“RUSHING” ALINE FOR THE “BATS”
It was at rather a late hour that evening when Ann and Marta attacked
what Suzanne called “the everlasting lessons”. The Jolly Six had
gathered in to see the new headquarters, and even after study hours had
commenced, Suzanne or Eleanor would whisk around, to say something,
or to bring some little forgotten article. Lora Collier was arriving
late, and according to Suzanne, nobody in the suite could study for the
excitement. “The reputation of the family rests with you, as usual,”
teased Suzanne, a new Suzanne, it seemed, so happy, in spite of a few
twinges of conscience in regard to Madeline. Suzanne’s conscience was
waking up a little.
“Say, Ann, tell me honestly now,” said Marta, “wouldn’t you have
preferred to stay in the suite with Suzanne?”
“Who’s been talking to you, Marta Ward?” asked Ann in return.
“Suzanne and Eleanor made a few remarks that informed me of something
back of all this.”
“I may as well tell you the whole story now, then,” said Ann, “and
first of all, let me say that while I liked being with Eleanor and
Aline, as long as you were with me, and while I like Suzanne, I should
have been much troubled _about_ you, had Miss Tudor arranged it that
way, and homesick _for_ you, Marta Ward.”
With this introduction, Arm told Marta all that had happened, from
Suzanne’s first coming to her about Eleanor’s leaving the suite, to
the events of the evening. “And I believe that we are the best off of
all, Marta,” she concluded. “Isn’t this restful and fine? Why, we can
each have a bedroom if we want to,--and all this closet room! The girls
don’t think that we’ll have anybody put in with us at all, though you
will want some one after I go to Florida, as I suppose I shall. Perhaps
you could change then, and room with Lora in Suzanne’s place.”
“Time enough to think of that later. I’m glad that everybody is so
happy. It is too bad about Madeline, though.”
“She likes Genevieve. They are really more congenial, and you’ll see
her getting over this,--if for no other reason than that Suzanne is
sister to a very handsome brother.”
“Why, Ann!”
“That is rather terrible for me to say, isn’t it? But ‘mark my
words’,--and it will make Suzanne feel better. Trust Miss Tudor, too,
to do something to fix Genevieve and Madeline. For all Madeline said
what she did to me, she wasn’t the least bit cast down.”
“We are going to have a lot of company here, Ann.”
“Indeed we are. We’ll have to _plan_, to get all our lessons in,
because of the rushing, and we’ll begin with Aline!”
“_Aline?_ You haven’t suddenly taken leave of your senses, have you, my
dear room-mate?”
“Not yet, Marta. Aline’s mother was a Beta Alpha Tau. Her mother died
not so very long ago, it seems, and Aline won’t hear to going into
the Sig-Eps. Naturally, she hasn’t offered herself to the Bats, and I
wondered why in the world the Sig-Eps hadn’t initiated her long ago.
Eleanor herself told me!”
At that astonishing statement, Marta almost gasped. “It behooves us to
get right at it, then,” she said, “and we must find out about the other
new girls right away. There was a fine looking girl at dinner with
Genevieve. She was rather over-dressed, but looked like a girl of some
force, and Genevieve was being too nice to her for words.”
Ann nodded assent “I saw her,” she said. “But we’ll get in touch with
the senior girls tomorrow and ask what they know and what they want us
to do. I know that they will want Aline, as much as if we had had a
meeting.”
“By the way, did you hear Katherine tell me that a meeting is called
for tomorrow afternoon, right after lessons, after last hour, and that
meanwhile we are to find out all we can about the new girls. We can’t
take many in this year, you know, because our number is so nearly
filled.”
“But we must not miss any especially fine girls,” said Ann. “The others
will be just as anxious as we are, so we must arrange to meet them.”
“What do you think about our numbers?”
“It always seems to me, Marta, that a sorority that has a comparatively
large number of members in the chapter stands a chance of not being
so ‘exclusive’, which is the main criticism, Mother says, upon the
sororities. However, let the authorities concern themselves about it.
