The Woodcraft Girls in the City Part 26

"My dear, make a note of this and let us suggest it at the next National Council," added Mr. Remington.

"O Chief!" said Elizabeth, standing, "I am not a member of your Band but I can add a mite to the general reports. I can say that j.a.pan exports to the United States every year over $1,500,000. worth of Battenburg and Renaissance work-doilies, covers, and scarfs. Thousands of j.a.panese girls do this work at home during their spare hours."

"How!" cried the girls as their visitor finished her report.

"Have we anyone else to contribute?" asked the Chief.

Fred then stood up and cleared his throat-a habit he had when he felt the least bit embarra.s.sed.

"I might add that Instructors from the Agricultural College of the United States gave the Indians new insight into modern farming methods.

"The first course for Indian Farmers in Wisconsin was held at Kashena, on the Menominee Reservation, and was attended by scores of Tribes-men."

"O Chief, I can tell you something, too," cried Billy, as his big brother sat down. "A treaty between Great Britain and the United States for the protection of insectivorous birds on both sides of the Canadian border was negotiated in 1916."

"Who hasn't read a paper?" asked Zan, looking around.

"You haven't!" retorted Jane.

"I know, but I am reserving mine for the last as it is so superlative I knew the rest of you would feel too discouraged after hearing mine to read what you had written, so that the meeting would lose many reports,"

explained Zan, mysteriously.

"Then I make a motion that the Chief be asked to make that boast good!"

cried Elizabeth.

Amid laughter, the motion was loudly seconded and carried, and Zan waited for the uproar to quiet down before she said:

"You won't feel so jubilant when you hear the lesson I have ready for you who persist in a great waste of physical energy. My article was culled from the pages of 'The Guide to Nature' which is a good magazine for Woodcrafters published by the Aga.s.siz a.s.sociation. They found this article in one of our leading magazines and considered it interesting enough to reprint."

Then Zan read a paper she had written in her own amusing style, the main points of which she had read in the periodical mentioned.

"In June, 1916, an unusual but tremendously significant fiftieth anniversary of the chewing gum was ushered in-but not with laurels or paeans of praise did this gummy little product celebrate. In fact, very few of its enthusiastic masticators knew a thing of this birthday, until it was mentioned in the papers.

"Just think of it! Fifty years of chewing on something that never satisfies but always attracts more and more-like a nightmare where money lies scattered everywhere but vanishes when an eager hand tries to grasp it.

"We have had all kinds of trouble with Mexico in recent times, but never, no matter what we do or what they do, can the public of the United States ever properly reward Mexico for introducing the greatest boon known to base-ball fans, movie fanatics, and commuters-to say nothing of the miscellany and Woodcraft folks!

"It was on a certain occasion when General Santa Anna of Mexico was calling on a friend at Snug Harbour, Staten Island, that Thomas Adams also called upon the same friend. While the three talked the General took a chunk of something resembling a solid bit of over-shoe from his pocket and cut off a small piece. He placed it in his mouth and began chewing. Then he offered some to his companions.

"Mr. Adams looked it over dubiously and said: 'Will you please tell me where you found it?'

"Then the General explained that it was the gum of the zapote tree, better known as 'chicle.' Mr. Adams was a brave man, so he experimented.

As he chewed he evolved a brilliant idea and he asked the General for a goodly sized piece of the gum. He took it home to see if it could not be vulcanized for a patented rubber to be used as a basis of artificial teeth.

"But the tests proved hopeless for false teeth, as the chicle was too conscientious to lend itself to any falsity, knowing well that it was meant for a far greater blessing than to hold porcelain molars in place.

It felt in its soul that it could entertain a great and mighty nation in its elasticity _between_ the jaws but never to become a part of a jaw.

"So in a huff, the chemist who was experimenting for Mr. Adams got up and snapped out: 'The stuff isn't worth a darn for anything but just chewing!'

"Now Mr. Adams was a right clever Yankee so he suddenly felt inspired to try out this curse on the gullible American public, for he felt much as Barnum did, when he made his speech which will go down in history.

