Upon her arrival home, Mrs. Hollister, while noting her new and splendid health, was appalled at the change.  From an obedient child, easily convinced that no matter what her mother said was right, she had become a girl of great character with ideas of her own.  Mrs. Hollister angrily denounced her mother-in-law and Aunt Susan, saying that it was their work and that her child, for whom she had slaved all of her life, had become wilful, stubborn and disobedient.  “She even refuses to go into Society this winter.  She talks of taking up low down settlement work.  She’ll end in becoming a suffragette, and standing on a soap box she’ll address the street rabble, perhaps wearing a large bonnet and standing beside a kettle holiday time ringing a bell and holding out a tambourine,—­a Salvation Army woman.  Oh! what a fool I was to let her go away from my influence,” and she sobbed,—­“to toil and save for her to make a brilliant match.  See the way she rewards me.  Why did I bring into this world such an ungrateful child!  It’s all that wretched Camp Fire business.”

Then Ethel gently put her arm around her mother and told her that only since she had been a Camp Fire girl had she appreciated how hard she had worked for her.  “I know, Mamma,” she said, “how you and Papa, and even Grandmamma, have sacrificed for me.  I see myself as I have been, (not as I am now)—­a selfish, wicked girl, not even appreciating what you have done for me, and I am appalled.  I am going to do for you now.  I am going to see the roses come back into your cheeks and the wrinkles leave your pretty face.  Uncle John is Papa’s senior by ten years but he looks much younger—­why?  Because Papa is bent and worn getting money for me—­for us to make a show on.  Everything is sham, Mamma, and let us give it up—­let us keep only friends who care for us ourselves and we shall be happier.  I shall take you up to camp next summer.  You can help us so much; you are so clever and can teach the girls.  And as for a grand marriage for me, I’ll promise never to marry at all unless you approve of the man, and I may make a better marriage than you dream of.  So just let us be happy and natural and live within our means,” and she took her sobbing mother in her arms.

Ethel Hollister’s Second Summer as a Camp Fire Girl

CHAPTER I

ETHEL’S PLANS

The morning after Ethel had declared herself her mother came up to her room.  She could see that Mrs. Hollister had not slept and her eyes were red from weeping.  Ethel kissed her, saying: 

“Mamma, we are going to be very happy together—­you and I. I don’t want to disappoint you, dear, nor would I do so willingly; but I simply can not live as I’ve been living.  Sit down and let us talk.”

Then she told of Aunt Susan,—­of her kindness, unselfishness and self-sacrifice.  She told of Mattie and how they had helped her, and of her Uncle John; of Patty and Judge Sands; and lastly of Kate and what a wonderful character she was.