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Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School
OR
The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
Author of Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School, Grace Harlowe'sJunior Year at High School, Etc.
PHILADELPHIAHENRY ALTEMUS COMPANYCopyright, 1910
A Troop of Black-Robed Figures Were StealthilyApproaching.]
CONTENTS
I. The Accident of Friendships
II. The Sponsor of the Freshman Class
III. Mrs. Gray Engages a Secretary
IV. The Black Monks of Asia
V. Anne Has a Secret
VI. The Sophomore Ball
VII. All Hallowe'en
VIII. Miss Leece
IX. Thanksgiving Day
X. Grace Keeps Her Secret
XI. Mrs. Gray's Adopted Daughters
XII. Miriam Plans a Revenge
XIII. Christmas Holidays
XIV. A Midnight Alarm
XV. Tom Gray
XVI. The Marionette Show
XVII. After the Ball
XVIII. A Winter Picnic
XIX. Wolves!
XX. The Gray Brothers
XXI. The Lost Letter
XXII. Danger Ahead
XXIII. In the Thick of the Night
XXIV. The Freshman Prize
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
A Troop of Black-Robed Figures Were Stealthily Approaching.
"Miss Pierson, Do You Recognize This Figure?"
"Give That Back! It Is Not Yours."
Tom Gray Escapes from the Wolves
Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School
CHAPTER I
THE ACCIDENT OF FRIENDSHIPS
"Who is the new girl in the class?" asked Miriam Nesbit, flashing herblack eyes from one schoolmate to another, as the girls assembled in thelocker room of the Oakdale High School.
"Her name is Pierson; that is all I know about her," replied NoraO'Malley, gazing at her pretty Irish face in the looking glass withsecret satisfaction. "She's very quiet and shy and looks as if she wouldweep aloud when her turn comes to recite, but I'm sure she's all right,"she added good naturedly. For Nora had a charming, sunny nature, andalways saw the best if there was any best to see.
"She is very bright," broke in Grace Harlowe decisively. "She wentthrough her Latin lesson without a mistake, which is certainly more thanI could do."
"Well, I don't like her," pouted Miriam. "I never trust those quietlittle things. And, besides, she is the worst-dressed girl in----"
"Hush!" interrupted Jessica Bright, touching a finger to her lips. "Hereshe is."
A little, brown figure entered the room just as Miriam finishedspeaking. But Jessica was too late with her warning. The young girl had,without doubt, heard the cruel speech and her face flushed painfully asshe pinned on a shabby old hat, slipped her arms into a thin blackjacket and stepped out again without looking at the crowd of schoolmateswho watched her silently.
"Miriam, I should think you'd learn to be more careful," exclaimedhot-tempered Nora, her soft heart touched by the appealing littlestranger.
"Well, what difference does it make?" replied Miriam. "If Miss Piersondoesn't know already that she's the shabbiest girl in school, it's hightime she found it out. I have a suspicion her mother takes in washing orsomething, and I mean to find it out right now. We can't invite a girllike that to our class parties and entertainments. She would disgraceus."
"Miriam," said Grace quietly, "I believe we are all privileged to invitewhom we please to our homes. I intend to give a class tea next Saturday,and I mean to follow Miss Pierson right now and ask her to help mereceive."
The two girls looked into each other's faces for a moment withoutspeaking. Grace was quiet and contained, Miriam flushed and furiouslyangry. They had been rival leaders always at the Grammar School, but therivalry had never come to open battle until now.
Miriam was the first to drop her eyes. She did not reply, but from thatmoment she was the sworn enemy of Grace Harlowe and her two friends,Nora and Jessica.
"Well, we had better hurry," said Jessica, trying to calm the troubledscene. "Nobody knows exactly where Miss Pierson lives and she will beout of sight before we can catch her."
The three girls ran lightly out of the basement of the fine old buildingthat was the pride of Oakdale. It was large and imposing, built ofsmooth, gray stone, with four huge columns supporting the front portico.A hundred yards away stood the companion building, the Boys' HighSchool, exactly like the first in every respect except that a wing hadbeen added for a gymnasium which the girls had the privilege of using oncertain days. A wide campus surrounded the two buildings, shaded by elmand oak trees. Certainly no other town in the state could boast of twinhigh schools as fine as these; and especially did the situation appealto the people of Oakdale, for the ten level acres surrounding the twobuildings gave ample space for the various athletic fields, and thedoings of the high schools formed the very life of the place.