"So he and his son raised a capital of thirty-five dollars and began the manufacture of the greatest sorrow-quencher, intensest joy-maker, most fascinating jaw-acher, and effervescing hunger-stabiliser the world ever knew.

"In those pioneer days of chicle, there was no flavouring to lend enchantment to the gum, and it was chewing for the sake of chewing.

However, once the children found out what a source of annoyance this chewing gum proved to be to teachers, guardians, and parents, its success was a.s.sured, for let the juvenile American public decide favourably upon a thing and other verdicts can condemn in vain. Later, when all protests were futile, the elders had to take to chewing in sheer self-defence.

"To such vast proportions has this habit grown that at the present day the energy used in chewing gum is sufficient to propel a ferry-boat from New York Harbour to Hong Kong, China. In electrical terms a current powerful enough to lift 43,305,505 tons 34,000 miles per minutes per second per kilowatt hour.

"But to offset these stupendous figures in this loss of jaw-power one must stop to think of the good chicle has brought to the American public.

"It has been the means of having all cars and other transportation service hang signs in conspicuous places warning the pa.s.sengers to conform to the City Health Laws-hence the floors of public places have been neater and cleaner than ever before.

"It has been the means of furnishing suitable slot-machines at every corner, in every popular store, and at every post in railway stations of every description. These boxes must needs attract the people for the gum, so they were equipped with mirror fronts to enable the ever-neat but not gaudy pa.s.sengers to see that their hats were on straight, that tips of noses were properly powdered, that neckties were tied in the latest knot, or that Kaiser moustaches were twisted up at the correct angle-free from any thoughts of vanity, of course. While viewing these important details of toilettes folks naturally read the signs a.s.suring them of the life-giving, harmony-creating, beauty-producing chicle.

"Now friends, the answer is: Drop one cent in the slot, take the minute package that shoots out into the pan, start chewing on the fragrant chicle, and sit in a subway car opposite other masticating engines, and you will see other hapless pa.s.sengers run from the car at the next station and secure a similar package to that your cent brought forth.

Such is the power of suggestion on a subway. The vaccination always takes!"

As Zan read, the audience had t.i.ttered, but when she concluded and sat down the younger contingent laughed outright and "How'ed!" Then Miss Miller stood up.

"O Chief, I am not sure whether that essay deserves a _coup_ or a Chump Mark."

Mr. Remington then jumped up. "It sounded as if our esteemed Chief was hired by the chicle company as a salesman or demonstrator of their products!"

"O Chief!" added Mrs. Remington. "I vote that the writer be awarded an honour as it is interesting and instructive to learn how great and universal has the pernicious habit of gum-chewing grown in this thoughtless age. Perhaps a few more notices like this will rouse the people to consider the final results of indulging in weakening and disgusting habits like continual chewing."

"I'll consider the last speaker's sensible remark," said Mr. Remington, rising from the log seat. "But I need to retire to weigh the case impartially."

"You're not going away, are you?" cried Billy, as his father walked from the circle.

"It's long past bed-time and Baby is nodding," explained Mrs. Remington.

The Guide looked at her wrist watch and then exclaimed: "Goodness me! It is past eleven o'clock'."

"The parting song and then we say good-night," said Zan, and the Woodcrafters all stood to join in the Indian hymn.

The next morning found the indoor campers as eager for fun as youngsters ever are, and seeing that the weather was still threatening rain but was not actually fulfilling its threat, made the Band declare for some out-door sport without delay.

While the breakfast dishes were being washed and the room put in order, voices were heard on the way from the garage. In a few minutes, the Baker boys, and Jack, with the Remington boys, peeped in at the double doors.

"h.e.l.lo there! Fred Remington invited us over for a hike. Didn't think you girls would be here, as you were sure of going to Orange Mountain,"

said Fiji.

"Pooh, I know _you_, Fiji Baker! You never thought of a hike until you heard from Dad that _we_ were here. I bet anything you called up Fred Remington first and asked him to invite you over!" declared Zan, nodding wisely.

"Well, I don't know that it matters much who is right-but it remains a fact that now we're here we may as well entertain you girls," said Jack Hubert.

Instantly every girl was up in arms and what might have transpired is not known, for the ever watchful Guide comprehended, and said joyfully: