CHAPTER III
"SHERIDAN, MY SHERIDAN"
A cannibal king With a big nose ring Once loved a Zulu maid; And every night When the moon was bright Across the canal he'd wade; To hug and kiss His dusky Miss While under the greenwood tree, And when they met They sang a duet That went like this to me:
Sheridan, Sheridan, Green and white against the sky; Sheridan, Sheridan, We'll love Thee till we die!
Afterwards, Mimi wondered how they ever lived through it all--cleaningup after the wedding, putting slip covers over the living roomfurniture, packing away blankets in moth proof containers, puttinglinens in the cedar chest--the frenzy of shopping and sewing--thepacking.
The nicest thing happened to Mimi during those busy days. Mother boughta small new light-weight trunk and gave Mimi her big wardrobe one. Mimihad always wanted a wardrobe trunk but she hadn't hoped to have one ofher own until she was ready for college. In fact, she had already madeup her mind to take the big metal trunk out in the garage and like it,but Mother was going to pack things in it that could go straight toLeipzig without being opened, except, of course, for the Customs. Mimikept the wardrobe trunk open in her room with the hangers pulled outand every time another dress was finished and pressed she hung it upand admired it. It was fun to see it fill up. Mimi knew she was a luckygirl to have six dresses; the peacock blue jersey was new and so wasthe plaid wool. The orchid organdy was, practically. It was such agrown-up thing to pack. The long full skirt had to be looped over thehangers twice. Such care had to be taken so as not to crush the sash.The others were made-overs but they did look nice. No one at Sheridanwould know them.
"It seems foolish to put so much time on your clothes when you willhave to wear navy blue uniforms like all the other girls in thePreparatory Department," Mother said. She was being sure that Mimipacked neatly. She was having a terrible time with her boots.
"But there will be many times I can use them, Mother."
"I know and I want you to have plenty to last you. I will be away, sofar away, and so long--anything could happen----"
The quaver in Mother's voice caused Mimi to look up quickly. For apoignant instant they looked at each other and then Mimi's arms wentaround her Mother's neck. Tightly they clung to each other and all thedread of parting, which each had been choking back, rushed around them.Again mother was holding her baby and, with all the self assurance herfourteenth birthday had brought melted away, a baby Mimi was clingingto her Mother.
"There, there, child," Mother was saying in a steadier voice--Motherwas so brave--"I must get the rest of your underclothes. You polishyour tennis shoes so they will be dry enough to pack." Mother had gonequickly.
That day the packing was finished and the trunk snapped shut and Mimihung the key around her neck on a blue ribbon.
That day, Mimi said goodbye to Von, to King, who was being sent to thepasture for the winter, to Honky, to the campers, to Cissy, and to herdear, dear family. She couldn't say goodbye to Miss Jane for she wasstill honeymooning.
And the next day, Mimi arrived at Sheridan School. She was a day early,but Mother and Daddy wanted her safely there before they left and theywere sailing soon now; consequently, she was the only Sheridan studenton the train. She was one more than was expected apparently.
"Heah you is, Miss," said the Red Cap, who bundled Mimi off thetrain--Daddy had given him fifty cents and told him to "see after theyoung lady." The porter looked up and down the empty platform and backat Mimi, "Shall I put you in a cab?"
"Yes," Mimi answered the porter, trying not to appear nonplused by notbeing met. "To Sheridan School--Preparatory Hall," she said aloofly tothe driver as if taking a cab was something she did every day. That wasthe last time she ever said Preparatory Hall. From then on it was PrepHall.
