CHAPTER XIX
OF A NUMBER OF THINGS
While other things were uppermost in Betty Lee's mind just now, thecommittee on Honor Girl were considering her as well as half a dozen ormore of the fine girls that were G. A. A. candidates, made so by the"petitions" of their friends. No girl goes through a high school coursewithout being pretty well estimated, in one way or another, by herfriends, but this was a little more definite. The school paper, indeed,published the main requirements which the choice of Honor Girl, orpoints upon which the choice rested: character, appearance, leadership,school spirit and scholarship of not less than eighty per cent for thefour years of high school work.
Betty's grades were good, for not once had she fallen below the honorlist, thanks to pride and the stimulus of pleasing her parents. Herleadership was not to be doubted, for more than one team had she led tovictory, though she had not taken part in as many competitive games assome of the other girls. And was she not the president of the G. A. A.?"Betty Lee is efficient," said one of the teachers on the committee."Yes, and she is to be relied on absolutely," replied another.
Appearance, did not mean beauty, it was to be supposed, but it didinclude neat and suitable dressing, and presumably a certain poise ofmanner, not impossible to be attained by the young. "Betty Lee'sexperience at the head of some of these organizations has given her thatmodest but rather confident manner in the class room, I suppose," saidone.
"No," said Miss Heath, "she has always had that. She has been in myclasses from the first. She gets that at home I think. They are allrather self-contained, good control and all that. I've been entertainedthere. I'm glad I'm not on your committee, ladies. There's CarolynGwynne. She is one of the most charming girls I know, quite as generousas Betty and as friendly, with all the school spirit any one coulddesire. If you chose her, you would have a fine honor girl, one thatrepresents the best Lyon High has. Yet Betty has a few more gifts andhas made a better president of G. A. A. than Carolyn would have made.She is just as bright as Carolyn, though her grades are not quite ashigh. How she has kept up to the mark with all your athleticperformances, I don't see."
Miss Heath had been called into one of the class rooms where members ofthe committee were discussing the choice, and this was her laughingthrust at two of the athletic directors. "Oh, yes, one more thing infavor of my favorite," added Miss Heath. "Betty has cool judgment. Shethinks things out, which is more than you can say for all of ouryoungsters. That is one of the best points in leadership. Bettyexpresses herself well, too, in class."
"How about pep and enthusiasm?" queried one lady.
"I presume all of these girls would make one hundred per cent on that,wouldn't they? Witness this morning's assembly?"
The choice was not an easy one, but it was made, to be kept a secretuntil the G. A. A. banquet when the honors were to be given.
Meanwhile last senior hikes and picnics took their place in history,during the lovely days of April, May and early June. Color Day, a girls'affair, marked by class stunts and contests, was a jolly occasion.Betty's only honor was winning the basketball throw and that was anaccident, she claimed. But she had helped get up the senior stunt, whichwon the prize, filling the senior girls with delight. "Betty, you made agrand class manager," declared Mathilde, amazing Betty, who did notsuppose that Mathilde thought she could do anything right. But Betty hadnever retaliated nor seemed to notice Mathilde's little slights, exceptto avoid contact more or less. "That's nice of you to say, Mathilde,"responded Betty with a bright smile. "I'm going to miss all the times wegirls have had," she added, "and these field days have been such fun.I'll miss all of it."
"So shall I," said Mathilde, thoughtfully. "I'm going to be married,Betty. Tell you some more some time."
A successful and almost too well attended concert of glee clubs andorchestra finished Betty's "fiddling" for the year, she said, though shestill attended practices. She was happy over having the largest "score"and thus winning that past swimming meet. Swimming and music ought to gotogether, she told her father. He agreed and reminded her how fishermenwere lured to their doom by the Lorelei and other sirens.
"Oh--you're a great daddy!" Betty told him, "but you'll be proud of yourlittle goldfish yet!"
"I am now, Betty. There isn't a girl as fine as mine over there!"
"Why, Father! That's better than the diploma! I know you're prejudiced,but it's very pleasant!"
Then came a day when Ramon Sevilla came "home." Tall, big, strong,confident, he had gotten past fear, established in his own country, withbacking now in America as well. But plans changed. Mrs. Sevilla was notquite strong enough yet to be taken across the Atlantic. The schoolpaper, known as the _Roar_, came out with a little account which gave asummary of Ramon's experiences:
A Former Football Hero Returns.
