Betty Lee, Senior

by Harriet Pyne Grove

  CHAPTER XII

  VALENTINES

  "Marcella specializes in costume parties, doesn't she!" brightly askedPeggy Pollard of Betty Lee as they fell in together going to gym. "Doyou remember that first party we went to there, when we were sophomores,wasn't it? That Hallowe'en party?"

  Did Betty remember that? Well, rather! But Betty merely said"'M-h'm--nice, wasn't it?"

  "Yes. Marcella is an awfully capable girl. People at the university aretaking notice of her, they say, even if she is only a freshman. I'm gladI was in the same sorority with her. She's gone right into one of thebest now in the university."

  "And I'm glad that for some unheard of reason Marcella's been a friendof mine. Besides, she is inviting all of us that were up in Maine withher last summer. Dear me--it all seems too long ago now, and yet howthis year has simply flown!"

  "More than half over, Betty, and we'll have our little diplomas beforewe know it."

  "Yes, but don't forget that we've a few things more to do before we earn'em!"

  "Don't bring up anything disagreeable, Betty," laughed Peggy. "But thereare lots of good times ahead, too. And we're going to win the basketballclass contest or know the reason why!"

  Betty nodded affirmatively.

  "The team work between Carolyn and Kathryn is simply marvelous. Have youbeen to any of the practice games recently?"

  "No, I haven't. I've been too busy even to play a game of anythingmyself. But you must remember that the sophomore team is especiallygood. They were fine as freshmen last year. I hope our girls realizethat. I haven't more than just seen Carolyn and Kathryn for a week! Thesophs are better than the juniors, I think."

  "How's the old swimming coming on?"

  "All right. I think I'll be one of those that get chevrons."

  "'Think!' You will probably be ahead of them all in number of lengths,provided you want to be. When do the senior Red Cross tests come on?"

  "The last of next month or the first of April. O joy! We'll soon beriding again over the old bridle paths! Peggy, you ought to have goneinto it last fall."

  "Not me. Too many other things. If I ever want to learn to ride, thereis time yet."

  "The younger the better. Doris wants to begin next year."

  "By the way, that little sister of yours has grown up all at once."

  "Hasn't she! And Doris is making her own mark--says she; isn't going tobe known as 'Betty Lee's sister!' She is going in for swimming, too, forwe're all like frogs for the water; but she is choosing her ownactivities and has the benefit of all my mistakes to warn her."

  "You never made any mistakes, Betty Lee."

  "What nonsense! But you _mean_ well, Peggy."

  With smiles the girls parted, Betty to go to the pool and Peggy to swingand exercise with the general equipment. Rosy and invigorated after herswim and shower, Betty reached home at last to find everything in anatmosphere of valentines. Doris had stopped to purchase a dozen or moreand called Betty into her room to see them. She was addressing envelopesat her desk, a cherished acquisition of Christmas time.

  "Aren't these pretty ones, Betty? I don't think I'll send any comics,unless some pretty respectable ones to a few of the girls. I almost gotone for you, Betty--a real cute and crazy one of a girl, with a violin,that thought she could play. But the verse wasn't very smart. I couldhave made up a better one myself."

  "Hum," said Betty. "This is Betty Lee--who thinks that she can play."

  "But she may find out better," suggested Doris, and Betty finished itwith, "At no far distant day."

  "Let's write a book of 'pomes,' Betty," laughed Doris, "like Alice andPhoebe Gary."

  "Great! You write the first few; and we'd better let Dick in on it, too,for some way I don't feel the poetic urge just now."

  "What's that about the poetic urge?" asked Dick Lee, appearing at Doris'open door. "May I come in? Gee, it's nice and warm in here. The wind'sblowing in the direction of my room and we're having some snow--ha-ha!Won't it be great if we have skating again? No February thaw for me!"

  Dick had his hands full of papers and asked if the girls wanted to see awork of art. Naturally they did, though Doris did remark that itdepended on whose work of art it was.

  "Here's the best one," said Dick, laying out on the desk a large sheetof paper. "It's only the design, you understand, girls. This is to beworked out in color--perhaps."

  "Say--this is cute, Dick!" exclaimed Doris. "Why, it's all right as apen and ink drawing. Why color it?"

  Betty was laughing as she read. "I hope this is to an intimate friend,"said she.

  "It is, all right," replied Dick. "It's for Buster and he'll know whosent it, believe me. He knows my artistic style and we have a big jokeabout his Cicero. He hates it and if he ever gets through in Latin itwill be with a couple of summer schools!"

  Scallops and various marks around this picture of a valentine indicatedthat Dick might cut it out in fanciful form. In the middle of the top,above the verse which Dick had composed, was the drawing of an inkbottle and pen, with various blots, here and there. At the right handcorner an arrow, marked _Sagitta_, pointed toward the poetic lines. Onthe left, in the corner was a good drawing of a book, large enough tobear the small inscription, two words, one below the other, "_CiceroInterlinear_." An array of small arrows pointed to the book, from theexpression, "_Liber Malus et Noxius_!"

  Below the verses was a comical picture, in bare outline, of a boybending over a book, while a candle shed very definite rays around,though the inscription read "Burning the Midnight Oil."

