How Ethel Hollister Became a Campfire Girl
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Irene Elliott Benson >> How Ethel Hollister Became a Campfire Girl
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7 HOW ETHEL HOLLISTER BECAME A CAMPFIRE GIRL
by
IRENE ELLIOTT BENSON
Chicago
M. A. Donohue & Company
* * * * * *
CANOE AND CAMPFIRE SERIES
Four Books of Woodcraft and Adventure in the Forest and on the Water
that every Boy Scout should have in his Library
By ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE
CANOEMATES IN CANADA; or, Three Boys Afloat on the Saskatchewan.
THE YOUNG FUR-TAKERS: or, Traps and Trails in the Wilderness.
THE HOUSE-BOAT BOYS; or, Drifting Down to the Sunny South.
CHUMS IN DIXIE; or, The Strange Cruise of a Motor Boat.
CAMP MATES IN MICHIGAN; or, With Pack and Paddle in the Pine Woods.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOYS; or, Camping in the Big Game Country.
In these four delightful volumes the author has drawn bountifully from
his thirty-five years experience as a true sportsman and lover of
nature, to reveal many of the secrets of the woods, such as all Boys
Scouts strive to know. And, besides, each book is replete with stirring
adventures among the four-footed denizens of the wilderness; so that a
feast of useful knowledge is served up, with just that class of stirring
incidents so eagerly welcomed by all boys with red blood in their veins.
For sale wherever books are sold, or sent prepaid for 50 cents each by
the publishers.
* * * * * *
Copyright, 1912, M. A. Donohue & Co.
CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I--A Fashionable Mother 7
II--Ethel Hollister 14
III--Grandmother Hollister 18
IV--A Pink Tea 23
V--An invitation to Aunt Susan 29
VI--Aunt Susan Arrives 41
VII--Aunt Susan Makes Friends 48
VIII--Ethel is Invited to Visit 51
IX--Ethel and Aunt Susan Start 55
X--The Journey 58
XI--The Next Day 62
XII--Ethel Learns to Cook 65
XIII--A Little Drive 68
XIV--Some Confidences 72
XV--A New Ethel 81
XVI--Aunt Susan's Trials 84
XVII--Cousin Kate Arrives 88
XVIII--Selecting the Costume 90
XIX--Ethel Meets Her Uncle and Aunt 97
XX--Gathering of the "Ohios" 103
XXI--The Trip up the River 109
XXII--An Evening in Camp 115
XXIII--The Legend of the Muskingum River 120
XXIV--Ethel's First Day in Camp 141
XXV--Ethel's First Lesson 144
XXVI--A Loss and a Dinner 147
XXVII--A Discovery 153
XXVIII--Mattie's Story 159
XXIX--Mattie Starts Afresh 167
XXX--Aunt Susan Comes 172
XXXI--Back To Aunt Susan's 175
* * * * * *
CAMPFIRE GIRLS SERIES
HOW ETHEL HOLLISTER BECAME A CAMPFIRE GIRL
ETHEL HOLLISTER'S SECOND SUMMER AS A CAMPFIRE GIRL
CAMPFIRE GIRLS MOUNTAINEERING
CAMPFIRE GIRL'S RURAL RETREAT
CAMPFIRE GIRLS IN THE FOREST
CAMPFIRE GIRL'S LAKE CAMP
List Price 75c Each
* * * * * *
HOW ETHEL HOLLISTER BECAME A CAMP FIRE GIRL
CHAPTER I
A FASHIONABLE MOTHER
"No indeed, Kate!" ejaculated Mrs. Hollister emphatically, "Ethel has no
time to join any Camp Fire Girls or Girl Scout Societies. She has her
home and school duties, while her leisure is fully occupied. At present
I know with whom she associates. As I understand it, these girls form
themselves into a Company with a Guardian or Leader. They wear certain
uniforms with emblems on the waists and sleeves, as well as a ring and
bands of beads on their heads, all of which savors of conspicuousness,
and it seems to me ridiculous."
"But, Aunt Bella," replied her niece, "think of what it makes of these
girls. It teaches them to take care of themselves. They very often
sleep out of doors for two months and get an honor for it."
"Yes, imagine a delicate girl like Ethel doing that," rejoined Mrs.
Hollister. "Why, she'd contract pneumonia or consumption right away."
"But if she were delicate she wouldn't be allowed to do so unless by the
advice of a physician. Then for one month she's obliged to give up sodas
and candies between meals."
