Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School

by Josephine Chase

  CHAPTER II

  THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR

  Once outside the gymnasium, Grace's dignity forsook her, and she felt awild desire to kick and scream like a small child. The contemptibleconduct of the junior team filled her with just rage. With a great effortat self-control she turned to the other girls, who were holding anindignation meeting in the corridor.

  "Girls," she said, "I know just how you feel about this, and if we hadbeen boys there would have been a hand-to-hand conflict in the gymnasiumto-day."

  "I wish we hadn't given in," said Nora, almost sobbing with anger.

  "There was really nothing else to do," said Anne. "It is better to retirewith dignity than to indulge in a free-for-all fight."

  "Yes," responded Grace, "it is. But when that insufferable Julia Crosbypoked Professor Cole's permit under my nose, I felt like taking her by theshoulders and shaking her. What those juniors need is a good, soundthrashing. That being utterly out of the question, the only thing to do isto whitewash them at basketball."

  "Three cheers for the valiant sophomores!" cried Nora, "On to victory!Down with juniors!"

  The cheers were given with a will, and by common consent the crowd ofgirls moved on down the corridor that led to the locker room.

  The sophomore locker room was the particular rendezvous of that class ingeneral. Here matters of state were discussed, class gossip retailed, andclass friendships cemented. It was in reality a sort of clubroom, and dearto the heart of every girl in the class. To the girls in their presentstate of mind it seemed the only place to go. They seated themselves onthe benches and Grace took the floor.

  "Attention, fellow citizens and basketball artists," she called. "Do yousolemnly promise to exert yourselves to the utmost to repay the juniorsfor this afternoon's work?"

  "We do," was the answer.

  "And will you pledge your sacred honor to whip the juniors, no matter whathappens!"

  "We will," responded the girls.

  "Anne!" called Grace. "You and Jessica are not players, but you can pledgeyour loyalty to the team anyhow. I want you to be in this, too. Hold upyour right hands."

  "We will be loyal," said both girls, holding up their right hands,laughing meanwhile at Grace's serious expression.

  "Now," said Grace, "I feel better. As long as we can't get the actualpractice this afternoon let's lay out a course of action at any rate, andarrange our secret signals."

  "Done," cried the girls, and soon they were deep in the mysteries ofsecret plays and signs.

  Grace explained the game to Anne, who did not incline towards athletics,and had had little previous opportunity to enjoy them.

  Anne, eager to learn for Grace's sake, became interested on her ownaccount, and soon mastered the main points of the game.

  "Here is a list of the secret signals, Anne," said Grace. "Study itcarefully and learn it by heart, then you will understand every move ourteam makes during the coming games. I expect you to become an enthusiasticfan."

  Anne thanked her, and put the paper in her purse, little dreaming how muchunhappiness that same paper was to cause her.

  The business of the afternoon having been disposed of, the girls donnedstreet clothing and left the building, schoolgirl fashion, in groups oftwos and threes.

  On the way out they encountered several of the victorious juniors, whomanaged to make their presence felt.

  "Oh," said Nora O'Malley, "those girls ought to be suppressed."

  "Never mind," put in Anne. "You know 'the way of the transgressor ishard.' Perhaps those juniors will get what they deserve yet."

  "Not much danger of it. They're too tricky," said Jessica contemptuously.

  Anne's prophecy was to be fulfilled, however, in a most unexpected manner.

  There had been one unnoticed spectator of the recent quarrel between thetwo classes. This was the teacher of physical culture, Miss Kane, who hadreturned to the gymnasium for a moment, arriving just in time to witnessthe whole scene. She, too, had had trouble at various times with thejunior class, particularly Julia Crosby, who invariably tried her patienceseverely. She had been heard to pronounce them the most unruly class shehad ever attempted to instruct. Therefore her sympathies were with theretreating sophomores, and with set lips and righteous indignation in hereye, she resolved to lay the matter before Miss Thompson, at the earliestopportunity.

  Miss Thompson listened the next day with considerable surprise to MissKane's account of the affair. No one knew the mischievous tendencies ofthe juniors better than did the principal. Ordinary mischief she couldforgive, but this was overstepping all bounds. She had given thesophomore class permission to use the gymnasium for the afternoon, and noother class had the least right to take the matter over her head. She knewthat Professor Cole was entirely innocent of the deception practised uponhim, so she resolved to say nothing to him, but deal with the junior teamas she deemed best. One thing was certain, they should receive their justdeserts.

