CHAPTER III
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
"Overton! Overton!" was the call that echoed through the car. Afterhanding down the hats of her friends, Grace reached to the rack aboveher head for her broad brimmed panama hat. Obeying a sudden kindlyimpulse, she carefully deposited J. Elfreda's hat in the sleeping girl'slap, touched her on the shoulder and said, "Wake up, Miss Briggs. We arenearing Overton."
J. Elfreda sleepily opened her eyes at the gentle touch, sayingdrowsily, "Let me know when the train stops." Then closed her eyesagain.
Miriam shrugged her shoulders with a gesture that signified, "Let heralone. Don't bother with her."
At that moment the train stopped with a jolt that caused the sleeper toawake in earnest. She looked stupidly about, yawned repeatedly, thencatching a glimpse of a number of girls on the station platform, clad inwhite and light colored gowns, she became galvanized into action, andpinning on her hat began quickly to gather up her luggage. "Good-bye,"she said indifferently. "I'll probably see you later." Then, rapidlyelbowing her way down the aisle she disappeared through the open door,leaving the chums to make their way more slowly out of the car. As theystepped from the car to the station platform Grace caught sight of herat the far end of the station in conversation with a tall auburn-hairedgirl and a short dark one. A moment later she saw the three walk offtogether.
"J. Elfreda found friends quickly," remarked Anne, who had also noticedthe stout girl's warm reception by the two girls. "I wonder what we hadbetter do first. What is the name of the hotel where we are to stop?"
"The Tourraine," replied Miriam.
The newcomers looked eagerly about them at the groups of daintily gownedgirls who were joyously greeting their friends as they stepped from thetrain.
"I had no idea there were so many Overton girls on the train," remarkedGrace in surprise. "The majority of them seem to have friends here, too.I wonder which way we'd better go."
"By the nods and becks and wreathed smiles with which those girls overthere are favoring us, I imagine that we have been discovered,"announced Miriam, rather sarcastically.
Grace and Anne glanced quickly toward the girls indicated by Miriam. Atall, thin, fair-haired girl with cold gray-blue eyes and a generallysupercilious air occupied the center of the group. She was talkingrapidly and her remarks were eliciting considerable laughter. Amusedglances, half friendly, half critical, were being leveled at the Oakdaletrio of chums.
Grace flushed in half angry embarrassment, Anne merely smiled toherself, while Miriam's most forbidding scowl wrinkled her smoothforehead.
"I think we had better inquire the way to our hotel and leave here assoon as possible," Grace said slowly. A sudden feeling of disappointmenthad suddenly taken possession of her. She had always supposed that inevery college new girls were met and welcomed by the upper classes ofstudents. Yet now that they had actually arrived no one had come forwardto exchange even a friendly greeting with them.
"Well, if this is an exhibition of the true college spirit, deliver mefrom college," grumbled Miriam. "I must say----"
Miriam's denunciation against college was never finished, for at thatjuncture a soft voice said, "Welcome to Overton." Turning simultaneouslythe three girls saw standing before them a young woman of medium height.Her hand was extended, and she was smiling in a sweet, friendly fashionthat warmed the hearts of the disappointed freshmen. She wore atailored frock of white linen, white buckskin walking shoes thatrevealed a glimpse of silken ankles, and carried a white linen parasolthat matched her gown. She was bareheaded, and in the late afternoon herwavy brown hair seemed touched with gold.
"I am so glad to meet you!" exclaimed the pretty girl. "You arefreshmen, of course. If you will tell me your names I'll introduce youto some of the girls. Then we will see about escorting you safely toyour boarding place. Have you taken your examinations yet?"
"No," replied Miriam. "We have that ordeal before us." Her face relaxedunder the friendly courtesy accorded to them by this attractivestranger. She then introduced Grace and Anne. Their new acquaintanceshook hands with the two girls, then said gayly, "Now tell me yourname."
Miriam complied with the request, then stated that through a friend ofher mother's they had engaged a suite of rooms at the Tourraine, anapartment hotel in Overton, until their fate should be decided.
"The Tourraine is the nicest hotel in Overton," stated Mabel. "I amalways in the seventh heaven of delight whenever I am fortunate enoughto be invited to dine there."
"Then come and dine with us to-night," invited Miriam.
Mabel Ashe shook her head. "It's very nice in you," she said gravely,"but not to-night. Really, I am awfully stupid. I haven't told you myname. It is Mabel Ashe. I am a junior and pledged to pilot bewilderedfreshmen to havens of rest and safety."
"Do you consider freshmen impossible creatures?" asked Anne Pierson, hereyes twinkling.
The young woman laughed merrily. "Oh, no," she replied. "You mustremember that they are the raw material that makes good upper classmen.It takes a whole year to mould them into shape--that is, some of them.Now, come with me and I'll see that you meet some of the upper classgirls."
As they were about to accompany their new acquaintance down theplatform, a tall, fair-haired girl walked toward them followed by theothers upon whom Miriam had commented. "Wait a minute, Mabel," shecalled. "I've been trying to get hold of you all afternoon."
"You're just in time, Beatrice," returned Mabel Ashe. "I wish you tomeet Miss Harlowe, Miss Nesbit, and Miss Pierson, all of Oakdale. Girls,this is Miss Alden, also of the junior class."
Beatrice Alden smiled condescendingly, and shook hands in a somewhatbored fashion with the three girls. "Pleased to meet you," she drawled."Hope you'll be good little freshmen this year and make no trouble foryour elders."
"We shall try to mind our own affairs, and trust to other people to dothe same," flashed Miriam, eyeing the other girl steadily.
Grace looked at her friend in surprise. What had caused Miriam to answerin such fashion? There was an almost imperceptible lull in theconversation, then Mabel Ashe introduced the other girls. "Now we willsee about your trunks, and then perhaps you would like to walk up to thecollege," she said briskly. "It isn't far from here. Some of the girlsprefer to ride in the bus, but I always walk. I can show you some of theplaces of interest as we go."
"Come over here, Mabel, dear," commanded Beatrice Alden, who had moved alittle to one side of the group. Mabel excused herself to her charges,and looking a little annoyed, obeyed the summons. Beatrice talkedrapidly for a moment in coaxing tones, but Mabel shook her head. Grace,who stood nearest to them, heard her say, "I'd love to go, Bee, and itsawfully nice in you to think of me. I'll go to-morrow, but I can't leavethese poor stranded freshmen to their own homesick thoughts to-day. Youknow just how we felt when we landed high and dry in this town withoutany one to care whether we survived or perished."
"If you won't go to-day, then don't trouble about it at all," snappedBeatrice. "I know plenty of girls who will be only too glad to accept myinvitation, but I asked you first, and I think you ought to remember it.You know I like you better than any other girl in college."
"You know I appreciate your friendship, Bee," returned Mabel, "but trulyI wish you cared more for other girls, too. There are plenty of girlshere who need friends like you."
"Yes, but I don't like them," snapped Beatrice. "I'm not going to make amartyr of myself to please any one. My mother is very particular aboutmy associates at Overton, and I don't intend to waste my time trying tomake things pleasant for the stupid, uninteresting girls of thiscollege. I did not come to Overton to take a course in doing settlementwork. I came here to have a good time, and incidentally to study alittle."
"Now, now, Bee, don't try to make me believe you haven't just as muchcollege spirit as the rest of us," admonished Mabel in a low tone."Don't be cross because I can't go to-day. Come with me, instead, andhelp look after these verdant freshmen. There was a positive army ofthem who g
ot off the train."
Without replying Beatrice turned and walked sulkily away toward theother end of the platform. Mabel looked after her with a half frown.
"I am afraid we are causing you considerable inconvenience," demurredGrace. "Please do not deprive yourself of any pleasure on our account."
