Grace Harlowe\'s Third Year at Overton College
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Jessie Graham Flower >> Grace Harlowe\'s Third Year at Overton College
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12 Grace Harlowe's Third Year at Overton College
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
Author of The Grace Harlowe High School Girls Series, Grace Harlowe's
First Year at Overton College, Grace Harlowe's Second Year at Overton
College, Grace Harlowe's Fourth Year at Overton College.
PHILADELPHIA
HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY
Copyright, 1914
[Illustration: The Eight Originals Were Spending a Last Evening
Together.]
CONTENTS
I. The Last Evening at Home
II. The Arrival of Kathleen
III. First Impressions
IV. Getting Acquainted with the Newspaper Girl
V. Two Is a Company
VI. An Unsuspected Listener
VII. An Unpleasant Summons
VIII. Elfreda Prophecies Trouble
IX. Opening the Bazaar
X. The Alice in Wonderland Circus
XI. Grace Meets With a Rebuff
XII. Thanksgiving at Overton
XIII. Arline Makes the Best of a Bad Matter
XIV. Planning the Christmas Dinner
XV. A Tissue Paper Tea
XVI. A Doubtful Victory
XVII. Hippy Looks Mysterious
XVIII. Old Jean's Story
XIX. Telling Ruth the News
XX. Elfreda Realizes Her Ambition
XXI. Alberta Keeps Her Promise
XXII. Grace's Plan
XXIII. What Emma Dean Forgot
XXIV. Conclusion
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
The Eight Originals Were Spending a Last Evening Together.
The Emerson Twins Looked Realistically Japanese.
"Here is the Letter You Wrote the Dean."
"She was Standing Close to the Door."
Grace Harlowe's Third Year at Overton College
CHAPTER I
THE LAST EVENING AT HOME
"Now, then, everyone join in the chorus," commanded Hippy Wingate. There
was an answering tinkle from Reddy's mandolin, the deeper notes of a
guitar sounded, then eight care-free young voices were raised in the
plaintive chorus of "My Old Kentucky Home."
It was a warm night in September. Miriam Nesbit and seven of the Eight
Originals were spending a last evening together on the Harlowes'
hospitable veranda. They were on the eve of separation. The following
day would witness Nora's and Jessica's departure for the conservatory.
Grace and Miriam would return to Overton at the beginning of the next
week, and the latter part of the same week would find the four young men
entered upon their senior year in college.
"Very fine, indeed," commented Hippy, "but in order to sing properly one
ought to drink a great deal of lemonade. It is very conducive to a grand
opera voice," he added, confiscating several cakes from the plate Grace
passed to him and holding out his empty lemonade glass.
"But you haven't a grand opera voice," protested David. "That is only a
flimsy excuse."
"We won't discuss the matter in detail," returned Hippy with dignity. "I
am prepared to prove the truth of what I say. I will now render a
selection from 'Il Trovatore.' I will sing the imprisoned lover's
song--"
"Not if I have anything to say about it," growled Reddy.
"Suit yourself, suit yourself," declared Hippy, shrugging his shoulders.
"You boys will be sorry if you don't let me sing, though."
"Is that a threat?" inquired Tom Gray with pretended belligerence.
"A threat?" repeated Hippy. "No, it is a fact. I am contemplating a
terrible revenge. That is, I haven't really begun to contemplate it yet.
I am just getting ready. But when I do start--well, you'll see."
"I think it would be delightful to hear you sing, 'Ah, I Have Sighed to
Rest Me,' Hippy," broke in Nora sweetly, a mischievous twinkle in her
eyes.
"Can I believe my ears? The stony, unsympathetic Nora O'Malley agrees
with me at last. She likes my voice; she wishes to hear me sing, 'Ah, I
Have Sighed to Rest Me.' 'Tis true, I _have_ sighed to rest me a great
many times, particularly in the morning when the alarm clock put an end
to my dreams. It is a beautiful selection."
"Then, why not sing it?" asked Nora demurely.
"Because I don't know it," replied Hippy promptly.
"Just as I suspected," commented Nora in disgust. "That is precisely why
I asked you to sing."
"What made you suspect me?" inquired Hippy, apparently impressed.
"I suspected you on general principles," was the retort.
"If you had had any general principles you wouldn't have suspected me,"
parried Hippy.
"I won't even think about you the next time," was the withering reply.
Nora rose and made her way to the other end of the veranda, perching on
the porch railing beside Tom Gray.
"Come back, Nora," wailed Hippy. "You may suspect me."
