DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HOLLY
"What's the matter with Mimi?" Madge asked Sue. "Everytime any one
mentions Christmas she flounces out of the room."
"I hadn't noticed but I can guess. It's the first Christmas she was
ever away from her folks and that must be it. She has the grandest
family. I'll miss them, too. The Hammond's always have open house all
through the holidays and our crowd almost lives over there."
"I'm glad I asked you. I was beginning to think it was I. I am queer
but I can't help it. I couldn't bear it if Mimi stopped liking me."
"Don't be silly. Mimi likes everybody. She doesn't think you are queer.
I don't either. I've heard her say you were a very interesting girl. So
there."
"Have you really, Sue? Cross your heart?"
"Yeh."
"Thanks. Thanks too much. I like Mimi better than any girl in school. I
always have and since she turned down those bids to join the clubs,
I've adored her. Gee! That took nerve. But you won't tell her, will
you, Sue?"
"No, I cross my heart again."
"Thanks."
Sue forgot Madge's sensitiveness right away. She had other things to
consider in regard to Mimi. Why hadn't she thought sooner that Mimi had
nowhere to go Christmas? Gee! It would be terrible if she had to stay
here with everyone else home. Sue would write home for permission to
invite Mimi to her house. No. That would take too long. Mimi was
already dreading Christmas. Sue knew that every other year Mimi had
considered Christmas the wish-come-true time of times. She'd ask her
now and then write home. Sometimes she had to do things backwards. Her
daddy called it taking the bull by the horns.
"A--D--F A--B--F!" Sue thrilled as she walked faster and faster toward
the gym. She was trying so hard to memorize Souvenir for the Christmas
recital but she couldn't practice until she settled Mimi's Christmas
arrangements.
"E-e-e-prettee!" She shrieked the old camp call from the balcony of the
gym.
Mimi let the ball fly sidewise as she looked up.
"Hey! Aw Sue, you made me miss."
"Sorry. Getting good?"
"Am I? Seven fouls out of ten. Not bad?"
"Regular dead eye!"
"What brings you here fiddle in hand? Are you going to play a balcony
scene?"
"No. I came to invite you to spend Christmas with me."
Bowling Green--Cissy, King, Von, Miss Jane and Dick, Dottie, Margie,
Jean, Honky--heaven! As near perfect a Christmas as could be without
precious, precious Mother Dear and Junior so far, so very far away. The
distance had been widening daily ever since Mimi had mailed their
presents to Germany. She had wrapped her packages quietly and mailed
them without telling, but she had known they were gone, known how
lonely Christmas would be and Sue had guessed. Dear roly-poly Sue who
was never lonesome herself.
Mimi blinked and gasped.
"Sue, do you really?"
"No savvy Englesh?"
"Why, Sue! I'd love to, only, do you think it will be all right with
your Mother?"
"You don't think I'd ask you if it wasn't, do you? Why--" Sue had to be
convincing now. "Mother is writing Mrs. Cole--and Dr. Barnes both so
that there can be no question about your permission!" Sue stopped
triumphantly. When Mrs. Cole's and Dr. Barnes' names were mentioned,
all was said that could be said.
"Providing the permission comes through, I accept. Yes, a thousand
times yes."
"Good! See you at supper."
Mimi watched Sue disappear. Sweet Sue. She put the basket ball back in
the locker, without putting her sweater on, she jogged across the short
cut from the back door of the gym to Prep Hall ell.
So much to do! She hadn't been studying as much as she should of late.
The lessons and notebooks had been piling up to be worked on during
Christmas while her suite mates were gone. Now that she was going to
celebrate too, she would have to make things fly. As soon as she
changed clothes, she'd go to the library and get _Greene's Source Book_
and catch up on her outside reading in history. At study hall tonight
she'd make every minute count. She would not look at the clock a single
time, or get permission to speak to a soul, or to sharpen her pencil or
to fill her pen unless it was an emergency. After study hall she would
mend her hose, straighten her trunk, the dresser's drawers and if there
was time before light bell, she'd check up on her allowance and see if
she could squeeze out a new pair of gloves. While she was home she
could get several things. Daddy had oked a charge account for her and
had told her she could order things but so far she hadn't used it. She
was trying to spend as little as possible because Daddy's expenses must
be terrific. She knew he had not planned on spending so much on her
until she was college age.
Plans were racing through her head.
"I'm going to Bowling Green, I'm going to Bowling Green." Her mind
played an accompaniment to her marching feet. Thinking was so
thrilling, before she realized it, those marching feet were detouring
by Sue's practice room instead of keeping the straight trail to the
library. She'd only stay a minute. She'd have to rave a while and calm
down or she could never sit still in the library with the source book.
Opening the big door to the practice rooms was like opening the door of
a menagerie at feeding time. Standing in the hall from which the cell
like rooms opened, Mimi's ears were assailed by squeaks, grunts, and
ferociously thundering bass notes. Mimi bumped into the proctor who was
looking through the glass windows in the doors to check and be sure
that the music students were keeping their regular practice times
and--that no one was playing jazz. She scowled at Mimi.
"Could I speak to Sue a second?"
"If you'll hurry and leave before I do. I am not supposed to leave any
one here without special permission."
Mimi ducked in Sue's cell. The watchful eye of the proctor cramped
Mimi's style but she got in a few hurried expostulations. Who could say
much with the feeling that some one was holding a stop watch over them?
"Put your sweater on," motherly little Sue called after her.
