Part 8 (1/2)
That good can always triumph over evil, and that love and unselfishness will wipe out many social blots, and put beauty in their place.
As the rainbow has seven prismatic colors, these may stand for seven talents of woman.
Violet = Virtue--the bed-rock of woman's influence.
Indigo = Industry--which means willing service.
Blue = Beauty--in its many and varied forms.
Green = Generosity--to give of our best to others.
Yellow = Youth--to offer our best years to G.o.d.
Orange = Order--which includes organization.
Red = Radiation--the Love Force going out to others.
Fellows.h.i.+p
Every member of the League shall pledge herself to forward its objects and to take an active part in any schemes of help that may be inst.i.tuted in connection with it.
Flower Emblem. The Iris.
Motto. ”Freely ye have received, freely give.”
Ingred sat for a moment or two, watching the petals blow from the last roses on the bush that hung over the worn stone wall. The old Abbey lay on one hand, the buildings of the new school on the other. They seemed the very personification of ancient and modern.
”The world can't stand still,” she thought, ”and if it's got to move on, I suppose I'd better help to give it a shove in the right direction.”
Walking into the hostel, she met Nora and Fil walking arm-in-arm.
”Hullo, Ingred! Have you read the paper about the Rainbow League?” asked Fil eagerly. ”I think it's ripping! Nora and I are both going to join.”
”And so am I,” said Ingred, as she pa.s.sed by them, and went upstairs.
CHAPTER VII
Hockey
Ingred signed her name next morning as a member of the Rainbow League, and received a neat notebook with a j.a.panese design of purple irises stencilled on the cover. Though the new society was supposed to be run entirely by the girls themselves, it was much encouraged at head-quarters, and special allowances were made for its activities. Miss Burd sent for a book on _Toy-making at Home_, and gave the Handicraft cla.s.ses an indulgence to concentrate for the present on the construction of little windmills, carts, dolls' furniture, trains, jigsaw puzzles, and other articles described in its fascinating pages. Such a number of girls had joined the League that many willing hands were at work, and at Christmas they hoped to have a sale of the best of the toys in aid of a fund for War Orphans, and to send the remainder to be given away as treats for poor children.
Lispeth was highly enthusiastic, and full of future schemes.
”We'll do toy-making this term,” she decreed, ”and then next term we can think of something else. In the spring and summer we'll have a Posy Union to send bunches of flowers to sick people. We can't do anything of that, of course, during the winter, unless some of you like to put down bulbs; it would be lovely to give a pot of purple crocuses to a little crippled child! I think making the toys is just A1. I want to start a manufactory!”
”Barring the glue,” said Susie Wakefield. ”It smells simply abominable when it boils over. Why doesn't somebody bring out a patent for sweet-scented glue?”
”Sweet-scented glue! You Sybarite!”