by Oliver Optic
XIV
THE FOOTBALL GAME
At last the wished-for Saturday arrived. It was one of those clear,bracing days that always put every one in good-humor. Though cool, itwas not too cool for the comfort of the girls and older women who wereto sit for two or three hours in the open air. Every car running toCambridge carried a double load, with men and boys crowding the platformin dangerous fashion. Carriages of every description were rushing overthe long bridge between Boston and the University City and not only werered or orange flags to be seen waving on every side--small flags thatcould be easily folded up, but occasionally some group of youths wouldbreak out into the college cry.
Edith and her guests drove out to Cambridge in carriages, although theyall thought that the cars would have been much more amusing. Edith,however, had had to yield to her mother's wishes, for Mrs. Blair had astrong objection to street cars, and Edith was forbidden to ride in anyexcept those of the blue line in Marlborough street. But if lessentertaining, the carriage ride was probably more comfortable than ajourney by car would have been on that day of excitement.
Edith and Julia and Ruth and Nora rode in one carriage, while Brenda,Belle, Frances Pounder and Mrs. Blair were in the other. As Frances wasa distant cousin of Edith's, her mother usually included her in herinvitations, although in general disposition the two girls were veryunlike. Belle and Frances were more congenial, and had the same habit oftalking superciliously about other people. Brenda and Frances weresometimes on very good terms, and sometimes they hardly spoke to eachother for weeks. For Frances had an irritating habit of "stepping onpeople's feelings" as Nora said, whether with intent or from sheercarelessness, no one felt exactly sure. She was the least companionableof all the girls of their acquaintance, but on account of herrelationship to Edith she often had to be with them when "The Four" orrather three of the four would have preferred some other girl.
When the carriages with Edith and her party reached Cambridge they drewup before Memorial Hall as Mrs. Blair had arranged with Philip.
"We thought," she said, "that it would be both easier and pleasanter toleave the carriages here, and walk to the field." And the girls agreedwith her. They felt more "grown up" walking along with their escorts,than if seated in the carriage under the eye of Mrs. Blair. Philip, ofcourse, was on the spot, to meet them, and one of his friends was withhim.
"I couldn't get any more fellows," he said in an aside to his mother,"to promise to sit with us, they'd rather be off by themselves with therest of the men. It really is more fun, you know."
"Hush," whispered his mother, fearing lest some of her friends mighthear this rather ungallant speech.
"O, of course I don't mind it much," he continued in answer to hismother's look of reproach, "I'm willing to please Edith this once, but Iwouldn't want to have to look after a lot of girls very often."
Then he turned around to let himself be presented to
Ruth, whom he had not met before, and Mrs. Blair introduced his friendWill Hardon to all the others,--except of course Edith who knew him.
Belle looked a little disturbed when she saw that there were to be buttwo students to escort them, and she forgot for the time being, thatgirls of less than sixteen can hardly expect to be considered youngladies by college undergraduates, who at the sophomore stage ofexistence are more inclined to the society of women a few years theirsenior. Belle knew, however, that she had the manners of an olderperson, and she kept herself fairly well informed on collegematters--that is on their lighter aspect, and could talk of the sports,and of the "Dicky," with greater ease than many girls of eighteen ortwenty. Therefore as she walked along beside Will Hardon, her tonguerushed on at a great rate, bewildering the youth so that he had hardly aword to reply. Brenda, walking on Will's other side listened inadmiration to Belle's fluency. Try her best Brenda never could haveimitated it herself, but it was one secret of Belle's influence overher, this ability to talk and act like a real young lady instead of aschoolgirl. Philip attached himself to Ruth and Julia, Edith and Norawalked together, and Mrs. Blair and Frances Pounder brought up the rear,"Just where I can keep my eye on you," Mrs. Blair had said laughingly tothem as they started.
Julia was the only one of the group who had never been on the field--oreven in Cambridge before. She was astonished when she reached the fieldto see the great crowd of spectators. It was a scene that she had neverimagined. Tier above tier at one side were the benches filled with menand women, with bright flags fluttering, or rather little banners andhandkerchiefs, all eagerly looking towards the centre. Then there wasthe great throng of students massed by themselves, and the crowds ofolder men, all intent on the coming game.
What cheers as the rival elevens came upon the field! For an instant thevolume of sound seemed almost as strong for Princeton as for Harvard.From the very first moment when Princeton lined up for the kick-offJulia's eyes eagerly followed the ball. At the beginning Princetonseemed to lead, but when Harvard gained ten yards on two rushes by herfull-back, and her left half-back had the ball on Princeton'sthirty-yard line, the crimson scarfs fluttered very prettily.