As long as they have ’em, and especially one as ‘chawming’ as the Bats,
and I belong to it, I’m not worrying. At the same time, I can’t think
it all there is of school life, like some of the girls, can you, Marta?”
“I should say not! But it is lots of fun. Hurrah for the Beta Alpha
Taus!”
* * * * *
On the following afternoon, a group of merry girls were arranging
themselves upon the hillside for a meeting. Some had brought cushions.
Others found convenient stone or rock; and still others sat down upon
the green hill itself, with its grass, weeds and vines.
“Look out there, Kit,” warned Lucile Early. “There is some poison ivy
near that bush.”
“It never poisons me,” replied Katherine Neville, pulling aside some
sticks from the place she had chosen.
“Where is poison ivy?” asked Ethel Johns, jumping up. “It poisons me
all right. That summer I went to camp I spent two weeks in the little
hospital room from being poisoned by it.”
Lucile moved over to the other side of what was forming itself into a
circle and sat down by Dorothy Horton. The Jolly Six was out in force,
for here came the other two members, Ann Sterling and Marta Ward. “Ho
there, Dots,” laughed Ann, “may I sit down by you?”
“Come right along,” Dorothy invited, and Ann threw a cushion down,
then dropped upon it, leaning over to engage in a low conversation
with Dorothy. There were many secrets in the air now. Exchange of
experiences or of facts was going on around the circle. The senior
girls carried the greatest responsibility. The junior girls came next,
in dignities and consultation; then, the new sophomores, eager to help
with the important activities on hand. It was wonderful not to be a
freshman any longer. A whole year of experience made a Forest Hill girl
something more than a mere initiate. Her feet were founded upon the
rock of residence, familiarity and enthusiasm. It was her school home,
beloved, dearest of colleges!
Ann had no thought of any trouble in persuading the girls that Aline
would make a desirable member. The only contingency that might arise
was one of numbers, in case the older girls had those in the upper
classes whom they wanted to add to the sorority.
Sorority meetings and sorority affairs are shrouded in much secrecy.
One would scarcely dare describe one of the official meetings, so to
speak. And as for those prescribing the duties of faithful members
or the rites of initiation, what dire consequences might follow one
shudders to consider! But this meeting was an ordinary, informal
gathering, designed only to consider ways and means in the important
provision for handing the Beta Alpha Taus down to future ages.
There were several preliminary interruptions, due to the difficulty of
getting settled. “All ready, Alice?” asked the secretary, who had come
without any paper and had just secured an old envelope from the sweater
pocket of a friend. From another she borrowed a short pencil.
“You’re a great secretary, Jean,” remarked the one who surrendered the
pencil. “I suppose that I’ll never see that again, either.” This was
said laughingly, with no intent to wound.
“I hadn’t a minute to get ready. Alice called me and told me to come
right over, that we would be late. Yes, perhaps I _can_ remember to
hand back your precious pencil. You must have had it last year, I
think, and when was it sharpened last?”
“I found it, in the table drawer of my new suite,” laughed the lender.
“Ow,--girls!” A girl on the opposite side of the circle jumped up with
what Virgil would have termed a feminine shriek. “Look out! There he
goes!”
Half the girls were on their feet by this time, but Ann and Dots, who
had seen the dire monster glide in a different direction from their
position, sat laughing.
“What on earth!”
“What is it!”
“I nearly sat _down_ on it!”
“A garter snake, girls,” announced Alice, who was Alice Mann, the
present head of the “Bats”. “Hurry up, please, and get in order. We
haven’t much time before dinner. Come to order at once, please.” Alice
was clapping her hands; and several other girls, who were quietly
sitting and ready, softly seconded her clapping. In a moment all was
quiet, though several girls still nervously looked about them, to make
sure that none of the hated species was near.
“We shall come right to the point, and I want to hear from those who
have names to propose for our consideration. We shall not elect, I
suppose. Then I want to know how we shall arrange for our first
informal banquet and whom we shall invite. We’ll have to do what we are
going to do right away, if we get our bids in first with several, who
know nothing about our sororities and will go with the jolliest or most
attentive crowd.”
“Madam President.”