Who does not remember the Don, otherwise known as Ramon Balinsky? He is the man who came to fame after Freddy Fisher and in turn was followed by "Kentucky," our synonym for victory.
The Don was the man of mystery. We always knew that he had some romantic history and it turns out that he was the victim of a frame-up in his native land. Separated from his relatives, who feared that he was dead, not knowing what had become of them, he drifted here, always followed by the villains of the piece.
Last summer he was kidnapped and almost killed, though rescued by friends that included some of our most prominent seniors. It made a romantic tale of the Maine coast, stolen jewels and smuggled liquor. The Don has been to Spain and it is whispered that he has even talked to the king. He has regained his stolen property and while he goes now by the name of Sevilla, no one knows just what his rank may or may not be.
However, the Don makes a fine American and until he thinks best to return to his native land, he has established a home for his mother and sister and is going to work for the Murchison Company. The _Roar_ congratulates him and says, "Long live the Don!" Good work, Ramon. The cheer squad will now lead in Lyon High yells for the Don, and the band will strike up "El Capitan!"
It was true that a quiet little place had been chosen by Ramon for hismother and sister, who could now rest from most of her labors and all ofher anxieties. For the present Ramon was to be found suitable work, inone of the Murchison interests, which would take care of them all andbegin to settle the loan which he had accepted in Spain.
One curious feature about Betty's new relation with Larry Waite was thather family knew practically nothing about it. She had no desire to keepanything from her mother, in one respect, but she had really seen solittle of Larry, and under such circumstances when she did that it wasnot natural to speak of it. Mrs. Lee had noted Betty's depression and alittle change of manner, and while attributing it chiefly to her beingtired with all the various enterprises, she wondered if seeing so muchless of Chet was worrying her at all. "After Commencement," Bettythought, "they'll see."
Chet, on the other hand was not worrying Betty in the least. He hadseemed not to like it particularly that Betty was Larry's partner atsupper on that eventful evening, but Chet was not much older than Bettyand like her had had no real experience with a deep attachment. Just nowhe was absorbed in his work and a university fraternity. He and Ted witha few others came around in a car one afternoon to carry Betty off to apicnic party on the Dorrance grounds, but aside from that there were no"dates." It was a natural dropping of rather too constant attention andBetty was glad to think that her budding romance would not bring anyparticular pain to Chet.
Mathilde, whose chief interest was in those lines and whose townacquaintance was wide, took some little pleasure, Betty thought, inrepeating something that Jack had told her. "I hear that you are beingcut out, Betty, with Chet," said she.
"How is that?" asked Betty, knowing that Mathilde wanted to have her askthat very thing.
"Jack says that Chet has a new girl--I forget her name, a new member ofChet's class. Chet's taking her arou
nd quite a little. I hope you don'tmind." Mathilde looked at Betty curiously. Perhaps that was what was thematter with Mathilde, curiosity.
"How interesting," murmured Betty, annoyed, to be sure, but a littleamused, too. "No--Chet and I will always be the best of friends, Ithink, but it's only natural that we should not be together so much now.I think I know the girl you mean. There were a lot of us on a picnictogether the other day." Blessings on that recent picnic, Betty thought.She really did not enjoy having Mathilde "crow over her," and she knewthat before the conversation ended, Mathilde would try to worm the lastdetail of that picnic and who were there out of her. As if uninterestedin telling any more, she pleasantly answered the rest of the questions,for with some people, Betty could be "diplomatic," too.
In the comforting assurance that everything would be "all right" whenLarry came, Betty laid aside her happy dreams of the future to work hardjust before the "senior exams." One scholarship prize she would win, ifpossible, and she was not going to have it said that a girl prominent inathletics could not get her lessons. As a senior, she could not playwith the orchestra at Commencement. Freedom from practice there was onegain, though arrangements for the G. A. A. banquet lay partly on theshoulders of the president.
At last the examinations were over. Class day was ushered in withsunshine and entire relief from lessons. Betty was not even in thepretty Maypole dance or any of the stunts, but with some regrets sheformed a part of the senior parade and carried her part of the long,long rope of living green and twining flowers that marked the seniorclass. As she followed the rest along the track of the athletic fieldbefore the big stadium she tried not to let herself think that "allthese good times" were over, but she winked more than once, to keep atear from forming. One big chapter in her life was closing, and Bettyvaguely realized it.
