In the beginning Betty had given her
several blouses and some underclothes and would have done far more
except that Miss McMurtry advised her to cease. For it was not fair that
Nan should not also learn a spirit of independence and the desire to
earn her own way. Miss McMurtry hoped that the Camp Fire might teach
the girls this as one of its best lessons. Always we have believed that
the American boy can make his own place in the world, given an education
and a healthy body, then why not the American girl as well, now that she
is to have almost the same opportunity and encouragement?
Notwithstanding that, there was one serious, indeed most serious, fault
that the new Camp Fire member had not yet man aged to overcome: she was
not always truthful. The stories she told did not appear to be
malicious or very important, they merely explained why she was late when
her hour came for work, how she had gained certain elective honors when
no one was by to witness them, and yet they caused a general feeling of
distrust when evidence upon a question depended solely on Nan's word.
Miss McMurtry had talked to her many times and always she had promised
never to offend again and yet a habit of untruthfulness is not so easily
conquered. In reality, Polly O'Neill had more influence with the girl
whose cause she had championed than anyone else in camp, so that once or
twice Miss Martha had been tempted to ask Polly to talk to her and then
had given up the idea, thinking that perhaps it was hardly fair for one
girl to be told to lecture another.
Pages:
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157