Part 10 (1/2)

But, girls-” she ended abruptly, dropping her matronly pose, ”have you seen Edith-she was to be Helen Billington-I never knew her to be so late before?”

”There! that accounts for the aching void in my heart, I know I missed some one,” cried Jessie half mockingly. ”O dear, what will become of my Pioneer article if the Sport does not appear?” The girls all laughed in appreciation of Jessie's serio-comic declaration, for it was generally conceded that Edith was the most active spirit of the band, as her sporting proclivities, her general good-nature, and her das.h.i.+ng escapades always furnished plenty of ”copy” when any of their various hikes or demonstrations were in progress.

”Oh, don't fret; a bad penny always turns up!” chimed in Kitty, who did not particularly admire the Sport.

”I'll bet you a cookie that she has been arrested for appearing in disorderly apparel on the street,” observed Grace roguishly; ”for she told me she was going to dress at home.”

”Oh, girls, aren't you ready?” at this instant asked Louise Gaynor, suddenly appearing in the doorway leading to the room where Mrs. Morrow, as Mistress Carver, the Governor's lady, was waiting to receive them.

”Her Sweet Graciousness, Mistress Carver, waits for you without in the Common House.”

”Modest and simple and sweet, the very type of Priscilla, Priscilla, the Mayflower of Plymouth!”

Thus hummed Lillie as she walked around this winsome representation of that Puritan maiden, surveying her critically, but with approving eye.

”Oh, you're just too sweet for anything!” warbled another bluebird, ”you're-”

”You're too sweet to have to do your own proposing, methinks,” broke in Jessie, touching one of the long golden braids that fell from beneath the demure little cap of this first edition of women's rights.

But at sweet Priscilla's gentle reminder that the first lady of the land should not be kept waiting, the merry girls ceased their chatter, did their best to a.s.sume the decorous manners of the Puritan women, filed into line, and were soon in the adjoining room.

Here they were greeted by Dame Brewster, the Elder's wife, no other than Helen, who, in ruffled cap and quaintly flowered gown, excelled even her own aspirations to appear like that motherly dame, as in speech of quaint wording she made each Mayflower damsel known to Mistress Carver.

After the greetings had been voiced, the first surprise came, and that was when the Tike came bounding into the midst of the gentle dames and informed them that a cheer fire was blazing on the gra.s.s-plot in the rear of the Hall. The Pioneers in profound wonder-as they had not expected to have a cheer fire-followed Mistress Carver to the garden, where a circle was formed around this magic inspirer of cheer, whose burning f.a.gots snapped and crackled noisily, as if to do its share in the old-time celebration. It was in memory, Grace declared, of the many fires that had cheered the settlers in the cold and desolation of the new world.

Murmurs of wonder and queries about this mysterious surprise were silenced, as some one started a general clapping, a recognition often accorded the Pioneers' cheer star. Then, as they gathered around the flaming light, some one suggested that perhaps the Governor's lady could tell as to who was the magic fire-maker.

The lady in question, although disclaiming that she knew who lighted the magic inspirer, did finally admit that she could guess who had done it, but as that was a privilege that every one had, she had nothing to tell.

However, the mystery remained unsolved, although some bright one ventured to suggest that it might have been the Sport, who was still missing, as she delighted to do the unexpected.

Immediately the missing Pioneer began to be eulogized for her clever and mysterious absence, as these representatives of hundreds of years ago circled about their emblem of cheer and romance. To usher in the first ceremony, or, as the girls sometimes called it ”the christening of the blazer,” some one called for the story-teller to give one of her thrillers. This cry was forthwith taken up by the little company, and became so imperative that Lillie at last complied with the request, and in a few moments was telling, in her usual impressive way, the story of those pioneers, the Pilgrim men and women, who fought the first battle for liberty and union on the sh.o.r.es of this land.

When Lillie's story came to an end, she received her usual applause, for every one had listened with the closest attention to the account of the many pilgrimages of these simple folk from the northeastern countries of England. In trying to serve G.o.d as they deemed right they had separated themselves from the English church and had begun to hold little meetings in the village of Scrooby. Hounded by the authorities they finally sailed to the low countries, which at that time were considered a place of refuge for the oppressed of all nations. They lived one year in Amsterdam, meeting for wors.h.i.+p near a convent, whose sweet chimes called them to a low-ceiled room, where they sung their songs of praise and read G.o.d's word.

But their wanderings were not over, and a year later they sailed on one of the great waterways of this Dutch land to Leyden. Here they remained twelve years in twenty-three humble little homes, built on a plot of ground known as the _Koltsteeg_, and called Bell Alley, just across the way from the great dome of St. Peter's church.

Here in this land of foreign tongue their children grew up, learned their trades and, alas, many of the ways of these people, especially their methods of keeping the Sabbath, which were contrary to the beliefs of these G.o.d-loving people. It was for this reason as well as for others, that they started forth on their wanderings again, and migrated to the new land across the sea, sailing in the _Mayflower_ on the twenty-second of July, 1620.

Nathalie was somewhat disappointed in the beginning, that she was not to hear one of Lillie's twentieth-century thrillers, but the story of the Pilgrims was so interesting that she felt amply repaid for her disappointment. Although familiar with their story in this land, she had never heard much about the lives of these founders before they came to America.

The tale of these ancient folk was rendered even more interesting by various interruptions at intervals, as when Dame Brewster read, in solemn tone, the Const.i.tution formed by these people in the cabin of the _Mayflower_, said to have been written on an old chest, and known as The Compact, the first stone in the American Commonwealth.

The Governor's lady enlivened the tedious voyage over by telling of several little incidents that had occurred; one was when the _Mayflower_ during a severe storm was saved from going to the bottom by some one wedging a _kracht_, or jackscrew, in a leak that had suddenly sprung amids.h.i.+ps.

Little Humility Cooper, one of the children of the _Mayflower_ voyagers, an Oriole Pioneer, recited Mrs. Heman's ”Landing of the Pilgrims,” while sprightly Mary Chilton told of her race with John Alden to be the first one of the little company to step on Plymouth Rock. She added to the interest of this recital by giving a short account of this historical granite from the day it served as a foundation stone of her victory until the present time.

A Bob White told about the first American washday, and the fun the children had gathering sweet juniper boughs to build the fires, over which hung the tripod from which was suspended the kettles of that historic occasion.