CHAPTER VII
GIRLS AND THEIR IDEALS
Directly after her last class the next day, Grace hurried to her room tochange her gown. She looked forward with eager pleasure to her eveningwith Mabel Ashe. She was deeply attached to the pretty senior, who wasthe best-liked girl in college, and Grace could not help feeling atrifle proud of Mabel's frank enjoyment of her society. Anne, knowingGrace was to be away, had accepted an invitation to go down to RuthDenton's little room, help her cook supper, and spend the evening withher.
"Oh, dear," sighed Grace, as she tried vainly to reach the two hooks ofher dark blue charmeuse gown that seemed only a sixteenth of an inch outof reach, "I wish Anne were here. I can touch these two hooks with theends of my fingers but I can't fasten them. I'll have to ask Mabel tohook me up when I get to Holland House." Giving up in disgust, Graceslipped into her long, blue serge coat, carefully adjusted her new fallhat that she had just received from home, and catching up her gloves randownstairs.
Mabel Ashe's graceful, welcoming figure leaning over the balusterwaiting for her was the first thing that attracted her attention as shestepped inside the hall at Holland House.
"Come right up," invited Mabel. "We'll have a little while togetherbefore dinner. Did you bring your notebook?"
"Yes," replied Grace. "Remember, you are to help me choose a subject formy theme. You volunteered, you know."
"Not until after dinner, though, if you don't mind. Sit down here and becomfy. This is my pet chair, but I insist on letting you have it becauseyou are company." She gently pushed Grace into a roomy leather-coveredarmchair. Seating herself opposite Grace, Mabel fixed her brown eyesalmost gravely on her. "Now, Grace," she said earnestly, "please tell meabout this Miss Atkins of Wayne Hall."
"There isn't much to tell," replied Grace. "Did you ever see her?"
"Once."
"We had a little trouble with her our very first day back," continuedGrace. "She took possession of our room and refused to give it up. Thenwhen Mrs. Elwood came to our rescue, she went to the room that had beenassigned to her like a lamb. She felt anything but lamblike toward me,you may believe, and when later Mrs. Elwood brought up her new roommate,she refused to allow her to enter."
"Refused to allow her to enter," repeated Mabel wonderingly. "What sortof girl is she, Grace?"
"I don't know," answered Grace doubtfully. "She is an enigma. She speaksthe most precise English, with absolutely no trace of slang. But shelooks as though the whole world were her natural enemy. Elfreda namedher the Anarchist. I am rather ashamed to say we call her that behindher back."
Mabel smiled slightly, then asked, "What did the girl do--the one shewouldn't room with, I mean?"
"She went downstairs to wait for Mrs. Elwood. The reason I know allabout it is because I happened to hear her tell Miss Taylor, that's thefreshman's name, that she would have to go elsewhere. I knew Mrs. Elwoodwas out, so I went down to see if there were anything I could do forher, and she told me all about it. I knew Mrs. Elwood would be out ofpatience with Miss Atkins and ask her to leave Wayne Hall." Gracepaused.
"What happened next?" asked Mabel interestedly.
"I told Miss Taylor I would try to fix things for her. I went upstairsand plotted with Elfreda. Then she and I bearded the dragon in her den.After I had finished telling her that it would be better to take littleMiss Taylor without further bickering, Elfreda rose to the occasion andgave her a much-needed lecture. She is very shrewd, I think. Sheevidently realized she had gone too far. She objected to Miss Taylorbecause it is her nature to object to everything. When she saw that wehad taken up the cudgels in Miss Taylor's behalf, and that she waslikely to get into hot water, she decided to accept her as a roommatewithout further opposition. That's the whole story."
"She must be eccentric and very disagreeable," commented Mabel. "Whatmade you go to such pains to save her from the wrath of Mrs. Elwood?"
"I suppose I felt sorry for her," confessed Grace. "She is beginning herfreshman year in the worst possible spirit. But as I said to the girlsnot long ago, we do not know what lies back of her disagreeable manner.Why are you so interested in hearing about her, Mabel?"
