Next to the long table stood the book-shelves, tabourets, benches, stools, bird-houses, and other decorative or useful articles in carpentry.
A second long table exhibited the pottery work, bowls, fire-urns, candle-sticks, weaving, bead-work, looms, Indian Sun-dial; work in brass, silver, copper, and other metals, the designs made, hammered, and etched by the girls themselves.
Then an old-fashioned bookcase with glass doors had been brought from the house-attic and the shelves of this large cabinet were filled with jars of canned fruit, preserves, pickles, dried and canned vegetables, dried or salted meats, cakes, bread, and other housekeeper’s craft learned and practised by the members of Wako Tribe.
On the floor beside the cabinet were hand-made rush brooms, willow-ware of all kinds, Indian tools for gardening, and the tents made at such expense of labour and patience during January.
There were exhibits of coups and degrees and honours for swimming, star-gazing, farming, archery, nursing, needle-craft, marketing, singing, dancing, Indian Lore, hostess, cooking, fishing, gardening, carpentry, camper-craft, bird sharp, art crafts, and minor works so arranged that the lists seemed endless. In fact, the Big Chief from Headquarters said he had never witnessed so many achievements accomplished by one Tribe in so short a time, and he added that it spoke well for the zeal and application of the members.
The entertainment now began with the usual ceremonies of Grand Council, followed by reports and other business. Then the girls performed the Green Corn Dance, which is especially a Spring Dance. After the Big Lodge finished this graceful dance, the Brownies of the Little Lodge acted Nana-bo-jou with great vim and energy.
Immediately following this dance, the Chief said: “One of our Brownies wishes to win a coup for storytelling, so I will introduce Edith Remington to the audience. She will tell you what happened to her last Winter.”
Edith was acquainted with most of the visitors present, so she felt no self-consciousness in addressing them. In fact, bashfulness and over-sensitiveness are two of the undesirable failings eliminated by Woodcraft, so that a child can do what is expected of it without the agony brought out by self-consciousness.
“It was a very cold day—so cold that the ground was frozen hard—but no snow had fallen yet. I wanted to call Billy ’cause we were invited to spend the day with my little cousins, so I ran out of the front door to find him in the woods at the foot of the lawn.
“Just as I hurried under a big oak tree that stands by the drive, I heard a queer scratching noise, and some loose pebbles flew in front of me.