Dorothy Whitehill

“ It was almost a marvel the way Angela followed out her threat. In the ten minutes before dinner, while Connie was surrounded by her other friends, she managed to convey to every girl in the school that Constance Wentworth was the most wonderful pianist in the world, and that she had, by her superior ability, won a scholarship.
Poor Connie! She was always shy where her music was concerned, and she blushed in misery under the torrent of congratulations, and never touched a bite of dinner. ”

“ The return of the team lacked something of its triumphal spirit. There is never the same feeling of exhilaration over an easily won struggle that there is over a hard fought one. And though the rest of the girls welcomed the return of the cup, there was a general feeling of sympathy for the other team, rather than enthusiastic praise for their own.
Polly and Betty were still puzzling over the whole thing two days later in the study hall, when Lois joined them and solved the mystery. ”

“ I know her better than you do," Betty insisted. "We've two more days to practice, anyway."
"Two more days? Do you suppose that's enough time for Eleanor to learn not to make fouls, and for Fanny to learn your passes?" Polly demanded. "It's all very well for you to be cheerful; you're not captain."
"But worrying won't help any, Poll," Lois said, quietly. "If you are going to get in a blue funk, what can you expect of the others?"
"Nothing!" Polly answered; "I know I'm silly, but that team beat us last year on our own floor, and our team was twice as strong then as it is now." ”

“ He always slept on the rug beside her bed.
"How feeble he is," Bob said. "He doesn't act a bit well, Poll."
"It's old age, I'm afraid," Polly replied, sadly. "He's over fourteen, you know."
"I'm going to carry him up," Bob said. "I believe it hurts him to take these steps." He picked up Sandy ever so gently and carried him to Polly's room. "Good night again," he said at the door, "and Merry Christmas."
But all the wishes in the world cannot make happiness. That Christmas Day was far from merry for either Polly or Bob. ”

“ It is hard to realize that other girls grow up as well as yourself, and Polly and Lois still remembered the shy little girl in a pinafore, with straight flaxen hair and blue eyes that Maud had been two summers before. ”

“ The teams stopped and faced each other in the center of the floor. Polly's heart sank; somehow the Fenwick team looked more imposing in gym suits than she had expected, and she remembered that one of the guards had told her they had won every game they had played that year.
"Perhaps," she thought, "it's just as well Bob isn't here."
They took their places on the floor, and Miss Stewart blew the whistle. In a game that really counts, there is no sound so exciting as that first whistle. It means so much. Betty rose to her toes at the sound of it, and faced the opposing jumping center. ”

“ Angela inquired, lazily. "Don't tire yourself out, Poll, they're not worth it."
"Oh, the Dorothys don't matter. They'll come around in time if we're nice to them. Of course, my being a heroine for the present won't help any," Polly said, with a grimace.
The interview with Fanny straightened everything out. Polly's surmise had been correct. Fanny was harboring the idea that, because Polly and Lois and Betty did not keep any love letters, they must, of course, consider her vain and foolish for doing it. ”

“ Thanksgiving vacation started with the confusion and excitement always necessary when a school breaks up even for so short a time.
Polly and Lois could hardly wait until the Seddon Hall special pulled into the Grand Central station on Wednesday morning. The vacation began on Wednesday and the girls were expected to be back Sunday evening.
They were the first to jump to the platform as the train stopped.
Mrs. Farwell was waiting for them.
"Darling children!" She hugged and kissed them both. "How well you look!"
"Well? Why we're robust, Aunt Kate," Polly laughed, "and bursting with excitement." ”

“ Jim and Bob explained the score card, talked familiarly about all the players and pointed out the other under graduates who had won importance in other sports.
"Oh, but I wish I were a boy," Polly said, longingly. "Imagine the thrill of being part of all [Pg 68] this. Why it makes school look pale and insignificant in comparison."
"I don't wish I were a boy," Lois said decidedly. "I'd much rather be a girl, but, I'll admit, football does make basket ball look rather silly."
"Oh, I don't know!" Jim said, condescendingly. "Basket ball's a good girls' game." ”

“ Polly knew that all the teachers would go to the reception hall for coffee before going back to their rooms. So the minute the lecture was over she called Betty and Lois. "Come with me, quick," she said, hurriedly, and led them back to the faculty corridor. The splashing had stopped. She opened the door.
"Jemima! What under the sun—" Betty and Lois could hardly believe their eyes.
Maud was still on her knees, but the dog was out of the tub; he stood shivering on the blue mat, while she rubbed him vigorously with a towel. She was not at all surprised to see the girls. ”