"Nonsense," smiled Mabel. "I am not depriving myself of any pleasure.Oh, there goes one of my best friends!" Putting her hands to her mouthshe called, "Frances!" A tall slender girl, with serious brown eyes anddark hair, who was leisurely crossing the station platform, stoppedshort, glanced in the direction of the sound, then espying Mabel hurriedtoward her.
"Good old Frances," beamed Mabel. "You heard me calling and came on therun, didn't you? This is the noblest junior of them all, my dearfreshmen. Her name is Frances Veronica Marlton. Doesn't that sound likethe heroine's name in one of the six best sellers?" Mabel introduced thethree girls in turn. "Now let us be on our way," she commanded, lookingup and down the station platform at the fast dissolving groups of girls."I don't see any more stray lambs. I think the committee appointed tomeet the freshmen has fulfilled its mission. And now for your hotel. Itis past dinner time and I know you are hungry and anxious to rest."
Picking up Grace's bag she led the way through the station followed byGrace and Miriam. Anne walked behind them with Frances Marlton. Thelittle company set off down the main street of the college town at aswinging pace. It was a wide, beautiful street, shaded by tall maples.The houses that lined it were for the most part old-fashioned and thewayfarers caught alluring glimpses of green lawns dotted with flowerbeds as they walked along.
"It makes me think of High School Street in Oakdale!" Grace exclaimed."If ever I feel that I'm going to be homesick, I'll just walk down thisstreet and make believe that I'm at home! That will be the surest curefor the blues, if I get them."
Mabel Ashe, who was now walking between Grace and Miriam, looked atGrace rather speculatively. "You won't get them," she predicted. "You'llhave so many other things to think of, you won't think of yourself atall. Here we are at the college campus. Over there is Overton Hall."
The eyes of the newcomers were at once focussed on the stately graystone building that stood in the center of a wide stretch of greencampus, shaded by great trees. At various points of the campus weresituated smaller buildings which Mabel Ashe pointed out as ScienceHall, the gymnasium, laboratory, library and chapel. In Overton Hall,Mabel explained, were situated certain recitation rooms, the offices ofthe president, the dean and other officials of the college. Around thecampus were the various houses in which the more fortunate of thehundreds of students lived. It was very desirable to secure a room inone of these houses, but somewhat expensive and not always easy to do.Rooms were sometimes spoken for a whole year in advance.
"Do you room on the campus?" asked Grace.
"Yes," replied Mabel. "I live at Holland House. I was fortunate enoughto have a friend graduate from here and will me her room. I enteredOverton the autumn following her graduation."
"One of our Oakdale girls is a junior here," remarked Grace. "Her nameis Constance Fuller. She graduated from high school when we weresophomores. We do not know her very well, and had quite forgotten shewas here. This afternoon on the train, Anne, who never forgets eitherfaces or names, suddenly announced the fact. I wonder if she has arrivedyet. We came early, I believe, but that is because we are obliged totake the entrance examinations."
"Now I know why the name, Oakdale, seemed so familiar!" exclaimed MabelAshe. "I have heard Constance mention it. She is one of my bestfriends. Does she know that you are to be here?"
"No," replied Grace. "We haven't seen her this summer. We were away fromOakdale." Grace did not wish to mention their trip to Europe, fearingtheir companion might think her unduly anxious to boast. One of thethings against which Julia Crosby, her old time Oakdale friend, and asenior in Smith College, had cautioned her, was boasting. "Avoid allappearance of being your own press agent," Julia had humorously advised."If you don't you'll be a marked girl for the whole four years of yourcollege career. The meek and modest violet is a glowing example forerring freshmen."
"I'll remember, Julia," Grace had promised, and she now resolved thatshe would think twice before speaking once, whatever the occasion mightbe.
