Jane Allen, Center

by George Cary Eggleston

  CHAPTER VI--JOURNEY DE LUXE

  "Judith," said Jane with the solemnity of a senior, "I really feel weare facing a momentous year. Sports must be revived with vigor----"

  "Oh, you will take care of that, Janie dear," interrupted Judith. "Evenwhen I want to sleep a bit late o' morning, and have been reading alittle after hours the night before, I recall you have a knack ofgetting me out to practice. Now remember, girl, I positively refuse tohike a la empty. I must have my porridge first."

  "But as I was saying about sports," returned Jane, "I am ambitious forthis year. We ought to make it the banner year for basketball."

  "And we shall," declared her chum. "With the skill you developed lastseason, and the wonderful team work we marshalled, I don't see why weshouldn't be able to go out, and simply eat up the other colleges. I'vebeen playing bean bag with the Jap cook in Los Angeles to keep intrim."

  "Thought beans were too costly to toss around," joked Jane. "Judy, lookat that dear little old lady over there," indicating a chair near therear of the car. "Just see the sampler she is working."

  "Yes," and Judith swung a bit towards the aisle. "I have been watchingher. She is working a family tree. Wonder for whose hope chest."

  "I was surprised to know that mothers are now making samplers for theirsons," Jane followed. "Seems rather queer for boys to encroach on thegirls' fancies. I know a mother who has two boys, and she has a familysampler made for each. Also, she has a wonderfully stocked hope chestfor them. Seems to me she must have had some difficulty in choosing thehopefuls."

  "Suppose she made it all face cloths, and socks and neckties. Butreally, I don't see what she could collect that would keep in style. Ahope chest for boys! Ridiculous!" sneered Judith.

  "Some boys are very sentimental, you know," Jane reminded her.

  "But mothers should not encourage such weakness," protested Judith.

  "Well, I hope your boy has a chest full of--chocolates," and Jane helpedherself to the disappearing confection.

  "I haven't had a chance to show you my new vanity case," Judith brokein. "Don't you think it pretty?" and she produced what looked like alittle medicine emergency kit. It was of black stiff leather and madesquare, absolutely contrary in effect to the soft velvet pouches solong in vogue.

  "Oh, isn't it lovely!" enthused Jane. "And such a mirror!"

  "Yes, I can almost see how my skirt hangs with it. I found it at a fairin Frisco. It was a prize sample. And, Jane dear, I have one for you,in a brown that matches your hair, but I was so disappointed that theinitials were not on it, and I had to send it back. It will be ready,though, by the time we get to New York once again."

  "Oh, how--wonderful!" and Jane squeezed the hand that still brushed thecandy box. "Judy, I have held off from a 'vanity' because I have beentoo vain to invest in one. Do you know, I think, honestly, that when wedeliberately ignore conventions we usually do it through pride? Tooproud to depend on a traveling boudoir."

  "Oh, no, dearie, not at all," contradicted Judith. "Only, you candepend on your looks staying--regular Yale. There, that's a joke. JaneAllen has Yale locks of copper and--iron. Warranted not to yield, norbreak, nor open without the registered key. But I know, Janie, you willlike your bag. I was no end disappointed not to bring it along withme."

  "But it is rather nice to have one surprise saved," Jane insisted. "Wehave been using up a lot of joys lately, don't you think?"

  "Yes, we have been joying extravagantly," agreed Judith. "ButWellington has a reserve stock, you know. Just think of our littleHelka. Did we decide she had blue or gray eyes?"

  "Oh, they must be blue, we have too many grays," Jane replied. "Butwhat concerns me most of all is the adorable task of fitting her out inschool togs. Wasn't it lovely dad's scholarship went to a reallittle--primitive? That is, I suppose she is unspoiled, although how dowe know? She may not deign to look at us," and Jane smiled at theincongruity.

  "Wouldn't it be a joke," soliloquized Judith. "What if she is a pre-wararisto'? And suppose she only touches Wellington at the extremecorners? Might even be a little nobility snob, for all we know."

  "The more fun in store at the discoveries," Jane said. "But I feel shewill be just as I picture her. A little blonde, with blue eyes and aname no one can pronounce."

  "What does Helka mean?"

  "Oh, that is Helen in Polish. As she is a 'Helen' I think she will bepretty. They mostly are," Jane reflected.

  "But Helen Bender is a bit cross-eyed," Judith had to recall, whereatthey both laughed, for Helen had a trick of blaming her eyes for everyschool mistake. Her uncertain eyes had stood her in good stead atdifficult tests, etc.

  "Soon night will be upon us," Judith prophesied, noting the shadowsthat fell in ripples over the revolving rills. "Just see the sunset.How different from the red blaze we used to have on the Lake."

  "And the smoke of the approaching city," Jane reminded. "Shall we getoff for a little rest at St. Paul? We can, if you wish."

  "When do we get to the great city?"

  "To-morrow afternoon. But between here and there we will glimpse theMiddle West. Very different from the scenery on the other end of thetrip."

  "Yes, indeed, but it is all America, so of course we love it," Judithorated. "But, Janie dear, we might lose ourselves in St. Paul. I haveheard such horrible tales of the girls at railway stations being pickedup by bandits and carried off for ransom," and she doubled up at thejoyous thought of such an escapade.

  "Well, if you feel that way about it we had best keep to our bunks,"Jane decided. "I am acquainted with the station and the big park withthe sun dial----"

  "And the big dry goods store where you bought my silkies," recalledJudith. "But, Jane dear, perhaps we had better keep to the rail. Youknow what the Indian woman told us? She might be out there on hand justto work out the fortune."