“ Betty exclaimed. "No wonder they couldn't play any kind of a game."
Lois did not remain alone in the Infirmary for long. One by one the team joined her. Polly was the first. During study hour that night her throat began to hurt. She felt it; it was suspiciously lumpy.
"Here I am," she said the next morning, when Miss King had pronounced it mumps.
"Oh, Poll!" Lois was delighted. "You look funnier than I do. Only one side is swelling and it makes you look top heavy." ”

“ There's nothing more thoroughly satisfactory than finishing something," Bob said, earnestly.
"But some things are too wonderful ever to finish," Polly objected, looking down at the stars reflected in the pond. "I'm simply broken-hearted at the thought of leaving to-morrow. It's all been so fine. Why, Bobby, what will life away from Seddon Hall be like?" ”

“ Angela told her. "I've written you all the news. We're going on a straw-ride to-night—just the old girls that you know and like."
"Oh, fine! I hoped we could coast anyway." Connie was delighted. "Honestly, Ange," she said, seriously. "You don't know how good it is to stop being grown up. I have to be so dignified and ancient all the time, especially when I give concerts. Oh, by the way! I've got a surprise for you."
"What?" Angela demanded.
"I'm going abroad next spring to study for a year— I've won a scholarship."
"Connie! Not honestly?" ”

“ Miss Crosby called. "All of you, hurry up! Lois, are you and Angela ready for the next act?"
It is hard to say who held the stage during the casket scene. Angela was sweet as Nerissa, and Polly made such a charming lover that she was [Pg 237] especially applauded. Lois delighted every one as Portia, but, of course, her real triumph came in the next act.
It is one of the hardest things in the world to recite lines with which your audience is familiar and put sufficient new meaning in them to hold their attention. It is so easy to fall into a sing-song chant, particularly with a long speech. ”

“ The Seniors dressed in the daintiest of white lawn dresses had received their diplomas, and marched slowly down the center aisle.
There had been a hurried scramble back to school. A change of clothes and then the long line of carriages had started for the station.
Polly stood on the last step of the Senior porch. Lois and her mother and father had just left for the train. They were returning to Albany for a little while before leaving for the summer vacation.
Polly was going back to New York with Uncle Roddy in his car. She watched the last carriage out of sight. ”

“ Interest in school life is perpetual. The young student, facing new surroundings, finds an element of romance and strong appeal; and to the older graduate college days recall some of the most pleasant memories of the past. ”

“ The two artists who were to act as judges came in time for dinner. The girls had a glimpse of them as they passed the guests' dining-room.
"Why, they're men," Betty exclaimed. "One's fat, old and bald, and the other one's young. I thought they were going to be women."
"No, of course not." Lois laughed. "Miss Crosby told me all about them, they're quite famous. ”

“ By the time the refreshments arrived, all the girls were in a gale and not a tear was shed.
Sunday, however, was a different matter. Everybody felt damp and cold in church, and the sermon had been very long. Even Betty was out of sorts.
"Do you know," she said, crossly—she and Angela were in Polly's and Lois' room the early part of the afternoon. "I'm tired of us. We are all so afraid of letting anybody else into our select company that we are growing positively stuck up. Deny it, if you can," she persisted, as Polly looked up in surprise. ”

“ He broke down.
"Nonsense, McDonald! Your hands were cold," Polly said. "You'll be fine in the morning and able to drive anything. Cheer up!" But McDonald only repeated: "I'm done for."
A lump rose in Polly's throat at his distress, and she leaned down and kissed his wrinkled old face.
She cried quite shamelessly all the way back to school—secure in the fact that no one could see her.
In the sleigh the girls were beginning to recover.
"Jemima!" Betty said, breaking a long silence. "Poll saved all our lives; do you know it!" [Pg 107]
Connie shivered. ”

“ Lois gave a sigh of relief.
"Football's a savage game," she said, indignantly. And Mrs. Farwell agreed with her. She had been thankful beyond words that Bob had not gone out for the team—running was sufficiently dangerous. It was to her lasting credit that she had thought of Bob's feelings first, instead of her own, when news came of his hurt foot.
Putting Frank in the game made a decided difference. The Orange and Black began to gain. [Pg 71] They fought and contested every inch, but the Crimson triumphed.
Polly's eyes reflected the light of victory as the last longed for whistle blew. ”