But we must return to our three girls who were hurrying down the shadystreet, followed in a more leisurely and dignified fashion by Miriam andher friends. The shabby figure of the little stranger had just turnedthe corner as the girls left the High School grounds.
"Come on," cried Grace breathlessly, leading the way. Having once madeup her mind, she always pursued her point with a fine obstinacyregardless of opinion.
When they had come to the cross street they saw their quarry again, nowmaking her way slowly toward the street next the river. This was theshabbiest street in Oakdale, though no one knew exactly why, since theriver bank might have been the chosen site for all the handsomestbuildings; but towns are as incorrigible as people, sometimes, andinsist on growing one way when they should grow another, without theslightest regard for future appearances.
And so, when little Miss Pierson stopped in front of one of the smallestand meanest cottages on River Street, the girls knew she must, indeed,be very poor. The house, small and forlorn, presented a sad countenancestreaked with tear stains from a leaky gutter. An uneven pavement led tothe front door, which bore a painted sign: "Plain Sewing."
They paused irresolutely at the gate, and were taking counsel togetherwhen Miriam Nesbit passed with her friends. She pointed at the door andlaughed.
"Really, that girl's conduct is contemptible!" exclaimed Grace, givingthe wooden gate a vigorous push. "I simply won't tolerate her rudeness.She is an unmitigated snob!" Grace knocked on the door rather sharply toemphasize her feelings. It was opened almost immediately by Miss Piersonherself, still in her hat and coat; and in her surprise andembarrassment she almost shut the door in their faces. But Jessica'sgentle smile reassured her, and Grace, who was a born leader, took herhand kindly and plunged at once into the subject.
"You left school so quickly this afternoon, Miss Pierson, that I didn'thave a chance to see you. I have something very particular I want to askyou to-day."
"Won't you come in?" said the other, opening the door into the parlor,which had an air of refinement about it in spite of its utter poorness.
"Anne!" called a querulous voice down the passage.
"Yes, mother, I'm coming," answered the girl, hurrying out of the roomwith a frightened look in her eyes. In a few moments she was back again.
"Please excuse me for leaving you,"
she said. "My mother is an invalidand needs my sister or me with her constantly."
"Her name is Anne, then," thought Grace. "I shall call her so at onceand break the ice."
"Anne," she said aloud, "I think you know my friends, don't you--JessicaBright and Nora O'Malley? And I am Grace Harlowe."
"Oh, yes," replied Anne, brightening at the friendly advances of theothers. "I remember your names from the roll call."
"Of course," replied Grace. "But I think we should all be more to eachother than roll-call acquaintances, we freshmen. I am very ambitious forour class. I want it to be the best that ever graduated from OakdaleHigh School, and for that reason, I think all the girls in it should tryto be friends and work together to advance the cause. I'm going to startthe ball rolling by giving a tea to our class next Saturday afternoon.Will you come and receive with Jessica and Nora and me?"
Anne clasped her hands delightedly for a moment. Then her eyes filledwith tears and her lips trembled so that the girls were afraid she mightbe going to cry. Tender-hearted Jessica turned her face away for fear ofshowing too much sympathy.
"I'm sorry," said Anne at last, rather unsteadily, "but I am afraid Ican't accept your delightful invitation. I----"
"I beg your pardon," said a voice at the door, "I didn't mean to intrudeon your visitors, Anne, but I couldn't help overhearing Miss Harlowe'sinvitation."
A small woman, much older than Anne, but very like her in face andfigure, appeared at the door.
"This is my sister," said Anne, taking the other's hand affectionately.
"Anne imagines she can't go, but she certainly can," went on the olderMiss Pierson, calmly, not in the least embarrassed by the strange younggirls. "Of course, she must go. I can arrange it easily."
"But, Mary----" protested Anne.
"Never mind, little sister," interrupted Mary, "it will be all right.Miss Harlowe, what time must she be there?"
"At four o'clock," answered Grace, rising to go, "and I am delightedthat she can come. Remember, Anne, I'm counting on you to pour thelemonade. The other girls are going to help with the sandwiches and icecream. By the way," she added, as they went down the steps, "be sure andcome to the basketball meeting at the gym this afternoon."
And so it was arranged that Anne Pierson, the shabbiest and poorest girlin Oakdale High School, was to help receive at one of the prettiest andmost charming houses in town. Miriam Nesbit's rudeness was to bringabout a friendship between Anne Pierson and her three schoolmates thatlasted a lifetime.