“Miss Price.”
“I propose that inasmuch as we took in a larger number of freshmen than
usual last year, we bring in a number of upper classmen, some juniors
and seniors that made good last year and did not enter a sorority, and
also look up a few juniors that have just come in. Then, of course,
we’d better add a few freshmen. We have enough in the present sophomore
class.”
Ann looked at Dorothy in dismay. “We’ll vote against that,” she
whispered. “What’s the _matter_ with her?”
“Have you a list of girls that you think eligible?” asked Alice Mann.
“Yes; shall I read it?”
“If you please.”
“That is all set up,” whispered Dorothy, “but I suppose they had to
have some idea.”
The girls listened while the list was read, and when it was finished
its reader sat down, several girls were on their feet at once. The
president recognized one of them.
“Madam President, is there a motion before the house?”
“Miss Price, did you offer that list or your suggestion as a motion?”
“Yes,--if you want one to start on.”
“Very well, Miss Price moves that we elect from the juniors, seniors
and freshmen,--is that right?”
“Madam President,----”
“In a moment. Is there a second to that motion?”
“I second it.”
“Very well. The motion has been moved and seconded that we elect from
the seniors, juniors and freshmen. Any remark? Now, girls a motion
is before the house and I suppose that you can talk about it all you
please.”
The girls who had first risen were still standing and were recognized
in turn.
“Madam President, I suppose that it is not necessary to talk about
the motion, is it? In Congress they talk about everything on earth
sometimes, so my father says.”
Alice laughed a little. “If you follow the example of Congress, I’m
afraid we’ll not get anywhere this afternoon. It is not necessary to be
too formal anyhow. Get to work!”
Katherine was standing now. “Madam President, as a sophomore, I do not
like to have my class discriminated against. Suppose that we fail to
pass that motion and substitute one that merely suggests the offering
of suitable names from any class. We can use our judgment afterwards in
selection.”
A little further discussion followed. Then the president put the
“crazy” motion--this was Dots’ term for it,--and it was lost. Katherine
was permitted to put a different motion. The list was read again. One
or two other girls presented additional names and then Ann was on her
feet.
“As one of the sophomore members I feel a little timid about presenting
names, particularly since it has been suggested that we have enough
sophomores. I acknowledge, too, that we have; but there is one fine
girl that I am sure none of you know, or knew last year, would be
eligible. The Sig-Eps have done their best to get her,--of that I was
told by a loyal Sig-Ep--but this girl’s mother was a Bat, which we did
not know, though I suppose it is in the records.”
The girls were listening intently. Who could it be that had been rushed
by the Sig-Eps and wouldn’t join?
Ann avoided telling the name a little longer. “It isn’t so very long
since her mother died and that makes her all the more ready to join
her mother’s society, I think. Now, Madam President, do you think that
you could consider her name if I should give it? Indeed I am ready to
propose her at once, for she is gifted in several different ways and a
lovely girl that everybody likes, so far as I know.”
“Who is it, Ann? Who is it?” came from several sources, sophomore as
well; for in the rush of events, Ann had not had time to talk privately
with any of the Jolly Six or her other friends.
“I am sure that we are all anxious, Miss Sterling, to know who the girl
is,” said Alice, again clapping her hands for order.
“I haven’t even had time to talk it over with anybody except my
room-mate since I found out. This girl, too, has made no effort, I
assure you, to let it be known that she favors the Bats. I understood
that her room-mate found it out accidentally. She is Aline Robson.”
“Aline!”
“Why, I supposed that she was already a Sig!”
“Let’s not miss Aline,--it will make a sensation all right!”
“Let’s have her in right away and give her a big initiation to impress
the natives!”
“What is your pleasure, ladies?” laughed Alice, who was as surprised as
any one. Aline, small, reserved, but gifted and industrious, had made
an impression upon her schoolmates in the one year that she had been
with them. “Miss Price,” Alice continued, recognizing that young woman,
one of the seniors.
“I want to withdraw what I said about our having enough sophomores.
