THE FAIRY GODMOTHER'S VISIT
Three excited young women burst in upon Elfreda, who, seated on the
floor before her trunk, hastily deposited a large flat package in the
tray and slammed down the lid. "Why didn't you knock!" she grumbled,
looking mild displeasure at the intruders. "If you had come five minutes
sooner you would have seen your Christmas presents, and I couldn't have
stopped you. I'm going to have a 'Busy, Keep Out' sign made to hang on
the door until Christmas."
"Don't be cross, J. Elfreda Briggs," laughed Grace. "We have something
nice to show you." She handed the telegram to Elfreda with: "We want you
to go to the station with us this afternoon. The train is due at
five-thirty."
Elfreda's round face flushed at this mark of thoughtfulness on the part
of the girls she adored, and agreed almost shyly to make one of the
party. She had never become quite used to the knowledge that these three
young women had long since accepted her as one of their number.
Consequently an invitation to participate in their personal good times
or to share their intimate friends was always a matter of wonder to her.
The train was reported to be on time, but the quartette of happy-faced
young women who waited impatiently for its arrival from the north that
afternoon were agreed that it must be late. It was Anne who, when it
rushed into the station, first espied the familiar figure of the
snowy-haired old lady who had brought so much sunshine into her life,
and her quick eyes also discovered the identity of the tall,
broad-shouldered young man who was helping her down the car steps. "Oh,
Tom Gray is with her!" she exclaimed in delight.
"How nice!" cried Grace, with frank, unembarrassed pleasure. "I never
thought that he would come with Mrs. Gray."
Her three friends exchanged significant glances. It was quite evident
that Grace Harlowe's regard for Tom held nothing of the sentimental.
"Here they are! Here are my dear Christmas children!" Mrs. Gray looked
no older than when she had welcomed them to her house party eight
Christmases before. She spoke in the same sprightly manner, and smiled
in the same kindly, gentle fashion that had warmed the heart of Anne
Pierson when, poor and unknown, she had placed her hand in Mrs. Gray's
at that first eventful freshman tea which was the beginning of happiness
for her. Anne's brown eyes filled with tears as she embraced her "fairy
godmother" and heard her murmur, "My own dear Anne."
"Please give Aunt Rose a chance to catch her breath and turn your
attention upon me," was Tom's plaintive plea.
"We are terribly, horribly, dreadfully glad to see you!" laughed Grace,
shaking Tom's hand in her boyish, energetic fashion.
"'Terribly, horribly, dreadfully!'" repeated Tom. "Did you say this was
your last year in college?"
"Don't be sarcastic," reproved Miriam. "Circumstances alter English.
Grace was only trying to convey to you our deep appreciation of your
arrival."
Tom glanced almost wistfully at Grace, who had turned from him and was
devoting her whole attention to Mrs. Gray. "I hope you girls are as glad
to see me as I am to see you," he said, his eyes still upon Grace.
"Of course we are. How did you happen to think of coming to Overton? Are
you going to stay until next Wednesday? If you do, then we can all
journey to Oakdale together."
"Ask Aunt Rose. I am her faithful bodyguard. I know she intends to stay
until to-morrow at least. I hope you can persuade her to remain at
Overton until you go home. I am a working man now, you know, and
Washington is a long way from here." Tom's ambition to make forestry his
life work had been in a measure realized, and with his graduation from
college had come the offer of a position in the Department of Forestry
at Washington.
"Yes, children, dear, I will remain in Overton until your vacation
begins if the town boasts of a comfortable hotel where I can not only
demand, but receive, good service."
"The 'Tourraine' is the very hotel for you, Mrs. Gray," said Grace. "We
stayed there for a day or two when we first came to Overton. The service
is excellent."
"Then see to my luggage, Tom, and find me a cab or an automobile. The
sooner I am settled the sooner I can hear what my girls have been doing.
I have heard very nice things of you, my dear," she said to Elfreda,
who, having shaken hands with Mrs. Gray, stood at the outer edge of the
little group, looking on with shining eyes.
