Jane Allen, Center
Page 15
CHAPTER XV--ELECTION NIGHT
"But she is not in her room. I went there just before the Pow-Wow."
"She may have come back. Where else could she be?"
"Do you suppose?"
"No, I don't. Jane would stand by her guns to the last ditch."
"Yet, she was so determined not to run. Perhaps, after all, we werefoolish to force it on her."
"No, I just weighed up all the standards, and decided we had to haveher for the good of this year's work all round. And then I knew, if wecould convince her of that, she would not desert us. I know Jane willcome through."
Judith and Grazia were punctuating their flight with such brokensentences as the above. They had not yet discovered the whereabouts oftheir candidate, and there were precious few moments left to accomplishthat important task without which success, their election wouldpromptly be declared null and void.
"Now, let us draw our breath, and incidentally our common sense,"advised Judith, coming to a sudden halt. "If she is not in her room, Iknow she is not in college; if she is not in college then where isshe?" reasoned the much perplexed young lady.
"Let's ask Molly. She was brushing up the halls when supper room letloose." This seemed an opportune suggestion from Grazia.
"Yes, there was a telephone, girls, and yes, it was for Miss Allen andyes, I saw her go out." Molly did not wait long enough to be crossexamined.
"Which way? Did she walk? Did you hear her answer the phone?" Mollywith her dustpan and broom was further besieged.
From the meager information thus obtained it was plain Jane had leftthe grounds.
Despair, thick and black, settled over the erstwhile politicians.
"But she could soon be back," offered the sympathetic Molly. "Hark!There's a car now."
The door opened slightly, and the portal framed a figure in blue! Witha wild rush the committee of two dashed to the door.
"Jane! Jane Allen!" called both, verifying their suspicion with a tugat the now shrinking Jane.
"You are elected!" predicted Judith. "Come right along, and accept.Resign later if you must, but accept now or we are lost."
"One moment----" panted Jane. It was evident she had been experiencingsome trouble. She was flushed and excited.
"We haven't the moment," insisted Judith. "They are waiting for us withthe votes held up. Come on, Jane. Be a sport!" and like two younggiants the hitherto ordinary girls assumed the role of baggage men andpicked up Jane bodily, carrying her off to the expectant election room.
"Clear the way! She comes! Lo! The conquering hero comes!" shouted thecrowd at the first glimpse of the triumphant entry.
"Are you ready for the question?" called the election clerk, taking upher delayed cue with alacrity.
"Question!" went up a shout.
"The result of the ballot is the unanimous election of Jane Allen,president of Class 1920!"
Wild cheers completely submerged Oak Hall charging the atmosphere likea veritable tidal wave.
The first great rush and roar over, the still billowing tide surged andsplashed into the inevitable class yell:
"I know a girl and her name is Jane, A reebald, ribald rowdy; The second verse is just the same, A reebald, ribald rowdy!"
Thus, the improvised class yell, went on one verse after another allbeing ended "Just the same" until throats gave out and feet merelypounded, or patted, and kept the echoing time. Finally Jane wasaccorded an opportunity of making herself heard, although it was rathera meager opportunity, and uncertain in spots. She had just risen to herfeet when a cry from the "left wing" got the floor.
"We challenge this election!" shouted the opposition, led by LillianSummers. "The candidate never accepted."
"She is here to accept," fired back Judith as spokesman for the right.
"I accept the candidacy," promptly called Jane, to the intense delightand utter surprise of her strongest advocates. She had declared allalong she would not run. Even Judith was now thoroughly astounded.
"Hurrah, hurray! horroo!" rang out the call. Then the unquenchable:
"A reebald, ribald rowdy! The hundredth verse is just the same----"
Judith pounded for order and after a few "flare-ups" had beenextinguished, she, as spokesman, went on with the proceedings.
All this time Judith and her followers were at a loss to account forMarian Seaton. It was just like her to go off in comfort and expect herabject contingent to do her troublesome bidding, and certainly, no onecould mistake the hand that ran the opposition; yet in spite of thatargument Marian might reasonably be expected to lend a hand through theunexpected difficulty, and, at least, give the ship a push to start itout on the troubled waters. But no Marian was either seen or heard.
Once more gaining what substituted for quiet Judith took the floor. Shewas surprising herself with the newly acquired efficiency she sodeliberately demonstrated.
"We are fully prepared to submit to our officials all the records ofthese proceedings, which have resulted in the election of Jane Allenclass president," she proclaimed without a pause. "We can show thatevery vote is properly signed, and that the report of the nominatingcommittee, and the acceptance of the candidate, complied with the timerules. Our clerks will be happy to meet the faculty, at any time namedby that honorable body, and then and there produce the proofs of oursincerity and obedience to the honorable rules of our belovedWellington."
"Three cheers for our leader, Judith Stearns!" were then called for andresponded to with such ructious vehemence, as might have been expectedhad the criers and cheer squad been turned loose at that moment. A fullhalf hour of the most strenuous kind of shouts and cheers had littleeffect on dampening voices and ardour, when the call to cheer Judithsounded anew.
Judith waved for silence in vain. Not in years had there been such aremarkable manifestation at an election. Just once Judith caught theglittering eye of Helen, who was down front with her contingent. It hadbeen carefully arranged that she should keep away from Judith and Jane,to dispel suspicion regarding their actual relationship, but that thelittle artist had worked for the result now being proclaimed to honorJane, none knew better than the new class president herself.
"Speech! Speech!" shouted the cheering squad. Then Jane steppedforward.
"This honor," she said, "I have not sought, but I am none the lessgrateful. Why I have changed my mind from a positive declarationagainst accepting to the position I now hold, is a matter--toocomplicated for platform utterance. I feel, however, in justice to mysupporters, they should know, if they care to, the exact particulars.Therefore, we will arrange a time for a private conference of theleaders, as quickly as that time can be set apart. In the meantime beassured of my gratitude, and my determination to support the traditionsof Wellington."
"Cheers! Cheers!" demanded the shouting squad, and answering the callcame that unintelligible faulty rhyme:
"I know a girl and her name is Jane, A reebald, ribald rowdy! The hundredth verse is just the same A reebald, ribald rowdy! Janey, get a rat-trap bigger than a cat-trap! Reebald, ribald! Siss-boom-bah! Wellington! Wellington! Rah! Rah!"
"I never thought we could do it," Drusilla Landers hissed into Jane'sear, as they filed out, at the same time giving her hand acongratulatory squeeze. "You have no idea how the opposition worked. Wewon by strategy--nothing else. They had us beaten in point of numberstwo to one. But they never got a chance to poll a vote."
"Nor to candy a candidate," assisted Jane, with a school girl'sdelightful disregard of common sense English.
"But they will make us pay for our victory," forecast the sageDrusilla.
"We put it over this time, and we have right on our side," orated Jane."No need to climb the steeple until the flagpole sags."
"Oh, our colors are flaunting to-night!" Drusilla made Jane hear, hereyes sparkling with well-earned satisfaction.
"Ummmm!" Jane reciprocated the long "M" like a whisper through thepines, serving to express more with its h
um, than might have a wholeparagraph of mere ordinary cut out words.
In the day's records no mention is made of the lecture. But it wasdelivered, and the class attended, so the "condition" was met, if notentirely appreciated. Sleep itself had to fight for its honors on thatnight in Wellington.