E-text prepared by Sigal Alon, Verity White, and the Project Gutenberg
Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/)
Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
file which includes the original illustrations.
See 17988-h.htm or 17988-h.zip:
(https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/9/8/17988/17988-h/17988-h.htm)
or
(https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/9/8/17988/17988-h.zip)
GRACE HARLOWE'S FIRST YEAR AT OVERTON COLLEGE
by
JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
Author of The Grace Harlowe High School Girls Series, Grace
Harlowe's Second Year at Overton College, Grace Harlowe's
Third Year at Overton College, Grace Harlowe's
Fourth Year at Overton College.
[Illustration: J. Elfreda Had Evidently Found Friends.
_Frontispiece_.]
Philadelphia
Henry Altemus Company
Copyright, 1914, by Howard E. Altemus
CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. Off To College 7
II. J. Elfreda Introduces Herself 15
III. First Impressions 29
IV. Miriam's Unwelcome Surprise 44
V. An Interrupted Study Hour 55
VI. A Disturbing Note 62
VII. Grace Takes Matters Into Her Own Hands 72
VIII. The Sophomore Reception 84
IX. Disagreeable News 95
X. The Making of The Team 102
XI. Anne Wins a Victory 109
XII. Ups and Downs 118
XIII. Grace Turns Electioneer 125
XIV. An Invitation and a Misunderstanding 132
XV. Greeting Old Friends 142
XVI. Thanksgiving with the Southards 150
XVII. Christmas Plans 161
XVIII. Basketball Rumors 171
XIX. A Game Worth Seeing 181
XX. Grace Overhears Something Interesting 190
XXI. An Unheeded Warning 206
XXII. Turning the Tables 214
XXIII. Virginia Changes Her Mind 227
XXIV. Good-bye to their Freshman Year 239
Grace Harlowe's First Year
at Overton College
CHAPTER I
OFF TO COLLEGE
"Do you remember what you said one October day last year, Grace, when we
stood on this platform and said good-bye to the boys?" asked Anne
Pierson.
"No, what did I say?" asked Grace Harlowe, turning to her friend Anne.
"You said," returned Anne, "that when it came your turn to go to college
you were going to slip away quietly without saying good-bye to any one
but your mother, and here you are with almost half Oakdale at the train
to see you off to college."
"Now, Anne, you know perfectly well that people are down here to see you
and Miriam, too," laughed Grace. "I'm not half as much of a celebrity as
you are."
Grace Harlowe, Miriam Nesbit and Anne Pierson stood on the station
platform completely surrounded by their many friends, who, regardless
of the fact that it was half-past seven o'clock in the morning, had made
it a point to be at the station to wish them godspeed.
"This is the second public gathering this week," remarked Miriam Nesbit,
who, despite the chatter that was going on around her, had heard Grace's
laughing remark.
"I know it," agreed Grace. "There was just as large a crowd here when
Nora and Jessica went away last Monday. Doesn't it seem dreadful that we
are obliged to be separated? How I hated to see the girls go. And we
won't be together again until Christmas."
"Oh, here come the boys!" announced Eva Allen, who, with Marian Barber,
had been standing a little to one side of the three girls.
At this juncture four smiling young men hurried through the crowd of
young people and straight to the circle surrounding the three girls,
where they were received with cries of: "We were afraid you'd be too
late!" and, "Why didn't you get here earlier?"
"We're awfully sorry!" exclaimed David Nesbit. "We had to wait for
Hippy. He overslept as usual. We threw as much as a shovelful of
gravel against his window, but he never stirred. Finally we had to waken
his family and it took all of them to waken him."
"Don't you believe what David Nesbit says," retorted Hippy. "Do you
suppose I slept a wink last night knowing that the friends of my youth
were about to leave me?" Hippy sniffed dolefully and buried his face in
his handkerchief.
"Now, now, Hippy," protested Miriam. "If you insist on shedding
crocodile tears, although I don't believe you could be sad long enough
to shed even that kind, we shall feel that you are glad to get rid of
us."
"Never!" ejaculated Hippy fervently. "Oh, if I only had Irish Nora here
to stand up for me! She wouldn't allow any one, except herself, to speak
harsh and cruel words to me."
"We shan't be able to speak many more words of any kind to you," said
Miriam, consulting her watch. "The train is due in ten minutes."
When Grace Harlowe and her three dear friends, Nora O'Malley, Jessica
Bright and Anne Pierson, began to make history for themselves in their
freshman year at Oakdale High School, none of them could possibly
imagine just how dear they were to become to the hearts of the hundreds
of girls who made their acquaintance in "Grace Harlowe's Plebe Year
at High School." The story of their freshman year was one of
manifold trials and triumphs. It was at the beginning of that year that
Grace Harlowe had championed the cause of Anne Pierson, a newcomer in
Oakdale. Then and there a friendship sprang up between the two girls
that was destined to be life long. The repeated efforts of several
malicious girls to discredit Anne in the eyes of her teachers, and her
final triumph in winning the freshman prize offered to the class by Mrs.