"She looks like a piece of Dresden china," was Elfreda's remarkable
statement to Miriam as the little company, headed by Grace and Tom, made
its way to the other side of the station in search of an automobile.
"You funny girl," Miriam laughed softly, "what an idea!"
"But she does," persisted Elfreda in a low tone. "She's white and pink
and fine and--and--fragile. She's dainty and exquisite, and there's a
kind of rare china look about her that----"
"I am going to tell her you said she looked like a piece of Dresden
china," interposed Miriam. "Mrs. Gray----"
"If you do, Miriam Nesbit, you'll be sorry," warned Elfreda, clutching
Miriam's arm.
"What is it, my dear?" answered the old lady. They had come to a halt at
the end of the platform and were waiting for Tom to secure a car.
Elfreda surveyed Miriam with a threatening glare.
"Elfreda says that you"--she darted a mischievous glance at her
friend--"look just as she imagined you would."
Elfreda's expression was a mixture of surprise and relief.
"Then you are not disappointed in me," smiled the old lady.
"I should say not!" was the quick response. "I only hope you will adopt
me some day as one of your children."
"That is very sweet in you, my child," declared Mrs. Gray. "I hereby
adopt you on the spot. Ah, here is our car. I think we are more than
ready for it."
"Now that you've been adopted," muttered Miriam in Elfreda's ear, "I
won't betray you."
"Thank you for nothing," flung back Elfreda.
"Tell the chauffeur to drive past Overton College," Grace had requested
Tom, and Mrs. Gray had exclaimed in admiration of stately Overton Hall,
standing like a sentinel in the midst of the wide campus. The chapel,
the library, Greek Hall, Science Hall, in fact, each one of the smaller,
but equally ornamental, buildings were duly pointed out and commented
upon.
Mrs. Gray insisted that they should be her guests at dinner at the
"Tourraine," and after dinner they repaired to the cozy sitting room in
her suite of rooms for a long, confidential chat, which lasted until
after ten o'clock.
"Hurry, girls," urged Grace, as they set out for Wayne Hall, after
repeated promises to call the next morning and prolonged good nights,
"we may be locked out. That has never happened to me since I came to
college."
"That is better than being locked in," reminded Elfreda grimly.
"You mean the night of the ghost party, don't you?" asked Miriam,
referring to an incident that had occurred in Elfreda's freshman year.
"I do, indeed, mean the ghost party," retorted Elfreda with grim
emphasis. "I still have a remarkably clear recollection of it."
"What a lot of things have happened since then," said Anne, half
musingly.
"Only a little while and our college life will be over," sighed Miriam.
"And our real life begun," was Grace's hopeful reminder. "After all,
college is just a preparation for the time when we must stand upon our
own ground and assume the complete responsibility of our own lives."
"You girls give me the blues," grumbled Elfreda. "I don't want to think
about my 'real life' or any other solemn old subject. There's a time to
reflect, but this isn't the time. I'd rather save all my harrowing
reflections until just before commencement. Then we might give a misery
party and invite our friends to glower and gloom with us."
"That's a good idea!" exclaimed Grace. "We could all be miserable
together."
"If we all met together for the express purpose of being miserable, you
can make up your mind that the party itself would defeat its object,"
laughed Anne.
"But just at present we had better be gay and gleeful. We must plan
something for Mrs. Gray's entertainment," suggested Miriam. "It is our
lawful senior duty to see that she enjoys her visit to Overton."
"She wishes to meet Dr. Morton and Miss Wilder and Miss Duncan, too,"
said Anne. "She mentioned it twice this evening. We must give a dinner
in honor of her at Vinton's, and a luncheon at Martell's. Then we ought
to drive out to Guest House for supper. Of course, we must give one
spread in either our room or Miriam's and do stunts."
"Why not give the Wonderland Circus just for her?" proposed Elfreda.
"Miss Wilder will let us have the gymnasium for the evening, and by
making it strictly a senior class affair there will be no hurt feelings
on the part of the other classes. Nearly all the performers are seniors,
too. We can serve refreshments, have a dance afterward, and Mrs. Gray
will have a splendid opportunity to see 19-- together. How is that for a
stunt?"
