CHAPTER XIII
COLLEGE BOYS AND GLENWOOD GIRLS
"Isn't he stunning!" gasped Tavia.
"Do you think so? I never call a pretty boy 'stunning,'" replied Dorothy."I like Tom's looks best. He's so vigorous and athletic."
"But Roland's curly hair! And that complexion--so hyacinthy."
"Precisely my objection," argued Dorothy. "I always object to 'hyacinthy'boys."
"Well, I'm just a little glad of it, Doro, for the fact is I think I mightinveigle him into taking care of me at the 'doings.' Now, I happen to knowhe fancies you, and my only chance is that you may turn him down."
Dorothy laughed merrily. She was no prude, and made no pretense of beingone. She enjoyed most of the nonsense that girls between fifteen andeighteen years of age usually enjoy. The strange young men, Tom Jenningsand Roland Scott, whom the White boys had taken to the woods on the"evergreen hunt," called that very morning--came to make their "partycall," they said.
Dorothy and Tavia were busy with the Christmas wreaths when the strangershappened in. Ned and Nat had gone to town, and it devolved upon the girlsto be "civil" to the new boys.
To be sure, Joe and Roger helped some, but Roger managed to say ratherembarrassing things about beaus, and Roland's love, that youth havingasked the little chap to take some "regards" to Norah.
Tom laughed, but Roland almost blushed. Dorothy and Tavia could scarcelyappreciate the joke, but managed to guess that the boys had been talkingabout them.
Finally Tom came to the rescue by telling about the "ghost scream." Taviawas much interested, but Dorothy laughed at the idea. She had any amountof explanations to offer for the queer occurrence, but none of them wasaccepted as being plausible.
Tom and Roland both declared they would go out again some day and look thewhole thing over carefully.
Then Dorothy told the visitors of the Christmas plans--at least, sheattempted to tell them, but was interrupted by the coming of Ned and Nat.So the girls were excused and the boys left to their own resources.
It was after all this that Dorothy and Tavia gave their personal views ofthe two young men from college.
"They may help along our charity play," suggested Dorothy. "They look asif they might be able to act, especially Mr. Jennings."
"Yes, I fancy he could act some parts--a big part with a whole lot ofsitting down in it," said Tavia.
"And Mr. Scott might be something on the Christmas tree," returnedDorothy. "In a pretty, striped dress he would make a dear littlecornucopia, his blond head sticking out of the top like a sweet littledoll."
"I'm just going to tell him that," threatened Tavia. "Then I will be moresure than ever of--his attention."
"Tavia! you wouldn't do anything like that!"
"Why not? You were only complimenting him."
"Now, really, if you do, Tavia, I shall be positively angry," and Dorothyfrowned indignantly. "When we are exchanging confidences I don't think itfair to betray them."
"Oh, all right, if you feel that way about it. But I really do thinkthese two boys quite an acquisition. They will help out wonderfully."
"But college boys are old enough to be engaged," said Dorothy, "andperhaps we will get no more of their attention than was bestowed upon usto-day," and she made a wry face to express her fears on that score.
"Engaged! All the more fun. I just simply love to make girls jealous. Now,what girl on earth would be able to hold her admirers against you?"
"Don't be silly!" snapped Dorothy. "It's all very well to joke, but whenyou get personal--"
"Oh, I beg your pardon! And there's Aunt Winnie. I promised to line thedarning bag--"
Tavia's love for idleness was no hidden sin--she seemed to glory in it.But occasionally it betrayed her good intentions. She really did intend toput the pretty blue lining in the dainty darning bag which Mrs. White wasmaking as a gift for old Mrs. Brown, the family mender. Now the chatterabout the college boys had completely driven the task from her mind.
As Mrs. White appeared in the hall Tavia grasped the neglected littlearticle. Dorothy had been sewing as she talked. She loved to do certainkinds of stitches, particularly those of floss silk on fine flannel, andthis morning she had almost finished the shawl for John's wife's new baby.
Mrs. White had been out, and was just returning. She wore her handsomeprune-colored gown, with her mink-tail furs, and both Dorothy and Tavialooked up in undisguised admiration as she entered the room.
Dorothy rose to assist her in removing her wraps.
"Well, it is finally settled," Mrs. White began. "I do think these charityaffairs are growing more complicated every year. I have not told you allabout it yet; in fact, I could not do so until this morning's meeting wasover. Now it is all arranged, so I must tell you about it."
"Aren't you cold, auntie?" asked Dorothy. "Shall I get you a warm drink?"
"No, my dear. We had chocolate at Mrs. Davis's. There, now, I am quitecomfortable," and as Dorothy laid the wraps aside her aunt settled amongthe blue cushions, which, as Nat said, "grew in Dorothy's room."
"Is it to be a play?" asked Tavia, always impatient where acting might beconcerned.
"Well, not exactly," answered Mrs. White. "We think scenes from MotherGoose will be simpler, and just as entertaining. Mrs. Brownlie hasoffered her house, and I am to do most of the coaching."
This last was uttered with a note of dismay--to coach young people did notseem a very delightful task, so many difficulties being sure to come upunexpectedly.
"And we are to select the scenes," went on Mrs. White, "so you may startin to think of Mother Goose just as soon as you like. For my part, all Ican remember is the old woman who lived in a shoe, and I am going to getthe boys to make me a shoe big enough to hold all the small children inthe Birchlands."
