BRIARWOOD COLLEGE
Briarwood College was built on a terraced hillside, the buildings rising
one above the other, the lowest, or Main Building, on a level with the
street that ran at right angles with the hillside, while the topmost,
known as "Hillview," crowned the summit and commanded a view of near and
distant hills, blue, purple and opal-tinted, melting into the sky.
The Main Building had originally been a handsome old dwelling house,
whose spacious rooms were now used as parlors, library, offices and
teachers' rooms. There were wide, beautiful porches in front and back,
and massive stone steps, ending in great stone urns overflowing with
bright flowers at the foot of each flight. These steps led down into
wide shady gardens, where the girls walked up and down with arms
intertwined, or sat and studied and talked on rustic seats under the
trees on the shady lawns.
The other buildings, Briarley Hall, Elmtree Hall and Hillview, were
devoted to class rooms and dormitories, each hall being presided over by
a teacher.
In these pleasant courts of learning Alison Fair arrived on a golden
September afternoon, and was warmly welcomed by Miss Harland, the
Principal.
"We are so glad to have you back, dear," Miss Harland said, kissing the
girl affectionately. "I was rather afraid from what you wrote some time
ago, that you might not return to us this year."
"Oh, so was I, Miss Harland. I was dreadfully afraid of it. I was so
disappointed, I hardly realize yet that it is all right, and I am really
here. And may I have my same old room, and Joan for roommate?"
"The same room, dear, but I am so sorry about Joan. You see, she has not
come yet, and there was no one to claim that room, so I had to put a new
girl in with you. We have a very large school this year, and the
dormitories are overflowing. I really had no other place for her. You
may be able to change later, if you don't find her congenial. You won't
mind?"
Alison did mind; but after the first pang of disappointment, she spoke
cheerfully. "It's all right, Miss Harland. I'm so thankful to be here at
all, I shan't grumble at anything. Joan _is_ coming, isn't she?" in
sudden alarm.
"Oh, yes, I expect her this evening. Her father is driving her through
the country. Run up, then, and get acquainted with your new roommate.
Marcia West, is her name. She looked homesick."
Homesick at Briarwood! Alison marvelled as she ran lightly up the
familiar staircase and along the corridor to the end room, which had
been hers and Joan Wentworth's last year. She was so happy to find
herself here again; but then she was not a new girl, and she knew there
were many freshmen lying on their beds at this moment and crying their
eyes out for homesickness. Well, it would not last long, one soon grew
accustomed to the pleasant routine of school days.
She reached her door and tapped lightly. It was opened, after an
instant's delay, and the "new girl" stood there in silence, still
holding the door and looking at her with an expression which, if not
exactly forbidding, was certainly not encouraging. She was about
Alison's own age, rather tall and slight, with dark, sombre eyes and
dark heavy hair worn low on her forehead. The heavy hair and the
unsmiling eyes gave her face a lowering look that was not attractive at
first sight. She merely stood there without speaking, until Alison said
pleasantly,
"Good evening. I am Alison Fair, and you are my new roommate. Miss
Harland told me you were here. I'm sorry to be late. I hope you like our
room."
"Pretty, though it's not very large for two," said the girl
nonchalantly. "I came in this morning. I've been unpacking."
It was evident, as Alison entered and looked about her. Marcia had
unpacked her trunk, which stood open in the hall beside their door, and
had strewed her belongings about as freely as though she had expected to
occupy the room alone.
It was a fairly good-sized room, containing two single beds, and a
dresser, chair and small table for each girl. A roomy closet was well
supplied with hangers and shoe-racks. A glance showed Alison that Marcia
had placed her dresser and table close to the window and strewn them
with photographs and toilet articles in lavish profusion. Also, that she
had taken the best chair.
"I changed things a little. You don't mind, do you?" she asked, watching
Alison.
"Oh, no, it's your room as well as mine," Alison answered
good-humoredly, and proceeded to open her own trunk, which had been
brought up and placed in the hall, according to custom, and to arrange
her part of the room. Marcia had encroached on her side of the closet,
she noticed, but she said nothing, only hanging up a few dresses and
leaving the rest in her trunk. She placed a few favorite books between a
pair of bronze bookends, her father's parting gift; laid her Bible
beside them, and her pretty new portfolio her mother had given her; and
finally set her cherished lamp on the dresser. She had scarcely
finished, and stood surveying the effect, when there was a rush of
little feet in the corridor, the door was flung open, and a small,
rosy-faced curly-haired girl rushed in to fling herself into Alison's
arms.
"Oh, Alison, you darling thing! I'm so thrilled to be back, and in our
same old room, too."