, although some bright oneventured to suggest that it might have been the Sport, who was stillmissing, as she delighted to do the unexpected.
Immediately the missing Pioneer began to be eulogized for her clev
er andmysterious absence, as these representatives of hundreds of years agocircled about their emblem of cheer and romance. To usher in the firstceremony, or, as the girls sometimes called it "the christening of theblazer," some one called for the story-teller to give one of herthrillers. This cry was forthwith taken up by the little company, andbecame so imperative that Lillie at last complied with the request, andin a few moments was telling, in her usual impressive way, the story ofthose pioneers, the Pilgrim men and women, who fought the first battlefor liberty and union on the shores of this land.
When Lillie's story came to an end, she received her usual applause, forevery one had listened with the closest attention to the account of themany pilgrimages of these simple folk from the northeastern countries ofEngland. In trying to serve God as they deemed right they had separatedthemselves from the English church and had begun to hold little meetingsin the village of Scrooby. Hounded by the authorities they finallysailed to the low countries, which at that time were considered a placeof refuge for the oppressed of all nations. They lived one year inAmsterdam, meeting for worship near a convent, whose sweet chimes calledthem to a low-ceiled room, where they sung their songs of praise andread God's word.
But their wanderings were not over, and a year later they sailed on oneof the great waterways of this Dutch land to Leyden. Here they remainedtwelve years in twenty-three humble little homes, built on a plot ofground known as the _Koltsteeg_, and called Bell Alley, just across theway from the great dome of St. Peter's church.
Here in this land of foreign tongue their children grew up, learnedtheir trades and, alas, many of the ways of these people, especiallytheir methods of keeping the Sabbath, which were contrary to the beliefsof these God-loving people. It was for this reason as well as forothers, that they started forth on their wanderings again, and migratedto the new land across the sea, sailing in the _Mayflower_ on thetwenty-second of July, 1620.
Nathalie was somewhat disappointed in the beginning, that she was not tohear one of Lillie's twentieth-century thrillers, but the story of thePilgrims was so interesting that she felt amply repaid for herdisappointment. Although familiar with their story in this land, she hadnever heard much about the lives of these founders before they came toAmerica.
The tale of these ancient folk was rendered even more interesting byvarious interruptions at intervals, as when Dame Brewster read, insolemn tone, the Constitution formed by these people in the cabin of the_Mayflower_, said to have been written on an old chest, and known as TheCompact, the first stone in the American Commonwealth.
The Governor's lady enlivened the tedious voyage over by telling ofseveral little incidents that had occurred; one was when the _Mayflower_during a severe storm was saved from going to the bottom by some onewedging a _kracht_, or jackscrew, in a leak that had suddenly sprungamidships.
Little Humility Cooper, one of the children of the _Mayflower_ voyagers,an Oriole Pioneer, recited Mrs. Heman's "Landing of the Pilgrims," whilesprightly Mary Chilton told of her race with John Alden to be the firstone of the little company to step on Plymouth Rock. She added to theinterest of this recital by giving a short account of this historicalgranite from the day it served as a foundation stone of her victoryuntil the present time.
A Bob White told about the first American washday, and the fun thechildren had gathering sweet juniper boughs to build the fires, overwhich hung the tripod from which was suspended the kettles of thathistoric occasion.
Louise Gaynor, as Priscilla, recited parts of Longfellow's poem, "TheCourtship of Myles Standish," with its picturesque account of the mostromantic happening of the little town, while as Mistress Fuller, Barbaradescribed Fort Hill and told about Captain Standish and his sixteenvaliant men-at-arms who explored the hills and woods of the wilderness.
Kitty Corwin, as another Pilgrim dame, told of the erection of the sevenlittle houses with their thatched roofs, built in a row on First, orLeyden Street, giving a rather exciting account of the many seriousaccidents that happened to the Common House where the stores andammunition of the community were stored. And so, in picturesque detail,each feature of the story was brought forth to form in the minds ofthese twentieth century Pioneers a picture that would last through theyears that were to follow, and help them gain an insight into thecharacters they were representing.
Elizabeth Winslow, the first wife of the first American statesman, oneof the first to pass away in the fatal sickness of that lonely winter;Mrs. Hopkins, who won fame as the mother of the boy Oceanus, born on the_Mayflower_; Bridget Fuller, the wife of the genial Dr. Fuller, andothers, were all impersonated by some one of the Pioneers.
Even the ghosts, as Grace dubbed them, were heard from: Myles Standish'sfirst wife, known as the beautiful English Rose, who died soon afterreaching the new land, and Dorothy Bradford, the young wife of WilliamBradford, who came to her death by falling overboard while her husbandwas exploring the shores with Captain Standish and his men.
By the time the story with its variations had been told, the girls,tired of posing with old-time stiffness and ceremony, were all laughingmerrily as some one of the band suddenly spied some comical or grotesqueaspect of the impersonator, when the Tike screamed shrilly, "Oh, who isthat?" pointing to a black-draped figure standing in the doorway of thehall, with red, perspiring face, hat cocked on one side, and a generallybedraggled appearance.
It was the missing Pioneer, Edith, who, after the hubbub had subsided asto her untimely appearance and tardy arrival, pulled off her long blackcloak and threw herself on the grass by the side of Lillie. With gaspsand sundry emphasizing shrieks she told what had befallen her on the wayto the Rally.
"Father was ill last night, so the first thing this morning I had to gofor the doctor. Then as mother was busy attending to Father I had to getthe youngsters ready,--they were going to a May picnic, for of course,"Edith added petulantly, "no matter what happened to me, Mother would nothave the kiddies disappointed."
Catching Mrs. Morrow's reproving eye, she stammered apologetically, "Ofcourse, I would not have them disappointed myself--they are dears--but itlost me my morning; and then, just as I was hurrying by the grayhouse,--oh, girls--" dropping her voice to a tense whisper, "what do youthink I heard?"