The Camp Fire Girls in the Maine Woods | Page 5

girl in charge, and ability
to control her temper. She said she knew Sahwah and Hinpoha were
well able to have charge of a canoe and she would never feel uneasy to
have the other girls go out with them. Hinpoha and Sahwah flushed
with pleasure and mentally resolved to die rather than prove unworthy
of her trust. Gladys gave a little start when the canoe rules were read.
She could not swim. She had been looking forward to going out in a
canoe very shortly.

The rest of the rules dealt with the day's schedule, which was as
follows:
Rising bugle at seven. Morning dip. Breakfast. Song hour. Tent
inspection. Craft work. Folk dancing. Swimming. Lesson in camp
cookery. Dinner. Rest hour. Nature study. Two hours spent in any way
preferred. Supper. Evening open for any kind of stunt. First bugle, 8:30.
Lights out, 9:00.
Ceremonial meeting would be held every week on Monday night,
because the girls had so many opportunities to win honors now that a
whole month would be too long to wait.
After the announcements Nyoda awarded the honors. Medmangi had
taken the swimming test, Nakwisi and Chapa had righted an overturned
canoe, Sahwah had built a reflecting oven and baked biscuits in it. All
the girls had won some kind of an honor. Gladys listened wonderingly
to the account of the things they had accomplished--things she did not
have the faintest notion of how to do.
Then came the elevating of Migwan to the rank of Fire Maker. Proudly
she exhibited her fourteen purple beads, indicating the fulfilment of the
fourteen requirements. Nyoda asked her questions on the things she had
learned, and asked her to explain to the girls how much better she had
gotten along since she started to keep an itemized account book.
Migwan blushed and hung her head, for figures were an abomination to
her and keeping accounts a fearful task. If it had not been for her
ambition to be a Fire Maker she would never have attempted it at all,
but once having learned how she realized their value, and heroically
resolved to keep accurate accounts right along. When it came to the
subject of bandaging she had to give demonstrations of triangular and
roller bandaging, with Hinpoha as the subject. Then in a clear, earnest
voice she dedicated her "strength, her ambition, her heart's desire, her
joy and her sorrow" to the keeping up of the flame of love for her
fellow creatures. Satisfied that Migwan was a worthy candidate, Nyoda
slipped the silver bracelet on her arm and proclaimed her a Fire Maker.
Migwan blushed fiery red and hung her head modestly.

"Speech, speech!" shouted the girls. "Give us a poem, Migwan."
Migwan thought a moment and then recited dramatically:
"I am a Fire Maker! I have completed The Fourteen Requirements! I
have repeated The Fire Maker's Desire! Now I may light The great
Council Fire! Now I may kindle The Wohelo Candles! Long months
have I labored Gathering firewood, That I might kindle The Fire of
Wohelo! My arm is encircled With a silver bracelet, The outward
symbol Of the Fire I have kindled; And those who behold it Shall say
to each other, 'Lo, she has labored, She has given service, She has
pursued knowledge, She has been trustworthy, Fulfilled the
requirements, She is a Fire Maker!' That symbol is sacred, A charm
against evil, Evil thoughts and dark passions, Against envy and hatred!
One step am I nearer The goal of my ambition, To be a Torch Bearer Is
now my desire! To carry aloft The threefold flame, The symbol of
Work, Of Health and of Love, The flaming, enveloping Symbol of
Love Triumphant; where might fails I conquer by Love! Where I have
been led I now will lead others, Undimmed will I pass on The light I
have kindled; The flame in my hand Shall mount higher and higher, To
be a Torch Bearer Is now my desire!"
A round of applause followed. Next the "Count" was called for. This
had also been written by Migwan. In rippling Hiawatha meter it told
how the Winnebagos had journeyed
"From their homes in distant Cleveland To Loon Lake's inviting
waters--"
how they pitched the tents and made the beds, how they named the
tents Alpha and Omega, how eagerly they awaited Gladys's coming,
how Sahwah was placed on the tower to wave at her,
"And the telescope descending, Fell kersplash into the water,"
and all the rest of the doings up to the beginning of Council Fire.
Nyoda then rose and said that as the Camp Fire was a singing

movement she wished the girls to write as many songs as possible, and
to encourage this had worked out a system of local honors for songs