"Yes, and isn't that silly? Why, any girl can do that without belonging
to a society."
"Well, they become healthy and strong; they play all kinds of out of
door athletic games; they swim, dive, undress in deep water, paddle or
row twenty miles in any five days; they learn to sail all kinds of boats
for fifty miles during the summer, ride horse back, bicycle, skate,
climb mountains, and even learn how to operate an automobile."
"There, Kate, stop; you make me nervous. Now what good is all such
exercise to a girl?"
"Why, it gives her the splendid health so necessary to every woman, and
oh! if only you'd read about it. You won't listen, but they learn how to
cook, how to market, to wash and iron, and keep house, how to take care
of babies,--and don't you see if a girl marries a poor man she can be a
help to him and not a hindrance? Then they have to be kind and
courteous, to look for and find the beauties of Nature until work
becomes a pleasure and they're happy, cheerful and trustworthy. They
give their services to others and learn something new all the time."
"My dear Kate," said her aunt, "nowadays a girl has all she can possibly
do to fit herself for her future position in society; that is, if her
family amounts to anything socially. Why should a girl learn to cook and
market unless she intends to marry a poor man, and I don't propose that
Ethel shall ever do that. And as for being so athletic, I don't approve
of that either. It's all right for a girl to ride. Ethel is a good
horsewoman; she learned from a splendid riding master. She plays
tennis, golf, and can swim; so you see she has nearly all the
requirements of Camp Fire Girls."
"Oh, Aunt Bella, she has hardly any. Why, look at the Boy Scout
movement--how marvellous it is and how it has grown. It has become an
institution, and in England when several Boy Scouts while camping out
were drowned, the Government (think of it) sent out a gunboat--sent it
up the Thames to bring their bodies back to London. Think of the
National recognition. Why, it's spreading so that every boy will become
a Scout before long. And the good that they do no one knows."
"Well, my dear," said the elder lady, "you are an enthusiast, and
naturally as you are a 'Captain' or 'Guardian,' as they call it, your
sympathies are all with the organization. But to me it's like marching
with the suffragettes. It belongs to the women who favor 'Woman's
Rights,' but not for a girl like Ethel."
"But you certainly approve of the 'Scout' movement, don't you? Why, boys
are joining from every rank of life."
"Ah! my dear," broke in Mrs. Hollister, "that's the great trouble. They
_are_ from every rank, and that's why I object. Had I a son I should not
care to have him become interested in it, and for a girl like Ethel to
rub shoulders with 'Tom, Dick and Harry,' it's simply not to be thought
of. No, when she marries I trust it will be to a man who can afford to
give her enough servants to do the work, a chauffeur to run her
automobile, and a captain to sail her yacht. I hope she'll have a
competent cook to bake her breads and prepare the soups, roasts, salads,
and make preserves. I should feel very badly if she had to wash and
iron, wipe her floors, or do any menial work. Were such a thing to
happen, I hope I shall not live to see it, that's all. No, kindly drop
the subject. Ethel is but sixteen. She'll have all she can do to finish
at Madame La Rue's by the time she's eighteen. You know how hard your
Uncle Archie works to obtain the money to pay for Ethel's education, and
how I manage to keep up appearances on so little. It's all for Ethel. It
means everything for her future. She must have the best associates, and
when she graduates go with the fashionable set. We are very poor and she
must marry well and have her own establishment. All of this Camp Girl
business would be of no earthly benefit to her. It's only a fad and I
believe not only that, but the 'Scout' movement will die a natural death
after a while. Young people must have some way to work off their
superfluous energy; these Societies help them to do so. Now remember,
Kate, you have a fairly well-to-do father and you need not worry over
your future. Not so poor Ethel. That I have to look out for. Please do
not refer to this subject again, especially before her. I mean it and
shall resent it if you do. I'm sure you'll respect my wishes in the
matter."
"Of course, I shall, Aunt Bella," replied Kate, "but were you to more
thoroughly understand this new movement I'm sure you'd view it
differently and change your mind. The Boy Scouts have done so much good,
and now this Camp Fire Girl is going to be such an improvement over the
ordinary girl. She's going to revolutionize young women and make of
them useful members of society--not frivolous butterflies--and it will
be carried into the poorer classes and teach girls who have never had a
chance, so that they may become good cooks and housekeepers and love
beautiful things. And their costume is so pretty and sensible. Oh! I
wish you could see it with my eyes."
"To me, my dear, it is very like the Salvation Army. They wear badges
and uniforms, and they too do much good, I am told. Yet I shouldn't care
to have my Ethel become a member of that organization. But
hush--remember your promise--not a word. Here she comes."