"Isn't he too ridiculous for anything?" whispered Nora, smothering a
giggle and trying to look severe. Her attempt failed ignominiously when
Hippy, with an exaggeratedly contrite expression on his fat face, sidled
up to her, salaamed profoundly, lost his balance and sprawled on all
fours at her feet. A shout of merriment arose from his friends. Hippy,
unabashed, scrambled to his feet and began bowing again before Nora,
this time taking care not to bend too far forward.
"You are forgiven, Hippy," declared Miriam. "Nora, don't allow your old
friend and playmate to dislocate his spine in his efforts to show his
sorrow."
"You may stop bowing," said Nora grudgingly. "I suppose I'll have to
forgive you."
Hippy promptly straightened up and perched himself on the railing beside
Nora.
"I didn't say you might sit here," teased Nora.
"I know it," replied Hippy coolly. "Still, you would be deeply, bitterly
disappointed if I didn't."
"Perhaps I should," admitted Nora. "I suppose you might as well stay,"
she added with affected carelessness.
"Thank you," retorted Hippy. "But I had made up my mind not to move."
"Had you?" said Nora indifferently, turning her back on Hippy and
addressing Tom Gray. Whereupon Hippy raised his voice in a loud
monologue that entirely drowned Tom's and Nora's voices.
"For goodness' sake, say something that will please him, Nora," begged
Tom. "This is awful."
Hippy babbled on, apparently oblivious of everyone.
"I have something very important to tell you, Hippy," interposed Nora
slyly.
Hippy stopped talking. "What is it?" he asked suspiciously.
"Come over to the other end of the veranda and find out," said Nora
enigmatically.
Hippy accepted the invitation promptly, and followed Nora to the end of
the veranda, unmindful of Tom Gray's jeers about idle curiosity.
Those who read "Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School,"
"Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School," "Grace
Harlowe's Junior Year at High School" and "Grace Harlowe's
Senior Year at High School" will have no trouble in recognizing
every member of the merry party of young folks who had taken possession
of the Harlowes' veranda. The doings of Tom, Hippy, David, Reddy, Nora,
Jessica, Anne and Grace have been fully narrated in the "High School
Girls Series." There, too, appeared Miriam Nesbit, Eva Allen,
Eleanor Savelli and Marian Barber, together with the four chums, as
members of the famous sorority, the Phi Sigma Tau.
With the close of their high school days the little clan had been
separated, although David, Reddy and Hippy were on the eve of beginning
their senior year in the same college. Nora and Jessica were attending
the same conservatory, while Grace, Anne and Miriam Nesbit were students
at Overton College.
During their freshman year at Overton, set forth in "Grace Harlowe's
First Year at Overton College," the three girls had not met with
altogether plain sailing. There had been numerous hitches, the most
serious one having been caused by their championship of J. Elfreda
Briggs, a freshman, who had unfortunately incurred the dislike of
several mischievous sophomores. Through the prompt, sensible action of
Grace, assisted by her friends, Elfreda was restored to favor by her
class and became one of Grace's staunchest friends.
"Grace Harlowe's Second Year at Overton College" found the
three friends sophomores, and wholly devoted to Overton and its
traditions. Their sophomore days brought them a variety of experiences,
pleasant and unpleasant, and, as in their freshman year, Grace and
Miriam distinguished themselves on the basketball field. It was during
this year that the Semper Fidelis Club was organized for the purpose of
helping needy students through college, and that Eleanor Savelli, the
daughter of a world-renowned virtuoso, and one of the Phi Sigma Tau,
visited Grace and helped to plan a concert which netted the club two
hundred dollars and a substantial yearly subscription from an interested
outsider. The difficulties that arose over a lost theme and the final
outcome of the affair proved Grace Harlowe to be the same honorable,
straightforward young woman who had endeared herself to the reader
during her high school days.
"Why doesn't some one sing?" asked Grace plaintively. A brief silence
had fallen upon the little group at one end of the veranda, broken only
by Nora's and Hippy's argumentative voices.
"Because both the someones are too busy to sing," laughed Jessica,
casting a significant glance toward the end of the veranda.
"Hippy, Nora," called David, "come over here and sing."
"'Sing, sing, what shall I sing?'" chanted Hippy. "Shall it be a sweetly
sentimental ditty, or shall I sing of brooks and meadows, fields and
flowers?"
"Sing that funny one you sang for the fellows the night of the Pi
Ipsilon dinner," urged David.
"Very well," beamed Hippy. "Remember, to the singer belongs the food. I
always negotiate for refreshments before lifting up my voice in song."
"I will see that you are taken care of, Hippy," smiled Mrs. Harlowe, who
had come out on the veranda in time to hear Hippy's declaration.
"Hello, Mother dear," called Grace, "I didn't know you were there."