Honestly, girls, I believe that it will make a stir and a good
impression for us if we get Aline in instanter. Madam President,
I move that we waive all rules and put it through now, sending Ann
Sterling to present Aline with our invitation and bid to the greatest
sorority in Forest Hill college!”
“Hear, hear!”
There was no objection and presently the deed was done. Ann was to see
Aline at the close of the meeting. But there were other interesting
matters. The girls began to talk about other desirable members.
“This girl, fellow Bats,” said one of the juniors, “comes from another
school, with all kinds of honors, for one thing; and while I do not
like to speak of such a mundane matter, she also has plenty of money,
which would help like everything in getting our new cottage that has
recently been suggested.”
“Fie, fie,” jokingly said Dots.
“Well, I know the Bats are not a ‘society’ crowd, but we are not blind
to the fact that if those who are fine girls anyhow are able to help us
out financially, it is no drawback. I’m one of the practical sort!”
“The ‘root of all evil’, Jane!”
“You have it wrong,--it’s the _love_ of money that’s the ‘root of all
evil’!”
So it went. One girl was good and interesting, but would not “fit in”
with the rest. Another pleased everybody. A committee was appointed to
find out more about these girls and others before a second meeting to
be held that evening after dinner. “It is too soon, girls,” said one
distressed member of the committee. “It’s nearly dinner time now!”
“Very well,” said the president of the meeting. “Come around to our
suite when the bell rings for the close of study hours,--and come ‘tout
de suite’, too.”
“Listen to Alice’s French, and punning, too!”
“Wait a minute, Ann,” called Alice, as Ann, happy in the thought of
Aline, was about to leave, with Katherine and Lucile, it happened.
Ann waited for Alice, who put her arm over Ann’s shoulder as they
walked toward the buildings. “You know, don’t you, Ann, that it is best
not to be too precipitate in a thing of this sort?”
Ann looked inquiringly at Alice. “You mean not to take it for granted
that Aline is ready to fall into our arms at once?”
“Yes. The girls, of course, will not do or say one thing till they get
the report from you.”
“I have been wondering how to manage it,” said Ann. “I know Aline
pretty well by this time, especially since we came very near to being
suite-mates. Still, the Bats haven’t paid her any particular attention
since the first of last year.”
“We did then, didn’t we? That makes it a little better.”
“Yes, but then we thought that it was not best to bid her,--she was so
surrounded with the Sig-Eps and so intimate with Eleanor, though they
didn’t room together. Of course I did not know about it then, but I
heard Katherine and Dots talk about it.”
Alice walked along without saying anything further for a few moments.
“How would it do, Ann, if after dinner we get hold of Aline, some of
our crowd, maybe go outdoors, or bring her around to our suite, as it
happens; and then when you go back to your building, I will stroll
along with you and perhaps say something about our having found out
that she had not joined the Sig-Eps, and being glad of it, or something
like that--you never can tell what is best to say until the times
comes.”
“That is one reason why you are at the head of the Betas, Alice,” said
Ann. “You always _do_ know just the nice thing to say!”
“Thanks, Ann. You are a loyal Beta Alpha Tau. I’m certainly glad that
we got you in! Well, now, after what I am going to say has been said,
and of course Aline will know anyhow, having been here a year, what we
Bats are after,--then the way will be paved for you to have a serious
little talk with her. Just tell her the facts, Ann, for they are
certainly complimentary, the interest the girls took and how they want
her. But I want a lot of our girls to meet her beforehand, anyhow, for
the ‘psychological effect’.”
“I’m so glad, Alice, that you thought of this, because while we do
want to hurry it up, it ought to be done in the right way. Goodbye.
I’ll tag on to Aline and tell her that I want to see her about
something, if I can’t get her away from her crowd in any other way.”
“Very well, Ann, goodbye till after dinner! The rushing season for
Aline will be short I hope.”
“Yes; and I’m so glad that you think we’ll have a special feast to
celebrate her coming in,--if she does, and I’m pretty sure of it, on
account of her mother you know.”
Ann ran happily over to her suite, to hug Marta in the excess of her
emotions, and to tell her about the plan of attack.