CHAPTER VIII.
CONCERNING CLUBS,--AND A TEA PARTY.
At the first meeting of the freshman class of 19--, Margaret Wakefieldof Washington, D. C., had been elected President.
Just how this came about no one could exactly say. She could not havebeen accused of electioneering for herself, and yet she made animpression somehow and had won the election by a large majority.
"Anybody who can talk like that ought to be President of something,"Molly had observed good naturedly. "She could make a real inaugurationspeech, I believe, and she knows all about Parliamentary Law, whateverthat is."
"She dashed off the class constitution just as easily as if she werewriting a letter home," said Judy.
"That's not so easy, either," added Nance mournfully.
The girls were silent. It had gradually leaked out as their friendshipprogressed that Nance's home was not an abode of happiness by any means.And yet Nance had written a theme on "Home," which was so well done thatshe had been highly complimented by Miss Pomeroy, who had read it aloudto the class. Molly often wondered just what manner of woman Nance'smother was, and she soon had an opportunity of finding out for herself.
But the conversation about the new class president continued.
"President Wakefield wants us to have bi-monthly meetings," continuedJudy. "She wishes to divide the class into committees and have achairman for each committee--"
"Committees for what?" demanded Molly.
"Dear knows," laughed Judy, "but her father's a Congressman, and shehas inherited his passion for law and order, I suppose. She wants toconduct a debate on Woman's Suffrage to meet Saturdays. It's to becalled 'The Woman's Franchise Club,' and she wishes to establishby-laws and resolutions and a number of other things that are Greek tome, for 'the political body corporate.' She says it's a crying shamethat women know so little about the constitution of their own country,and in establishing a debating society, she hopes to do some missionarywork in that line."
Judy had risen and was waving her arms dramatically while her voice roseand fell like an old-time orator's.
"I suppose we ought," said Molly; "but I'd rather put it off a yearor so. There are so many other things to enjoy first. Besides, it willbe four years before I reach the voting age, and by that time I hopemy 'intellects' will have developed sufficiently to take in theconstitution of the country."
"Anyhow," exclaimed Judy, "I'm proud to have a class president who'ssuch a first-class public speaker, because it takes it all off ourshoulders. Whenever there's a speech to be made or anything public andembarrassing to be done, we'll just vote for her to do it, because shewill enjoy it so much."
"But are you going to join the debating club?" asked Nance.
"I suppose it's our duty to," replied Molly; "but I do hate to pinmyself down. Suppose we say we'll go to one and listen?"
"Well, you'd better settle it now, because here comes the Presidentsailing up the walk. She's going the rounds now, I suppose, and inanother two minutes she'll be springing the question on us."
Judy, who was sitting at the front window of her own room, nodded downinto the yard and smiled politely, and the girls had just time to settleamong themselves what they were going to say when there was a smart rapon the door and President Wakefield entered.
She wore rather masculine-looking clothes, and carried a business-likesmall-sized suit case in one hand and a notebook in the other.
"Hello, girls!" she began; "I'm so glad I caught you together. It savestelling over the same thing three times. I want to know first exactlyhow you stand on the woman's suffrage question. Now, don't be afraid tobe frank about it, and speak your minds. Of course, I'm sure that, beingwomen who are seeking the higher education, you are all of you on theright side--the side of the thinking woman of to-day----"
Here Judy sneezed so violently that she almost upset the littlethree-legged clover-leaf tea table at her elbow.
"How do you feel on the subject, Molly?"
Molly smiled broadly, while Nance cleared her throat and Judy blew hernose and exclaimed:
"I think I must be taking cold. Excuse me while I get a sweater," anddisappeared in the closet.
"I--I'm afraid I don't know very much about the subject, Margaret. Yousee, I was brought up in the country, and I haven't had a chance to gointo woman's suffrage very deeply."
"There is no time like the present for beginning, then," said Margaretpromptly, opening the business-like little suit case. "Read these twopamphlets and you'll get the gist of the entire subject clearly andconcisely expressed. I will call on you for an opinion next week afteryou've had time to study the question a bit."
Molly took the pamphlets and began hastily turning the leaves. Shewanted to laugh, but she felt certain it would offend Margaret deeplynot to be taken seriously, and she controlled her facial muscles withan effort while she waited for attack No. Two.
"Nance, have you taken any interest in this question?" continuedMargaret, who seemed to have the patience of a fanatic spreading hisbelief.
"I know something about it," replied Nance quietly. "You see, my motheris President of a Woman's Suffrage Association, and she spends most ofher time going about the country making speeches for the NationalAssociation."
"What, is your mother Mrs. Anna Oldham, the famous clubwoman?" criedMargaret.
Nance nodded her head silently.
"Why, she is one of the greatest authorities on women's suffrage in thecountry!" exclaimed Margaret with great enthusiasm. "It says so here.Look, it gives a little sketch of her life and titles. She is presidentof two big societies and an officer in five others. It's all in thislittle book called 'Famous Club Women in America and England.' Dear me,"continued Margaret modestly, "I think I'd better resign and give thechair to you, Nance. I'm nobody to be preaching to you when you mustknow the subject from beginning to end."
Nance smiled in her curious, whimsical way.
"Have you ever eaten too much of something, Margaret," she said, "andthen hated it ever afterward?"
"Why, yes," replied the President, "that has happened to every one, Isuppose. Mince pie and I have been strangers to each other for manyyears on that account."
"Well," continued Nance, "I've been fed on clubs until I feel like aStrausberg goose. I've had them crammed down my throat since I was fiveyears old. When I was twelve, I was my mother's secretary, and I've sentoff thousands of just such pamphlets as you are distributing now. Ilearned to write on the typewriter so I could copy my mother's speeches.I've been usher at club conventions and page at committee meetings. I'vedistributed hundreds of badges with 'Votes for Women' printed on them. Ihad to make a hundred copies of mother's speech on 'The Constitution andBy-Laws of the United States,' and send them to a hundred differentwomen's clubs. So, you see," she added, simply, frowning to keep backher tears, "I think I'll take a rest from clubs while I'm at college andbegin to enjoy life a little with Molly and Judy."
Margaret Wakefield, who was really a very nice girl and exceedinglywell-bred, leaned over and placed a firm, rather large hand on Nance's.
"I should think you had had enough," she exclaimed, giving the handa warm squeeze. Seeing teardrops glistening in Nance's eyes, she roseand started to the door. "If ever you do want to come to any of themeetings, you will be very welcome, girls," she said; "but you don'twant to overdo anything in life, you know, and if there are thingsthat interest you more than Woman's Suffrage you oughtn't to sacrificeyourselves. People should follow their own bent, I think. Good-bye," shewent on, smiling brightly, "and don't bother to read the pamphlets,Molly, dear, if you don't want to. It's a poor way to carry a point tomake a bugbear of the subject."
She went out quietly and closed the door.
"I call her a perfect lady," exclaimed Molly, trying not to look atNance, but wishing at the same time that her friend would give way justonce and have a good cry.
"Let's cut study this afternoon and take a walk," exclaimed Judy. "Trotalong and get on your sweaters. It's much t
oo glorious to stay indoors.Nance, can't you do your theme after supper? Molly, you look a littlepeaked. It will do you good to breathe the fresh, untainted air of thepine woods."
Judy, it must be confessed, was always glad of a good excuse to get awayfrom her books.
"Splendid!" cried Molly with enthusiasm.
"And I'll bring my English tea basket," went on Judy. "Who's got anycookies?"
"I have," said Nance, now fully recovered.
In five minutes the three girls had started across the campus to theroad and presently were making for the pine woods that bordered thepretty lake. Everybody seemed to be out roaming the country thatbeautiful autumn afternoon. Parties of girls came swinging past, whohad been on long tramps through the woods and over to the distant hillswhich formed a blue and misty background to the lovely rolling country.The lake was dotted with canoes and rowboats, and from far down the roadthat wound its way through the valley there came the sound of singing.Presently a wagon-load of girls emerged into view, followed by anotherwagon filled with autumn leaves and evergreens.
"It's the sophomore committee on decoration," Judy explained. Apparentlyshe knew everything that happened at college. "They are getting thedecorations for the gym. for the ball to-morrow night."
Molly quickly changed the subject. She had had two invitations to goto the Sophomore-Freshman Ball since she had accepted Frances Andrews'offer, and several of the sophomores had been to see her to ask her tochange her mind, but, having given her word, Molly intended to keep it,no matter what was to pay.
"Let's go to the upper end of the lake," she suggested. "It's wilder andmuch prettier," and she led the way briskly along the path through thepine woods.
In a little while they came out at the other end of the small body ofwater where the woods abruptly ended at the foot of a hill called "RoundHead," which the girls proceeded to climb. From this eminence could beseen a widespreading panorama of hills and valleys, little streams andbits of forests, and beyond the pine woods the college itself, itscampus spread at its feet like a mat of emerald green.
The girls paused breathlessly and Judy put down her tea basket.
"Here's where a little refreshment might be very welcome," she said,opening her basket of which she was justly proud, for not many girls atWellington could boast of such a possession. She filled the littlekettle from the bottle of water she had taken the precaution to bringalong, and they sat down in a circle on the turf. The autumn had beena dry one, and the ground was not damp. Nibbling cookies and sweetchocolate, they waited for the water to boil.
"Look, here comes some one," whispered Judy, indicating the figure ofa man appearing around the side of the hill.
"I do hope it's not a tramp," exclaimed Nance uneasily.
Molly Brown hoped so, too, although she said nothing. But she feltnervous, as who wouldn't in that lonely place? As the man came nearer,it became plain that he was making straight for them, and he did mostassuredly look like a wanderer of some kind. He was dressed in an oldsuit of rough gray, wore an old felt hat and carried a staff like apilgrim. The girls sat quite still and said nothing. There had been asilent understanding among them that it was better not to run. As theman drew nearer, Molly became suddenly conscious of the fact that acrossthe gray trousers just above the knees was a deep coffee-colored stain.
The next moment the man stood before them, leaning on his staff, hishat under his arm. It was "Epimenides Antinous Green."
"Confess now," he said, smiling at all of them and looking at Molly,whom he knew best of the three, "you took me for a tramp?"
"Not exactly for a tramp," answered Molly; "but for one who tramps."
"What's the difference, Miss Brown?" he asked laughing.
"Oh, everything. Clothes----" she paused, blushing deeply. Her eyes hadfallen on the coffee stain. "Why doesn't he have it cleaned off?" shethought, frowning slightly. "And--and looks," she continued out loud.
"Even in the walk," Judy finished. "Perhaps we can give you a cup oftea, Professor," she added politely.
The Professor was only too glad for a cup of tea. He had been roamingthe hills all day, he said, and he was tired and thirsty. While hesipped the fragrant beverage, he glanced at his watch.
"The truth is, I had an appointment at this spot at four-thirty," heannounced. "I was to meet my young brother George, familiarly known as'Dodo.' He's at Exmoor College, ten miles over, and was to walk acrossthe valley to the rendezvous, and I was to conduct him safely to myrooms for supper. He was afraid to enter the college by the front gatefor fear of meeting several hundreds of young women. He runs like ascared rabbit if he sees a girl a block off."
"Won't it give him an awful shock when he catches a glimpse of uswaiting here on the hilltop?" asked Molly.
"It's a shock that won't hurt him," replied the professor. "We'll seewhat happens, at any rate."
He put his cup and saucer on the ground, while his quizzical eyes, whichseemed to laugh even when his face was serious, turned toward Molly. AndMolly was well worth looking at that afternoon, although she herselfwas much dissatisfied with her appearance. Her auburn hair had almostslipped down her back. Her blue linen shirtwaist was decidedly blouseyat the waist line. "It's because I haven't enough shape to keep itdown," she was wont to complain. Her cheeks were glowing and her eyes ascalmly blue as the summer skies.
"Perhaps we'd better start on," said Nance uneasily. She always felt aninexplicable shyness in the presence of men, and her friends had beenknown to nickname her "old maid."
But before Professor Green could protest that he was only too glad tohave his bashful brother make the acquaintance of three charming collegegirls, Judy, ever on the alert, exclaimed, "Look, there he comes aroundthe side of the hill."
The Professor rose and signaled with his hat, chuckling to himself, ashe watched his youthful brother pause irresolutely on the hillside.
"Come on, Dodo," he shouted, making a trumpet of his hands.
"I believe not this afternoon, thank you," Dodo trumpeted back. "I havean important engagement at six."
The girls could not keep from laughing.
"It's a shame to frighten the poor soul like that," exclaimed Molly."We'll start back, Professor, and leave him in peace."
But the Professor was a man of determination, and had made up his mindto bring his shy brother into the presence of ladies that afternoon,very attractive ladies at that, of George's own age, with simple,unaffected manners, calculated to make a shy young man forget for themoment that he had an affliction of agonizing diffidence.
"George," called the professor, running a little way down the hillside,"come back and don't be a fool."
The wretched lad turned his scarlet face in their direction and began toclimb the hill. He was a tall, overgrown youth, with large hands andfeet, and when he stood in their midst, holding his cap nervously inboth hands, while the Professor performed the introductions, he lookedlike a soldier facing the battle.
It remained for Molly and Judy to put him at his ease, however, with teaand cookies and questions about Exmoor College, while the Professorconversed with Nance about life at Wellington, and which study she likedbest. At last the spirit of George emerged from its shy retreat, and heforgot to feel self-conscious or afraid. They rose, packed the teathings and started back. And it was the Professor who carried Judy's teabasket, while George, glancing from Molly's blue eyes to Judy's softgray ones, strolled between them and related a thrilling tale of collegehazing.
"That was a swift remedy, was it not, Miss Oldham?" observed theProfessor, laughing under his breath.
But undoubtedly the cure was complete, for that very evening Mollyreceived a note, written in a crabbed boyish hand, and signed "GeorgeGreen," inviting the three girls to ride over to Exmoor on the trolleythe following Saturday and spend the day. Miss Green, an older sister,would act as chaperone.
And not a few thrills did these young ladies experience at theprospect.