The young people were on their feet in an instant. Grace led her mother
to a chair. "Stay with us awhile, Mother," she said. "Hippy is going to
sing, and Nora, too."
"Then I shall surely stay," replied Mrs. Harlowe. "And after the songs
you must come into the house and be my guests. The table is set for
seven."
"How nice in you, Mother!" exclaimed Grace, kissing her mother's cheek.
"You are always doing the things that make people happy. Nora and Hippy,
please sing your very best for Mother. You first, Hippy, because I want
Nora to sing Tosti's 'Serenata,' and a comic song afterward will
completely spoil the effect."
Hippy sang two songs in his own inimitable fashion. Then Nora's sweet,
high soprano voice began the "Serenata" to the subdued tinkling
accompaniment of Reddy's mandolin. Two years in the conservatory had
done much for Nora's voice, though its plaintive sweetness had been her
natural heritage. As they listened to the clear, rounded tones, with
just a suspicion of sadness in them, the little company realized to a
person that Nora's hopes of becoming known in the concert or grand opera
world were quite likely to be fulfilled.
"How I wish Anne were here to-night," lamented Grace, after having
vigorously applauded Nora's song. "She loves to hear you sing, Nora."
"I know it," sighed Nora. "Dear little Anne! I'm so sorry we can't see
her before we go back to the conservatory. While we have been sitting
here singing and enjoying ourselves, Anne has been appearing in her
farewell performance. I am glad we had a chance to visit her this
summer, even though we had to cross the state to do it."
"She will be here to-morrow night, but we shall be at the end of our
journey by that time," lamented Jessica. "I wish we might stay and see
her, but we can't."
"Never mind, you will meet her at Christmas time, when the Eight
Originals gather home," comforted Miriam.
"But we'd like to see her now," interposed David mournfully. "What is
Oakdale without Anne?"
At that moment Mrs. Harlowe, who, after Nora's song, had excused herself
and gone into the house, appeared in the door.
"Come, children," she smiled, "the feast is spread."
"May I escort you to the table?" asked David gravely, offering her his
arm. Heading the little procession, they led the way to the dining room,
followed by Reddy and Jessica, Hippy and Nora, Grace, Tom and Miriam.
There for the next hour goodfellowship reigned supreme, and when at last
the various members of the little clan departed for home, each one
carried in his or her heart the conviction that Life could never offer
anything more desirable than these happy evenings which they had spent
together.
"I can't tell you how much I missed Anne to-night," said Grace to her
mother as, arm in arm, they stood on the veranda watching their guests
until they had turned the corner of the next street.
"We all missed her," replied her mother, "but I believe David felt her
absence even more keenly than we did. He is very fond of Anne. I wonder
if she realizes that he really loves her, and that he will some day tell
her so? She is such a quiet, self-contained little girl. Her emotions
are all kept for her work."
"I believe she does," said Grace. "She has never spoken of it to me.
David has been her faithful knight ever since her freshman year at high
school, so she ought to have a faint inkling of what the rest of us
know. I am sorry for David. Anne's art is a powerful rival, and she is
growing fonder of it with every season. If, after she finishes college,
she were to marry David, she would be obliged to give it up. Since the
Southards came into her life she has grown to love her profession so
dearly that I don't imagine she would sacrifice it even for David's
sake."
"It sounds rather strange to hear my little girl talking so wisely of
other people's love affairs," smiled Mrs. Harlowe almost wistfully.
"I know what you are thinking, Motherkin," responded Grace, slipping
both arms about her mother and drawing her gently into the big porch
swing. "You needn't be afraid, though. I don't feel in the least
sentimental over any one, not even Tom Gray, and I like him better than
any other young man I know. I am far more concerned over what to do once
I have finished college. I simply must work, but I haven't yet found my
vocation. Neither has Miriam. Jessica thinks she has found hers, but she
found Reddy first, and he does not intend that she shall lose sight of
him. Hippy and Nora are a great deal fonder of each other than appears
on the surface, too. Their disagreements are never private. Nora said
the other day that she and Hippy had had only one quarrel, and--this is
the funniest bit of news you ever heard, Mother--it was because Hippy
became jealous of a violinist Nora knows at the conservatory. Imagine
Hippy as being jealous!"
Grace talked on to her mother of her friends and of herself while Mrs.
Harlowe listened, thinking happily that she was doubly blessed in not
only her daughter, but in having that daughter's confidence as well.
CHAPTER II
THE ARRIVAL OF KATHLEEN
"There is a whole lot in getting accustomed to things," remarked J.
Elfreda Briggs sagely, as she stood with a hammer and nail in one hand,
a Japanese print in the other, her round eyes scanning the wall for an
appropriate place to hang her treasure.
