"Well, I'm _willing_ to sing, anyhow," said Sahwah, "even if I
can't and that's more than some people do." This last was a
direct reference to Gladys. Although she was supposed to have a
very good and well-trained voice and had done much solo singing
in her time, Gladys steadfastly refused to sing along with the
other girls in chorus. Once or twice, after much coaxing on
Nyoda's part, she had consented to sing a "solo" on Sunday
morning or on "stunt night," but sing mornings in the shack with
the others she would not. They laid it to the fact that she
considered herself better than themselves and did not want to mix
in their doings, and it put a damper on their own, singing
because they thought she was criticising them. This was not
exactly the case. Once an enthusiastic teacher of hers had
pronounced her voice "different" from others and told her that
chorus singing would spoil it, so from then on she refused to
blend her voice with others. She knew well enough that this was
ridiculous, but it pleased her vanity and she kept it up. She
would not come right out and tell why, however, but simply said
she "didn't feel like singing." Naturally the girls thought her
reason a personal one and it made bad feeling all around. Her
refusal to sing puzzled and grieved Nyoda more than anything else
she did. The Winnebagos were known as a "singing group," and the
addition of a trained voice was very welcome. Nyoda thought of
course that Gladys would lead the singing in great shape and her
disappointment at her attitude was very keen.

"Yes, Sahwah," said Nyoda warmly, "your willingness to use the
talents you have is one of the reasons why we love you so."

"I think that any one who can sing and won't isn't--isn't a