"And let me be the mother?" asked Tavia. "I want to whip those Mahonchildren, and this would be my chance. They ran a pole out in the roadagainst my wheel last fall, and you may remember the consequences."
"Oh, yes," and Mrs. White laughed heartily, "that would be a greatopportunity for you, Tavia. But I rather thought of Miss Baker for the'old woman.' She has that compelling manner, don't you think?"
"She ought to be splendid," agreed Dorothy.
"Are there to be boys?" asked Tavia.
"Why, of course, my dear, there are to be boys. Who ever heard of ahospital benefit without them. We have to raise one hundred dollars thisyear. And I feel the whole responsibility, as I am the local member of theboard of directors. I hope some day we will be able to have a hospital ofour own. Supporting a ward in a city institution is not verysatisfactory."
"But are there enough boys?" asked Tavia. "It seems to me the Birchlandsare populated mostly with girls."
"Oh, that is quite natural for you to think that way," teased Mrs. White."But haven't you taken into consideration Mr. Scott and Mr. Jennings? Why,they are capable of impersonating a number of characters. Think it all up,girls, and you will help me greatly. I have asked Ned to fetch a MotherGoose book from the village, and this evening we will devote our time toselecting the characters."
Somebody whistled outside, and going to the window the girls saw Ned withTom Jennings in the Fire Bird.
"Come on," called Ned, "We're going for a ride and want you to come along.Don't keep us waiting." And he turned the machine without waiting for thegirls to answer.
"Run along," advised Mrs. White. "You have been in all morning, and theair is delightful."
It took but a few minutes for Dorothy and Tavia to make ready. Storm-coatsand scarfs, besides their muffs, seemed sufficient for their touringcostumes.
Dorothy climbed into the machine and Tavia followed.
"Wouldn't one of you young ladies prefer to sit here?" inquired Tom, witha view of making it more convenient for the boys to entertain the girls.
Tavia was out of the back seat and ready to take her place beside Nedbefore any one had a chance to answer. This, of course, left Tom toentertain Dorothy.
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sp; "As long as it is not Roland," whispered Tavia into Ned's ear, "you willput up with me this time, won't you?"
Tavia was too frivolous to suit Ned's serious ways. She always bored him,and she knew it, evidently.
Dorothy was glad to get acquainted with Tom. Somehow he made her think ofsoldiers, of fearless brave men like Major Dale, and perhaps her UncleWinthrop White, who had died away off in a foreign country, fighting forscience. Perhaps he was of this type when at college.
Nor did it take Tom long to discover what sort of conversation wouldinterest Dorothy. He talked of his school, and asked about Glenwood. Thenshe introduced the Mother Goose subject, and he told of a college play hisclass had given wherein all the characters were taken by the students.
"And you should have seen Roland," declared Tom laughing. "If he didn'tmake the prettiest Yum-yum! The house went mad over him."
"I'm sure he could assume such a role," replied Dorothy. "And youwere--"
"The Mikado, of course. I always come in for the 'Turrible Turk'proposition."
"We have to select the scenes this evening," remarked Dorothy prudently.
"Then I'm going to get Ned to let me come over," said her companion. "Itwill help fill in; our folks are just choked to death in Christmas stuff.Aunt Emily is interested in the hospital benefit, too, I believe."
"Yes, Aunt Winnie said so," replied Dorothy. "I guess most of theBirchland ladles help with this benefit. Mrs. Brownlie has offered herhouse."
"The lady with the fluffy-haired daughters?" asked Tom.
"Yes, the twins," said Dorothy. "Eva and Edith Brownlie are consideredthe very prettiest girls around."
"Oh, are they?" remarked Tom in seeming earnestness. "Well, to tell youthe truth I have given up attempting to judge of girls' looks lately. Itseems to me to be all a question of hair--how deep it can be piled up."
Dorothy laughed. To call hair deep, like so much grass!
But Tom did not notice the discrepancy. Tavia turned around and shouted soNed covered his ear.
"Are you going to be the 'Piper's Son?'" she asked Tom.
"If there's anything to be stolen, you may put me down for the steal,"replied Tom good-naturedly. "Even the proverbial porker might be pressedinto service for a camp outfit, eh, Ned?"
Ned replied that there were some real attractive porkers about theBirchlands, and that they would probably not mind being stolen for ahospital benefit.
During all this time the Fire Bird had been gliding along at the even pacewhich Ned always selected for a real pleasure ride.
"A joy-ride, with no business end," he argued, "should be run off gently.No fun in trying to talk above an atmospheric buzz-saw."
"I suppose Nat and Roland have bowled till they're stiff," remarked Tom."For my part, I prefer the open to those alleys on a day like this."
"Mother told me to ask you both over this evening to help fix up the playbusiness," said Ned, "if you have nothing else on."
"Gladly," replied Tom. "I was just hinting for an invitation. You know howI love classics--Mother Goose will be just pie for me."
"Oh, I forgot," exclaimed Tavia suddenly. "I have an engagement for thisafternoon. I ought to go back, Ned. It must be lunch-time." And, as shespoke, Dorothy remembered that the day was Thursday, and that Tavia was togo on that day to see Miss Estelle Brooks, the little woman in black.