"Say, isn't that a fine play for Roth," cried Philip, as the Harvardfall-back tore through Princeton's centre for four yards planting theball on the thirty-yard line, and then a little later after some goodplay on both sides, he yelled wildly as he saw that Princeton was reallydriven to the last ditch, with Harvard only one yard to gain. Both madethe try, and scored a touch-down in exactly fifteen minutes' play. Thenwhen Hall, on the Harvard side, a great stalwart fellow brought the ballout, and held it for Hutton to kick on the try for goal, even FrancesPounder lost her air of indifference, and as the ball struck the goalpost, and bounded back, she watched to see whether this was a time forapplause, and finally condescended to clap her hands. The score nowstood Harvard 4, Princeton 0, and Philip and Will excusing themselvesfor a few minutes leaped down to talk matters over with their classmatesstanding below at the end of the benches. As the game continued Rothdistinguished himself still further. He scored another touch-down forHarvard from which a goal was kicked, making the score 10 to 0.
"It's almost too one-sided," said Julia, "and I can't exactly understandit, for the Princeton men seem to be playing well, and really if youlook at them, they are larger than most of the Harvard players,--_that_ought to count in a game like this."
"Well the game isn't over yet, and there may be some surprises before itis through."
But just here Philip and his friend returned, and when Belle asked whatthe other men thought of the Princeton prospects, "Oh, they haven't aleg to stand on," said Philip, "at least that's what every one says, andyou can see for yourself now, they can't hold out against our men."
"I'm thankful for one thing," said Mrs. Blair, leaning towards her son,"there haven't been any serious accidents yet, although I am alwaysexpecting something dreadful to happen."
Hardly had she spoken, when two or three ladies in the neighborhoodscreamed. Princeton had just secured the ball, when one of her men whohad fallen with half a dozen others on top of him, seemed unable torise. He had in fact to be carried from the field, and though the girlsafterward learned that he had only broken his collar bone, like so manyother spectators, for the time being they were decidedly alarmed at hiscondition. After this Princeton had a little better luck. Harvard triedfor a goal from the thirty-five-yard line, but missed. Then the ball wasPrinceton's on her twenty-five-yard line, and after several rushes withsmall gains, the ball was passed back to Princeton's full-back for akick. The ball went high in the air, and the Princeton's ends got downthe field in beautiful shape. A Harvard half-back muffed the ball, andit was Princeton's on Harvard's twenty-yard line. Just here, Belle,emboldened by the turn of events managed to take a large orange andblack scarf from her pocket. As yet she had not dared to wave it, thoughif you stop to think, had she been truly sympathetic, she ought to havehad courage to show her colors even when her chosen side was losingground.
Now in spite of the improvement in Princ
eton's play, the score had notchanged, though Princeton had the ball on Harvard's ten-yard line whentwo minutes later the first half ended.
In the second half of the game there was more excitement than in thefirst. Roth, who had been the hero of the afternoon in Harvard eyes, wascarried off, and two or three Princeton men were disabled. Harvard,contrary to what had been expected was apparently playing the fiercergame. The yell of the Harvard sympathizers grew louder and louder.
In two downs Princeton had gained four yards. Then when the ball waspassed to Dinsmore the noted Princeton half-back, Douglass, the popularHarvard quarter-back tore through the centre, and downed Dinsmore withthe loss of five yards, making it Harvard's ball on Princeton'stwenty-two yard line.
The wildest hurrahing--a perfect pandemonium--now arose from the Harvardbleachers. For the crimson was within striking distance of a touch-down,and the orange had begun to droop. The girls in Edith's party, eventhose not wholly familiar with the game in its finer points, werethoroughly worked up. Some of the rough play worried Edith, and sheburied her face in her hands with a shudder when Jefferson, the Harvardcentre was carried from the field apparently senseless.
"Don't be a goose, Edith," whispered Nora, "you know that it can't beanything very dreadful, or they wouldn't go on playing."
"Oh, yes, they would," murmured Edith. "They'd do anything in a footballgame, they haven't a bit of feeling." But she lifted her head, and wasrepaid by seeing Hutton kick a goal from the field thus sending thescore up to fifteen. This especially pleased her, because Hutton'slittle sister, who had a high opinion of her brother's prowess, was agreat pet of hers.
"Don't you feel much as the Roman women used to feel at the Coliseumgames?" Julia contrived to say to Ruth in one of the intervals of play.