“ Lois added. "Can't we have something special for her to-night?"
"How about a straw ride?" suggested Betty; "Mrs. Baird would let us—it's Friday."
"Oh, let's, and just ask the old girls who knew her," Angela hurried on—her drawl for once discarded. "We'll get Mrs. Baird to chaperone, if we can."
"I'll go ask her," Betty volunteered. "You go get the girls.
"I suppose all the Seniors will go," Angela said, none too enthusiastically, and Polly and Lois suddenly remembered that she had not heard about the Dorothys. Lois told her. ”

“ All Christmas day Polly tried to keep up her spirits and not spoil the others' pleasure, but her heart had a dull, lonely ache that wouldn't go away. Any one who has loved and lost a faithful dog understands. And Polly had loved Sandy from his first puppy days. [Pg 153]
All the family did their best to cheer her up, but the day was a woeful failure. Uncle Roddy and Bob were the only ones who understood her grief, and their own was so great that they could find no words of comfort.
After dinner she disappeared. ”

“ You two girls have been here for a long time and know all about the hill. By the way, where's Lois?" she asked abruptly.
"Up in the studio," Polly said with a shrug of her shoulders, which meant to convey the idea that Lois had taken up her permanent abode there.
Mrs. Baird frowned. "She must not work so hard," she said, finally. "She should be out on such a glorious day. I'll speak to her about it."
"Oh, she'll come out in a little while," Betty hastened to say. "She's just talking to Miss Crosby."
"Oh, well! I'll leave you two to see that she does," Mrs. Baird said severely. ”

“ Uncle Roddy's car was waiting for them, and they got in it and were whirled away to the shops.
It was not until luncheon that they had a chance to breathe.
"There, that's settled." Mrs. Farwell viewed them with satisfaction. She was proud of them both. Lois' delicate handsomeness and Polly's clear cut beauty. She had chosen dark blue for the one and hunter's green for the other.
"Won't you girls ever take an interest in your clothes?" ”

“ Lois replied; for she was not to be teased.
"How do you like being a man, Polly?" Jim inquired. "You were so dashing and debonair, that I bet every fellow in the room felt big and clumsy in comparison."
"That pretty girl who played Nerissa was fine. I'd like to meet her," Bob said, "and you must introduce Jim to Betty; I want him to see her without the beard."
"All right; come on, and let's find them; they'll be together," Polly suggested as the music started.
"Oh, let's have one dance first!" Bob said.
After the dance ended, all the girls tried to introduce their friends to one another. ”

“ By seven-thirty the school was assembled, and at a quarter to eight the Seniors entered. They marched around the room and up to the platform singing: "God rest ye, Merry Gentlemen." Fanny's clear voice was so above the others that the girls and teachers began to whisper among themselves. There was a lull of expectancy as they began "Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephan."
Angela, who was dressed as the King, sang her part:
With so much expression that the deficiency of her voice was overlooked. ”

“ Betty mimicked Lois' righteous tones. "We were very selfish; in fact, I'm ashamed of us. Let's go to Assembly Hall and be giddy little cheerers up."
Polly laughed.
"Oh, Bet, be sensible! Hasn't your observation in the past taught you that homesick girls [Pg 16] don't go to Assembly Hall to cry? They tuck their silly heads under their protecting pillows in their own room. Let's go to Freshman Lane."
"Why Freshman?" Angela inquired softly. "Freshmen are too young and excited to be homesick so soon. Let's go to the Sophs quarters." ”

“ Jane laughed heartily. Sometimes news of the upper school leaked into the lower, and she had heard Angela's views on all strenuous sports. [Pg 29]
"That's Angela Hollywood; she's awfully funny, but, oh dear, she can't play basket ball; why she's never even made the team."
"Tell us who'll make it this year?" Helen asked. "Do new girls ever get on?" she added wistfully.
"Polly was the only one who made it; that is for five years," Phylis explained; "she was a new girl and a Freshman. My sister's best friend, Louise Preston, was captain that year. ”

“ The song was over and they were just entering the village.
"Tell us about it," Lois said.
"No, no, go on and sing some more!"
"We can't, not for a mile—that's a rule," Betty told her. "Mrs. Baird doesn't think the village people would appreciate our music," she explained. "They're not very nice people, but we can't annoy them. Please tell us about 'straw-rides in Alaska.'"
Miss Crosby laughed, and began. She was a charming woman and a gifted story-teller. She had traveled all over the world, and because she was interested in all the little things, her adventures had been many. ”