Though outwardly composed, Mimi was upset inside. She had alwaysimagined arriving at school in the midst of a great hubbub, old girlsrushing up to greet you, new girls making friendly approaches,chaperones taking your baggage checks. She knew Daddy had wired Mrs.Cole, the matron. Here she was alone in a taxi going no telling where!The taxi had skirted the business district and turned off the mainthoroughfare. Mimi clutched her pocket book. Suppose--no she mustn'timagine such silly things, but the papers were full of taxihold-ups--last week in Chicago--but this wasn't Chicago. It was asleepy southern town--bump, bump, and just as Mimi was about toconvince herself that she was being taken to a desolate wayside, thetaxi turned right on to the Boulevard--bump, bump, right again on to along winding gravel driveway. Leaning forward Mimi made a mentalpicture of Sheridan School, the size of the windshield. Between thewinding rows of deep-set pin oaks and frost-kissed maples, Mimi saw theenormous red brick building with its three colonial porches set atintervals, dividing the building into sections called "halls." Thecenter point of the horseshoe curve of the drive practically touchedthe concrete steps of the central porch.
The taxi stopped here and the driver blew his horn.
Although there were many signs of activity--windows open, mattressesairing, gardeners busy--it was several minutes before the door openedand a very flustered Mrs. Cole popped out. She was setting her hataright and buttoning the coat of her blue suit as she came out.
"Oh, dear, dear!" she was sputtering to the driver. "I must meet thatone-forty train." All the time she was speaking she was hurrying towardthe taxi.
"But Ma'am----"
Then she saw Mimi----
"Why--" And Mrs. Cole's eyebrows arched up like a cat's back and herwhole face was one big question mark.
"I am Mimi Hammond," Mimi announced calmly. She adored being very cooland collected when other people were confused. It gave her the mostgrown-up, fourteen year old feeling.
"I was going to meet you, child! Dear, dear, what a day--everythingupside down. I just this minute found your father's wire. Are you allright? Here driver, take the bags to the last entrance down. That isthe Preparatory entrance. Come with me, Mickey--I mean--what did yousay your name was?"
"Mimi."
She'll have to stop eventually to get her breath, Mimi thought. She bither lips to keep from giggling. In that minute she did three things:she liked Mrs. Cole, felt sorry for her and knew by Mrs. Cole'sapologetic manner that she had the upper hand of her. As she followedMrs. Cole down the corridor to room 207, she was convinced that Mrs.Cole's job was too big for her. "She's not a bit like Miss Jane or ourcamp director. I bet they keep her because they hate to fire her," Mimiwas thinking.
"I'll put you in here for the time being--er--er--Mimi." She had thename at last.
"Thank you."
"You'll have to get along the best you can the rest of the afternoon.The supper bell will ring at six-thirty and you be there."
Mrs. Cole didn't say where the dining room was; she didn't say a lot ofother things that Mimi discovered for herself that sunny autumnafternoon. The campus paths, the friendly trees, the inscription on thecorner stone:
"SHERIDAN SCHOOL, DEDICATED TO CHRISTIAN PIETY AND FEMALE EDUCATION."
All informed her. The lonely corridors rang with her echoing footsteps.Once she glanced around quickly, as if a dainty hand had patted hershoulder saying, "Don't be lonesome--we're here." She wondered whichrooms they had lived in--great Aunt Patricia, Auntie Gay and MotherDear.
The great dining hall with only one of so many tables set for supperdid not bewilder Mimi. The faculty members who had been arriving allafternoon did not awe her. They rather ignored her or looked bored asif to say, "Can't we have a last fling without a student butting in?"Mimi sat next to Mrs. Cole at the end of the table. Of all the facesabout her, one in particular stoo
d out. It was fresh and the voice wascrisp and vigorous. From that supper time on, Mimi loved Miss Bassett,the physical education teacher who still remembered her school days atSargeant and planned things the girls enjoyed. She had the knack ofmaking fun out of work.
"You needn't be afraid to stay in your room by yourself, Mimi. Severalof us would hear you if you called out. I shall be up early myself. Runalong now and write your parents." When all else slipped her mind, Mrs.Cole said, "Write your parents, dears."
Mimi intended to. She located her fountain pen, dusted off the studytable, but then she pulled the curtain back to let the breeze in andsaw the harvest moon rising full and splendid from behind a dark bankof clouds and treetops. She rested her red head on her arms and gazedup at the moon as a seer would gaze into a golden crystal. What layahead of her here at Sheridan? Sometime later she picked up the pen,wrote a few feverish impressions into her new diary and, putting on hergayest new pajamas, went to bed.
