ch would enable her to
surmount whatever difficulties would lie in her path through life. She
testified to her that the lives of most great people showed they had
become great, not because of the opportunities which were strewn in
their paths, but because of the obstacles they had overcome.

Katherine nodded dumbly. "But, how am I going to 'pass on the light that
has been given to me,' if I am to be away from people?" she said sadly
after a moment.

"By doing the duty that lies nearest you," replied Nyoda, pressing her
shoulder with a gentle hand. "You can be just as much of a Torch Bearer
at home as anywhere. I know the prospect seems empty, even with the
knowledge that you are doing your duty. By all the tokens, your place in
life seems to be out in the busy world, rubbing elbows with people on
all sides. Your great dream of social settlement work seemed one which
was destined to be fulfilled with singular success. But, my dear,
remember this, no success in life is worth as much as a happy home and a
loving father and mother, and in taking over the task of home-making you
have undertaken the greatest and noblest piece of work that any woman
can do. If you succeed in making home happy your life will not be wasted
and your torch will shine undimmed."

"I hadn't thought about it in that way before," said Katherine slowly.
"You see, I had spent my whole life waiting for the day when I could get
away from home and get out among educated people. My one dream as long
as I can remember has been college in the East, and I spent every minute
studying. I never cared how the house looked or how anything went on the
farm. I just lived in my books, and in day dreams of the future. That's
what makes it so hard to go back now. Oh, I was going back all right, I
never thought for a moment of not going, but I don't believe I was
planning to be very happy about it. Now I see the meaning of the Camp
Fire Girls' law, 'Be happy.' It doesn't mean be happy when everything is
coming your way, but in spite of everything when things are going wrong.
Just so when we learned to say, 'For I will bring ... my joy and sorrow
to the fire.' There is more than one way to make a fire. If you haven't
a joyful match handy to scratch and make an instant blaze, you can start
one with the slow rubbing sticks of sorrow. But either one will kindle
the torch that you can pass on to others. I see it now!"

"You certainly have put it in a nutshell!" said Nyoda.