After the half-past two o'clock dinner, which was the universal customin Oakdale, the chums met again at the gymnasium in the Boys' HighSchool. Wednesdays and Saturdays were nicknamed "ladies' days" by theHigh School boys, for on these afternoons the girls were permitted freeuse of the gymnasium.
The meeting to-day was not for gymnastic exercises, however, but animportant subject was to be discussed--the Freshman Basketball Team.Also the captain of the team was to be elected.
Other club meetings were in full force when the girls arrived, and thegreat room vibrated with the hum of voices. The three freshmen, who knewbetter than to interrupt sophomores and juniors at their pow-wows, madetheir way quietly across the hall to the appointed place of rendezvous.Of course, the entire Freshman Class did not assemble to discuss thissubject. Many members were not interested in basketball, except to lookon. Girls who were overstudious, and not physically strong, could not atany rate play on the team, and therefore they seldom attended suchmeetings. Jessica Bright was one of these, nevertheless, she followedher two friends, who had always been foremost in athletics at theCentral Grammar School.
The election of a captain was the first business of the meeting. Thatover, the captain, after due and serious consultation with a friendlycabinet, chose the players and their substitutes.
Undoubtedly Grace Harlowe had the coolest head in the class, and was themost to be relied upon at critical moments; yet Miriam Nesbit exerted astrange influence over her followers, who were almost her slaves. Shewas the richest of all the girls and wore the costliest clothes. Theparties she gave, from time to time, in her mother's large and handsomehome were the talk of the place. She was also the cleverest girl in theclass, and had taken undisputed first place since she was a child. Shewas not a close student, but seemed to absorb her lessons in half thetime that it took her friends to master them. Popular she certainly was,or rather she was feared by her schoolmates. Her masterful, overpoweringspirit seemed to sweep everything before it.
Grace Harlowe was quite as powerful in her way, but she had a noble,unselfish disposition and was much beloved by her friends. She stoodwell in her studies, but had never taken first place. Perhaps this wasbecause she had interested herself so much in outdoor sports that shehad not given enough time to study.
Both girls were handsome--Miriam tall, dark and oriental-looking, withflashing eyes and an imperious curve to her lips; Grace was also tall,with wavy, chestnut hair, fine gray eyes, regular features, a full,generous chin and cheeks glowing with health.
Miriam Nesbit had already done a good deal of lobbying when the threegirls arrived on the scene. She wished to be elected captain of the teamat any cost; but Grace's adherents were holding off, quietly waiting forher arrival.
"Well, here you are at last!" said Marian Barber, who had been preparingthe ballots for the coming election.
Marian was the busy girl of the class, and always made herself useful.
"Is everyone here?" demanded Nora, scanning the crowd of freshmen with aview to ascertaining what her chum's chances were.
"All that intend coming," replied Miriam. "The softies stayed away, asusual."
"Suppose we wait five minutes," said Grace, looking at her watch, "andthen, if no one comes, we will cast the votes."
"No, no," exclaimed Miriam impatiently. "I have an engagement and can'tspare any more time. I vote that we have the election at once, withoutwaiting another moment."
"Very well," assented Grace. "I only suggested waiting because AnnePierson promised to come, and, of course, every girl in the class has aright to vote at the class elections."
"Anne Pierson?" cried Miriam, turning crimson with suppressed rage.
"Yes," answered Grace calmly; "but, if everybody is agreeable, supposewe go ahead."
"Agreed!" cried the others and the ballots were cast.
There was not much parliamentary practice in these class elections. Eachgirl wrote the name of her choice on a slip of paper and dropped it in ahat. Four of the girls then counted the votes, and the one receiving themost slips was declared elected.
The slips were dropped into the hat, amid the silence of the company.Some of the sophomores and juniors, perched on parallel bars, watchedthe scene with superior amusement, but no notice was taken of theirhalf-whispered jeers.
The four girls then retired to count the votes.
"It's a tie," announced Marian Barber, returning presently; "a tiebetween Grace and Miriam. I wish some of the others would come andsettle the matter."
"Here's some one," cried Nora. "Here's Anne Pierson. Let her cast thedecisive vote."
Miriam's eyes blazed, but she held her peace. There was nothing to dobut submit with an uneasy grace. But who could doubt what the outcomewould be? However, she felt somewhat relieved when Grace said:
"I think we should cast the votes over again, and, according to therules we made last year, Miriam and I should not vote, since theelection rests between us."
The votes were cast again, Anne timidly dropping her slip in the hatwith the others, and, as might have been expected, Grace was electedcaptain of the Freshman Basketball Team of the Oakdale High School.