Gray, a wealthy resident of Oakdale, made the narrative one of interest
and aroused a desire on the part of the reader to know more of Grace
Harlowe and her friends.
In "Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School" the girl
chums appeared as basketball enthusiasts. In this volume was related the
efforts of Julia Crosby, a disagreeable junior, and Miriam Nesbit, a
disgruntled sophomore, to disgrace Anne and wrest the basketball
captaincy from Grace. Through the magnanimity of Grace Harlowe, Miriam
and Julia were brought to a realization of their own faults, and in time
became the faithful friends of both Anne and Grace.
During "Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School" the famous
sorority, the Phi Sigma Tau, was organized by the four chums for the
purpose of looking after high school girls who stood in need of
assistance. In that volume Eleanor Savelli, the self-willed daughter of
an Italian violin virtuoso, made her appearance. The difficulties Grace
and her chums encountered in trying to befriend Eleanor and her final
contemptuous repudiation of their friendship made absorbing reading for
those interested in following the fortunes of the Oakdale High School
girls.
Their senior year was perhaps the most eventful of all. At the very
beginning of the fall term the high school gymnasium was destroyed by
fire. Failing to secure an appropriation from either the town or state,
the four classes of the girls' high school pledged themselves to raise
the amount of money required to rebuild the gymnasium. In "Grace
Harlowe's Senior Year at High School" the story of the senior class
bazaar, the daring theft of their hard-earned money before the bazaar
had closed, and Grace Harlowe's final recovery of the stolen money under
the strangest of circumstances, furnished material for a narrative of
particular interest. After graduation the four chums, accompanied by
their nearest and dearest friends, had spent a long and delightful
summer in Europe. On returning to Oakdale the real parting of the ways
had come, for Nora and Jessica had already departed for an eastern city
to enter a well known conservatory of music. Marian Barber and Eva Allen
were to enter Smith College the following week, Eleanor Savelli had
long since sailed for Italy, and now the morning train was to bear
Miriam Nesbit, Grace Harlowe and Anne Pierson to Overton, an eastern
college finally decided upon by the three girls.
"Last year we left you on the station platform gazing mournfully after
the train that bore _me_ away from Oakdale," remarked Hippy
reminiscently. "How embarrassed I felt at so much attention, and yet how
sweet it was to know that you had gathered here, not to see David
Nesbit, Reddy Brooks, Tom Gray or any such insignificant persons off to
school, but that I, Theophilus Hippopotamus Wingate, was the object of
your tender solicitations."
"I expected it," groaned David. "I don't see why we ever woke him up and
dragged him along."
"As I was about to say when rudely interrupted," continued Hippy calmly,
"I shall miss you, of course, but not half so much as you will miss me.
I hope you will think of me, and you may write to me occasionally if it
will be a satisfaction to you. I know you will not forget me. Who,
having once met me, could forget?"
Hippy folded his arms across his chest and looked languishingly at the
three girls.
A chorus of giggles from those grouped around the girls and derisive
groans from the boys greeted Hippy's sentimental speech.
Suddenly a long, shrill whistle was heard.
"That's your train, girls," said Mr. Harlowe, who with Mrs. Harlowe,
Mrs. Nesbit and Mary Pierson had drawn a little to one side while their
dear ones said their last farewells to their four boy friends. The
circle about the three girls closed in. The air resounded with
good-byes. The last kisses and handshakes were exchanged. Reckless
promises to send letters and postcards were made. Then, still
surrounded, Grace, Miriam and Anne made their way to the car steps and
into the train. Grace clung first to her mother then to her father. "How
can I do without you?" she said over and over again. Tears stood in her
gray eyes. She winked them back bravely. "I'm going to show both of you
just how much I appreciate going to college by doing my very best," she
whispered. Her father patted her reassuringly on the shoulder while her
mother gave her a last loving kiss.
"I know you will, dear child," she said affectionately. "Remember,
Grace," added her father, a suspicious mist in his own eyes, "you are
not to rush headlong into things. You are to do a great deal of looking
before you even make up your mind to leap."
"I'll remember, Father. Truly I will," responded Grace, her face
sobering.
"All aboard! All aboard!" shouted the conductor. Those who had entered
the train to say farewell left it hurriedly.
"Good-bye! Good-bye!" cried Grace, leaning out the car window.
From the platform as the train moved off, clear on the air, rose the
Oakdale High School yell.
"It's in honor of us," said Grace softly. "Dear old Oakdale. I wonder if
we can ever like college as well as we have high school."