"Constance has not arrived yet," said Mabel. "I heard her roommate saythis morning that she expected her to-morrow. She rooms at HollandHouse, too. I shall tell her about you the moment I see her. This is theTourraine," she announced, pausing before a handsome sandstone buildingand leading the way up the steps that led to the broad veranda, gay withporch boxes of flowers and shaded by awnings.
"Won't you come up to our rooms?" asked Miriam.
"Not to-night, thank you," replied Mabel. "Frances and I will be overbright and early to-morrow morning to pilot you to the college. Then youcan find out about the examinations. Good-night and pleasant dreams."Extending their hands in turn to the three girls and nodding a lastsmiling adieu, the two courteous juniors left them on the hotel veranda.
"I must admit that I have been agreeably disappointed," said MiriamNesbit as the three girls stood for a moment before entering the hotelto watch the retreating backs of their new acquaintances.
"I, too," replied Grace. "I can't begin to tell you how dejected I feltwhile we stood there on the station platform and no one came near us orappeared to be aware of our existence."
"It was enough to discourage the most optimistic freshman," averredAnne.
"I wonder who J. Elfreda Briggs's friends were," commented Miriam. "Shenever said a word about knowing any one at Overton. I imagine she is athoroughly selfish girl, and the less I see of her in college the betterpleased I shall be."
As their suite of rooms had been engaged in advance it needed but a wordto the clerk on Grace's part, then each girl in turn registered andthey were conducted to their suite.
"This suite seems to be supplied with all the comforts of home,"observed Miriam, looking about her with satisfaction. "I am thankful tohave reached a haven of rest where I can bathe my grimy face and hands."
"So am I," echoed Grace, setting down her suit case and sinking into aneasy chair with a tired sigh. "I am starved, too. Let us lose no time ingetting ready for dinner. After dinner we can rest."
For the next half hour the travelers were busily engaged in removing thedust of their journey and attiring themselves in the dainty summerfrocks which they had taken thought to pack in their suit cases.
"I'm ready," announced Grace at last, as she poked a rebellious lock ofhair into place, and viewed herself in the mirror.
"So am I," echoed Anne.
"And I," from Miriam. "Why not walk down stairs? We are on the secondfloor, and I never ride in an elevator when I can avoid doing so."
The trio descended the stairs and made their way to the dining room,where they were conducted to a table near an open window which lookedout on a shady side porch.
"So far I haven't been imbued with what one might call collegeatmosphere," remarked Miriam, after the dinner had been ordered and thewaiter had hurried off to attend to their wants.
"I felt a certain amount of enthusiasm while those upper class girlswere with us, but it has vanished," said Anne. "I am just a professionalstaying at a hotel."
"I imagine we won't begin to regard ourselves as being a part of OvertonCollege until after we have tried our examinations and found an abidingplace in some one of the college houses. I hope we shall be able to getinto a campus house. I have always understood that it is ever so muchnicer to be on the campus. We really should have made arrangementsbefore-hand, and if we hadn't waited until the last moment to decide towhat college we wished to go we might be cosily settled now."
"Perhaps we are only fulfilling our destiny," smiled Miriam Nesbit.
"Perhaps," agreed Grace in a doubtful tone. "Once we are in our hall orboarding house I dare say we will shake off this feeling of constraintand become genuine Overtonites."
"Had we bet
ter study to-night?" inquired Grace as they made their wayfrom the hotel dining room.
"I think it would be a wise proceeding," agreed Miriam. "I want to goover my French verbs."
"So do I," echoed Grace. "Let's study until ten, and then go straight tobed."
Ten o'clock stretched well toward eleven before Grace put down her textbook with a tired little sigh and declared herself too sleepy forfurther study.
It had been arranged that Miriam should occupy the one room of the suitewhile Grace and Anne were to share the other, which had two beds. Thelong journey by rail had tired the travelers far more than they wouldadmit. For a few moments, after retiring, conversation flourishedbetween the two rooms, then died away in indistinct murmurs, and theprospective Overton freshmen slept peacefully as though safe in theirOakdale homes.