But her mother was in the stadium to hear the brief program and to seeBetty come forward not only for her Latin prize from Miss Heath, but foranother, given to each of the three best Latin students in the entiresenior class.
And afterwards, when the class had its own private meeting there wasnothing but fun for Betty. The class prophet foretold a wonderfulathletic future for Betty as the world's champion swimmer. "As Lindy wasthe first to fly alone, so Betty Lee is to be the first swimmer to crossthe Atlantic!"
"How about the sharks?" someone asked, but was frowned upon by thespeaker of the day.
CHAPTER XX
TROPHIES
Was it herself? So thought Betty once during the G. A. A. banquet whichwas such an important occasion to its president.
There was the buzz of conversation, the tinkle of some bit of silver,the subdued laughter of some prettily dressed girl, or other naturalaccompaniment of a meal. Students, guests and teachers sat about thelong, flower-decked tables in the familiar lunch room, arranged for theoccasion, and were engaged in the pleasant pastime of disposing of anexcellent banquet menu's offerings.
But Betty's chief thoughts were upon her little speech of welcome, withwhich the program was to be opened. She sat at the speakers' table, inthe line of those who were to give toasts or present awards. Ratherovercome at first by being next to the principal himself, Betty facedher G. A. A. world and glanced from time to time at her notes, concealedfrom view in her program. She had attended more than one G. A. A.banquet, but it was the first time that she had borne anyresponsibility.
Tonight she was in front of everybody, for the speakers' table ranacross the end of the room and was seated upon the one side only, whichthus faced the ends of the other tables. Betty would not be particularlyembarrassed in receiving before every one her coveted pin for riding,chevrons, or other marks of honors won. But that speech! Well, if sheforgot what she intended to say, she could make up something cordial andcourteous. She had had experience with the Girl Reserves and often hadto say something that she had not expected to. But she had to manage theprogram, too, and she did hope that she wouldn't make any mistakes orlet down into what her father called the school vernacular.
Rather keyed up, Betty rose with senior dignity at the proper time andmade her little speech of welcome and introduction to the purpose andpoints of the banquet. She introduced the principal as the first uponthe program and sat down during the applause which both approved of herspeech and recognized the principal. Relieved that there was a favorablestart, Betty had a chance to think of what she was to say next, whilethe principal spoke briefly. Two others made short toasts, CarolynGwynne, then one of the girls who lauded the opportunities of the schoolfor healthful activities. Then, since so many awards were to be made,the business of presentations began.
Betty had only to call on each teacher who made the presentations, butshe kept her mind strictly on the order of the program, thoughinterrupted by receiving and acknowledging with smiles her own awards.Hockey, riding, swimming, basketball, numeral and letters made trophiesfor Betty, who disposed them near her as best she could.
The new officers for the next year were installed, another thing to havedone properly. But it was all going off promptly with no dragging, notime wasted. What else should they learn in this big school except tohave everything go promptly, according to schedule? Lucia, happy withboth her father and her mother beside her, her guests at the banquet,gave Betty a smiling look once in awhile. Count and Countess Colettiwere evidently very much interested in the whole affair, and thedark-eyed, distinguished looking count took from Lucia the pin which wasthe award of the riding club, to examine it smilingly and pass it on toMr. and Mrs. Lee, who sat near. The Murchisons, though urged to come byLucia, had another important engagement. The count and countess hadarrived from their travels just in time to attend.
Gwen's father and mother were there, too, for was not Gwen receivingrecognition for her one year of excellent efforts? Carolyn, sweet oldCarolyn, had made the best speech of all, Betty thought. From certainindications, Betty thought that it was most likely that Carolyn would benamed the honor girl. Yet not a word had any member of the committeesaid to betray their secret, so far as Betty knew.
And tired, though relieved, when Betty called upon the chief athleticdirector to make the announcement of the Lyon High Honor Girl, she wasalmost past thinking at all. All that she had to do now was to announcethe speaker, who would offer the toast to that honor girl. Thankfortune, it had all gone off without a hitch! Betty leaned back in herchair and pinned below her flowers on her gay chiffon frock, new for theoccasion, the silver pin with its outlined horse jumping over a lowgate.
