Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls

Graham Flower Jessie

Description

Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School OR The Merry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 23 octobre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819902119
• Langue: English

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INTRODUCTION
Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School OR TheMerry Doings of the Oakdale Freshmen Girls By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER,A. M.
Author of Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at HighSchool, Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School, Etc.
CHAPTER I
THE ACCIDENT OF FRIENDSHIPS "Who is the new girl inthe class?" asked Miriam Nesbit, flashing her black eyes from oneschoolmate to another, as the girls assembled in the locker room ofthe Oakdale High School. "Her name is Pierson; that is all I knowabout her," replied Nora O'Malley, gazing at her pretty Irish facein the looking glass with secret satisfaction. "She's very quietand shy and looks as if she would weep aloud when her turn comes torecite, but I'm sure she's all right," she added good naturedly.For Nora had a charming, sunny nature, and always saw the best ifthere was any best to see. "She is very bright," broke in GraceHarlowe decisively. "She went through her Latin lesson without amistake, which is certainly more than I could do." "Well, I don'tlike her," pouted Miriam. "I never trust those quiet little things.And, besides, she is the worst-dressed girl in – – " "Hush!"interrupted Jessica Bright, touching a finger to her lips. "Hereshe is."
A little, brown figure entered the room just asMiriam finished speaking. But Jessica was too late with herwarning. The young girl had, without doubt, heard the cruel speechand her face flushed painfully as she pinned on a shabby old hat,slipped her arms into a thin black jacket and stepped out againwithout looking at the crowd of schoolmates who watched hersilently. "Miriam, I should think you'd learn to be more careful,"exclaimed hot-tempered Nora, her soft heart touched by theappealing little stranger. "Well, what difference does it make?"replied Miriam. "If Miss Pierson doesn't know already that she'sthe shabbiest girl in school, it's high time she found it out. Ihave a suspicion her mother takes in washing or something, and Imean to find it out right now. We can't invite a girl like that toour class parties and entertainments. She would disgrace us.""Miriam," said Grace quietly, "I believe we are all privileged toinvite whom we please to our homes. I intend to give a class teanext Saturday, and I mean to follow Miss Pierson right now and askher to help me receive."
The two girls looked into each other's faces for amoment without speaking. Grace was quiet and contained, Miriamflushed and furiously angry. They had been rival leaders always atthe Grammar School, but the rivalry had never come to open battleuntil now.
Miriam was the first to drop her eyes. She did notreply, but from that moment she was the sworn enemy of GraceHarlowe and her two friends, Nora and Jessica. "Well, we had betterhurry," said Jessica, trying to calm the troubled scene. "Nobodyknows exactly where Miss Pierson lives and she will be out of sightbefore we can catch her."
The three girls ran lightly out of the basement ofthe fine old building that was the pride of Oakdale. It was largeand imposing, built of smooth, gray stone, with four huge columnssupporting the front portico. A hundred yards away stood thecompanion building, the Boys' High School, exactly like the firstin every respect except that a wing had been added for a gymnasiumwhich the girls had the privilege of using on certain days. A widecampus surrounded the two buildings, shaded by elm and oak trees.Certainly no other town in the state could boast of twin highschools as fine as these; and especially did the situation appealto the people of Oakdale, for the ten level acres surrounding thetwo buildings gave ample space for the various athletic fields, andthe doings of the high schools formed the very life of theplace.
But we must return to our three girls who werehurrying down the shady street, followed in a more leisurely anddignified fashion by Miriam and her friends. The shabby figure ofthe little stranger had just turned the corner as the girls leftthe High School grounds. "Come on," cried Grace breathlessly,leading the way. Having once made up her mind, she always pursuedher point with a fine obstinacy regardless of opinion.
When they had come to the cross street they sawtheir quarry again, now making her way slowly toward the streetnext the river. This was the shabbiest street in Oakdale, though noone knew exactly why, since the river bank might have been thechosen site for all the handsomest buildings; but towns are asincorrigible as people, sometimes, and insist on growing one waywhen they should grow another, without the slightest regard forfuture appearances.
And so, when little Miss Pierson stopped in front ofone of the smallest and meanest cottages on River Street, the girlsknew she must, indeed, be very poor. The house, small and forlorn,presented a sad countenance streaked with tear stains from a leakygutter. An uneven pavement led to the front door, which bore apainted sign: "Plain Sewing."