  Other sketchy decorations showed "Bustum" tearing his hair, very crinklypen-strokes, with "_Horribile dictu_" and original principal parts, longand short vowels carefully marked: "_Hate-o, play-ere, fail-i,flunkum._"

  The verses Doris read out loud, while Dick grinned and looked uneasy."There's nothing to 'em," said he.

  "If you're so dumb, this valentine I send in vain; but heed it, Unless for years you want to stay, Translating--work, and beat it!"

  Betty laughed and pointed out where a change of punctuation wasadvisable. "What's your '_Factum Romae_' that you sign it?"

  "Made in Rome. Now you _are_ dumb, Betty. Locative for Rome, and Ithought I'd better use the neuter singular--don't know what 'Valentine'would be."

  "I see. _Hoc Romae factum est_, as it were."

  "Ye-ah. I'd have put in more Latin, but it would give Bustum a pain andhe wouldn't take the trouble to translate it. I hope he realizes thetrouble I'm taking."

  "That's an idea, Dick," said his twin. "I think I'll fix up somethinglike it myself. Do you care?"

  "Nup, only I'd rather Bustum got his first."

  "All right. I'm not going to send very many through the mailanyhow--mostly leave them on the desks or get somebody else to hand themout. It isn't like the good old days in the grades!" Doris laughed overher own memories.

  "Amy Lou is going through that now, and it's lots of fun, Doris. Let'ssee that she gets plenty through the mail, too. She'll smell a mouse ifvalentines in the mail box haven't any stamps on them."

  "Oh, I don't know. Some of her friends might slip up and put themthere."

  As Dick's efforts had started them, the girls began to make up verses.Betty brought her pencil and paper for scribbling and hunted up some oldmaterials for valentines that she had kept from former times. "We'll getsome at the ten cent store," said Betty, "but if we can make a fewpretty ones out of our old ones and this stuff, Amy Lou will like themand wonder who sent them."

  "Numbers of valentines have a lot to do with fun on Valentine's day,"said Doris. "Let's keep it going for Amy Lou--ring the bell and run, youknow, and all that."

  It was a pretty thing for the two sisters to do for the younger one. AmyLou might know about it some day, or she might not, but it was apleasant mystery, and as Amy Lou was away, playing with two of herchums, there was no danger that the girls woul
d be interrupted for awhile. Pasting and finding envelopes would be done with remarkable speedby experienced hands. More time was spent over verses, for Amy Lou wouldrecognize those taken from old valentines, whose laces and hearts anddarts they were using. What matter if meter was lame? So was it in manyof the valentines sold in the stores.

  "My very heart I send to you, For there's nobody quite like Amy Lou!"

  "O hearts and darts and pretty dove, To Amy Lou take all my love."

  "Please welcome this heart and a Cupid; If I didn't like you I'd be stupid."

  "There's a sweet little girl that St. Valentine knows And he's taking my heart in this letter. Can you guess who she is? Well, her name's in plain sight And if you can't guess--you'd just better!"

  With such couplets and longer poetic attempts, Doris and Betty prepareda number of suitable offerings for Amy Louise, hoping that she would bepleased. Doris locked them in her desk and both girls went to the windowto stare at snow coming thickly down. Busy as they had been, they hadnot noticed except that it was growing dark. "Did you ever!" criedDoris. "Dick won't get his skating, but we'll have sleds out if thiskeeps up. Hurray for bob-sleds!"

  "We'll have to feed that robin in the ravine, Doris," remarked Betty,looking out, rather dreamily, however. "He seems to be the advance guardand he'll certainly wish he'd stayed behind!"

  But Betty went back to her own room thinking of other things. A savorysmell from the roast cooking for dinner came up through open doors inthe well heated house. Gloria, the present light-footed, capable coloredhelp, had made one of her "gorgeous" chocolate cakes that afternoon,too. Life was pretty nice. But _could_ it be possible that right in themiddle of the term Larry Waite would come back for Marcella's party, ashe had before? Of course not! But then the unbelievable occasionallyhappened. It had happened at the Hallowe'en party. Larry had changed alittle since then, but when he laughed it was the same merry face thathad looked over her shoulder into that mirror!

  What costume _should_ she wear for the Valentine party? Mother did notseem to have any ideas and had told the girls that she should think theywere old enough and into enough things to have scads of ideas of theirown. Mother had not said "scads," of course. Mother had been into a lotof things herself lately, since she had been entertaining a little andhad helped the new Mrs. Murchison who was a later comer than herself inthe city. They had had a _grand_ Washington's Birthday party at theMurchison's and Mother had received with Mrs. Murchison, in the most_adorable_ costume. If only that were suitable for a Valentineparty!--provided Mother would let her wear it.

  Well, if the worst came to worst she could always use something old.She'd go up to the attic and see what she could rout out. Thank fortune,Mother had not made them throw away any such treasures when they moved.

  Betty went up into their "nice new attic" and rummaged in trunks tillDick's most stentorian tones finally reached her. "Coming, Dick," shecalled.

