CHAPTER XV
The School Birthday
When Miss Thompson had bought the connection of The Hawthorns, andamalgamated that school with her own, she had undertaken a moredifficult task than she had altogether anticipated. She had spoken muchof Silverside traditions, but it had never struck her that theHawthorners might have some of their own to which they might clingtenaciously. It was not easy for the Principal to get to know the exactmind of the school. She saw the girls in class, respectful,well-behaved, and very much in awe of her, but it was another matter tojudge the mental barometer of the play-room. She suspected that therewas an undercurrent of trouble: the smallness of the Silverside HockeyClub, the rival stalls at the bazaar, and the scanty audience at thedramatic performance had shown her clearly which way the wind wasblowing. She thought the matter over seriously. From her knowledge ofgirls she decided that it would be unwise to interfere directly. Youcannot cause rival factions to love each other by act of parliament. Shetrusted that time and tact would cement a union, and meanwhile shemeant to hold her judgment in the balance and favour neither party.
On the first day of the next term she made the important announcementthat she had appointed two new prefects, Annie Broadside and GladysWilks, who would be given equal powers with their co-officers. It was agreat step for the day girls to have their former leaders raised to arecognized position in the school. Though they were only two, as opposedto four prefects who were boarders, they could look after their ownflock, and redress their grievances. Adah and her companions took thenews badly. They considered that their old privileges were beingoutraged.
"What's Miss Thompson _thinking_ of?" asked Consie indignantly.
"She absolutely truckles to those wretched Hawthorners!" declaredIsobel.
"Will Annie and Gladys expect to come to our prefects' meetings?"demanded Joyce.
"Of course they will! That's the sickening part of it!" said Adahbitterly. "If Miss Thompson thinks she's going to manage us that way,she's mistaken. I _won't_ be friends with those Hawthorners! I wishthey'd never come to the school at all!"
"Pretty prefects Annie and Gladys will make!" sneered Joyce.
To do Annie Broadside and Gladys Wilks justice, they made excellentprefects. They were the acknowledged leaders of their own clique, andthey insisted upon certain rules being obeyed. They even suggested afew innovations, which, though resisted at first by Adah, wereafterwards acknowledged as so excellent that they were put into force.It did not add to their favour with the boarders, however, to have thechanges recommended as "what we always did at The Hawthorns".
"What you may have found expedient there need be no law for us here,"replied Adah with uplifted eyebrows.
January 21st was the school birthday. It was exactly fourteen yearssince Miss Thompson had first opened Silverside, and she had kept theanniversary as a festival ever since. This year it was to be quite apublic occasion. The house was far too small for the increased number ofpupils, and she had decided to build on an annexe, consisting of a largehall and cloak-rooms. An architect had been busy drawing out plans, but,owing to the difficulty of getting labour during the war, the contractshad only just been passed. Now, after many delays, all was in training,and the builders were ready to begin their work. Miss Thompson felt thatit would be an appropriate act for the foundation stone to be laid onthe school birthday. She was fortunate enough to persuade the Bishop ofthe diocese to come and perform the ceremony. It was to be a great dayat Silverside. The girls discussed it freely beforehand, especially theinmates of the Cowslip Room.
"Ever so many smart people will be there," said Laura delightedly."Tommiekins is sending out heaps of invitations. I know, because MissKennedy told Consie, and Consie told Nita Paget. The Bishop will make aspeech."
"And what are _we_ going to do?"
"Stand round and listen, and look intelligent and appreciative, and allthe rest of it, I suppose. We'll have to be saints during the ceremony,but we'll have some fun afterwards. D'you know the school's to be thrownopen to all sorts of visitors? Not only old fogies who make speeches,but other people. The day girls may each ask three friends, and they canbring brothers if they like."
"You don't say so! Miss Thompson _is_ coming on. Are you certain?"
"It's quite true," confirmed Avelyn. "I was allowed an invitation cardtoo, and I've asked Mother and Daphne and David, and I've got Pamela toask Anthony with one of her spare invitations."
"What sport!"
"We'll all have to wear our best dresses," said Janet.
"Rather! You bet we do!"