She saw Amy Lou smiling at her from beside her mother, and back among asophomore group was Doris. But she was all attention as the experiencedand charming director began to speak, saying what Betty knew to be truethat her class had offered an unusual number of girls prominent inathletic events.
"It is too bad that there can be only one Honor Girl. However, I knowthat you will all agree in regard to the qualifications of the one whomwe have selected. Fair and considerate, loyal to the school, strivingfor excellence rather than to win over another, friendly, efficient,dependable, always working toward high ideals, with an excellent recordin scholarship and athletics, with gifts in influence and leadership,our young president, Betty Lee, is the one whom we name as Lyon HighHonor Girl!"
Betty had clasped her hands tightly together when the director had said"our young president." Now, prettily gowned, smiling assurance to Betty,she was bending to her and giving her a hand to present her as Bettyrose, scarcely believing her eyes and ears.
Trying to collect herself, Betty listened while the director placed thebeautiful ring on Betty's finger with a few more well-chosen and almostaffectionate words. And Betty must make some response--a speech that shehad not made up beforehand!
Betty's voice trembled a little, as in a few words, which she couldnever remember, she thanked the director and the society and sank intoher chair, apparently in command of herself, but really very muchshaken. She would not have believed that she could feel it
so!
Fortunately, the director announced at once the name of the teacher whowas to give the toast to the Honor Girl, saving Betty the embarrassmentand "making it snappy," as Doris said afterwards. This closed theprogram and Carolyn, sitting so near Betty, was the first one to reachher and hug her in congratulation.
"Oh, Carolyn, I was almost sure it would be you! You are ten times moreworthy of wearing this ring than I am!"
"No, Betty, and I'm honestly glad you have it."
"It is just like you, Carolyn, and I'll never be able to equal yourgenerous spirit in a thousand years!"
But others, teachers and pupils, were surrounding Betty now. Her parentswere also receiving congratulations and did not try to reach Betty forsome time. Countess Coletti, presently, was turning up Betty's chin witha light touch of her jeweled hand, to kiss her and threaten to carry heroff with Lucia to Switzerland for the summer. The count offered hiscongratulations with dignity and stopped to talk with the principal onAmerican public schools.
It was late before the combined Lee family felt sleepy. Mrs. Lee cameinto Betty's room to say goodnight again to her honor girl, and foundBetty, half undressed but sitting on her bed "just thinking."
They talked for a few moments, then Betty sprang up suddenly. "Mother,this would be a good time to show you something. I have never said muchto you about Larry Waite, Marcella's brother, and you have scarcely seenhim. Well, you did hear all about last summer, of course, and how nicehe was. But there is something special, Mother, and a letter that hewrote me will explain it to you better than I can. You can understand,can't you, why I haven't told you anything before? It was only the timeof Marcella's party that I knew he cared."
Startled, Mrs. Lee looked inquiringly at Betty; but the motherly smilewas ready for her "little girl." "And are you--interested in him,Betty?" she asked.
"No girl could help being interested, Mother. I'm--afraid I care a gooddeal already. Here is the main letter, and that is a note writtenbefore. He wrote me a letter and a note that never reached me."
"Do you care if I take these to my room, Betty?"
"I'd much rather, Mother--but don't let anything happen to them!" Bettywas smiling a little now. The moment had been a little awkward.
"I understand. And may I speak of it to Father? He'll probably not wantto read the letters."
"Say anything you want to Father, if he will keep it to himself, youknow. You see it is really not all fixed up."
"Depend on me to manage it," said Mrs. Lee, taking her daughter in herarms for an especial good night, yet leaving the room with a frown ofanxiety. Betty was too young. But she turned to say, "Betty, I shallmake it a point to become acquainted with this young man. We shallinvite him around." And Betty, selecting her "nightie" from a hook inher closet, looked around the open closet door to say, "All right,Mamma. Goodnight."
The situation did not seem so distressing, however, after the letterswere read. There would be nothing immediate. Mrs. Lee smiled at morethan one point, but Betty could safely trust her letters to her mother.She was not one to take humorously or lightly what was earnest in younglove. This seemed to be a sensible young man, carrying moreresponsibility than most at his age, and sufficiently older than Betty.She decided to tell Mr. Lee at some later date, when he was not sotired. The lad was coming home, they would soon have an opportunity tojudge for themselves.