"She is making herself the subject of considerable censure among thejuniors and seniors by snubbing the girls of her own class and calmlyannouncing that she wishes to make only powerful and influential friendsin college," returned Mabel. "You know, of course, the attitude of theold students toward freshmen. This Miss Atkins is either laboring underthe impression that she is an exception to tradition, or else she has nosense of the fitness of things. At first, I am sorry to say, a few ofthe seniors looked upon her as a joke, but the reaction has set in, and,like Humpty Dumpty, she is going to take a great fall. When she does,all the king's horses and all the king's men won't be of any assistanceto her in getting her back from where she tumbled. I don't believe sherealizes that she is making herself ridiculous.
"I was at Vinton's last Saturday afternoon. Jessie Meredith invitedanother senior and me to luncheon there. Imagine our surprise when aprim, precise little figure marched up to our table and seated herselfas calmly as though she were the president of the senior class. There isroom for four at those tables, you know, and we had not reserved ours.Still, there were plenty of other tables at which she might have seatedherself. It was rather embarrassing for all of us, but it was worse whenshe tried to break into the conversation. She insisted on expounding herviews on whatever we discussed. We were compelled to cut short ourluncheon and flee to Martell's for our dessert. We escaped at the momentthe waitress was serving her luncheon, so she couldn't very well riseand pursue us. If I had been alone, I might have stayed, but Jessie wasdisgusted, and I was Jessie's guest."
Grace had listened to Mabel's recital with troubled eyes. "I neverbefore knew a girl quite like Miss Atkins," she said slowly. "What is ityou wish me to do for her, Mabel?"
"Wise young sophomore," laughed Mabel. "How did you guess it?"
"You are not given to footless gossip," replied Grace quietly. "Besides,I live at Wayne Hall."
"Cleverer and cleverer," commented the senior, in mock admiration. "Thisis my idea. I had hoped that, being in the same house with her, youmight be able to guide her gently along the beaten trail made by girlslike you. However, after what you have told me, I am afraid you are notthe one to do it."
"I haven't a particle of influence with her," said Grace soberly. "Youmust know that from what I have already told you."
"Yes, I do know it," answered Mabel. "Is there any one at Wayne Hall whowould be likely to have the right kind of influence?"
"No-o-o." Grace shook her head doubtfully. Then she suddenly brightened."There is one person who might help her. Elfreda is going to invite herto the sophomore reception. She doesn't wish to do it, I know, althoughshe hasn't said so. Please don't think me conceited, but Elfreda woulddo anything for me. She fancies herself under obligation to me onaccount of what happened last year," Grace added in an embarrassed tone.
"Grace Harlowe!" exclaimed Mabel delightedly, "I believe we have solvedour problem. J. Elfreda is the very one to make Miss Atkins wake up towhat is expected from her at Overton. Will you talk with her about it,and ask her if she is willing to try?"
"I'll tell her to-night," promised Grace. "I'm sure she'll try. She isnot afraid to tackle Miss Atkins, either, or she wouldn't have invitedher to the reception."
"Then that's settled for the time being at least," declared Mabeljubilantly. "Just in time for dinner, too. There goes the bell."
After dinner more conversation followed. It was eight o'clock beforeGrace remembered her theme. "What shall I write about?" she demanded."You promised to supply the inspiration."
"So I will," returned Mabel cheerfully. "Why don't you writeabout--" She paused, frowning slightly. "After all my vaunted promisesI'm not able to suggest anything on the spur of the moment," sheconfessed laughingly. "Why don't you take some incident in your own lifeor that of your friends and write a story about it?" she proposed aft
era moment's silence.
"I don't believe I could ever write a story," confessed Grace. "I thinkI'll write a little discussion about girls and their ideals."
"That sounds interesting," commended Mabel. "Go ahead with it. You maysit at this table, if you like."
Grace seated herself, nibbled at the end of her fountain penreflectively, then began to write. Mabel busied herself with her ownwork. At last Grace shoved aside the closely written sheets of paper."It's done," she cried, in a triumphant voice. "Now we can talk."
