Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School Or, Fast Friends in the Sororities

Graham Flower Jessie

Description

A NEW ARRIVAL Next to home, there is really nothing quite so satisfying as our dear old High School! exclaimed Grace Harlowe, as she entered the locker-room and beamed on her three friends who stood near by. It does seem good to be back, even though we have had such a perfectly glorious summer, said Jessica Bright. We are a notch higher, too. We're actually juniors. This locker-room is now our property, although I don't like it as well as the one we had last year. We'll get accustomed to it, and it will seem like home inside of two weeks, said Anne Pierson philosophically. Everything is bound to change in this world, you know. 'We must put ourselves in harmony with the things among which our lot is cast.' Well, Marcus Aurelius, we'll try to accept your teaching, laughed Grace, who immediately recognized the quotation as coming from a tiny Marcus Aurelius Year Book that Anne kept in her desk and frequently perused. I wonder what school will bring us this year? mused Nora O'Malley, as she retied her bow for the fifth time before the mirror and critically surveyed the final effect

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 23 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819901600
• Langue: English

Extrait

CHAPTER I
A NEW ARRIVAL "Next to home, there is really nothingquite so satisfying as our dear old High School!" exclaimed GraceHarlowe, as she entered the locker-room and beamed on her threefriends who stood near by. "It does seem good to be back, eventhough we have had such a perfectly glorious summer," said JessicaBright. "We are a notch higher, too. We're actually juniors. Thislocker-room is now our property, although I don't like it as wellas the one we had last year." "We'll get accustomed to it, and itwill seem like home inside of two weeks," said Anne Piersonphilosophically. "Everything is bound to change in this world, youknow. 'We must put ourselves in harmony with the things among whichour lot is cast.'" "Well, Marcus Aurelius, we'll try to accept yourteaching," laughed Grace, who immediately recognized the quotationas coming from a tiny "Marcus Aurelius Year Book" that Anne kept inher desk and frequently perused. "I wonder what school will bringus this year?" mused Nora O'Malley, as she retied her bow for thefifth time before the mirror and critically surveyed the finaleffect. "We had a stormy enough time last year, goodness knows.Really, girls, it is hard to believe that Miriam Nesbit and JuliaCrosby were at one time the banes of our existence. They come nextto you three girls with me, now." "I think that we all feel thesame about them," replied Grace. "Miriam is a perfect dear now, andis just as enthusiastic over class matters as we are." "It looks asthough everything were going to be plain sailing this year," saidJessica. "There isn't a disturbing element in the class that I knowof. Still, one can never tell." "Oh, here come Eva Allen and MarianBarber," called Grace delightedly, and rushed over to the newcomerswith outstretched hands.
By this time girls began to arrive rapidly, and soonthe locker-room hummed with the sound of fresh, young voices. Coatsof tan were compared and newly acquired freckles deplored, as thegirls stood about in groups, talking of the delights of the summervacation just ended.
To the readers of "GRACE HARLOWE'S PLEBE YEAR ATHIGH SCHOOL," and "GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR AT HIGH SCHOOL,"the girl chums have become familiar figures. It will be rememberedhow Grace Harlowe and her friends, Nora O'Malley and JessicaBright, during their freshman year, became the firm friends of AnnePierson, the brilliant young girl who won the freshman prizeoffered each year to the freshmen by Mrs. Gray. The reader willrecall the repeated efforts of Miriam Nesbit, aided by Miss Leece,the algebra teacher, to disgrace Anne in the eyes of the faculty,and the way each attempt was frustrated by Grace Harlowe and herfriends. Mrs. Gray's house party, the winter picnic in Upton Wood,and Anne Pierson's struggles to escape her unworthy father allcontributed toward making the story stand out in the reader'smind.
In "GRACE HARLOWE'S SOPHOMORE YEAR," the girl chumswere found leading their class in athletics. Here, Miriam Nesbit,still unsubdued, endeavored once more to humiliate Anne Pierson,and to oust Grace from her position as captain of the basketballteam, being aided in her plan by Julia Crosby, captain of thejunior team, against whom the sophomores had engaged to play aseries of three games. Grace's brave rescue of Julia Crosby duringa skating party and the latter's subsequent repentance restoredgood feeling between the two classes, and the book ended with thefinal conversion of Miriam after her long and stubbornly nursedenmity.
David Nesbit's trial flight in his aëroplane,Grace's encounter with the escaped lunatic, who imagined himself tobe Napoleon Bonaparte, were among the features which made the bookabsorbing from start to finish.
The clang of the first bell broke in upon thechattering groups, and obedient to its summons, the girls movedslowly out of the locker-room and down the corridor, talking insubdued tones as they strolled toward the study hall.
Miss Thompson stood at her desk, serene and smiling,as the girls filed in. "How well Miss Thompson looks," whisperedGrace to Anne as they neared their seats. "Let's go up and see herwhen this session is over. It's sure to be short this morning."
