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.