CHAPTER II
ETHEL HOLLISTER
A young girl entered. She was lovely with the beauty of a newly opened
rose. Her features were exquisite. Her rippling brown hair matched her
eyes in color. Her complexion was creamy white with a faint touch of
pink in either cheek. Although her figure was girlish it was perfectly
formed and she carried herself well; still she looked delicate.
The mother and daughter were alike save where Mrs. Hollister's face was
hard and worldly, Ethel's was soft and innocent.
"Well, dearie," said her mother, "here's an invitation for you from the
Kips. Dorothy will celebrate her fifteenth birthday on Saturday with a
luncheon and matinee party."
"Oh, how perfectly lovely," exclaimed the girl, showing her pretty teeth
as she laughed. "Dorothy is such a dear. Why, she hardly knows me.
She's only been at Madame's half a term."
"Never under-rate yourself, Ethel," spoke up Mrs. Hollister. "Remember
that you belong to one of New York's oldest families. Although you have
but little money, people are sure to seek you not only for your family
name but because you are an acquisition to any society."
Ethel blushed painfully while Cousin Kate gazed out upon the budding
leaves on a tree in front of the Hollister house. By a keen observer her
private opinion might be read in every line of her face. She loved Ethel
and her grandmother--old Mrs. Hollister. She pitied her Uncle Archie,
but she despised her Aunt Bella and rejoiced that at least none of that
lady's blood flowed in her veins. She worried over Ethel who,
notwithstanding her mother's worldliness was as yet unspoiled, for the
child inherited much of her father's good sense. Still under the
constant influence of a woman of Mrs. Hollister's type it would be
strange if the daughter failed to follow in some of her mother's
footsteps or to imbibe some of her fallacies.
"I'm going up to tell Grandmamma," said Ethel, and bursting into the room
she kissed the old lady.
"Listen, Grandmamma, I'm invited to Dorothy Kip's birthday--a luncheon
and matinee party."
"That's lovely, my darling," replied the elderly woman. "When does it
come off?"
"Next Saturday, and I presume we'll go to Sherry's to lunch. Think of
it! I've never been there--I'm so glad," and she danced around the room.
"And my new grey broadcloth suit with silver fox will be just right to
wear. You know the lovely grey chiffon waist over Irish lace that Mamma
has just finished, and my grey velvet hat with rosebuds and silver fox
fur--won't it be stunning?"
"You'll look lovely, I know. But where is Cousin Kate?"
"Oh, she's with Mamma. I entered the room while they were in the midst
of an argument and they stopped suddenly. I guess it was about me. You
know how set Mamma is in her way, and she was reading the riot act about
something. As Kate leaves here tomorrow, shouldn't you think that Mamma
would be too polite to differ with her? But no, she was talking quite
loudly. I wish I might go home with Kate. I'd like to see her father and
mother; they must be lovely.
"They are," replied Grandmother Hollister. "Your Uncle John is my oldest
boy, and he has the sunniest nature imaginable."
"Yes, and Kate does something in the world," replied the girl. "I wish I
might belong to her Camp Fire Girls that she has told you and me about.
But Mamma--why! I shouldn't even dare suggest it; in fact, she doesn't
dream that I know about Kate's being the Guardian of a Company. I feared
that she might be rude if I spoke of it and might say something to
offend Kate. Well, goodbye dear, I just wanted to tell you," and with
another kiss Ethel left the room.
CHAPTER III
GRANDMOTHER HOLLISTER
Old Mrs. Hollister's room was on the third floor back. It was large and
sunny, but considering that she owned the house it was rather peculiar
that she had such an inferior room. She and her sister Susan were the
only children of Josiah Carpenter, a wealthy man living in Akron, Ohio.
Upon his death the girls found themselves alone and heiresses. Alice,
while visiting in New York, met Archibald Hollister, who belonged to an
old and respected family but who was of no earthly account as a business
man. His handsome face won pretty Alice Carpenter. He was not long in
spending nearly all of her fortune, but he really was considerate enough
to contract pneumonia and die before he obtained possession of her
house, which fortunately was in her name and unmortgaged.
She had two sons--John, Kate's father, who lived in Columbus, Ohio, and
Archibald with whom she now made her home. Archibald loved his mother
and begged her to let him pay her rent for the house, but she replied
that if he would pay the taxes and keep the house in repair it would
equal the rent.