It was customary on the opening of school for themembers of the various classes to take their seats of the previousyear. Then the sections were rearranged, the seniors taking theseats left by the graduates, and the other classes moving upaccordingly. The first day of school amounted to really nothingfurther than being assigned to one's seat and getting used to theidea of school again. Miss Thompson usually addressed the girls onthe duty of High School students, and the girls went forth full ofnew resolutions that last for at least a week.
Grace looked curiously about her. She wondered ifthere were to be many new girls that year. The present freshmen,direct from the Grammar Schools, sat on the front seats looking atrifle awed at the idea of being academic pupils, and feeling verystrange and uncomfortable under the scrutiny of so many pairs ofeyes.
Her glance wandered toward the new sophomore class,as though in search of some one, her eyes brightening as she caughtsight of the brown-eyed girl who had won the freshman prize theprevious June. The latter looked as helpless and friendless as whenGrace first saw her step up on the platform to receive her money."I shall certainly find out more about that child," she decided."What is her name? I heard it at commencement, but I have forgottenit."
Taking a leaf from a little note-book that shealways carried, Grace wrote: "Do you see the freshman-prize girlover among the sophomores? What is her name? I can't remember."Then, folding the paper, she tossed it to Anne, who nodded; thenwrote, "Mabel Allison," and handed it to the girl sitting oppositeher, who obligingly passed it over to Grace.
With a nod of thanks to Anne, Grace glanced at thepaper and then at the owner of the name, who sat with her handsmeekly folded on her desk, listening to Miss Thompson as though herlife depended upon hearing every word that the principal uttered."I want all my girls to try particularly this year to reach ahigher standard than ever before," Miss Thompson concluded, "notonly in your studies, but in your attitude toward one another. Bestraightforward and honorable in all your dealings, girls; so thatwhen the day comes for you to receive your diplomas and bid OakdaleHigh School farewell, you can do so with the proud consciousnessthat you have been to your schoolmates just what you would havewished them to be to you. I know of no better preparation for ahappy life than constant observation of the golden rule. "And now Ihope I shall have no occasion to deliver another lecture during theschool year," said the principal, smiling. "There can be noformation of classes to-day, as the bulletins of the varioussubjects have just been posted, and will undoubtedly undergo somechanges. It would be advisable, however, to arrange as speedily aspossible about the subjects you intend to take, as we wish to beginrecitations by Friday at the latest, and I dare say the changesmade in the schedule will be slight."
Then the work of assigning each class to itsparticular section of the study hall began. The seniors moved withevident pride into the places reserved for the first class, whilethe freshmen looked visibly relieved at having any place at all tocall their own. Immediately after this the classes were dismissed,and a general rush was made to the end of the great room, where thebulletins were posted.
Grace, Nora, Anne and Jessica wished to recite inthe same classes as far as could be arranged, and a lively confabensued as to what would be best to take. They all decided on solidgeometry and English reading, as they could be together for theseclasses, but the rest was not so easy, for Nora, who loathedhistory, was obliged to take ancient history to complete herhistory group, the other girls having wisely completed theirs theprevious year. Jessica wanted to take physical geography, Annerhetoric, and Grace boldly announced a hankering for zoölogy. "Howhorrible," shuddered Jessica. "How can you bear to think of cuttingup live cats and dogs and angleworms and things." "Oh, you silly,"laughed Grace. "You're thinking of vivisection. I wouldn't cut upanything alive for all the world. The girls did dissect crabs andlobsters, and even rabbits, last year, but they were dead longbefore they ever reached the zoölogy class." "Oh," said Jessica,somewhat reassured, "I'm glad to hear that, at any rate." "Thatmakes three subjects," said Nora. "Now we want one more. Are any ofyou going to be over ambitious and take five?" "Not I," respondedGrace and Jessica in chorus. "I shall," said Anne quietly. "I'mgoing to learn just as much as I can while I have the chance.""Well," said Jessica, "you're different. Five studies aren't anyharder for you than four for us." "Thank the lady prettily for herhigh opinion of your ability, Anne," said Grace, laughing. "Shereally seems to be sincere." "She's too sincere for comfort,"murmured Anne, who hated compliments. "We haven't settled on thatfourth subject yet," interposed Nora. "Why don't you all takeFrench, it is such a beautiful language," said a soft voice behindthem. "I'm sure you'd like it."
The four girls turned simultaneously at the sound ofthe strange, soft voice, to face a girl whose beauty was almoststartling. She was a trifle taller than Grace and beautifullystraight and slender. Her hair was jet black and lay on herforehead in little silky rings, while she had the bluest eyes thegirls had ever seen. Her features were small and regular, and herskin as creamy as the petal of a magnolia. She stood regarding theastonished girls with a fascinating little smile that wasirresistible. "Please excuse me for breaking in upon you, but I sawyou from afar, and you looked awfully good to me." Her clearenunciation made the slang phrase sound like the purest English.