Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 22.

[p. 58] of humankind. For I will tend as my fathers have tended since time began, the fire that is called the love of man for man, the love of man for God.

The usual number in a group or ‘fire’ of these girls is ten, their leader is usually a young matron, and styled ‘Guardian.’ Two or more fires are styled a Council, and its name may be a composite of the names of each, in this case Sag-my-nah.

That it is educative in its influence goes without saying. Each meeting some girl contributes to the entertainment of the evening an original composition. The occasion referred to was the time of the ‘Council's’ meeting, transferred from a ‘house of worship’ to the Historical Society's home. The Register gladly preserves for the future the contribution of the girl of the evening, whose name is appended:—

On a cold and star-lit evening,
In the second moon of winter,
Met the Camp Fire girls together
Camp of Sagamore and Mystic,
In a sacred house of worship
In the good old town of Medford.
Listen, while I tell the story
Of that bright and happy evening,
When we wore our Indian dresses
And our many-colored headbands
To that ceremonial meeting.
Of our number there were present
Nine and twenty bright-faced maidens.
Entered, Sagamore and Mystic;
Made the fire sign together,
Sign of fame and curling woodsmoke
Curling slowly, slowly upwards
To the great mysterious Spirit;
Then so softly all together
Said the ode to the great Spirit,
Sang we then the mystic fire song
Sang it all with joyous voices.
Afterwards, with hands uplifted
Paid our tribute to the colors
To the emblem of our freedom
To the flag of our great nation.