  "Moved and carried that we omit the stop over," Jane answered. "Now,Judy, let us brush up a little. I have a premonition we are going tomeet someone very interesting in the dining car. I saw thatyellow-haired woman smuggle a little poodle in her hand bag. It willsurely be interesting if she carries him into the diner. It always is.The porters know a dog by the bends in the bag. And they go through aregular screen play in getting the lady, the bag, and the poodle out ofthe car. Dogs must eat in the baggage car. They have a co-operativerefectory there."

  "Oh, yes, and the yellow-haired lady has some paper plates. I saw herdrop a brace of them, and one rolled way down to the young man with thespecks. It was too funny to see him jerk up and look. Guess he thoughthe was having a fit of eye stigmatis," and Judith bit her red lips withthe afore-mentioned pearly teeth. "See, the dear boy is readingsomething like a dictionary. Wonder if he is a new prof going East totry his luck in some co-ed college? Thank goodness we can't getanything like that. The dear old ladies are bad enough, but can youpicture Percy handling Mazie?"

  "In math for instance," assisted Jane. "I wonder if she will know anymore about cubes this year?"

  "More likely she has become proficient in cubes for the complexion,"Judith put in. "But honestly, Jane, I am so anxious to see them all,good, bad and indifferent, that I would just like to fall asleep andwake up at Wellington. Wouldn't you?"

  "Well, I am anxious to get back. But between here and there I hope topick up a good time or two. Now let's to the primping room. No linethere yet. Wait until we get around Chicago. Then we will have to takeour turn. I wonder what daddy is doing just now? I always feel a tinybit lonesome first night----"

  "Oh, no, you don't, dearie, as the chorus girls say. It is my specialprivilege to have the glumps," and Judith's smile, filtering throughthe alleged gloom made comedy of her words. "There, I had to leave ElCapitan just when I passed my first test in serenades, and when I wasbecoming expert in cowboy phraseology. Fedario admitted I 'sabied'beautifully, and Pedro declared the horses knew my yodel. Then I had totear myself away for hard work at Wellington!"

  "I'll be good," begged off Jane, who realized the effort at regrets wasbei
ng made to offset her "glumps." Judith would not have Jane otherthan smiling. "First at the big mirror," as they made for the dressingroom. "See the little old lady with the sampler! Let us greet her inpassing," whispered the youthful junior.

  But the best laid plans of school girls may be upset by the exigenciesof rail travel, for in passing the little old lady, both young ladieswere all but precipitated into her black silk lap. The apologies thatfollowed served as fitting introduction, with the result of both girlsfalling victims to the charm of her complaisant culture, rounded outwith satisfying years. The little lady was a thoroughbred, an oldschool new method graduate. And the girls, keen of perception andgenerous with appreciation, became acquainted at once with a promise ofdeveloping interest along the route.

  "I am going to be like that when I grow old," predicted Judith. "And Iam going to make samplers for--well, maybe for the cowboys of ElCapitan! Just now they fill my vision and my vocabulary."

  "Judy, do be careful, dear," admonished Jane, "you almost knocked offthe--'prof's' glasses," and Jane could not suppress a titter as her chumjust escaped the student, her hand bag swinging with an unexpectedlurch of the car. It was fun to roll through the aisle, for every stepgave the sensation of a sea voyage on land. Only the big velour chairsstood between the travellers and damage to their fellow passengers.

  "What a roomy room!" commented Judith, entering the ladies' dressingcompartment. "And all to ourselves. I feel almost like dressing fordinner. Do you suppose, Janie, we will meet any interesting--persons attable? I have kept my rainbow georgette waist within call. Shall I donit?"

  "As to interesting persons, I expect to spend my time interviewing thespecked professor," Jane surprised Judith by declaring. "I feel he canimpart information that may be very useful when I tackle my new yearstuff. He looks wise enough to possess tabloid codes, and trots, thatmight put us through the most difficult forensics," said Jane withcharacteristic deliberation. Of course the threat to take up with thequeer looking young student (he was surely a student) was made to teaseJudith, who wanted fun and frolic even aboard the Limited.

  "As you like," replied Judith, surveying her tall form in itsclose-fitting blue velveteen. "But I think I shall find the littleblonde lady quite talkable. I shall offer to exchange recipes for hershade of hair. I should love to try hers on Marian's."

  All of which was pure nonsense really, as neither girl had any idea ofspeaking to the strangers mentioned.

  "I am so glad we wore these gowns," Jane remarked critically. "Mosttourists seem to select the very dingiest, drabest, hatefullest oldtravelling togs, when it is bad enough to look well at the very best,under railroad conditions."

  "Yes, that was your happy thought, _ma chere_. I should have worn theaforesaid hateful thing in tan, if I had not espied your lovely brownvelveteen waiting to be donned. That led me to my one best, the blue."

  They were all primped and freshened, and now inspecting the result inthe long mirror, while the train rumbled and rolled over the hills andvalleys leading into the Middle West. Their personally expressedsatisfaction at the picture reflected was pardonable, for the twogirls, the one light enough to all but blaze, the other dark enough toall but glitter, arms entwined and heads close together, filled themirror frame with as pretty a study as any artist might wish to paint.

  Eventually, out in the car, as the tourists were making their way tothe diner, many critical eyes, all of them surely approving, followedthe two Wellington girls, Jane and her chum, Judith.