  Miss Thompson's face, usually calm and serene, wore an expression of greatsternness as she faced the assembled classes in the study-hall thefollowing morning. The girls looked apprehensively at each other,wondering what was about to happen. When their beloved principal lookedlike that, there was trouble brewing for some one. Miss Thompson, though astrict disciplinarian, was seldom angry. She was both patient andreasonable in her dealings with the pupils under her supervision, and hadtheir utmost confidence and respect. To incur her displeasure one mustcommit a serious offense. Each girl searched her mind for possibledelinquencies There was absolute silence in the great room. Then theprincipal spoke:

  "I must ask the undivided attention of every girl in this room, as what Iam about to say relates in a measure to all of you.

  "There are four classes, representing four divisions of high school work,assembled here this morning. Each one must be passed through before thedesired goal--graduation--is reached.

  "The standard of each class from freshmen to seniors, should be honor. Ihave been very proud of my girls because I believed that they would beable to live up to that standard. However it seems that some of them haveyet to learn the meaning of the word."

  Miss Thompson paused. Nora cast a significant look toward Jessica, who satdirectly opposite her, while Julia Crosby fidgeted nervously in her seat,and felt suddenly ill at ease.

  "Good-natured rivalry between classes," continued Miss Thompson, "hasalways been encouraged, but ill-natured trickery is to be deplored. Amatter has come to my ears which makes it necessary for me to put downwith an iron hand anything resembling such an evil.

  "You are all aware that I have been very willing to grant the use of thegymnasium to the various teams for basketball practice, and have tried todivide up the time as evenly as possible. Two days ago I gave the membersof the sophomore team permission to use the gymnasium for practice. Noother team had any right whatever to disturb them, yet I understand thatanother team did commit that breach of class etiquette, drove the rightfulpossessors from the room and occupied it for the remainder of theafternoon. The report brought to me says that the young women of thesophomore team conducted themselves with dignity during a most tryingsituation."

  Miss Thompson turned suddenly toward the junior section.

  "The members of the junior basketball team will please rise," she saidsternly.

  There was a subdued murmur throughout the section, then one after another,with the exception of Julia Crosby, the girls rose.

  "Miss Crosby," said the principal in a tone that brooked no delay, "riseat once! I expect instant obedience from every pupil in this school."

  Julia sulkily rose to her feet.

  "Miss Crosby," continued Miss Thompson, "are you not the captain of thejunior team?"

  "Yes," answered Julia defiantly.

  "Did you go to Professor Cole for permission to use the gymnasium lastThursday?"

  "Yes."

  "Why did you not come to me?"

  Julia hung her head and made no reply.

 
"I will tell you the reason, Miss Crosby," said the principal. "Youalready knew that permission had been granted the sophomore team, did younot?"

  "Yes," said Julia very faintly.

  "Very well. You are guilty of two serious misdemeanors. You purposelymisrepresented matters to Professor Cole and deliberately put aside myauthority; not to mention the unwomanly way in which you behaved towardthe sophomore team. Every girl who aided and abetted you in this isequally guilty. Therefore you will all learn and recite to me an extrapage in history every day for two weeks. The use of the gymnasium will beprohibited you for the same length of time, and if such a thing ever againoccurs, the culprits will be suspended without delay. You may be seated."

  The dazed juniors sank limply into their seats. The tables had been turnedupon them with a vengeance. A page of history a day was bad enough, butthe loss of the gymnasium privilege was worse. The opening game was onlytwo weeks off, and they needed practice.

  Julia Crosby put her head down on her desk and wept tears of rage andmortification. The rest of the girls looked ready to cry, too.

  The first bell for classes sounded and the girls picked up their books. Atthe second bell they filed out through the corridor to their variousrecitation rooms. As Grace, who had stopped to look for a lost pencil,hurried toward the geometry classroom, she passed Julia Crosby, who wasmoping along, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. Julia cast an angryglance at Grace, and hissed, "tale-bearer."

  Grace, inwardly smarting at the unjust accusation walked on withoutanswering.

  "What did I tell you about the way of the transgressor?" said Anne toGrace, as they walked home from school that day.

  "It certainly is hard enough this time," said Grace. "But," she added, asshe thought of Julia Crosby's recent accusation, "the way of the righteousisn't always easy."