-----
Commencement was held in the school auditorium, though so many were thedemands for tickets that it had been considered taking the seniors toone of the city's larger platforms. That Betty was excited with all theaccompanying glories, is scarcely necessary to mention. Presents fromdear friends, little gifts exchanged with the girls, the new whitefrock, flowers from "The Dorrances," flowers also from "Arthur andArchie," the Penrose boys, gave Betty little ecstasies at differenttimes, when they arrived or were presented.
Larry Waite had written that he would be there. Betty saw to it thatthere should be a ticket for him, and that she gave to Marcella, withearnest adjurations that it should not be lost.
"Don't worry, Betty," said Marcella. "I'll see that he gets it. It willnot go with the letter where the lost pins go!"
Marcella herself would be elsewhere. University affairs were more"intriguing," though she gave Betty a pretty remembrance and made theremark that Betty was "already like a sister--sorority sister, ofcourse," she explained with a merry look.
On what Mr. Lee called the fatal day, a great box of crimson roses wasdelivered at the house. They were accompanied by Larry's card, and hisroses should be the ones Betty carried, to be sure. Singing with therest of her class was the only duty left to be performed. The speaker,the orchestra and organ, and the principal would do the rest. She couldcarry all the roses she could hold and still receive her diploma, madeout to Elizabeth Virginia Lee, whose high school days would then beover.
Music, roses, prettily dressed senior girls, dignified senior boys intheir best attire, a whole platform crowded with them--such was thefamiliar scene in the school auditorium that happy night. It was theformal, impressive exercise known as Commencement; and when it was overBetty Lee carried a diploma, earned by many a sacrifice of ease, totestify now to her hours of study and effort.
That and her roses, except a few that she wore, she put into theparental hands, used to relieving their children of their burdens. AndLarry came around at once to claim her and to greet Betty's parents,with whom she waited for him. Betty was proud of his appearance andmanner, but that temporary satisfaction was swallowed up by theexcitement of her first real conversation with Larry, which impended.
Then and in the next few days there was plenty of opportunity to explaineverything. Even the lost letter had been found, sopping wet in thepocket of Judd's sweater, which had been thrown into a little launchthat the boys sometimes used in the harbor and rained upon. "I will mailmy own important letters after this," said he. But he had dried theletter and brought it to read with Betty such parts as weredecipherable.
Betty, whose talk with her mother had taken place soon after Mr. Lee hadread the letter from Larry, explained that her father and mother werefriendly but hoped that the "arrangement" would be an "understanding"rather than an open engagement. "They think that we don't know eachother well enough yet, Larry, and that I am too young, as you said. Butone thing I must say to you and that is that your troubles with thebusiness are not important to me, only as they make it hard for you.Why, I can cook and keep house pretty well, and it would be much morefun to live in just a little place with you--if we ever should bemarried."
This, to be sure, was after Larry had again gone over the points of hisletter. His repeated assurances of what he had told Betty in the Waitelibrary had been given at once on Betty's graduation night, and Bettyhad been asked for her confession, as well. They were both happy andexpectant.
They were sitting, during this conversation, on a hill overlooking oneof the most beautiful views in the city. Marcella and some of herfriends were having a picnic in the wooded park. Larry took Betty's handand looked at the honor ring that she wore. "I suppose that it must bejust an understanding now," said he. "But perhaps by your birthday theymay let you wear a ring for me. Not for nothing did I look over yourshoulder into that Hallowe'en mirror, Betty--you--sweetheart!"
Meanwhile, Mrs. Lee, gathering up various articles at home, was carryingBetty's diploma into her room. There, on Betty's table, cleared for thepurpose, were her trophies. The year book, which Betty had helpedcompile, adorned one corner. It contained, with much else, serious andotherwise, the pictures of the faculty, of Betty's school-mates and ofBetty herself, with the list of her clubs and activities during the fouryears. On this were a few copies of the _Roar_, for Betty, too, had beenwritten up among the prominent seniors.
Here were Betty's gifts, her chevrons, a medal, the little gold pin fromMiss Heath, with its Latin motto, "_Ad Astra_," the Girl Reserve ring,the long-worn senior pin, more prizes, all Betty's cherished seniortrophies. For a moment Mrs. Lee stoo
d looking at them. Then, smiling, ontop of the array, she laid Betty's diploma.
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