Her sister Susan still lived in the same town where they had been born.
She had never married. People told Archibald Hollister that his Aunt
Susan was a millionaire. Every investment that she made was successful.
She had adopted and educated two orphan boys, one of whom had died,
while the other was finishing college, after which he was to become a
lawyer. Aunt Susan seldom wrote of herself. She corresponded with Alice
(Grandmother Hollister) about twice a year, and at Christmas she
invariably sent her a generous check.
Grandmother Hollister and her son were alike in many ways. They were
free from all false pride and privately they considered Mrs. Hollister a
snob, and worried lest Ethel should become one. Archibald seldom
asserted himself, but when he did his word was law. While his wife was
a social climber he was exactly the opposite. He had been known to bring
home the most disreputable looking men--men who had been his friends in
youth and who were playing in hard luck. He would ask them to dinner
without even sending word, and his wife would invariably plead a sick
headache to get rid of sitting with them. She dared not interfere nor
object for she was just a little afraid of him and she realized that in
nearly everything he allowed her to have her own way.
Mrs. Hollister told Ethel privately that both here father and
grandmother were old fashioned. Although living in a handsome house they
kept but one maid. Mr. Hollister's salary was but a little over three
thousand, and at times they had hard work to make both ends meet. Ethel
attended a fashionable school and hardly realized what the family
sacrificed for her. She made many friends among the wealthy girls of the
smart set. Thanks to her mother's skill and taste she was enabled to
dress beautifully, but youth is thoughtless and she was just a little
too self centered to see that her parents were depriving themselves for
her.
Mrs. Hollister gave bridge parties, and once every two weeks a tea for
Ethel. Upon those days she hired two extra maids. It was pitiable to see
how she strove to keep up appearances. There was a young man whose
sister went with the set of girls who came to Ethel's teas. His name was
Harvey Bigelow. One of his sisters had married into the nobility. He had
a large Roman nose and a receding forehead, but Mrs. Hollister was
delighted when one afternoon Nannie Bigelow--his sister--brought him to
the house. He was only nineteen and at college. Ethel disliked him from
the first.
"Why, dear, why are you so rude to Mr. Bigelow? He's a gentleman," said
Mrs. Hollister.
"Yes, Mamma, but I simply cannot endure him," replied the girl. "For one
thing his nails are too shiny, and that shows his lack of refinement. I
don't care if his sister married the King, he's common--that's all."
It was then that Mrs. Hollister would declare that Ethel was exactly
like her father and grandmother.
CHAPTER IV
A PINK TEA
Although old Mrs. Hollister owned the house and nearly all of the
handsome antique furniture, Mrs. Archie seemed often to forget that
fact, and from her manner one might infer that the lady regarded her
mother-in-law as a sort of interloper. The old lady would allow her to
go just so far, after which she would suddenly pull her up with a sharp
turn and admonish her with such a cutting rebuke that Mrs. Archie would
blush painfully and apologize. But while antagonistic on most points
they each agreed on Ethel. Even Grandmother felt that her
daughter-in-law was wise in trying to fit the girl for the smart set,
where she would have social position and money, and she even sided with
the wife against her son, who considered it all wrong.
One afternoon Archibald Hollister came home early and ran right into the
"Pink Tea" crowd. Old Mrs. Hollister, tastefully gowned in black and
white, sat in the library where the maids brought up refreshments to
her. A young musician whose mother had been a schoolmate of Mrs.
Hollister's, and who was poor, played the piano from four to seven for
the small sum of three dollars. Everything went off pleasantly. The
maids acted as though they were really fixtures in the house. The
refreshments were excellent. No wonder with the line of autos before the
door people considered the Hollisters wealthy, "but plain and solid with
no airs, etc."
Old Mrs. Hollister enjoyed young people's society, and they all voted
her a dear. She'd invite their confidences, and before leaving each girl
would come up to the library for a chat with Grandmother.
"Oh, Mrs. Hollister," said Lottie Owen, a girl of Ethel's age, "have you
heard about the 'turkey trot?' We can't dance it any more,--it's been
suppressed."
"How does it go?" asked the old lady. "I've read something of it."
"Well, just wait,--I'll get Nannie Bigelow and we'll dance it for you."
Thereupon the two girls would show Grandmother Hollister the steps.
"That's something like the 'Boston Dip,'" responded she very much
excited. "Why, when I was a girl my mother took me away from a cotillion
one night because they danced it," and she grew pretty as she excitedly
told of her younger days.
