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Page 5
The True Tred Troop of Flosston had been organized one month when
Margaret won the medal. Shortly after the holidays, an event of
unusual importance occurred in the mill town, when its small
company of service boys returned from "Over There." They were
royally welcomed by the entire town folks, together with the many
officials of the silk industries, from whose ranks the boys had
marched away.
With the lads returned was Margaret's brother Tom. He was handsome
and a Marine, and well might Mrs. Slowden and Margaret take pride
in the honor their soldier brought them. On the night of the Great
Welcome Home, the scout girls, then newly organized, assisted with
ushering and attending to the platform needs of the speakers and
honored heroes, each of the latter receiving a special small, gold
military cross, the gift of the silk mill magnates. This insignia
was presented by the most famous authorities of army and navy
available, and Tom Slowden was given the special honor of a real
military presentation of the D. S. C., he being the only member of
Flosston recruits to receive such a notable tribute.
As might have been expected this gave real distinction to the
Welcome Home, and Margaret was suffused with pardonable pride. But
when she took her place in the check room, to attend to the coats
and other belongings of the distinguished visitors--she was
forgotten by her troop, and she remained there all during Tom's
presentation. She never heard a word of major's wonderful speech,
when the people fairly roared for Tom's glory. There she was,
downstairs in the dark, lonely cloak room.
"Oh, my dear!" deplored Captain Clark. "I never meant that you
should stay down here at this time."
"But it was my task," returned the melancholy Margaret.
"I would not have had you miss your brother's presentation for the
world! Such a thing can never come again. Why did you not call
some of the girls to relieve you?"
"If Tom did anything like that he could never have received the D.
S. C., and I am a Scout and pledged to honor commands," returned
Margaret nobly.
For that sacrifice she received from the same platform, one week
later, her own badge of merit, and the occasion was a real rally,
with officials from headquarters, and all the neighboring troops
participating.
Was it strange then that Margaret should lament her loss?
No other badge could actually take the place of that one, and
while Captain Clark would immediately advise headquarters of the
loss, and order a new one, the brave little scout girl would still
feel she had lost that one vested with the special presentation
honors.
On the morning following the loss, the girls of True Tred were
seen out on the road so early, the station master, old Pete,
hurried to his window, and got ready for business, surmising an
excursion or at least a local convention imminent.
But no such occurrence was probable, it was only the troop out
looking for the badge, and inevitably they did not find it. Signs
made by Captain Clark were posted in the station, the post-office,
and at prominent corners, but Margaret was disconsolate. She had
called her badge the "D. S. C." because of its connection with
Tom's insignia, and though the big brother had promised the scout
sister all sorts of valuable substitutes, offering her the little
hand carved box he had brought for "another girl," and which
Margaret had openly coveted, even this did not seem adequate
compensation.
All day at school the girls of True Tred planned and contrived
little favors for their unhappy sister, and it was noticeable
those of the classes who usually scoffed at the scouts and their
activities, could not well conceal their admiration for the spirit
of kindliness displayed.
The True Treds had members in the seventh and eighth grammar
grades, and the girls' ages ranged from thirteen to fifteen years.
Margaret Slowden was fifteen, Cleo Harris fourteen and Grace
Philow and Madaline Mower were thirteen. This group was most
active in the scout girls' movement, and although the organization
was only three months old in Flosston, few there were in the town
who had not seen and admired the smart little troopers, in their
neat uniforms, always ready to assist in the home or in public at
any task consigned to them. It was to be expected they would meet
opposition in the way of criticism from such girls as are always
indifferent to team play, and the best interests of the largest
numbers, but the scouts knew how much they enjoyed their troop,
and realized how beneficial was the attractive training they were
receiving from its rules and regulations.
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