"May I read it?" asked Mabel.
"Of course, if you wish to," laughed Grace. "It isn't worth the trouble,though."
Mabel picked up the theme and began to read. Grace rose, and strollingover to the bookcase fell to examining the various bindings. Herfriend's flattering comment, "It's splendid, Grace. I had no idea youcould write so well," caused her to look up in surprise from the bookshe held in her hand.
"I don't think it is very remarkable," she contradicted. "It hasn't ashred of literary style."
"It's convincing," argued Mabel.
"That is because I felt strongly on my subject. When it comes toanything that lies near my heart I am always convincing. Father says Iput up the most convincing argument of any one he knows," smiled Grace."He always declares he is wax in my hands. I hope you will make me avisit and meet my father and mother, Mabel," she added.
"I surely will," promised Mabel. "We must correspond after I leavecollege. I wish you could go home with me for one of the holidayvacations. Can't you manage it?"
"I am afraid not this year," returned Grace doubtfully. "Father andMother wouldn't object, but they miss me so during the year that I feelas though my holidays belonged to them. I am an only child, you know."
"So am I," returned Mabel. "I am also extremely popular with my father.If I can tear myself away from him to make you a visit, surely you oughtto be equally public spirited."
"I'll think it over," laughed Grace. "Oh, dear!" she exclaimed a momentlater, glancing at the little French clock on the chiffonier, "I mustgo. It is twenty minutes to ten. How the time has slipped away."
"Thank you," bowed Mabel. "Such appreciation of my society is gratifyingin the extreme. I'll invite you again."
"See that you do," retorted Grace. "Have you any engagement for Saturdayafternoon? If you haven't, then suppose we have luncheon at Vinton's;then go for a long walk. We can stay out all afternoon, stop at the teashop for supper and come home on the street car, or walk in, if wechoose. We might ask Frances and Anne to join us. Miriam and Elfreda aregoing out for a ride. Miriam has a horse here this year. She had herchoice between a horse and a runabout and she took the horse. The momentElfreda found out she had one, she wrote home about it. Now she has ariding horse, too."
"I had my own pet mount, Elixir, here during my freshman and sophomoreyears. The latter part of my second year I didn't take him out enough toexercise him. So I ordered him sent home. He is a beauty. Jet black witha three-cornered white spot in the middle of his forehead. He's anArabian, and Father paid an extravagant price for him. He shakes handsand does ever so many tricks that I taught him. When you go home withme, you shall see him."
"I'd love to have a riding horse," confessed Grace, "but Father can'tafford it. I've never asked him, but I know he can't. We have no careither."
"Make me a visit and you can ride Elixir every day," bribed Mabel.
"I'd love that!" exclaimed Grace fervently as she slipped into her coatand settled her hat firmly on her fluffy hair. "Good night, Mabel. Comeand see me soon. Don't forget our Saturday walk."
"I'll go to the door with you," announced Mabel. "No, I won't forget ourwalk. I'll tell Frances about it to-morrow, before she has a chance tomake any other plans. She is a popular young person, and elusive in thematter of dates."
"There are others," retorted Grace, with a significant glance at herfriend.
"So there are," agreed Mabel innocently.
On the way home Grace wondered if there were any way in which she mighthelp Laura Atkins. True to her promise, she went at once to interviewElfreda on the subject of the eccentric freshman. She found Miriam andthe stout girl busily engaged in trying to put together a puzzle thatElfreda had unearthed in the toy department of one of the Overton storesthat afternoon. Puzzles were the delight of Elfreda's heart. But, onceput together, they immediately ceased to be of interest.
"This is a wonder!" she exclaimed at sight of Grace. "It is worthhaving. Neither Miriam nor I can put it together."
"I have a harder one for you to tackle," smiled Grace. Then sherecounted her conversation with Mabel Ashe.
"You have altogether too much faith in my powers of persuasion,"grumbled Elfreda, secretly pleased, nevertheless.
"But that is much better than if we had no faith at all," remindedGrace.
Grace Harlowe's Second Year at Overton College Page 7