She was awakened next morning by hurrying feet, excited voices. Overnight the corridors had come to life. Some Magic had peopled thecave-like halls and summer-musted rooms with an ever increasing numberof chattering girls. Mimi had slept through breakfast, a thing shewould not be permitted to do again unless she were ill, and the arrivalof the station wagon which had met the first train.
Which of those strangers would be Mimi's roommate? How she wished oneof the campers could have come to Sheridan, too! "I do hope I getsomebody peppy and cute!" Mimi wished aloud as she finished putting onthe plaid wool dress and started to the office of the registrar.
"Freshman?" one of the most attractive girls Mimi had ever seen askedas she entered the office.
"No--Prep."
"Sorry," the girl replied, and turned to another "lost sheep" and askedthe same question. The new girl answered, "Yes." The attractive girltook her in charge immediately. Mimi looked after them.
"That inimitable, incomparable creature of the inferior species," saida sassy voice over Mimi's shoulder, "is Elizabeth Lewiston, known toher fellow inmates of this particular prison as 'Dit.' She is a Seniorin the College, Physical Ed major and assistant to Miss Bassett."
Mimi already loved Miss Bassett and from afar she adored "Dit" theentire year.
"What oracle do I thank for this information?" Mimi turned to herinformer to size her up.
"Ah! Charming! You understood--comprehended--savvied, in other words.I'd feared my comprehensive vocabulary was past your feeblecomprehension and 'tis not!"
By now Mimi was laughing, but the girl, whom Mimi never heard speak theentire year without making some one goggle-eyed at her vocabulary,continued:
"You have the honor of addressing Olivia Pendleton, near-child prodigy,who this year with a straight A card, God wot, shall graduate from theSheridan Prep. Yo--a--a Sheridan----"
"I'm new," Mimi replied but she felt neither new nor strange as, arm inarm with Olivia, they went from hall to hall, room to room, visitingand getting acquainted. Olivia seemed welcome everywhere in spite ofher bookwormish appearance and Mimi was welcome with her. In fact, manyother new Preps took it for granted Mimi was an old girl; she seemed soat ease and was smiling and saying hello to every one. Friendliness wasnatural with Mimi, and her sunny disposition plus adaptability andindependence developed by her camping experience made her popularimmediately.
That evening when all the girls new and old, college and preps alike,gathered in the spacious, historic old parlors for a get-acquaintedrally, it was only natural that Mimi be in the center of the group ofnew preps. Mimi knew so many cute yells and songs and she plunged intothe task of teaching her group a yell with characteristic enthusiasm.The old preps had centered around Betsy Buchanan. Betsy, till now, hadbeen their undisputed leader. She was a striking looking girl ofperhaps fifteen; her short brown hair was slicked back from herforehead making a peculiarity about her eyes more noticeable. She hadone blue eye and one brown eye, and the thickest, curliest eyelashesimaginable. Mimi had admired her all afternoon but hadn't met her. Shelooked questioningly toward her now. Mimi could feel a crisis. Therewas always a shaky feeling in the pit of her stomach when somethingvital was about to happen. She felt that way now.
Steadily she returned Betsy's look.
Olivia pulled Betsy's sleeve, forcing her attention. "Let's give alocomotive for the new girls." Betsy repeated, "Locomotive for the newgirls--One, two, three." The cheer went up.
For answer Mimi drew the heads of the new girls closer to her and in astage whisper had them repeat after her a long yack--yack--yack, endingin a sky rocket for the old girls. Twice they rehearsed it. "Pitch yourvoice low--make it snappy--now! One--two--three----"
Another yell went up.
As Mimi jumped up in the center of her group and flung her arms upwildly to end the sky rocket, she saw something she couldn't believe--ashort plump girl with a weekend bag in one hand and a violin in theother was standing in the hall with Mrs. Cole.
"Sue!" Mimi gasped. "Sue!" and dived through the crowd. As she ran shehad shed her worries about a roommate. Here was Sue and what could bemore perfect! She did not dream she was racing to a disappointment. Shedid not know that Betsy was glad she was gone.