"I bet you were lovely, Mrs. Hollister," said Nannie. "Ethel will never
be as pretty as you were. We were looking at your portrait in the
drawing room. You must have been fascinating, and as for Mr.
Hollister--your husband--well, he was just a dear."
The old lady blushed. Here Lottie spoke up:
"Yes, and people say you were such a belle. Old Mr. Tupper was at our
house and met Ethel, and he told us a lot about you. But here's Mr.
Hollister," and they rushed forward to greet her son.
"Well, well!" he exclaimed gallantly, "I didn't expect to get into such
a garden of roses. And you, too, Mother--why, you've actually grown
younger."
"That's just what we tell her," said Nannie. "We've been dancing the
'turkey trot' for her," they whispered, slyly kissing her goodbye.
These were happy afternoons for Grandmother, after which she and her son
would sit and chat.
"It sort of livens things up to have young people about, doesn't it,
Mother?" he said, taking a cup of tea and a sandwich.
"Yes, Archie, it certainly does; but you look tired."
"I am, Mother," replied the man, "I wish Ethel was finished with her
school and happily married. This strain is telling on me and I suppose
poor Bella suffers from it even as I do."
"It's too bad, Archie. I don't like this sailing under false colors.
People imagine Ethel a wealthy girl. Probably they think she'll inherit
my money. Of course, they never dream that I'm penniless and that you
have a salary of only three thousand a year; but so long as we keep out
of debt I don't know as we are doing wrong."
"Has Kate gone?" he asked.
"Yes, she left this morning. Bella took her to the train. She's gone to
visit her mother's people in Tarrytown. Kate's a nice girl."
"She's a sensible girl. I only hope that Ethel will grow into as good a
woman as Kate Hollister," said Archibald.
"You see, Kate has a new fad," began Grandmother--"not a fad either; its
purpose is too earnest to call it that. She is the head of a Company of
girls called 'Camp Fire Girls.' They are something like the 'Boy Scout
Organization.' The object is to make girls healthy. It gives them
knowledge; it causes them to work and learn to love it; it makes them
trustworthy; they begin to search for beauty in Nature and they're
perfectly happy. I remember that much, but the sum and substance of it
is that it teaches a girl everything that is useful. Kate is the
Guardian of one Camp Fire section. They meet weekly and from what she
tells me it must be a great thing. Kate spoke of it to Bella but she
ridiculed it and forbade her to speak of it to Ethel. She declares it is
like the Salvation Army, etc., and Kate promised not to, I think she
had hoped to secure Ethel for one of the girls next summer."
"Well, there's no need of us trying to oppose Bella," said her son. "She
is determined that Ethel shall make a brilliant match and in her eyes
this would be a waste of time. No, Mother, the best thing for you and me
to do is to travel along the lines of the least resistance.
Come,--dinner is ready. I'll help you down."
CHAPTER V
AN INVITATION TO AUNT SUSAN
One afternoon Mrs. Hollister called Ethel into her room. After closing
the door she said, "Ethel, I have written to your father's Aunt Susan,
who lives in Akron, to come here and make us a visit. You know she's
Grandmother's only sister, and I think it will do them both good to see
each other. Grandmother is delighted and I expect that Aunt Susan will
accept," and Mrs. Hollister calmly drew on her gloves.
Now, as her mother was not in the habit of considering her grandmother's
comfort, and as the two women were seldom of one accord, Ethel looked at
her furtively and with a puzzled expression of countenance, but that
lady acted not the least embarrassed. It seemed strange to Ethel that
all at once she should wish to cheer up her mother-in-law by inviting
her country sister to visit them, but the girl simply said:
"That's lovely, Mamma," and went up to her room to study.
Although she disliked to credit her mother with such artifices, she
finally hit upon a solution of the object of the invitation. It must be
that it was Aunt Susan's money she was after, and why? Suddenly, it all
came to the girl--it was to get Aunt Susan to like her (Ethel, her
grand-niece) and make her her heiress, if not to all at least to a part
of her fortune.
Ethel sat and gazed at the pretty room in which Mrs. Hollister had spent
so much time decorating and making attractive. In her heart there was a
desire to denounce her mother. Then, when she realized that it was all
being done to benefit herself, she could feel nothing but pity for the
woman whose one thought in life was for her daughter. She thought: "She
will even tell people that I am Aunt Susan's heiress, and I must sit by
and know that it is untrue. Everything is untrue in this house. Oh, how
I wish I could get away from it all!" But to her grandmother she told
her suspicions.
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