“Flashing Ray of Light brings brightness to our Camp Fire,” said the Guardian. “We welcome you to your place in our Camp Fire Circle.”
She gave Winona her pretty silver ring with its raying fagots, and repeating the formula which went with it.
When the girls had welcomed her rank and sung her a cheer, Winona sat down, she hoped, for the last time.
“How does it feel?” whispered Louise, who sat next her. “I wish I’d collected my requirements as quickly.”
“It feels partly awfully proud and partly awfully relieved,” Winona whispered back. “And I feel as if I oughtn’t to have picked out such awfully easy honors to take. Anybody could make a shirtwaist and know about their ancestors and trim a hat——”
“No, they couldn’t!” contradicted Louise, who admired Winona very much. “You just happen to be cleverer than the rest of us, that’s all.”
“I’m not!” said Winona as vehemently as it could be said in a whisper. “Marie’s getting her Wood-gatherer’s ring to-night, too.”
Mrs. Bryan’s voice rose again in the same formula.
“Shawondassee, tell us how you chose your name.”
“Shawondassee means ‘South Wind,’” answered Marie’s steady voice. “I chose the name because the South Wind coaxes instead of scolding, and I thought it was a good name to remind me to do the same thing. As my symbol I have chosen the willow shoots, because they come up year after year, no matter how often they are cut down, and I wish to have their perseverance.”