They paused irresolutely at the gate, and weretaking counsel together when Miriam Nesbit passed with her friends.She pointed at the door and laughed. "Really, that girl's conductis contemptible!" exclaimed Grace, giving the wooden gate avigorous push. "I simply won't tolerate her rudeness. She is anunmitigated snob!" Grace knocked on the door rather sharply toemphasize her feelings. It was opened almost immediately by MissPierson herself, still in her hat and coat; and in her surprise andembarrassment she almost shut the door in their faces. ButJessica's gentle smile reassured her, and Grace, who was a bornleader, took her hand kindly and plunged at once into the subject."You left school so quickly this afternoon, Miss Pierson, that Ididn't have a chance to see you. I have something very particular Iwant to ask you to-day." "Won't you come in?" said the other,opening the door into the parlor, which had an air of refinementabout it in spite of its utter poorness. "Anne!" called a querulousvoice down the passage. "Yes, mother, I'm coming," answered thegirl, hurrying out of the room with a frightened look in her eyes.In a few moments she was back again. "Please excuse me for leavingyou," she said. "My mother is an invalid and needs my sister or mewith her constantly." "Her name is Anne, then," thought Grace. "Ishall call her so at once and break the ice." "Anne," she saidaloud, "I think you know my friends, don't you – Jessica Bright andNora O'Malley? And I am Grace Harlowe." "Oh, yes," replied Anne,brightening at the friendly advances of the others. "I rememberyour names from the roll call." "Of course," replied Grace. "But Ithink we should all be more to each other than roll-callacquaintances, we freshmen. I am very ambitious for our class. Iwant it to be the best that ever graduated from Oakdale HighSchool, and for that reason, I think all the girls in it should tryto be friends and work together to advance the cause. I'm going tostart the ball rolling by giving a tea to our class next Saturdayafternoon. Will you come and receive with Jessica and Nora andme?"
Anne clasped her hands delightedly for a moment.Then her eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled so that thegirls were afraid she might be going to cry. Tender-hearted Jessicaturned her face away for fear of showing too much sympathy. "I'msorry," said Anne at last, rather unsteadily, "but I am afraid Ican't accept your delightful invitation. I – – " "I beg yourpardon," said a voice at the door, "I didn't mean to intrude onyour visitors, Anne, but I couldn't help overhearing Miss Harlowe'sinvitation."
A small woman, much older than Anne, but very likeher in face and figure, appeared at the door. "This is my sister,"said Anne, taking the other's hand affectionately. "Anne imaginesshe can't go, but she certainly can," went on the older MissPierson, calmly, not in the least embarrassed by the strange younggirls. "Of course, she must go. I can arrange it easily." "But,Mary – – " protested Anne. "Never mind, little sister," interruptedMary, "it will be all right. Miss Harlowe, what time must she bethere?" "At four o'clock," answered Grace, rising to go, "and I amdelighted that she can come. Remember, Anne, I'm counting on you topour the lemonade. The other girls are going to help with thesandwiches and ice cream. By the way," she added, as they went downthe steps, "be sure and come to the basketball meeting at the gymthis afternoon."
And so it was arranged that Anne Pierson, theshabbiest and poorest girl in Oakdale High School, was to helpreceive at one of the prettiest and most charming houses in town.Miriam Nesbit's rudeness was to bring about a friendship betweenAnne Pierson and her three schoolmates that lasted a lifetime.
After the half-past two o'clock dinner, which wasthe universal custom in Oakdale, the chums met again at thegymnasium in the Boys' High School. Wednesdays and Saturdays werenicknamed "ladies' days" by the High School boys, for on theseafternoons the girls were permitted free use of the gymnasium.
The meeting to-day was not for gymnastic exercises,however, but an important subject was to be discussed – theFreshman Basketball Team. Also the captain of the team was to beelected.
Other club meetings were in full force when thegirls arrived, and the great room vibrated with the hum of voices.The three freshmen, who knew better than to interrupt sophomoresand juniors at their pow-wows, made their way quietly across thehall to the appointed place of rendezvous. Of course, the entireFreshman Class did not assemble to discuss this subject. Manymembers were not interested in basketball, except to look on. Girlswho were overstudious, and not physically strong, could not at anyrate play on the team, and therefore they seldom attended suchmeetings. Jessica Bright was one of these, nevertheless, shefollowed her two friends, who had always been foremost in athleticsat the Central Grammar School.
The election of a captain was the first business ofthe meeting. That over, the captain, a