CHAPTER XVI: A PARTY AND A REAL "DATE"
It was early in March when the inter-class basketball contests endedwith the championship game that resulted in a tie. Kathryn's party wasgiven on a Friday night, when a western blizzard had occurred and therest of the country was surprised by a heavy snow. Memories of thebob-sleds at the Dorrance home during their freshman year came back tomore than Betty Lee of the "old crowd." Chet Dorrance had the best ofexcuses to make arrangements with Betty for a snow date, as he calledit, and she promised to go with him and the rest on the next day afterschool. "Make it a regular date, Betty," said he, "for we'll havesomething doing whenever we have enough snow."
Betty was delighted with the snow, but made no "long distance"engagements. There had not been "a decent snow all winter," everybodyclaimed, and great was the enthusiasm. Great drifts edged the walks atKathryn's and Betty came early to help, as she had promised. She,Chauncey and Kathryn had a brilliant idea and made a big snow man on thefront porch, where he would be well lit up by the porch light at thearrival of the company. "We'll have to have something or otheroutdoors," declared Chauncey, who went around behind the house toreconnoiter. Kathryn and Betty, who were flying around inside, tried tothink as they filled pretty little dishes with bonbons and finished thedecorations.
"It's Chauncey's birthday," said Kathryn, "but he wouldn't let me tell asoul. I don't think the other boys know. They surely would wash his facefor him in the snow if they did!"
"I'll not betray him," laughed Betty. "But why not have a snow fight?Listen, Gypsy. Those high piles of snow along the walk you know, why notuse them and make a fort or two?"
Chauncey came in with the same idea, except that he thought the bestplace was in the back where snow had drifted in certain hollows. "It'llspoil everybody's good clothes, though," said he. "Do you suppose thegirls will come in those thin things they wear?"
"Not tonight, Chauncey, because I told some of them that we'd probablydo something outdoors, and the rest will have a pretty good suspicionthat we will."
Kathryn's party included some of the older boys and girls to whom shewas indebted. Lucia, as the stranger in their midst and a good friend,was invited. Marcella and Peggy were the only other representatives ofthe Kappa Upsilons. Ted Dorrance was there and the junior girl to whomhe was supposed to have transferred his affections since Louise Madisonbegan to have social relations with the University men.
"Hello, Betty Lee," said he. "I haven't seen you except at a distancefor some time. Congratulations for not letting the junior team beat youin basketball. Those girls ought to feel crushed."
"But don't," added Betty. "Congratulations yourself on your ownbasketball record. I was so surprised when I heard you were on the team.I haven't missed a game that was played here if I could help it. You'vebecome a star."
"According to the _Lyon's Roar_," answered Ted, in derision. "They'rehard up for somebody to write up as a star if they have to take me!"
"Your modesty is very becoming," demurely remarked Betty, as an oldergirl might have done, and Ted looked again. This was a cute girl, thislittle sophomore. He remembered her coming to Lyon High for the firstlast year. Chet had her in his crowd. How would it do to take hersomewhere some time?
In consequence of these impulsive thoughts, in the course of theevening's fun Betty found Ted Dorrance beside her several times and oncehe asked her if she "had a date" for the next Symphony Concert.
"Why, no, though Mother and I go to some of them," said Betty, notdreaming that Ted meant to ask her. But she was mortified at the thoughtof what she considered her "dumbness," when he asked her to go with himon that coming Saturday night.
"Oh!" she said. "Why--Mother never lets me go to anything down in thecity with anybody; but I think she would let me go with you."
"I hope she will," smiled Ted. "Let me know, Betty."
"I will tomorrow," said Betty, feeling uncomfortable, as girls do, forfear the boys will think them too childish. But Betty had confidence inher mother and she knew well that the ban would be off when she grewolder. Oh, how _wonderful_ to be going somewhere with Ted Dorrance! Shelooked so happy, though full of fun, as she helped Kathryn serve, thatmore than one boy looked her way and thought that Betty Lee was a"pretty girl." Then they all put on wraps and as a final spurt of funwent out for a battle of _soft_ snowballs, by the girls' direction. Nofort was made, for it was too late when the indoor fun was finished, butgreat plans were made for the following afternoon and evening, to takeadvantage of the winter's one great opportunity.