Elfreda's plan was received with acclamation, and by the time they
reached Wayne Hall each girl had been assigned her part in the week's
programme.
"We mustn't forget our Christmas girls," reminded Anne, as they lingered
for a brief moment in the upstairs hall.
"I am glad you mentioned them," replied Grace. "I must see Arline
to-morrow."
The first week of December had dragged, but the next two weeks raced by
on winged feet, and the two days before college closed for the holidays
were crowded to the brim with last duties and pleasures. Mrs. Gray won
the united regard of the Semper Fidelis Club, who immediately enlisted
themselves in her service. The genial, light-hearted old lady entered
into the life of the college with an enthusiasm that caused her at once
to be declared an honorary member of Semper Fidelis. She was the guest
of honor at luncheons and dinners, at which she was toasted and sung to
with a fervor that left no doubt in her mind as to her standing with
Grace's classmates.
The Wonderland Circus had been saved as the crowning event of her visit,
and invitations had been sent to Mr. Thomas Redfield, the benefactor of
Semper Fidelis Club, Dr. Morton, Miss Wilder and the various members of
the faculty to be present at the Circus. Never had the immortal animals
been in better form. Round after round of applause greeted the
conclusion of their famous Wonderland song. The demonstration continued
until Alice stepped forward and made a funny little speech, in which she
introduced the animals, who skipped, waddled or shuffled forward
according to each one's conception of what its own peculiar gait should
be.
Emma Dean, who had not taken part in the Circus, appeared in her
ridiculous Sphinx costume, and, after a monologue that elicited constant
laughter, added to her ability as a fun maker by the weirdly funny dance
that she had intended to give at the bazaar, and which she was obliged
to repeat before her audience was satisfied.
A reception followed, and delicious buffet refreshments were served by
the seniors in one corner of the big gymnasium, which had been roped off
with the senior colors and made as attractive as senior hands could make
it. Mrs. Gray was in her element and held court like a veritable queen.
Before the evening was over the senior class, to a member, had vowed
eternal allegiance to her. Dr. Morton, Miss Wilder and Mr. Redfield,
too, apparently succumbed to her spell, for toward the close of the
evening they formed an interesting group about her, and, at the end of a
lengthy confab, shook her hand with an earnestness which seemed almost
to indicate a promise of loyalty. To Grace, Anne and Miriam Mrs. Gray's
long conversation with the faculty was merely a further proof of her
ability to make friends, but the watchful Elfreda regarded the matter
from a different viewpoint.
"I wonder what Mrs. Gray was talking about to Professor Morton, Miss
Wilder and our fairy godfather?" she remarked in a speculative tone to
Miriam as they prepared for sleep late that night. "Fairy godfather is a
good name for Mr. Redfield, isn't it?" she laughed.
"Certainly it is," returned Miriam. "I always bestow appropriate names
upon people. Isn't he the fairy godfather of Semper Fidelis and didn't I
give him that name after he sent us the first check?"
"He is," admitted Elfreda, "and you did."
"What is on your mind now?" asked Miriam. "What do you find so
mysterious in the fact that Mrs. Gray held discourse with the powers
that be?"
"You can make fun of me if you like," said Elfreda, smiling a little,
"but I know what I saw with my own eyes. There is a conspiracy on foot
among those persons. It's a delightful conspiracy, of course, but mark
my words, they are planning something, and some day when the whole thing
comes to light you'll say, 'You were right, J. Elfreda,' see if you
won't."
"I will say it now if you wish me to," laughed Miriam, "merely to show
you that I have faith in your marvelous powers of observation."
"Thank you," returned Elfreda. "There is nothing like being appreciated.
But under the circumstances I am afraid I can't pursue my usual methods
of investigation. If Mrs. Gray is planning something delightful, you may
be sure it is for her Christmas children, and J. Elfreda Briggs will not
be the one to pry into the surprise."