"It's a beauty, isn't it?" declared Miriam, passing over her roommate's
remark and looking admiringly at the print, which her roommate had just
taken from her trunk.
"What, this?" asked Elfreda. "You'd better believe it is. Goodness knows
I paid enough for it. But I wasn't talking about this print. I was
talking about our present junior estate. What I wonder is, whether being
a junior will go to my head and make me vainglorious or whether I shall
wear the honor as a graceful crown," ended the stout girl with an
affected smile, which changed immediately to a derisive grin.
"I should say, neither," responded Miriam slyly. "I don't believe
anything would ever go to your head. You're too matter-of-fact, and as
for your graceful crown, it would be over one ear within half an hour."
Both girls laughed, then Elfreda, having found a spot on the wall that
met with her approval, set the nail and began hammering. "There!" she
exclaimed with satisfaction. "That is exactly where I want it. Now I can
begin to think about something else."
"I wonder why Grace and Anne haven't paid us a call this morning?" mused
Miriam, who sat listlessly before her trunk, apparently undecided
whether to begin the tedious labor of unpacking or to put it off until
some more convenient day.
"I'll go and find them," volunteered Elfreda, dropping her hammer and
turning toward the door. "They must be at home." Five minutes later she
raced back with the news that their door was locked and the "out
indefinitely" sign was displayed.
"That is very strange," pondered Miriam, aloud. "I wonder where they
have gone?"
"Why on earth didn't they tell us they were going? That's what I'd like
to know," declared Elfreda.
"Perhaps Mrs. Elwood knows something about it," suggested Miriam.
The mere mention of Mrs. Elwood's name caused Elfreda to dart through
the hall and downstairs to the living-room in search of the good-natured
matron. Failing to find her, she walked through the kitchen to the shady
back porch, where Mrs. Elwood sat rocking and reading the newspaper
which the newsboy had just brought.
"Oh, Mrs. Elwood," she cried, "have you seen Grace and Anne? We can't
find them."
"Didn't Miss Dean tell you?" asked Mrs. Elwood in a surprised tone.
"Miss Dean," repeated Elfreda disgustedly. "No wonder we didn't know
what had become of them. With all Emma's estimable qualities, she is the
one person I know whom I would not trust to deliver a message. I beg
your pardon, Mrs. Elwood, I didn't mean that you were in any sense to
blame. We ought to have warned you, only Emma is such a splendid girl
that one hates to mention a silly little thing like that. Just forget
that I said it, will you?"
Mrs. Elwood smiled. "I quite understand, Miss Briggs," she said gravely.
"The message Miss Harlowe left with me was this: 'If the girls ask where
we have gone, tell them that we received a telegram and had to go to the
station. All explanations when we come back.'"
"That settles it," groaned Elfreda. "We know only enough to whet our
curiosity. And we can't find out more unless we follow them to the
station. We can't do that, either. It would not look well. Besides, we
are not invited." Elfreda had been rapidly reflecting aloud, much to
Mrs. Elwood's amusement. "I'll have to go back and tell Miriam," she
finished.
"But why did they lock their door?" asked Miriam, when Elfreda had
repeated her information.
"I don't know," returned Elfreda thoughtfully. "Yes, I do know!" she
exclaimed with sudden inspiration. "I think Grace was afraid she might
have a repetition of last year's performance."
"'Last year's performance,'" repeated Miriam in a puzzled tone.
"Yes, don't you remember the Anarchist?" retorted Elfreda, with a
reminiscent grin.
"Of course!" exclaimed Miriam, laughing a little at the recollection.
"Wasn't she formidable, though, when she slammed the door in our faces?"
Elfreda nodded. "She is all right now. At least she was when she visited
me. I never saw a girl blossom and expand as she did. Pa liked her. He
thought she was smart. She is, too. She has lived so entirely with that
scientific father of hers that she has absorbed all sorts of odds and
ends of knowledge from him. That is why college and girls and the whole
thing terrified her."
"Terrified her," said Miriam incredulously. "I thought matters quite the
reverse."
"That was precisely what I thought until she told me that, no matter how
vengeful she looked, she was always afraid of the girls. She never
seemed to be able to say the right thing at the right moment. That was
why she used to scowl so fiercely when any one spoke or looked at her."
"I don't think it was altogether fear of the girls that caused her to
lock us out that day," observed Miriam, a gleam of laughter appearing in
her black eyes.
"I don't suppose it was," retorted Elfreda good-humoredly. "She says she
knows her disposition to be anything but angelic. But she is trying,
Miriam. You wait and see for yourself how the new Laura Atkins behaves."
