Show n L i J r LITERARY k n The Girls of Newton College THE girls of Newton College were wen surprised and not agreeably either when 1 Lucy Stringer announced that she was going to leave school That morning j she had received a letter from her parents parents parents pa pa- rents expressing their desire that she return return re re- j turn to her home in Pennsylvania II Oh Oh are you going D Do Doi yO you think hin of giving gl up p v Your our our t course and simil similar r. r exclamations were w re heard from all the gj ls ls present when Lucy had made known know the cont contents p s of her letter That eV evening ning af after er tea nearly e every ery girl of or orthe the senior class had assembled in inDora inDora Dora or Goldi Goldings Golding's g r room om to discuss the happenings of f the day to pour forth their petty troubles and re receive eive con consola consolation sola tion consola tion from their hearers After a few fey moments' moments conversation of of this sort the name of Lucy Stringer was mentioned This instantly brought th the same thought though to every very mind mind- Lucy i is going away Ij Ii think we wes le 9 ought to 8 o something fori ferr J.- J. u y before foU- foU she Sher leaves av 5 us ESl us began K Pi Nellie Harper s We We e ought to give her something to toi i remember e ib us by byj suggested HattiT Hattie Hatti T Turner ner I agree agree with you that tha we e should make her some e present but continued continue l lj j Josie Tosie sie Blade I I h hope pe that that she will re remember remember remember re- re re- re member me anyway When does she go go asked Nellie Saturday morning came the answer from sev several ral Well on Friday evening let us girls meet in one of the zooms rooms and each one give Lucy some some token foken of affection proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed Dora just the thing chimed the girls who had been taking part in the conversation What do you think of it Gladys The girl to whom this qu question stion was was as addressed had been sitting all the time on the low broad sill of the window She had made no comment as the talk went on her eyes apparently intent on the moonlight and the shadows on the lake below What do I think she said rousing herself with a long sigh Oh Oh I dont don't know You girls are so clever you'll be sure to do the right thing without me Goodnight Im I'm going to retire Sitting on the edge of her bed her two knees drawn up to her chin her hands clasped above her ankles was Dora D i Her eyes eyes shining Hike be beads ds under her long dark lashes watched Gladys Wheeler go through their little parlor and into the room bed-room beyond Sometimes I th think she's queer she said to Nellie when she saw saw t the e d door or closed upon the departing girl always so full of ideas and enthusiasm till it comes to the climax then off she goes lik like this as if she had no interest in life Sometimes I think she is only mean Which is it it Nell mean or queer J J. J I. I C j I Ido I do ii naf v mys myself f the other ther g girl rl v ans answered red As Sometimes she is is' the jolliest girl that at Flin w r rand then ever i ev every littleY little tle phd h 1 l r 1 kt N. N II Y r t J. J eX j r while comes this sudden reserve I have of often wondered if she were were poor and did not care to tell What are you all looking so so sober for asked Dollie Morris as as she entered entered entered enter enter- ed the room room I The girls explained the cause cause of the perplexity You want to honor Lucy in some someway some someway someway way said t the e new comer seating herself herself herself her her- self on the sill lately vacated by Gladys Why not give an entertainment in her honor and there present her with your g gifts Why didn't we thi think k of that before exclaimed half a dozen voices I I do not see how we can do it it now now that we we have the suggestion spoke up Josie who usually saw some drawback to a new proposition We may not noth h have ve the permission to hold an entertainment entertainment entertainment enter enter- here at college c granted us II At any rate we can ask for the privilege If it be refused we will put our first plan into execution Its It's now decided that something will be done to express our friendship for Lucy was Lucy was was Dora DoraI the spirit shown by I I move that a committee of three be appointed to see the faculty about obtaining obtaining obtaining ob ob- their sanction to the proposed amusement said Nellie in an energetic manner Several voices voices' r rang rang ng out with with I I second l it t. t 11 r i L 1 Stand up and put the motion before the house Nell exclaimed H Hattie attie It lIt is is' is needless needle s to to say that the m motion tion carri carried a as the proposition had met met with approval at t the hands of every I girl girl After a a few min minutes tes talk on certain articles articles' which h would be be- suitable for presents presents the crowd dispersed each girl seeking her room Gladys Gladys' meanwhile once in her room room had f flung hers flung herself elf across ss her narrow narrow narro bed an and lay sobbing A A patch patch- patch patch-ot of t mo moonlight n show att gg l sl shaking aking figure re t t. t z Hith 1 1 j 1 I u ut t i L h J t i I Why have I no no courage sh she moaned moan moan- ed Why dont don't I tell them and h have haveit ve veit it over There never was such a weak creature as myself Will I never never get used to it all Yet I am not the only one who feels the pangs of our f- f poverty Mamma is sacrificing so much to keep me at school this year Oh I must keep up for her sake but still there are times when I am tempted to leave school When I entered Newton who would f have thought that some day I should be one of the poorest girls within its walls n In those days everything appeared so bright but then came papas papa's death followed followed fol fol- r lowed by the disclosure that that he died a ruined man Her mind was filled with such thoughts when Lucy peeped in the door to bid her school mate mafe goodnight In the course of the next day it was whispered among the girls th that t the fac fac faculty had consented to the giving of the entertainment That evening the same girls as we had seen last night collected in Doras Dora's room to make further arrangements for forthe forthe the coming event A was was 1 made out and invitations were written to friends to attend and aid in making the affair as pleasant as possible What are you going going to to give give Lucy was was the question addressed to Gladys Giadys as she met Dora and Nellie in the corridor in passing from one class to another on the following dayI day I I have not made ade my selection yet l was her answer while inwardly she asked Is that the truth There had been a conflict in her mind for the last few days In looking over her accounts she had found that scarcely enough money was left to pay her necessary