In preparation for the coming event, a wave of what Miss Hopkins wouldhave dubbed "worldliness" swept over the Cowslip Room. The girlsreviewed their frocks critically. Laura implored Miss Kennedy to allowhers to be sent to the dressmaker, to be lengthened two inches. Janetborrowed the last drops of Ethelberga's before-the-war bottle ofbenzoline, to remove a stain left by the dropping, butter-side down, ofa piece of muffin. Avelyn brushed her hair every night with eau deCologne to make it glossy. Ethelberga, in defiance of food saving,begged oatmeal from the cook, and rubbed it on her face to improve hercomplexion. Irma, after criticizing the costumes of her friends, spranga surprise on them.
"I've sent home for a new dress," she announced carelessly.
"You haven't!"
"Yes, I have, and what's more, I expect it to-morrow. Mother wrote thatshe was telling Barclays to post it to me direct."
"Well, I do think you might have told us before."
The other girls felt as if Irma had stolen an advantage. If the idea hadoccurred to them they might also have written home for new dresses. Itwas unfortunately too late now. Irma alone, of the Cowslip Room, wouldattend the festival in the glory of a new gown. She gave herself airs inconsequence. It was an unfortunate characteristic of Irma that she wasapt to get swelled head on occasion. Her room-mates were constantly onthe look-out for symptoms of this complaint, and generally applieddrastic measures before things went too far. In a dormitory it does notdo to allow a girl to maintain too exalted an opinion of herself.
"Irma's swanking no end!" affirmed Ethelberga.
"Putting on side galore!" agreed Janet tartly.
"We ought to do something to take the wind out of her sails a little,"said Laura, looking pensive.
Avelyn's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"I've got it!" she chuckled. "We'll play a rag on her this afternoon.It'll be ever such fun! Oh, I've thought of a perfectly gorgeous plan.No, I don't think I'll tell you what it is yet; but stroll up to thedormitory as soon after four as you can, and make Irma come too on someexcuse. Then I'll have a little surprise for you."
"You might tell us!"
"No, no! Not a word! It would spoil the surprise."
The members of the Cowslip Room were always ready for some diversion.They wondered what kind of a practical joke Avelyn was going to play onIrma. They took particular care to decoy their victim upstairs at fouro'clock. As a bait, Ethelberga offered to lend Irma her manicure set.They were rubbing pink powder on Irma's almond-shaped nails when a rapcame at the door.
"Entrez!" shouted Janet casually.
It was a demure-eyed junior who made her appearance, carrying a largeparcel.
"This has just come, and it's for your room, so I brought it up," sheannounced, dumping it down on the bed, and leaning over to read theaddress. "Miss Irma Ridley. Wish it had been Miss Dorothy Elston. I'veno luck. Ta-ta!" and she waved a rather impertinent hand, and trottedaway.
Irma jumped up, upsetting the box of manicure powder, and scattering theother implements over the floor.
"It's never my box!" she exclaimed.
At that psychological moment Avelyn entered the room.
"I didn't expect it until to-morrow," rejoiced Irma. "They must havesent it by carrier instead of by post. Lend me your scissors, Janet. Oh,I'm just dying to look!"
The parcel was a large cardboard box done up in rather untidy brownpaper. It had evidently suffered considerably on the journ
ey. Irma cutthe string with the utmost haste, and began to tear off the wrappers andopen the box.
"I know Mother will have chosen me something pretty," she purred."Mother's got such lovely taste, and she wrote that she'd seen the verything, and was sure I should like it."
"It's well wrapped up," remarked Janet.
Irma was removing sheet after sheet of tissue paper with a pleasedgiggle. At last she reached the core of the package, and unfolded--not asmart new frock, but her own ordinary school evening dress. Her stare ofblank astonishment was comical.
"What's this? What have they sent me?" she gasped.
But her room-mates were collapsing in various attitudes of mirth, andshe understood. For a moment two red spots flared in her cheeks, thenshe had the sense to take the joke with a good grace. If she was angry,the others shouldn't have the triumph of seeing her annoyance.
"You geese!" she remarked. "I might have known the box couldn't arriveto-day. So this is why you hauled me upstairs, is it? Oh, go on andlaugh if you like! It doesn't hurt me. I don't mind."
She hung the dress up again in her wardrobe, and folding the sheets oftissue paper, appropriated them.
"I've been wanting some tissue paper," she said airily.
The girls restrained themselves and sobered down.
"You're a trump, Irma!" declared Avelyn.
"It was too bad, but we couldn't help laughing," murmured Janet.
"Poor old Irmie, you took it sporting!" sympathized Ethelberga.
"You'll like your dress all the more when it really comes," comfortedLaura.