"Thanks a lot," Mimi said as she brushed past the proctor on the way
out. Some hopeful soprano was singing, "Who Is Sylvia?"
"Not Sylvia. Who is Chloe?" As if she didn't have enough on her mind
without being haunted by that.
Mimi had no sooner stored away the mystery about Chloe, the happy
holidays ahead, and determinedly buried herself in the source book when
some one stepped up behind her and covered her eyes with two cold
hands. She started to cry out, then remembered where she was. Placards
with "SILENCE" were in plain sight all around in case one was prone to
forget. Silently she removed the fingers and twisted around. It was
Chloe; her glowing dark eyes lighted up her whole beautiful face. Mimi
had never seen her so radiant.
"Meet me outside--quick," she whispered.
Goodbye history reading. Mimi's insatiable curiosity had the best of
her. She followed Chloe out as quickly as she could return the book to
the desk.
"Guess what?" Chloe exclaimed when they were safely out of the quiet
zone.
Mimi could only think of one thing. Chloe had a clue to her identity.
"You have found out--?" She didn't know how to say what she was hoping.
"Not that," Chloe replied quickly sobering up. "But maybe while we're
there we can find out--"
"While we're where?"
"At Aunt Marcia's! I just received a letter and she says I may bring
someone home for the holidays and, of course, I want you, Mimi. I'm
asking you first."
What could Mimi do? As much as she would love to go to Sue's she would
miss all that fun for the chance to ferret out more about Chloe. She
wanted to meet Aunt Marcia. She and Chloe would have a good time, too.
"That's mighty nice of you, Chloe."
As Mimi fumbled for words she could see Chloe's feathers fall.
"It isn't that I don't want to. Please don't think that--but I've
accepted Sue's invitation, but maybe----"
"Oh, it's quite all right." Chloe's chin went up. "I understand
perfectly."
As they walked too silently toward Tumble Inn, Mimi was sure she
didn't. However what happened next did help. Betsy was rushing to meet
them.
"Mimi, I've looked high and low for you. Where have you been?"
"The library."
"No!"
"Yes, I have. Study has caught up with me. Before holidays begin I am
going to know more than--"
"Holidays? That's what I want to see you about. Mother says I may bring
you home for the holidays. Of course, you'll come?"
"Home-for-the-holidays." Mimi repeated slowly. "What is this a frame up
or a song?"
"A what?"
"It is funny," Chloe was smiling now. "You see, Betsy, Sue asked her,
you ask her, I ask her! Whew! Is she popular?"
"Please--" Mimi was embarrassed. "You are all honeys to want me. I
still think you're kidding!"
"We are not," said Sue having arrived in time to hear the last of the
discussion. "We want you. But remember, you've promised _me_."
"What we should have," Mimi said suddenly inspired, "is a house party!
Then we could all be together. A progressive house party. Oh, if Mother
Dear were only home!"
For several days the girls buzzed with ideas about a house party but as
Mimi disgustedly phrased it they, "got no where fast." However, Sue's
mother, as Mothers often do these days, had followed Sue's instructions
to the letter.
After calling Mimi on the carpet, not the magic carpet by any chance,
and impressing upon her what a trying position the school would be in
if anything should happen to her, Mimi received permission.
Now on the day before departure she was stacking out her things to pack.
"Sue, I can hardly contain myself."
Mimi went into a rhapsody ending in a clog. She poised breathless,
hands on hips, head to one side, face flushed.
"I'm as thrilled as I was when we packed for camp. Far as I am
concerned they might as well not meet classes today. All I want to do
is 'Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa, la, la, la, la; la, la,
la, la'."
"Why are you holding your head, Mimi?" Chloe asked tumbling in from the
hall over Sue's bag.
"I'm kind of dizzy," Mimi replied sitting down on the side of the bed.
"I'll be all right in a minute."
She wasn't. When she came up to her room after lunch she was aching and
shivering. Soda! That was what she needed, soda water--That would cure
anything.
Ca-chew! Yes, if this was a cold soda was the very thing. She'd go
right down to the kitchen now and get some. If she went to the
infirmary--Well, no use taking a chance. But she was all right. She had
to be--Ca-chew! She remembered her last trip for soda and felt her face
burning. Betsy and Madge and the alarm. Betsy still did not know why
Madge failed. That was the only secret she had from Betsy now. Ca-chew!
She sneezed once too often. Mrs. Cole passing and hearing poked her
head in.
"Who is that sneezing? Here let me feel your head. Child, you have
fever. Come with me."
Too amazed to resist, and aching and feeling much worse than she cared
to admit, Mimi allowed Mrs. Cole to lead her to the Infirmary Wing.
Nurse took one good look.
"Flu," she said. "If we don't have some freezing weather soon, there
will be an epidemic. Quarantine, for you, young lady."
"I can't come up here. I'm leaving tomorrow." Mimi protested. "I'm all
right, really I am, Nurse."
"Fever one hundred and one-half; eyes red, nose dripping."
"Sue's mother will fix--Ca-chew!--me up--"
"Mrs. Cole have her roommate bring up her robe and pajamas and toilette
articles. Mimi is staying with me."
As Nurse tucked her in and put an ice bag on her hot head, Mimi raised
to her elbows.
"What now?"
"The singing," Mimi said smiling sadly. "Hear."
Into the open window floated the strains of "Noel, Noel." The Glee Club
was practicing but the glad tidings sounded very faint and far away to
Mimi. For once in her life Christmas would come too soon.