Produced by David Newman, Sigal Alon, Mary Meehan and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Grace Harlowe's Fourth Year at Overton College
By JESSIE GRAHAM FLOWER, A. M.
Author of The Grace Harlowe High School Girls Series, Grace Harlowe's
First Year at Overton College, Grace Harlowe's Second Year at Overton
College, Grace Harlowe's Third Year at Overton College.
PHILADELPHIA
HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY
Copyright, 1914
[Illustration: Grace Paused in the Doorway.]
CONTENTS
I. A Semper Fidelis Luncheon
II. The Last Freshman
III. An Accident and a Surprise
IV. Patience Promises to Stand By
V. A Declaration of War
VI. A Face to Face Talk
VII. When Friends Fall Out
VIII. A Leaf from the Past
IX. A Thanksgiving Invitation
X. Kathleen's Promise
XI. Kathleen's Great Story
XII. Treachery
XIII. The Invitation
XIV. A Congenial Sextette
XV. A Firelight Council
XVI. Elfreda Shows Grace the Way
XVII. What the Seniors Thought of the Plan
XVIII. The Fairy Godmother's Visit
XIX. What Patience Overheard
XX. The Mysterious "Peter Rabbit"
XXI. Who Will Win the Honor Pin?
XXII. Kathleen's Great Moment
XXIII. Grace Finds Her Work
XXIV. Conclusion
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Grace Paused in the Doorway.
Grace Stepped Behind a Tree.
They Clustered About the Fireplace.
The Four Friends Were Strolling Across the Campus.
Grace Harlowe's Fourth Year at Overton College
CHAPTER I
A SEMPER FIDELIS LUNCHEON
"The skies must smile and the sun must shine
When Semper Fidelis goes out to dine,"
sang Arline Thayer joyously as she rearranged her sofa pillows for the
eighth time, patting each one energetically before placing it, then
stepping back to view the effect. "Aren't you glad every one's here, and
things have begun to happen again, Ruth?" she asked blithely. "I hope no
one disappoints us. I wish this room were larger. Still, it held
eighteen girls one night last year. Don't you remember my Hallowe'en
party, and what a time we had squeezing in here?"
"It is so good in Mrs. Kane to let us have the dining room with Mary to
serve the oysters," said Ruth. "We never could do things properly up
here."
"I know it. Oysters are such slippery old things, even on the half
shell," returned Arline, who was not specially fond of them. "Let me
see. The girls will be here at four o'clock. We are to have oysters,
soup, a meat course, salad and dessert. That makes five different
courses in five different houses. It will be eight o'clock before we
reach the dessert. I am glad that is to be served in Grace's room. We
always have a good time at Wayne Hall."
To the readers of "Grace Harlowe's First Year at Overton
College," "Grace Harlowe's Second Year at Overton College"
and "Grace Harlowe's Third Year at Overton College," Grace
Harlowe and her various intimate associates have become familiar
figures. Those who made her acquaintance, together with that of her
three friends, Nora O'Malley, Jessica Bright and Anne Pierson, during
her high school days will recall with pleasure the many eventful
happenings of these four happy years as set forth in "Grace
Harlowe's Plebe Year at High School," "Grace Harlowe's
Sophomore Year at High School," "Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at
High School" and "Grace Harlowe's Senior Year at High
School."
The September following the graduation of the four friends from high
school had seen their paths diverge widely, for Nora and Jessica had
entered an eastern conservatory of music, while Anne and Grace, after
due deliberation, had decided upon Overton College. Miriam Nesbit, of
Oakdale fame, had entered college with them, and the trio of friends had
spent three eventful years at Overton.
"It is time we gathered home," grumbled Arline. "I have hardly seen
Grace or any of the Semper Fidelis girls this week. They have all been
so popular that they haven't given a thought to their neglected little
friends."
"Let me see," returned Ruth slyly. "How many nights have you stayed
quietly at home this week?"
"Not one, you rascal," retorted Arline, laughing. "I ought to be the
last one to grumble. But in spite of all the rush, I have missed the
dear old quartette."
"So have I," declared Ruth earnestly. "Twenty minutes to four. They will
soon be here."
"Yes. I asked Grace to come as early as possible," said Arline. "There,
I hear the bell now." Arline whisked out of the room and peered
anxiously over the baluster. "Hello, Grace," she called joyously. "Hurry
as fast as ever you can. Where are your faithful three?"
"I came on ahead," laughed Grace. "I had promised you that I would, and
being a person of my word, I didn't wish to disappoint you. When I left
Wayne Hall Miriam was playing maid to Elfreda. The new gown she had made
for the luncheon didn't arrive until the last minute. So Miriam stayed
to help her dress. It is a perfectly darling gown. Just wait until you
see Elfreda in it. She hasn't gained an ounce since she went home last
spring. She has had a strenuous time all summer to keep her weight down.
You must ask her to tell you about it."
"I will," promised Arline, with an anticipatory smile. "But where is
Anne?"
"I left Anne finishing a letter to her mother. She will be here with
Miriam and Elfreda. Isn't it splendid to think you and Ruth can be
together this year?"
Grace ran lightly up the stairs in Arline's wake, and a moment later
greeted Ruth with outstretched hands.
"Take the seat of honor, Grace," directed Arline, gently propelling her
toward her best leather upholstered armchair. "Isn't it obliging of the
weather to stay so nice and warm? We don't need hats or coats. You were
sensible and didn't wear either. Not having to bother with wraps will
save time, too."
"I am highly impressed with this house-to-house luncheon," declared
Grace. "It was clever in you to suggest it, Arline."
