CHAPTER XIII
GRACE TURNS ELECTIONEER
Directly after dinner that afternoon, the four girls, looking very smartin their new fall suits and hats, set out for Ruth's. They found herseated at her little table eating a very humble dinner of her owncooking. "I'm sorry I can't offer you anything to eat. I have 'lickedthe platter clean,' you see. But won't you have some tea? I think I havecups enough to go round, only I'm afraid I haven't enough saucers."
"Thank you," began Elfreda, "but--" then a warning pinch from Miriamcaused her to eye the latter reproachfully and subside.
"We'd love to have tea with you," smiled Miriam. "Wouldn't we, girls?"
Elfreda, who had divined the reason for the pinch, said "yes" with theothers, and Ruth bustled about with pink cheeks and a delicious air ofimportance. She took down from the cupboard shelf a box of Nabiscos thatshe had been treasuring for some such occasion as the present, placingthem on a little hand-painted plate, the only piece of china shepossessed. When the tea was made the guests emptied the little tea-potand ate all of the Nabiscos, to the intense satisfaction of theirhostess, to whom entertaining was a new and delightful pastime.
"Now, you must put on your wraps and go with us," commanded Grace,setting her cup on the table. "We are going to Morton House to make ourparty call. The future president of 19---- lives there. That is, wethink she is the future president and we hope to make others think so,too."
Ruth obediently went to the closet where her plain little hat andshabby, old-style coat hung. She looked hesitatingly from the smartlytailored suits of her guests to her own well-worn coat, then with aproud little lifting of her head, she took it down and began putting iton.
During their walk to Morton House the girls met several freshmen theyknew, and these were faithfully interviewed as to their preference inthe matter of 19----'s president. To Grace's delight none of them hadmade any choice in regard to candidates, so her glowing remarks as toGertrude Wells's ability to make a good president fell on fertile soil.Fortune favored them, for when they reached Morton House they found MissWells out and two-thirds of the girls downstairs in the living roomlistening to the new songs that the curly-haired little girl at thepiano had received from New York the day before. She was in the middleof one when the girls entered the room. Grace held up a warning fingerand pointed to the piano.
The song ended several notes short and the little girl turned her headtoward her audience, saying, "I knew some one came in."
"Won't you sing for us?" asked Anne, who loved music. The little girl'svoice reminded her of Nora O'Malley's, and Nora's singing had alwaysbeen a source of delight to Anne.
"Not now," smiled the singer. "I wish to talk, but I'll sing for youlater."
"We came over this afternoon," said Grace to the girl sitting next toher, "to find out who Morton House wants for president. We would like tohave Miss Wells----"
Grace was interrupted by a little cry of delight. The girl sprang to herfeet and cried, "Hear! hear!" Then she took Grace by the shoulders andlaughingly commanded, "Arise, occupy the center of the room and tell thegirls what you have just told me."
Before she knew it Grace was standing in the middle of the room,earnestly advocating Gertrude Wells's cause, while the Morton Housegirls were making as much demonstration as was considered decorous onSunday. Grace concluded with, "I'm quite sure that every girl at MortonHouse will vote for Miss Wells and every freshman at Wayne Hall, too.Before class meeting next Friday I hope to be able to convince themajority of 19---- that they will make no mistake in voting for MissWells."
Grace sat down amid subdued applause, and every one began talking to herneighbor about the coming election. Ruth Denton listened to the gaychatter with shining eyes. She had forgotten all about her shabby suit.Presently the curly-haired little girl came over and sat down besideher, asking her if she liked college. Ruth looked admiringly at thelittle girl, whose dainty gown, silk stockings and smart pumps bespokeluxury, and answered earnestly that she liked it better every day. "Youmust come and see me," said the curly-haired little girl, whose name wasArline Thayer. "We recite Livy in the same section, so we have somethingin common to grumble about. Isn't the lesson for to-morrow terrific,though?"
"I haven't looked at it to-day," confessed Ruth happily. "I study hardon Sunday as a rule, but to-day is the first time, you see----" Ruthhesitated.
"I see," said Arline kindly. "Hereafter you mustn't study all day onSunday. You must come and take dinner with me next Sunday and stay allafternoon. Promise, now, that you'll come."
"Oh, thank you. I'd love to come," stammered Ruth. She could scarcelybelieve that this dainty little girl who wore such pretty clothes hadactually invited her to dinner at Morton House.
"Did you have a good time, Ruth?" asked Miriam, as they started for homelate that afternoon.
"Don't ask her," interposed Anne mischievously. "She forsook me andhob-nobbed openly all afternoon with that curly-haired girl, MissThayer. I am terribly jealous, and there is a deadly gleam in my eye."
"Please, don't think, Anne----" began Ruth nervously, lookingdistressed.
"I am past thinking," retorted Anne melodramatically. "The time foraction has come. I shall challenge my rival to a duel the first time Isee her. We will fight with----"
"Brooms," grinned Elfreda. "I once fought a duel down in our orchardwith my cousin Dick. Brooms were the chosen weapons. We certainly didgreat execution with them. They were new ones and the brushy part keptgetting in our way until we happened to think of cutting it off andfighting with the handles. After that things went more scientifically,until Dick hit me on the nose by mistake. I wailed and shrieked and hadthe nose bleed, and Ma whipped Dick and sent him home. That was aboutthe only duel I ever fought," concluded the stout girl reflectively,"but if there's the slightest possibility of either of you choosingbrooms for weapons, I'll give you the benefit of my experience bytraining you for the fray."
"Shall I take her at her word, Ruth?" laughed Anne.
"No, I'm not worth all that trouble," returned Ruth half shyly.
"We won't have time to escort you home, Ruth," remarked Grace, lookingat her watch. "We must leave you at this corner. Be a good child anddon't sit up all night to study. Come over Tuesday evening to dinner,and we'll all study together."
"Thank you, I will if I don't have too much mending on hand," repliedRuth. "Good-bye. I can't begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed beingwith you."
"Don't try," advised Elfreda laconically. "We've had just as much fun asyou have."
Miriam and Grace exchanged glances. Elfreda was making rapid stridesalong the road to fellowship.
"I like that girl," she announced as Ruth disappeared around the corner."She has lots of pluck. When we asked her to go out with us to-day shelooked at her old coat and hat, then at us. I could see that she wasashamed of them. But she wasn't ashamed for more than five seconds. Shestraightened up and looked as proud as a princess. I could see----"
"A great deal more than we did," finished Miriam. "I believe you haveeyes in the back of your head, Elfreda."
"I don't miss much," agreed Elfreda modestly. "I saw you and Grace lookat each other when I said we'd had just as much fun as Ruth," she addedslyly. "I know what you were both thinking, too. You were thinking thatI wasn't so selfish as when I came here. You needn't color so because Icaught you. I am selfish, but I'm beginning to find out, just the same,that there are other people in the world besides myself."