  "For pity's sake, Betty, what have you been doing?" asked Dick, as Bettythrew off the sweater which she had wisely donned before going into lesswell heated quarters. "Mother called and Father called, thinking thatyou were in your room, and Amy Lou ran up and came down scared, thinkingsomething must have happened to you. Doris said you weren't going outanywhere. Then I went up and thought of the attic and yelled."

  "You certainly yelled all right, Dick!" returned Betty, laughing. "I'llmake my apologies to Mother. I never heard anything at all!"

  "Dreaming over old love letters, I suppose," said Dick. "Isn't that whatgirls are supposed to do in attics?"

  "Old love letters, indeed! I don't get any _now_, let alone having anyold ones. How old do you think I am, Dick?"

  "Seems to me it's several years that certain persons of what Grandmacalls the male persuasion have been coming around here, off and on."

  Betty said nothing to this, but made her apologies by asking the familyto help her conjure up a proper costume for the important party, onlytwo days off. "Tomorrow is the thirteenth," said Betty, as if somethingof the utmost importance was approaching. Indeed it was, for not alwaysdid Betty get invited with the older boys and girls to a full party ofthem. But a healthy appetite and a fine dinner had great effect inmaking the present pleasant. The chocolate cake melted in the mouth andFather had stopped to bring ice cream to go with it.

  Then, on the morrow--which became today--came the answer to Betty'sproblem, through a valentine which came from--New Haven. The handwritingwas disguised, Betty thought, at least it was not like that of the onlytwo people who might have sent it to her. It was most likely to havecome from Larry, and oddly enough, Betty felt disappointed, lovely asthe valentine was. But its coming meant that he would not be here, ofcourse.

  Arthur Penrose was in Philadelphia now, but he sometimes visited Larry,with whom he had become quite good friends, and might _possibly_ havebeen in New Haven. Matters of trains and distances and all that sort ofthing were more or less hazy in Betty's young mind. Anything couldhappen, and after all, couldn't it? Arthur's letters were onlyoccasional now, but very friendly.

  So she was in a pleasing state of uncertainty over the sender.

  "It came on the morning mail, Betty," said Mrs. Lee, who had noted thepostmark and saw that Betty opened it first before several others fromfriends away from town. Valentines from friends in the city were likelyto arrive on the day itself.

  "Look at it, Mother," said Betty at that, handing the large square ofdainty white and colors and figures to Mrs. Lee. "I believe it is theprettiest one I ever saw. Look at that darling old-fashioned couple withWashington Birthday costumes, just beginning one of those square dances,and Cupid shooting darts straight at them!"

  "He leads her out as if he likes her, doesn't he?" said Mrs. Lee, "andthe verse is good, though rather too much of a declaration. However,that it permitted on St. Valentine's day. As your natural guardian, I amwondering _who_ could have sent it!"

  "Let's see it, Betty," suggested Doris, who with a lapful of her ownvalentines was sitting near. The girls had come home together fromschool.

  Betty took the valentine from her mother to hand to Doris. "I think it alittle hard," said she, "to think that the family has to know all aboutthese tender messages of love!"

  "Well," said Doris, "I'm not so sure but this one _does_ mean something.Who knows whom Betty's charms may not have smitten in the East thissummer? Confess, Betty. Who's in New Haven?"

  "I told you, several. That's enough, Doris. Turn about, you know--I'dlove to see that big one of yours. And please hand mine back."

  "Just a minute, Betty. It is a peach of a valentine:

  "My heart is yours, And yet, dear me, I keep old-fashioned Courtesy."

  Doris properly read "courtesee" to make the rhyme. "I'm glad he'sproperly respectful," laughed Doris, handing Betty her valentine. "I'llgive you mine in a minute."

  Mrs. Lee's smiling eyes met Betty's for a moment, and Betty let hersfall with a toss of her golden head. "They'd _better_ mind theirmanners," said she. "Oh, here's one from Janet, I know. It's herwriting, and dear old Sue--and Auntie--and Grandma. How nice to havefriends!"

  "Betty," said Mrs. Lee, "your valentine has given me an idea. Why not goto the party as a valentine. Wear my colonial costume and paste thisvalentine to a bag, or your fan, and have some other cunning trappingsthat will be like valentines."

  "Mother! You perfect dear! Do you mean that you will let me wear thatsplendiferous costume? Oh, but it would be just the thing and all myworries about fixing something would be over!"

  "I may never want to wear the costume just as it is again," said Mrs.Lee, "and yet I may, so be careful. Doris may wear it sometime, too."

  "I'll not be jealous, Mother," said Doris quickly. She had beensometimes jealous in the past but had wakened to the fact that herparents had no real favorites and that "her tur
n" came surprisinglyoften. The difference in age between herself and Betty was lessening, sofar as it made so much difference in interests and pursuits and Betty'sattitude was so generous as a rule that Doris would have been ashamednot to respond. The sisters were growing nearer this year.

  "I will be just as careful as careful can be. Mother," Betty made reply,with great enthusiasm, "I think that you are the best mother I everheard of, even! And speaking of ideas! I never even thought of it,looking with all my eyes at that valentine, too. Now let me skip off andthink out the whole costume!"