"Oh, these progressive luncheons are nothing new," returned Arline
quickly. "I have read that they are extremely popular among college and
high school girls. I am sure I don't know why I never before proposed
that we give one. It is going to be lots of fun, isn't it? There's the
bell again. I hope that maid hasn't gone on a vacation. It usually takes
her forever." Arline darted out of the room to hang over the baluster
once more.
This time it was the Emerson twins, and by four o'clock the last member
of the club had taken her place beside her sisters in Arline's room.
"As we are all here," announced Arline, "we might as well begin. The
feast awaits you downstairs in the dining room; that is, a very small
part of it. There is one beautiful feature about this luncheon, we are
to have plenty of exercise between each course. Are all of you hungry?"
There was a lively chorus of affirmatives.
"Then choose your partners and come along," ordered the little
curly-haired girl.
It did not take long to dispose of the oysters, and, headed by Sara and
Julia Emerson, the little procession of girls moved on to Ralston House,
where the twins were to play hostess and serve the soup.
"You can thank your stars and me that you don't have to squeeze into our
room and eat your soup from cups instead of Mrs. Bryant's best soup
plates," Julia informed her guests as they swarmed up the steps. "Mrs.
Bryant couldn't see this luncheon at first. She had no appreciation of
what a really important affair it was to be. I had to use all my
persuasive powers on her. But I won, and she descended to the kitchen
and made the soup herself."
"I think we owe Julia a special vote of thanks," declared Miriam Nesbit
a little later, as she finished her soup. "This vermicelli soup is the
best I ever tasted."
"It can't be beaten, can it?" asked Sara Emerson eagerly. "That was why
we were so anxious to take the soup course on our shoulders. We knew
what was in store for us if we could make Mrs. Bryant see things in our
light."
"S-h-h, she's coming!" warned Julia. "For goodness' sake, Sara, be
careful."
Mrs. Bryant, a rather austere person and not in the least like her
sister, Mrs. Elwood, who managed Wayne Hall, walked into the dining room
at this juncture, apparently in the best of humors.
Arline glanced inquiringly at Grace, who nodded slightly, whereupon the
dainty president of the Semper Fidelis Club rose and made the matron a
pretty little speech of thanks in behalf of the club. Then the luncheon
party started on their way again, Mrs. Bryant hospitably seeing them to
the door and extending a smiling invitation to come again.
"I knew she couldn't resist us," chuckled Sara Emerson, as the girls
filed down the walk. "A combination like ours is safe to make its way
anywhere. Come on, Marian and Elizabeth, you are the hostesses now.
Shall we head for Livingstone Hall?"
"No, indeed," smiled Marian. "Bess and I are not so lucky. It is
Vinton's for ours. But we can assure you that you won't be disappointed
in the layout."
One of the features of the luncheon was the fact that no one knew until
the moment of serving what the various courses were to be. When it was
discovered that Marian and Elizabeth had ordered fried chicken, for
which Vinton's was famous, with potatoes au gratin and tiny French peas,
there was general rejoicing. It took the better part of an hour to eat
these good things, and the guests, feeling that they were on familiar
ground, enjoyed themselves hugely.
"Oh, dear!" groaned Elfreda, "I know I have gained a pound since I
started out this afternoon. I haven't eaten so much at one time for
ages. There is still the salad and dessert to come. I can't possibly
miss either one of them."
"Never mind, Elfreda," soothed Emma Dean; "we won't invite you to the
next luncheon, then you can----"
"Just try leaving me out and see what happens," retorted Elfreda
threateningly. "You may find yourself locked in your room on that
self-same day with the key missing."
"Be good, both of you," admonished Miriam, "or I'll see that neither of
you get any dessert."
"Grace and Anne wouldn't be so mean," returned Elfreda with supreme
self-assurance.
"How could we blast such touching faith?" laughed Anne.
"There, what did I tell you?" asked Elfreda, turning triumphant eyes on
Emma. "Now, leave me out if you dare."
"I don't dare. I don't want to," declared Emma affably. "I was merely
trying to be pleasant and helpful. If you were not invited to the
spread, naturally you wouldn't eat, and if you didn't eat, then you
wouldn't have to worry about that extra pound. It is all very simple."
"Very!" agreed Elfreda, with such scathing emphasis that the exchange of
words ended in a general giggle at Emma's expense.
"Now that you've all finished laughing at me," she declared
good-naturedly, "I hereby invite all of you, even Elfreda, to Martell's
for the salad, which is my part of the ceremony."
"Oh, goody, it's Waldorf!" exclaimed Elfreda delightedly, as, seated
about the big corner table at Martell's, perhaps twenty minutes later,
they saw the salad brought on. "You knew what we liked, didn't you,
Emma?"
"I did, in spite of my simple tendencies," murmured Emma.
"That was a well merited thrust," laughed Elfreda, laying her hand
lightly over her heart.
"And now Wayne Hall and our humble apartment await you," proclaimed
Grace when the last vestige of salad had disappeared. "Anne and I extend
you a pressing invitation to dessert and conversation. Although this is
to be a strictly informal session of the club, we may wish to discuss
certain club business. The evening is before us. We ought to make good
use of it."
"And so we shall," returned Emma Dean, as they rose to go. "The affairs
of the nation shall be discussed and adjusted to-night."
"And the world will be upside down forever after," predicted Elfreda.
"Don't croak," reproved Emma. "Who knows what this night may bring
forth? It may engender indigestion, or a stern injunction to make less
noise on the part of Mrs. Elwood, but whatever the future has in store
for us, we shall have had at least one luncheon worth remembering."