"But to go back to the subject of the door, what makes you think Grace
locked it on account of last year?" persisted Miriam.
"Oh, I don't know," answered Elfreda vaguely. "I just thought so, that's
all."
"We'll ask her when she comes, just for fun," declared Miriam. "Why not
go downstairs and sit on the back veranda with Mrs. Elwood? We can hear
the girls as soon as they come into the yard."
"All right," agreed Elfreda. "Do you care if I take my magazine along? I
am not quite through with an article I began this morning."
"I object seriously," smiled Miriam. "I shall expect you to entertain
me. You can finish reading your article later."
Elfreda glanced up quickly from the magazine she held in her hand. Then,
catching sight of her friend's smiling face, she tucked her magazine
under one arm, linked her free arm through Miriam's and marched her
toward the stairs. They had reached the foot of the stairs and were half
way down the hall when the sound of voices caused both girls to stand
still, listening intently.
"That sounds like Grace's voice!" exclaimed Elfreda. With one accord
they turned about, hurrying to the veranda at the front of the house in
time to see Grace and Anne approaching. Both girls were laden with
luggage, while between them walked an alert little figure, tugging a bag
of golf sticks, a fat, black leather hand bag and a camera.
"What manner of woman have we here?" muttered Elfreda, regarding the
newcomer with quizzical eyes.
But before Miriam found time to reply the newcomer set her luggage in
the middle of the walk, and running up to Miriam and Elfreda, said with
a frank laugh: "This is Miriam and this is Elfreda. You see I know both
of you from Mabel's description."
"Who--what--" began Elfreda.
"Girls," said Grace, who had by this time come up with the animated
stranger, "this is Miss West, a friend of Mabel Ashe's. My telegram was
from Mabel asking me to meet Miss West, and as Anne and I were on the
porch when it came, and the train we were to meet was due, we didn't
stop for explanations or hats, but raced down the street as fast as we
could go."
While Grace was talking, Kathleen West was shaking hands vigorously with
Miriam and Elfreda. "I'm so glad to know you," she said, "and I think
I'm going to like you. I'm not so sure about liking college, even though
I've worked so hard to get here. I hope to goodness I don't flunk in the
exams."
"I am sure that any friend of Mabel's is bound to be ours also," said
Miriam courteously. She had not made up her mind regarding the newcomer.
"Thank you. From what she said I should imagine that you and she were on
very good terms," returned the stranger lightly. "Of course you know who
I am and all about me."
Grace smiled. "Not yet, but we are willing to hear anything you wish to
tell us."
"Oh, that's so!" exclaimed the stranger. "Mabel wrote about me, but her
letter hasn't reached you yet, and, of course, telegrams can't be very
lengthy unless you wish to spend a fortune or the office has a
franchise. There I go again about the office. I might as well tell the
truth and have done with it: I'm a newspaper woman."
CHAPTER III
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Miriam smiled involuntarily, Grace looked surprised, Elfreda
indifferent, and Anne amused. The word "woman" seemed absurdly out of
place from the lips of this girl who looked as though she had just been
promoted to long dresses.
"Oh, yes, I know I look not more than eighteen," quickly remarked
Kathleen West, noticing Miriam's smile. "But I'm not. I'm twenty-two
years old, and I've been on a newspaper for four years. Why, that's the
way I earned my money to come here. I'll tell you about it some other
time. It's too long a story for now. Besides, I'm hungry. At what time
are we to be fed and are the meals good? I have no illusions regarding
boarding houses."
"The meals are excellent," replied Anne. "You must have dinner with us.
Then we will see about securing a room for you. I think you will be able
to get in here. This used to be considered a freshman house, but all
those who were freshmen with us have stayed on, and if last year's
freshmen stay, too, then Wayne Hall will be full and--"
"I won't get in," finished the young woman calmly.
"Come into the house now and meet Mrs. Elwood," invited Grace. "Then you
can learn your fate."
"Yes, I can just make room for you," Mrs. Elwood was saying a few
minutes later. "Miss Evans is not coming back, and Miss Acker is going
to Livingstone Hall. Her two particular friends are there. Miss Dean
wishes to room alone this year, so that disposes of the vacancy left by
Miss Acker. But the half of the room Miss Evans had is not occupied. It
is on the second floor at the east end of the hall."
"Then I'll take it," returned Kathleen promptly, "and move in at once. I
may not stay here long, but at least I'll be happy while I stay. But if
I should survive all these exams, there will be cause for rejoicing and
I'll give a frolic that you will all remember, or my name's not Kathleen
West. Is there any one who would love to help me upstairs with my
things?"
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