When Irma's parcel arrived the next day her room-mates, having playedtheir joke upon her, had the grace to be nice and to admire the newfrock, which was a charming creation in blue, and suited its owneradmirably. They went out of their way to be pleasant about it, andAvelyn lent a hair ribbon which exactly matched the shade of colour,while Laura offered a chain of Venetian beads. They all felt, as theydressed for the festival, that if Irma's costume eclipsed the rest ofthem, she deserved her little triumph for keeping her temper.
"It's a shame to have to put a coat over it," said Ethelberga.
"Well, she certainly can't stand outside in the cold with only that thindress on," decreed Laura.
The ceremony was to take place at three o'clock, and shortly beforethat hour all the school, in hats and coats, were marshalled outside tothe spot where the new hall was to be erected. It was a cold, greyJanuary afternoon, with one or two snowflakes floating down, andeverybody stood and shivered. Some of the invited guests were keepingwarm in the house, and others strolled out to the scene of action. Thegirls, drawn up in line, nodded and smiled to many friends from thetown. They were cold, and impatient for the proceedings to begin.Waiting is weary work on a January afternoon. Their talk, which at firsthad been low and subdued, began to buzz, and rose higher and higher.
"What a disgraceful noise!" said Adah. "It's all those wretchedHawthorners. If Miss Thompson brings out the Bishop while all thisclamour is going on she'll be thoroughly ashamed of the school. Lessnoise, girls! Do you hear?"
The girls heard perfectly well, but they did not heed, and the hum ofunrestrained conversation continued. Adah waxed desperate.
"This can't go on! It mustn't!" she said indignantly.
She thought for a moment, then took an extreme measure. She walked up toAnnie Broadside, and confronted her with flashing eyes.
"You're a prefect! If you've any influence with your old crew, why don'tyou stop this din? It's a disgrace to Silverside! I've said what I can!"
Annie looked astonished, but for once she fell in with the head girl'ssuggestion. Passing along the lines, she commanded silence, and she wasobeyed. Where Adah had failed to restore order, she succeeded. At thatmoment the house door opened, and Miss Thompson appeared, ushering outthe Bishop--a reverend figure in gaiters--and followed by the mistressesand a number of guests. A dead hush fell upon the school, and all eyeswere fixed at attention.
The little ceremony was not very long--perhaps the Bishop himself feltthe cold. There were one or two brief speeches, and Edna Esdale, theyoungest member of Form I, handed a trowel decorated with ribbons, a dabof mortar was deposited, and the foundation stone laid. The girls sang"God Save the King", then, as the snow was beginning to come down ingood earnest, everybody thankfully turned into the house. It wascertainly a crowd, but it was pleasant to meet friends. The Watsonfamily had all turned up, and had actually brought Mrs. Reynolds withthem, to Pamela's great triumph, for as a rule her mother shunned allpublic gatherings. The poor lady, though very nervous, seemed to bemildly enjoying herself.
"I am glad Pam didn't ask her uncle," thought Avelyn. "I shouldn't havebeen surprised if he had insisted on coming!"
There was actually a birthday cake for the school, with fourteen littlecandles on it, and the Bishop, at Miss Thompson's request, cut the firstslice. There was only enough for visitors, but the girls had had thesatisfaction of viewing it lighted beforehand, and had known that itwas not big enough to go round, so consequently were not disappointed.Irma, in her new blue dress, produced quite a sensation among those ofher form who had not yet seen its beauties. Its attractions even wentfurther.
Miss Thompson, ciceroning the Bishop round the premises and expatiatingon the value of her new scheme of ventilation, let her eyes pass over aline of girls, flattening themselves dutifully against the wall, andsingled out the creation in blue.
"We've many nice children here. Come here, Irma dear! This one is IrmaRidley. Run, child, and fetch me your Nature notebook. I should like theBishop to look at it. We make a point of Nature study, my Lord."
Irma departed on her errand like a blue sunbeam. She stood smiling andspeechless while the great Church dignitary benevolently examined herrecord of the months, and murmured his approval.
"Miss Thompson says it all went off splendidly," declared Janet, as thegirls warmed themselves at the class-room fire afterwards.
"David and Anthony called it 'ripping!'" affirmed Avelyn.
"And _I_ was introduced to the Lord Bishop of Howchester!" triumphedIrma, with the glamour of the honour still dancing in her shining eyes.