The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1912-08-02
THETFORD.

The Campfire Festival.
1t was Wednesday afternoon
The Opinion correspondent was
strolling through the woods. He
would run his eye up along the
straight stems of pine and hem
lock and listen the while for the
call of the brown thrasher or the
pewee.
Suddenly a new and strange note
came through the foliage. 1t was
Woman's voice, wonderful for
rich purity. "Wohelo, Wohelo" il
called. The lover of birds and mu-
sic listened more attentively
Family he could catch the full
harmony of an orchestra. And
then the wonderful woman's voice
went on with a song. 1t was new
song. The bird lover had never
heard it before. But it was just
the song for that woman's voice
to be singing there among the
woods of Vermont.
What was it? What was happen
ing? The listener thought of Rip
Van Wrinkle and his jewellers, of
Diana and her nymphs, of Queen
Nab and her train of fairies. Had
the good old story-book days
come back?
By this time the listener had
come upon an open hillside. Look
ing up the slope he saw to his
surprise an unromantic grand
stand. Neither Diana nor Queen
Nab ever had anything to do
with a device like that. But soon
he circles the bank of seats and
saw something which shamed his
suspicious. Here was
such a sight as no builder of
fairy tales ever fancied.
In the midst of the semi-circle
of pines and hemlocks stood one
giant maple. On either side was
a rude shelter such as our primi-
tive ancestors built for protection
against the weather. And there
on the open greensward stood
beautiful maiden with arms out
toward the sun. Pres
emily she turned and sang. Then
the listener knew the secret of
the wonderful song he had heard.
Again came that startling call
echoing through the forest "Wo-
hello, Wohelo.n And now there
trooped down a lovely winding
road troops of people clad in sim
pie robes suggestive OF the early
days. They, too, came singing,
the "Wohelo" of the
girl. Surging out upon the open
space they sang a song of thanks
giving for the new day.
By this time our listener hard
~ knew where he was or what
ne was scoring and hearing. The
scene unrolled itself before his
eyes without reference to time
Dr. place. The men ran to their
shelters for bows and arrows.
They shot an arrow or two to
make sure their aim was true.
Then they prepared to depart for
he hunt. The women crowded
lround and sang a lovely song OF
arewell. The men were filled with
lelight at the prospects OF the
,hase; nevertheless they waited |
ong enough to sing to the wom-
N a hunting song. Then they |
lied off through the forest.
The women seemed to take lit |
lie pleasure in the prospect OF |
heir days work. The children
'kipped and played, but the wom-
n went sadly about their tasks.
'ome OF them began to grind corn
n old fashioned mortars. The |
hildren wanted to help, but the
turned them away with
GESTURES which suggested that
here would be work enough for
hem to do in time. The children
ook it all as a Joke, singing in a
pirit of glee song OF the corn,
low it is planted, how it grows,
nd is reaped. And between the
tanzas OF the lovely song of
hildish joy would sound the re-
rain of the tired women:
Round and round, with even
sound
ill every golden grain is ground"
At last the women sang a STAN
a OF their own ending:
For bread from youth to age
we toll, .....-..
midst a smiling land"
Now a different song arose.
oftly, gently 1t stole along the
orest breezes, but the listener
card every word. 1t was the
lllaby OF women putting their
abes to sleep: