CHAPTER XV
Monitress Mildred
Never at the beginning of any term had Mildred been so delighted toreturn to St. Cyprian's. Owing to some rather protracted buildingoperations the school had had unwontedly long holidays, so that herlengthy visit to Westmorland had not prevented her being in time for there-opening. There were naturally great changes at the College. EllaMartin, Phillis Garnett, Joan Richards, Dorrie Barlow, and all the otherleaders had left, and the former members of VA were now raised to theSixth Form. Laura Kirby was head of the school, and among themonitresses were Bess Harrison, Lottie Lowman, Freda Kingston, MaudieStearne, and Mildred herself. It was quite a surprise to Mildred to findherself placed as a monitress. She knew she had done well at the Julyexaminations, but had not realized that her success would entitle her toso great a reward. The position was one of much trust at St. Cyprian's,and carried many privileges; to attain to it was the ambition of everygirl who entered the school.
Some readjustment of the Alliance committees was of course necessary inconsequence of the alterations in the Forms, and a fresh election ofdelegates was held, the present members of Va being now eligible ascandidates. This time the voting seemed almost unanimous, and the listcame out as follows:
LITERARY.--Laura Kirby, Constance Muir. MUSICAL.--Mildred Lancaster, Elizabeth Chalmers. Dramatic.--Lottie Lowman, Sibyl Anderson. ARTS AND HANDICRAFTS.--Freda Kingston, Ivy Linthwaite. GAMES.--Kitty Fletcher, Edna Carson.
Great satisfaction was expressed at this result. It was felt that inevery department a wise choice had been made. All realized that Mildredought to represent the musical element of the school, but they were gladthat Lottie Lowman's undoubted talents should be utilized in the"Dramatic", where she would really find a freer scope for her energies.The appointments of Kitty Fletcher and Edna Carson as Games delegateswere immensely popular. They were known enthusiasts, and it wasconsidered that Kitty would make an admirable successor to JoanRichards. After distinguishing itself at cricket, St. Cyprian's was nowanxious to win laurels at hockey, and looked forward with great keennessto matches during the season. Freda Kingston and Ivy Linthwaite wereadmittedly the art "stars" of the College; the November exhibition wasthe next great event on the Alliance calendar, so it was well to havesuch trustworthy representatives to look after the school honours. Inliterature nobody could surpass Laura Kirby, and Constance Muir had alsocontributed good work.
To have at last won the Musical delegateship was to Mildred an evengreater pleasure than her new post as monitress. She anticipated manyinteresting competitions with other schools, and had moreover a projectof her own which she meant to broach at the first favourableopportunity. She thoroughly appreciated her colleague. ElizabethChalmers was a very pleasant girl, easy to get on with, and ready to beenthusiastic. The fact of her being a pianist was a great advantage,especially as she happened to be an excellent reader, for she would beable to play accompaniments to anything that was required.
With her fellow monitresses Mildred also hoped to keep on good terms. Itwas perhaps not altogether fortunate that Laura Kirby should be head ofthe school. Her high marks at the examination had placed her easily inthat position, but she was not really fitted to be a leader of othergirls. Extremely clever at any form of brainwork, she was gauche andbrusque in her manners, and totally lacking in perception. She did notcommand any great respect among the juniors, and found difficulty inkeeping order. She was upright and conscientious, and anxious to make anefficient "head", but she was incapable of taking hints, and wouldblunder along where a less clever but more tactful girl would havesmoothed away difficulties. Lottie Lowman, Maudie Stearne, and jollyBess Harrison were already very popular, and Freda Kingston, thoughquiet and retiring, was reliable, and could assert her authority whenrequired.
None at St. Cyprian's could fail to notice the marked change in Mildredsince last Easter. The summer term had been a time of transition, andnow her holiday at The Towers and her new school responsibilities hadcompleted the transformation. Instead of the dreamy, unawakened,indolent, dependent girl of heretofore, she had developed into a brisk,alert, and highly original character, anxious to take her share of theworld's burden, and spur others on to do the same.
"Mildred seems years older since we said good-bye on breaking-up day,"said Kitty Fletcher to Bess Harrison. "She was always rather a baby. Nowshe's suddenly begun to grow up!"
"And doing it quickly too," agreed Bess. "I'm as astonished as you are.I didn't think Mildred had it in her. I believe she'll make one of thebest monitresses St. Cyprian's has ever had."
Professor Hoffmann's joy at the return of his favourite pupil wasTeutonic in its warmth and fervour.
"Mein Freundchen, you have come again!" he cried, shaking hands with avigour that almost made her cry out. "You remember what I tell you? Yes?Nothing in this world can compare with music. You did not wish to liveat the rich and great house? So! Zou have chosen well. Now you shallstudy. Ach! we shall see what you will do! You have played at myStudents' Concert. What if one day you have a concert of your own? Butyou must give people something to which it is worth their while tolisten! You can do it, yes! It is in you, if you will let it come out.The power is there, but it needs training, patience, care, and againtraining. It knows not yet how to express itself aright. Himmel! Youhave a great aptitude for your instrument. Some day we shall see you anartiste, if you will only continue to work."
Hard work Mildred certainly found to be her present destiny at St.Cyprian's. The curriculum of the Sixth Form demanded extra brainexertion in addition to her increased violin study. Fortunately for her,the particular arrangements of the school, as divided into Collegiateand Musical sides, made allowance for the large amount of practisingwhich was now daily expected from her; and Miss Cartwright, regardingher as a special case, made further concessions, and adapted hertime-table so as to give the first place to her violin.
Most of the other girls in the Form were also putting their powers tothe proof. Laura Kirby was working for a Girton scholarship, and severalothers were to take the matriculation examination. They were beingcarefully coached, and extra teachers came to the College to give themlessons in special subjects. For one or two chemistry classes they weresent to the women's department of the Kirkton University, where some ofthem hoped afterwards to continue their studies and obtain degrees. EvenKitty Fletcher, who was not at all clever, was preparing for the SeniorOxford and Cambridge Combined Board, an examination which it wasnecessary for her to pass if she were to take up the Kindergartenteaching upon which her heart was set.
There were naturally a few drones in the hive. Sheila Moore kept up awell-deserved reputation for idleness, and Eve Mitchell and NoraWhitehead were prepared to rival her, in spite of Miss Cartwright'sprotestations. On the whole, however, the average was high, and thegirls seemed disposed to live up to the past traditions of the Form,and set an example in strenuousness to the rest of the school.
One delightful privilege was accorded to the Sixth. They had a littlesitting-room to themselves, where those who stayed for dinner couldspend their spare time, or where preparation might be done in quiet atcertain hours. This sitting-room was always considered the privateproperty, for the year, of the Sixth, and the girls took a pride inmaking it pretty. It was the custom for every member to bring onearticle, which she could take away with her when leaving the school, sothat the room should be free for its next occupants. Chairs and a tablewere provided, but the girls contributed pictures, framed photographs,cushions, a table-cover, some books, and a variety of knick-knacks,which gave the place a very homely and cosy air.
This term, by special permission from Miss Cartwright, a tea-service wasadded to the other possessions. The girls intended to hold committeemeetings at four o'clock, and afterwards to make tea in their sanctum,taking it in turns to provide the comestibles. It had always been rathera rush to have meetings during the midday interval, as some membersreturned home for dinner, and could not be back until after two o'clock,s
o that the bell for second school was apt to ring just in the midst ofthe most animated discussions. Mildred's contribution to thesitting-room consisted of a tea-cloth which she had worked while at TheTowers. Kitty Fletcher brought a framed photograph of last term'scricket eleven, taken just after their triumph over Templeton. FredaKingston had some of her own water-colours framed, and these were sopretty that they were awarded the place of honour by general vote.Laura Kirby lent a well-stocked book-shelf, and Lottie Lowman placed aclock on the mantel-piece, so that by the united efforts of the wholeForm the room looked quite as nice as it had done under the headship ofPhillis Garnet and her set.
To Mildred this sanctum was a delightful retreat. She was a day-boarder,and she had always found that the schoolroom or the playground affordedrather cold comfort during the interval. With others of the "NeedleworkGuild" she could retire here to make the charity garments which theAlliance had promised for the Children's Hospital, or construct littlepresents for the "Santa Claus Club" that was to aid in stocking theChristmas-tree at the Central Ragged Schools of the city. At KittyFletcher's instigation a Christmas Card Association was formed. Thegirls brought to school a large selection of their last year's cards,and set to work with paste-brush and blank paper to cover over the nameswhich were on them, writing instead some suitable greeting. These wereto be sent to the workhouse for distribution on Christmas Day, and itwas hoped to prepare enough for each inmate to receive one. It was anoccupation which most of the girls enjoyed, and proved more popular thanneedlework, so a large amount of snipping and pasting went on, and thepile of finished cards grew steadily.
The autumn term was only about a fortnight old when a new pupil arrived,who, in Mildred's opinion at least, was a most welcome addition to theCollege. Mr. Somerville had been so much interested in the descriptionshe had heard of St. Cyprian's that he had decided to send Rhoda therewithout further delay. She was to live at the Principal's private house,for Miss Cartwright had decided to try the experiment of taking a fewboarders, and had provided accommodation for six. Rhoda was particularlyanxious to come to St. Cyprian's, partly because Mildred was there, andhad given her such entrancing accounts of it, and also because Rodneywas commencing his engineering work at Kirkton, and was alreadyinstalled in rooms on his own account. With Mildred to act as her schoolgodmother, Rhoda very soon made friends, and began to settle downhappily into her new life. Her former lessons with her father, though insome subjects she was well advanced, had left her behindhand in otherrespects, so she had been placed in VB, the Form to which MissCartwright generally relegated backward girls who were too old for theFourth, and not capable of doing the work of VA. Here she soon began topick up the points in which she was deficient, and made excellentprogress. She found several congenial friends of her own age, and becamean active supporter of all the special institutions of her Form.
With Miss Cartwright's permission Rhoda was allowed frequently to visitMeredith Terrace, where Rodney also was invited to meet her. Dr. andMrs. Graham were delighted with both the young people, and stronglyencouraged the friendship, being indeed anxious to repay the Somervillesfor their hospitality to Mildred during the summer. Rodney, who was fondof science, was immensely interested in Dr. Graham's fine microscope,and delighted to help him in the preparation of slides. He became sohandy in this respect, and also in connection with one or two otherspecial hobbies of the doctor's, that he was soon at home in the house,and passed many evenings in the study trying chemical or electricalexperiments. Dr. Graham was pleased with the young fellow's enthusiasmand scientific taste.
"It renews my youth to work with him," he declared. "He revives oldinterests and stimulates new ones. He has a decided inventive faculty,and some of his ideas are really very original and clever. We have alittle scheme between us now, which, if it turns out well, may be worthpatenting. We're as eager about it as two old mediaeval alchemists."
Mildred had sometimes felt the lack of companions of her own age athome, and was glad therefore that her friends received so hearty awelcome. The young people spent many pleasant evenings together atmusic. Rodney played well, and Rhoda was just beginning to cultivate avery good soprano voice, and to be anxious to try over every fresh songthat came in her way. Mildred would often accompany her softly on theviolin, so with Rodney at the piano they formed an excellent trio.
About this time Mildred found her powers of composition develop in amanner which surprised even herself. She had always been fond ofimprovising, but now her ideas took more definite shape, and she wasable to produce short pieces, which she wrote down on paper. Her brainwas full of haunting melodies, and it became her favourite recreationto weave these together into the form of waltz, polonaise, gavotte, orsonatina. The more rein she gave to her imagination the better it servedher; the tunes would come as if by inspiration, and as she grew moreaccustomed to transcribing them, she could elaborate them at herleisure. She showed a few of them to Professor Hoffmann, and found hisadvice invaluable in aiding her to put her themes into proper notation.In spite of his evident appreciation of this new phase on the part ofhis pupil, he still remained the rigid martinet, and would not allow herto spend too much time over her own compositions, urging her to studythe works of the great classical masters, and obtain a wider knowledgeof general music.
"There are many who can write waltzes and drawing-room songs," heaffirmed. "If you have once entered into the mind of Beethoven andChopin, these will not content you."
Mrs. Graham often congratulated herself at this period that she had sentMildred to St. Cyprian's. At no other school would it have been possiblefor her to devote so great a portion of her time to music. Her aunt feltthat had she been brought up with private tuition at home, she wouldhave suffered from the lack of the wholesome College interests and thecompanionship of other girls. She rejoiced that Mildred had been made amonitress, and encouraged her to do all she could for the sake of theschool, as she considered the public spirit thus engendered wouldprevent her from becoming too narrowly engrossed in her one particularline of study.
Mildred did not need any urging to play her part in the life of St.Cyprian's. She thoroughly appreciated being a school officer, andparticularly enjoyed the committee meetings.
One afternoon at the end of October the monitresses were gathered in thesanctum for their weekly discussion. It was a particularly jolly littleassembly, for they had decided to celebrate it with tea, and had eachbrought a contribution of some kind. A tempting display of cakes wasspread on the table, and a jug of dairy cream completed the feast. Itwas perhaps hardly orthodox to combine the sitting of a committee withthe consumption of raspberry buns, but the girls did not wish to staytoo long, so they decided that for once they would discuss theirbusiness over the teacups. Laura Kirby was therefore requested both totake the chair and to wield the teapot, and performed the united officewith much zeal.
"I'm sure my brains work better when they're lubricated with tea,"declared Bess Harrison, tilting back her chair at a comfortable thoughrather dangerous angle, and accepting the queen-cake which Lottie Lowmanoffered her. "I wish we could represent it to Miss Cartwright, and havecups sent round during maths. It would make all the difference to one'sproblems."
"Don't you wish you may get it, my child!" replied Maudie Stearne. "Evenpear-drops are tabooed, and I was once sent out of the room for suckinga peppermint. No, it's only at our own functions that we can indulge inluxuries. Yes, I'd like some of Freda's seed-cake, if you'll pass it tome."
"I made it myself last Saturday," boasted Freda. "Yes, I did, and satover it while it was baking, for fear it should burn. And I iced itafterwards, and put the pieces of candied apricot on the top."
"Does you credit," murmured Maudie, sampling the delicacy in question."You have my permission to make another for next monitresses' meeting.May I suggest a cherry-cake, as my favourite?"
"To business!" cried Laura, rapping the table. "This is most shameful'frivol.'. Do you realize that we haven't begun our work yet? BessHarrison, please give
me your report."
"I've had a little trouble with IIIA," began Bess. "The young wretcheswere playing all sorts of pranks, and wouldn't walk decently downstairs.I caught Nellie Brewer sliding down the banisters, and harangued hertill she blubbed. I think she won't try it on again."
"My precious kids took it into their heads to bolt into the playgroundwhile I was solemnly conducting them to the studio," remarked MaudieStearne. "I had quite hard work to collect them and march them off. Ididn't spare them, though, and stopped them all from the tennis-courtsfor the day. It gave them a warning."
"I find IIIB do rather outrageous things sometimes," said Mildredplaintively. "Yesterday four of them purloined clubs from the gym., andwere playing Red Indians, or some such nonsense, with them in theirclassroom. They managed to break an inkpot and upset the black-board."
"One has to be very firm," volunteered Freda. "It doesn't do to let themthink they can take the least advantage of you. Once give way, and yourinfluence is gone."
"Yes, an easy-going monitress means a slack Form," agreed Lottie. "Thejuniors know the rules perfectly well, but I think it would be a goodplan to write them out and pin a list up in each classroom. If they seethem in black and white they've no excuse for pretending they've neverheard of them."
"We can't have juniors usurping the senior tennis-courts or using thestudio piano, and those are two of their chief crimes," observed Freda.
"I'll make a list of all the hitherto unwritten laws of St. Cyprian's,"said Laura. "If you can all spare ten minutes for an extra committeemeeting to-morrow, we can read them over and pass them."
"Carried unanimously!" replied the girls.
"If you'll offer us tea again!" murmured Bess.
"Don't be greedy! No, to-day must content you. We can't have such anupset and spread to-morrow, or Miss Cartwright may put a veto on teasaltogether. By the by, this isn't of course an Alliance meeting, but afew of us delegates are here. How is the 'Dramatic' getting on, Lottie?"
"Quite tolerably," replied Lottie; "but you know I'm ambitious. We'regiving a united performance at Christmas with the High School and theAnglo-German in aid of the Children's Hospital. It's quite a good piece,a sort of Twelfth Night revels and mummers all combined. It's to be heldat the Exchange Assembly Hall. I wish it had been in the ShakespeareTheatre, then we might have had an orchestra with it. I'm afraid thepiano will sound so horribly thin and inadequate in that huge room.Somehow these things need a band to make them go. It isn't half festivewithout."
"Is the music written for the piano?" enquired Mildred.
"Yes, and it's really quite pretty."
"It would be fairly easy for strings, I dare say?"
"What do you mean?"
"I have an idea, but I'll think it over, and tell it to you to-morrow."