CHAPTER XXIII.
SOPHOMORES AT LAST.
"Freshman, arise! Gird on thy sword! Captivity is o'er. To arms! To arms! For, lo! thou art A daring sophomore!"
The words of this stirring song floated in through the open windows atQueen's one warm night in early June. Moonlight flooded the campus, andthe air was sweet with the perfume of lilac and syringa.
A group of sophomores had gathered in front of the house to serenade thefreshmen at Queen's, who had immediately repaired to the piazza toacknowledge this unusual honor paid them by their august predecessors.
"I think it would be far more appropriate if they sang:
"'When all the saints who from their labors rest,'"
remarked Mabel Hinton, who, in order to make a record, had studiedherself into a human skeleton.
"Well," said Molly Brown, "when I left home last September, one of mybrothers cheerfully informed me that I looked like 'a rag and a bone anda hank of hair.' I am afraid I don't feel very saint-like now, because Ihave gained ten pounds, and I'm not tired of anything, except packing myclothes. I'm so sorry to leave blessed old Queen's that I could kiss herbrown cheek, if it didn't look foolish."
"Well, go and kiss the side of the house then," put in Judy. "You have apoetic nature, Molly; but I wouldn't have it changed. I like it just asit is."
"Do you know," interrupted Margaret Wakefield, "that Queen's, fromhaving once been scorned as a residence, has now become a very popularabode, and there were so many applications for rooms here for next yearthat the registrar has had to make a waiting list for the first time inconnection with Queen's. Think of that at old Queen's!"
"It's because it's the residence of a distinguished person," announcedMolly. "I think we should put a brass plate on the front door, statingthat in this house lived a class president who possessed every attributefor the office. She was versed in parliamentary law, she had anexecutive mind, and she was beloved by all who knew her."
Margaret was pleased at this compliment.
"_Voyons, voyons, que vous me flattez!_" she exclaimed. "It's your warmSouthern nature that makes you so enthusiastic. Now, the real reason whyold brown Queen's, with her moldering vines, is so popular all of asudden is because you are here."
It was Molly's turn now to be pleased.
"We won't argue such a personal matter," she said, squeezing Margaret'shand. "But I'm glad I'm booked here for next year. I was afraid Nancewould want a 'singleton,' she has such a retiring nun-like nature."
"Me?" exclaimed Nance, disregarding English in her amazement. "Why, I'vehad the happiest winter of my whole life with you, Molly. If there's achance for another one like it, I'm only too thankful."
"Certainly Mary Carmichael Washington Brown is a modest soul," thoughtJudy, who happened to know that her friend had had some five or sixtempting offers to move into better quarters the next year at no greaterexpense to herself. One was from Mary Stewart, who was to return nextwinter for a post-graduate course. Another was from Judith Blount, whohad proposed Molly for membership in the Beta Phi Society next year, andhad furthermore invited the surprised young freshman to take the studyof her apartment for a bedroom and offered her the constant use of hersumptuous sitting room.
Certainly, if ever there was an expression of true remorse andrepentance, that was one, Molly thought, and the allusion to roommatesreminded her that she must say good-bye to Judith, for there would be notime in the morning for last farewells.
"I am going over to the Beta Phi house for a minute," she announced."Any one want to come along?"
Margaret and Jessie, who had friends in that "abode of fashion," as itwas called, joined her, and presently the three white figures were lostin the shadows on the campus.
"She is going to say farewell to black-eyed Judith," observed Judy ina low voice to Nance, "and all I would say is what the colored preachersaid: 'Can the le-o-pard change his spots?'"
Nance smiled gravely. She did not possess Judy's prejudiced nature, buther convictions were strong.
"Do you think she's a 'le-o-pard,' Judy?" she asked.
"She may be a domesticated one," said Judy, "of the genus known as'cat.'"
"Aren't you ashamed, Judy?" exclaimed Nance, reprovingly.
But it must be confessed that a few doubts still lurked in her own heartconcerning the sincerity of proud Judith's repentance.
In the meantime, the three freshmen had separated in the upper hall ofthe Beta Phi House, and Molly had given a timid rap with Judith's finebrass knocker.
Instantly the door flew open and she found herself precipitated into aroomful of people, at least it seemed so at first, who had just subsidedinto quiet because some one was going to play.
Molly was about to retreat in great confusion when Miss Grace Greenseized one hand and Mary Stewart the other. Judith came forward witha show of extreme cordiality and Richard Blount left the piano andactually ran the full length of the room, exclaiming:
"It's Miss Molly Brown of Kentucky!"
Molly knew she was breaking into a party, but there was nothing to dobut make a call of a few minutes and then take her leave as gracefullyas possible under the circumstances.