necessary necessary essary expenses l II I I might as well she said to herself look it squarely in the face for the thelast q last a t time and decide now But oh I Idid 1 y did want to o get Ses Sesame me Lilies Lilies' for Lucy I have so often heard her express 1 her wish for a copy I cannot afford it If I give her anything it will be a simple simple simple sim sim- card On the evening of the farewell farewell farewell fare fare- well how insignificant it will appear in contrast to the other girls' girls beautiful i presents Well I will not give it to her then that night I shall call her into into in in- to my room and tell her why I cannot in-I in show my friendship by giving costly presents And then people will say that 1 Gladys Wheeler is the first girl who did not give her most intimate schoolmate 1 a present at their parting I haven't the money and that is all there is about it Here a fresh spell of sobbing was indulged in l lOn On the morning of the entertainment J Dora Golding rushed breathlessly into 1 the room and exclaimed Gladys do j like a dear lend me five dollars Ill I'll give it back on Tuesday morning my t allowance comes then 3 j Gladys hesitated a moment Here j was someone asking for the very money that she had laid aside to pay a small debt with and on the other hand how it would appear not to lend lenda a friend the paltry sum the difference between lending lending lend lend- lendi i ing and giving she suddenly thought 1 O 0 bother I cant can't find those gloves 1 and I told the girls that I would not keep th then them rr waiting a a second Do hurry Gladys Gladysl called Dora as she bounced out of f her room into Gladys' Gladys after a rumage rumage rum rum- age age in her drawer for a particular pair j of gloves Yes here it is replied Gladys taking taking taking tak tak- 1 ing the coin from a little jewel-case jewel lying on her dresser II I I. I feel as though I were doing something something something some some- thing for Lucy in lending that money thought Gladys as she smiled but she shed shedid shedid d did d not feel at case ease Dora has more money than any of ofus us hers is 13 13 sure to be here on time were the thoughts gh s in which the girl tried to o content h herself v There was an indescribable flutter of excitement felt through the college on the night of any entertainment First r there is is' the dressing the dressing the best gowns are brought out and the choicest ornaments ornaments ornaments orna orna- ments that the college girl boasts of to adorn her person that evening Then comes the watching at the great front door for the carriages bringing the invited invited invited in in- guests All the girls had taken their places in inthe inthe inthe the drawing room long before Gladys made her appearance After helping Lucy to dress she had entered her room with the intention of immediately descending to the parlor but upon nearing nearing nearing near- near ing the dresser her eyes rested upon the little card that was to be her token of remembrance to her most dearly loved friend At the sight of this this a multitude multitude multitude multi multi- tude of thoughts surged through her mind Shall I go down appear indifferent and when the presents are given receive the scornful glances and remarks that are sure to follow the disclosure of my meanness or stinginess' stinginess as they will term it I I will go was her final resolve With this the sensitive girl dried her tears left her room and in a few moments moments mo mo- ments found herself in the presence of her companions and their friends A At t the close close of of a successfully successfully successfully success success- fully carried out a slight movement ent was heard in a direction to which all eyes 1 turned This had been anticipated with pleasure by all but one sad girl who knew what the presenting of the gifts meant to her As the various articles were given to Lucy with the name of the giver distinctly pronounced expressions of admiration were audible throughout the room For over an hour followed an informal informal informal mal chat eagerly participated in by allbut all allbut allbut but Gladys who it was men mentioned was extremely quiet Perhaps ps she is not not- yell feeling well l was remarked by ty several of of the girls girl's friends friend Others commented that maybe her sadness was due to Lucys Lucy's going away The girls have been such clo close e companions companions companions com com- they added After the farewells were spoken Gladys immediately sought her rooms About bout A half an hour later she heard the girls ascending the stairs Wheres Gladys exclaimed a voice i in the hall It I 1 have been so excited that I had hardly missed the dear girl In a moment Lucy had knocked on the door of Gladys' Gladys room and was admitted admitted admitted ad ad- by a feeble Come from the girl within the matter Gladys asked the new comer as she took a seat by bythe bythe bythe the side of her friend O 0 I am a miserable girl made wretched by my pride answered the other Then followed a confidential talk in which Gladys confided to her friend many a thing that the remainder of the college girls were kept in ignorance of Gladys' Gladys confession of her reduced circumstances did not lessen Lucys Lucy's love for the sweet lovable girl who had been her helpmate for years Many a time Lucys Lucy's lessons had been partly prepared by her companion for Gladys Gladys' wa was acknowledged one of the brightest most intelligent girls in the school Often Lucys Lucy's feelings of despondency had been banished by the kind cheerful words of her sympathetic associate To think said Dora to the girls in inthe inthe the corridor that night that Gladys Wheeler did not send a thing I am sure that she is mean The next day Gladys heard the girls talking of Doras Dora's handsome present She is the most generous girl in the college said one and they all agreed On Monday evening a committee of the senior class clas met to ma make e plans for their their reception reception in in June Dora Golding w was appointed general di director director ector and she sheva was was va quite carried away with the I ovelty of some of her ideas about it Indeed she bec became me so completely absorbed and had so many suggestions to make and nu numerous numerous invitations to send that the little affair of the five dollars was crowded crowd crowd- ed out of her mind Meanwhile the small bill ill th that t Gladys owed had fallen due and in order to pay this she was forced to sell a a bracelet that had bad been I admired by many a school schoolmate ili mate Had I only h had d courage enough to tell ell the girls in the beginning that I was poor poor how much bett better r it would have been but it was all f false pride a miserable miserable miserable miser miser- able false pride II concluded Gladys after having related the story to m me a few y years years rs later t f Leone e Horne tf ji e I H L 1 J. |