And the snow man remained, to melt in a day or two into a messy heap onthe porch; and an early robin cocked his head at the sight, as hestopped for the crumbs from the cake Kathryn had stuffed in the gapingmouth of the snow man. "Let's give him a cooky," Kathryn had said, asshe and Betty laughed at Chauncey's last artistic efforts.
Indeed, the birds were arriving all through March and April. It wasbaseball now, not basketball, though Betty did not play. She was devotedto the swimming in particular and was getting ready to take part in theevents of a girls' high school swimming meet, in which the swimmers fromthe different high schools would compete for excellence and points.
"No," she said to Miss Fox. "Hockey and basketball were enough. I'm outfor swimming, and that is all I can do, Miss Fox, if I get my lessons.Oh, of course hikes and all the points I can make when I'm not needed athome."
"I like to hear you say that, Betty. Too many girls don't want to helpat all at home."
"I don't do enough," Betty replied--"but I have a dear family and we goout together in the machine a lot."
Going out with Ted was a great event, for Mrs. Lee said that she might,"though this is not to be taken as a regular break in our ideas,"Betty's mother was careful to add.
"I don't care, Mother," said Betty, "only I wish I didn't have to saythat my mother doesn't like to have me do it."
"You can make your own excuses, Betty."
"Of course. But if the boys think you don't want to go with them itmakes them mad and you won't get asked again."
"And that would be terrible," laughed her mother, who had little fearbut that Betty would have enough "dates" to keep her happy.
"Yes, it would," Betty answered, but a little smile crept about herlips.
"How would it do just to say that you are allowed very few engagements,especially at night?"
"I might work out something else. You should have seen--or heard--how_dumb_ it sounded, what I said to Ted!"
"There he is, my daughter," said Mrs. Lee as the bell rang. Betty lookedin the glass, patted a refractory lock, and walked sedately through thehall and into the front room, where Ted, all correct, in a new top-coat,and carrying hat and gloves, waited, having been admitted by Dick.
Ted rose and shook hands, as Betty entered, but said that he was lateand that if she would put on her wraps he "thought they'd better start."Mrs. Lee came in then and Betty ran back for her wraps, thankful thatthey were new, this year, and that her gloves were everything that couldbe desired. She had worn her prettiest dress and hoped that Ted, who wasaccustomed to taking out girls, would find nothing lacking in her_ensemble_.
"Betty's beginning rather young," said Mr. Lee thoughtfully, coming infrom the garage where he had been putting in his car. "That is a goodcar young Dorrance is driving. Do you suppose it is his own?"
"Very likely, though I do not know, either."
"There were some others, so I imagine it is a 'theatre party.'"
"All the better--but I'd like to keep Betty from all that till she isolder. I shall, too. She is obedient and sensible. We shall have thisthe exception rather than the rule."
"I'm glad to leave it to you, Mother," replied Mr. Lee.
"I'll warrant," laughed his wife.
Betty need not have worried about Ted's superior knowledge of the waysof society. He was only a high school boy after all, and though Mrs.Dorrance had been left a widow with plenty of means, she was a woman ofculture and of a certain both practical and
realistic sense when it cameto social affairs. Real things that mattered and not foolish forms ofconvention governed her and provided for her boys a certain freedom,while asking of them the ordinary courtesies and consideration ofgentlemen.
Another senior boy and a senior girl were in the car, Betty found, andshe was glad to settle beside the senior girl in the back seat while Tedand his old friend Harry sat in front.
The "theatre party" was a very modest one, for Betty was not led to abox. But they had good seats, well in front in the balcony, and Bettyenjoyed all the little attentions that Ted knew so well how to give,though as a matter of course.
The playing of the orchestra happened to be just what Betty liked best,not so much of the musical fireworks, but the lovelier selections fromthe classics. Even Ted was forgotten during one number till as sheleaned back with a little sigh after it was over he said, "You likedthat as much as I did, didn't you? Do you do much with your violin now?"
"Scarcely a bit," she whispered, "but I love to hear it. How did youknow I played?"
"A little bird told me," said Ted.