Professor Edwin Green had also shaken her by the hand warmly, andpushing up a chair had insisted on her sitting down. They had all drawntheir chairs around her in a semicircle, and Richard Blount had broughtover the piano stool and placed it directly in front of her so that hecould look straight at her.
In fact, here sat the little freshman, blushing crimson and painfullyembarrassed, enthroned in a large armchair, and gathered around her wasa circle of very delightful, not to say, admiring persons.
As one of these persons was Judith's brother and two were her nearcousins, Molly thought she could explain their excessive cordiality.They knew the story of the ring and they were anxious to make amends.
She recalled, with a furtive inner smile, the last time she was in thoserooms, when, as a waitress, she had upset the coffee on the Professor'sknees. How glad she was that the painful experience was well over andforgotten by now. But she was glad about many things that evening. Shewas happy to see that Mary and Judith had made up their differences, andwere once more friends. She knew that Mary, who had the kindest heart inthe world, could never stay angry long.
"I didn't know that Judith was giving a party," Molly began, still verymuch embarrassed. "I just dropped in to say good-bye because I amleaving to-morrow morning."
"To-morrow morning?" repeated Richard Blount. "Wasn't it lucky for meyou happened in to-night. I had expected to call on you to-morrowafternoon, and think how disappointed I should have been to have foundthe nest empty and the bird flown."
"So you are really off to-morrow?" broke in Professor Green. "I am sosorry. I was going to ask you to have tea in the Cloisters with mysister and me in the afternoon."
Again Molly smiled to herself. Tea in the Cloisters, with adistinguished professor and his charming sister! Only nine monthsbefore she had been a lonely, shivering little waif of a freshmanlocked in the Cloisters. The words of the sophomore "croak" came backto her:
"They have locked me in the Cloisters; They have fastened up the gate. Oh, let me out! Oh, let me out! It's growing very late."
"I am sorry that my ticket is bought and my berth engaged, and theexpressman coming for my trunk to-morrow at nine," she said. "If allthose things were not so, I should love to drink soup----" she stoppedand flushed a deep red.
What absurd trick of the mind had made her say "soup"? "I mean tea," shewent on hastily, hoping no one had heard the break.
Miss Green was talking with Mary Stewart. Richard Blount was twirling onthe piano stool, his hands deep in his pockets, and Judith was engagedat a side table in pouring lemonade into glasses.
There was a twinkle of amusement in the Professor's brown eyes, and hegave Molly a delightful smile.
"I must be going," she said anxiously, rising.
"Not till
you've had a glass of lemonade, for I made it myself," saidRichard, gallantly handing her one on a plate.
Molly looked doubtfully toward Judith.
"I don't want to be like that young man in the rhyme," she said.
"'There was a young man so benighted, He never knew when he was slighted. He'd go to a party and eat just as hearty, As if he'd been really invited.'"
Everybody laughed, and Judith suddenly becoming a model hostess,exclaimed:
"Indeed, you must stay, Molly, and have some lemonade. Richard didn'tmake it at all. He only squeezed the lemons."
Molly, therefore, remained and had a beautiful time, and when she reallydid take her departure the entire party, including Judith, escorted heracross the moonlit campus to the door of Queen's. But Molly was stillcertain that it was the ring episode and nothing else that made themall so polite and attentive.
And so she informed Nance and Judy that night as she unlocked her trunkfor the third time in ten minutes to stuff in some overlooked belonging.
But Judy sniffed the air and exclaimed:
"Ring, nothing! It's popularity!"
Molly smiled and went to bed, feeling that her last day at Wellingtonhad been a decided improvement on the first one.
The next morning Queen's Cottage was a pandemonium of trunks and bagsand excited young women, rushing up and down the halls. Cries could beheard from every room in the house of:
"The laundress hasn't brought my shirtwaists! Perfidious woman!"
"The expressman's here!"
"Is your trunk strapped?"
"I've got to sleep in an upper berth."
"Don't forget to write me."
"Where are you to be this summer?"
"I can't get this top down and the trunk man's waiting!"
"Oh, dear, do hurry! We'll miss the bus!"
"Young ladies, the bus is coming," called the voice of Mrs. Markham fromthe front door.
And then, with a fluttering of handkerchiefs and many a last call of"good-bye," the bus-load of girls moved sedately down the avenue.
Molly, looking back at the twin gray towers of Wellington, understoodwhy Frances Andrews wanted so much to return.
"How glad I am to be only a sophomore," she cried. "I shall have threemore years at Wellington!"
THE END.
Transcriber's Note: Besides some minor printer's errors the followingcorrection has been made: on page 172 "Professor" has been changed to"President" (the doctor at one side, the President at the other).Otherwise the original has been preserved, including inconsistentspelling and hyphenation.
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