"It's almost as savage a sport as some of those gladiator affairs,"replied Ruth, "but I don't believe that the gladiators were moreuncivilized-looking than these players. Did you ever see such hair?"
The next moment the girls were all attention. For although the Harvardscore never went beyond that fifteen, the game was an absorbing one forthe followers of both colors.
Princeton's battering-ram proved effective more than once, and every onecould see that in the matter of strength her men were ahead of theHarvard team. But in activity Harvard was undeniably the superior, andat last when the game was called, the score still stood 16 to 0 in favorof the crimson.
Then what a scene! Men almost fell on one another's necks in theirdelight. The team was surrounded by a dense throng, and the 'rah, 'rah,'rah was fairly deafening. The friends of the vanquished hurried awayfrom the field, and only a few of the younger and more enthusiasticlingered about in little knots to argue the situation, and prophesy avictory for their own men at the next intercollegiate match.
"Oh, don't let's go off right away," cried Brenda, as she saw Edithturning in the direction of the exit from the field.
"No, we might as well wait until Philip comes back; he and Will couldn'tresist going over there on the field to talk things over with some oftheir friends," said Mrs. Blair, "and I told them that I felt sure thatyou would excuse them."
"Why, of course," added Julia, and Ruth followed with a polite, "Yes,indeed." But Belle, looking a little discontented, said nothing. "Whatis the good," she was saying to herself, "of having two young men inyour party, if they never stay with you, when so many of the other girlsare at the game with only their fathers, or elderly relatives."
If she had thought carefully, she would have realized that the two boyshad really sacrificed not a little fun to act as escorts to "a parcel ofgirls," as some of their student friends put it. Really they had beenvery polite, they had hardly laughed at the mistakes made by the girlsin the use of terms during the game, and they had been more than willingto explain the fine points of the play. When they were with the girls,it was not Belle whom they thought the most about, but on Philip's part,it was Julia, and on Will's, Ruth with her bright face, and vivaciousmanner.
"Did you see papa?" cried Nora, "he was tossing his hat in the air, likea boy. I tried to make him look at us, but he would not do so. I supposeit was harder for him to recognize us than for me to distinguish him."
"No, I didn't see your father," replied Edith, "but I did see yourbrother Clifford. He, however, never looked our way for a second. He hadhis hat on the back of his head, and he and two or three other menseemed beside themselves."
"Oh, yes, I suppose he and his friends are dreadfully pleased. You knowthat Jefferson is a great friend of theirs."
"But he was hurt."
"Oh, that's nothing! As long as he wasn't killed it's all the more gloryfor him. He and Clifford are room-mates, and they are devoted to eachother."
Then as the crowds from the benches swept past the girls, they saw manyfriends and acquaintances, and Belle's injured pride was salved by thereturn of Philip and Will just as two or three girls whom she especiallydisliked walked past escorted only by an uncle.
How pleasant the walk back to the Square through the college groundswas, with a few minutes in Philip's room, not long enough for the cup oftea which he wished to offer, but long enough to make them allenthusiastic to accept his invitation to come out to Cambridge someother afternoon and examine his trophies. Really there seemed to be fewornaments on the walls that were not connected in some way with collegesports--flags, medals, certificates of membership in this society orthat, photographs of the crew, of the teams,--but some time you may hearmore about the room, and so I will leave my description of it untilthen.
To Julia the whole day had been more than delightful, she enjoyed everymoment of it, and she began to feel so at home with Edith's friends,that not even Belle could rival her in quickness of repartee. FrancesPounder looked at her in astonishment, when some of her own littlesnubbing remarks fell one side without any effect. Ruth Roberts, too,proved herself a great acquisition to the party, especially at thedinner at Edith's. For Mrs. Blair gave an elaborate dinner to the groupthat had attended the game, increased by the addition of two friends ofPhilip's; and even if, as the worldly wise Frances Pounder suggested,the whole affair had been arranged to prevent Philip and his friendsfrom joining the boisterous crowd of students in their Cambridgecelebration of the victory, Philip certainly had occasion tocongratulate himself on possessing a mother who would take so muchtrouble for her children. So Brenda ate raw oysters, and Belleentertained Will Hardon with an account of her last visit to New York,and Nora endeavored to eat and talk at the same time, and Edith smiledplacidly on her friends while trying to remove the sting from some ofFrances Pounder's sharp remarks, and Julia forgot her shyness, and RuthRoberts impressed Mrs. Blair as a particularly intelligent girl, and allthe boys, as well as the girls, said that they had never had apleasanter afternoon. So who can say that the game had not proved itselfa great success in more ways than one?