Frances for having pride in what her ancestors have done. It is well to
remember such things, if remembering them makes one more ambitious or
more helpful to those around him. But when this pride in his own people
leads one to belittle all others whose part in making history may have
been almost as important, if less conspicuous--then I would rather see a
girl or a boy without family pride. In connection with this, let me tell
you a story. Years ago a murder was committed by a member of a good, old
family, and sometime afterwards a lady who bore the same name, though
she was not closely related to the murderer, was out shopping. It seemed
to her a certain clerk was not sufficiently deferential, and so to
reprove him, she said, in a rather haughty tone, 'Perhaps you do not
know who I am.' 'No, madame, I do not,' was his reply. 'I am a
_Blenkinsop_,' she responded, thinking probably that this would
overwhelm him. 'Indeed,' he answered, 'you surprise me. I thought that
all the Blenkinsops had been hanged.' So you see that it does not always
do to boast of one's family name. Of course this does not apply to
Frances, and I should be sorry if either she or you should forget all
the good things which her ancestors did for the commonwealth. Yet it
would be a great deal better to forget it than to have the remembrance
of the distinction of your ancestors so elate you as to make you
contemptuous of your schoolmates."
"I know that, mother dear," replied Nora, "and I believe that some day I
may be able to have a little talk with Frances, and perhaps I can get
her to see things as I do."
"You might tell her," responded Mrs. Gostar, with a smile, "about the
Virginia lady of whom I was reading the other day. Her little niece was
remarking with pride that her grandfather had been the son of a baronet,
and that in consequence she had a right to feel superior to many of her
neighbors. 'Yes,' responded the aunt, 'he was the son of a baronet, who
was the son of a manufacturer, who was the son of an apothecary's
apprentice.' 'Oh, dear,' sighed the niece, 'is it really true? Am I
descended from an apothecary's apprentice? I thought that all my
ancestors were gentlemen.'
"'I haven't finished,' returned the aunt. 'The apprentice was the
grandson of a baronet, who in turn was said to trace his descent from a
king of England.' The aunt smiled at the expression of relief on her
niece's face on hearing this, as she said, 'I always knew that we were
of good family.' My own moral," concluded Mrs. Gostar, "would be the
same as that which the aunt tried to impress on her niece. We all can
trace our descent through a variety of families, and while we can often
find ancestors to boast of, as often we find others who are what Frances
might call 'very plain people.'"
Nora realized that she was fortunate in having a mother who was always
ready to advise her in the small matters that seem so important to
schoolgirls, as well as in those larger things that really are of
consequence. Without encouraging anything approaching gossip or
tale-bearing Mrs. Gostar always permitted Nora to talk very freely on
all the subjects that interested her, and the confidence between mother
and daughter was almost ideal. Mrs. Blair and Mrs. Barlow were also
ready to advise their daughters, although they both were a little more
occupied with society than Mrs. Gostar and had less time at home. The
wilful Brenda, too, was more apt to seek her mother's advice after she
had done a certain thing than to ask it in advance. Yet although her
doings were sometimes a little annoying to others, she always admitted
to herself that she could depend on her mother's sympathy. Edith, with a
rather phlegmatic disposition, seldom did anything wrong. She had been
brought up rather strictly in accordance with prescribed rules, and she
was always confident that whatever her mother had arranged or advised
was exactly right. Belle alone, of the Four, was unfortunate in her home
surroundings. Her mother, a nervous invalid, had permitted Belle's
grandmother to rule the household with a rod of iron, and knowing that
the old lady was often unjust the former did not reprove Belle
sufficiently when she broke some of her grandmother's rules. Belle in
this way came to be a law to herself. She obeyed her grandmother when
there was no escape for it, but oftener she took the chance of
disregarding her authority, saying to herself,--or even to others--"If
mamma could do as she liked, she would let me do this." It was not
always a legitimate excuse, although the conditions in her family
enabled many of her acquaintances to make excuses for Belle.
As to Frances, those who knew her best, realized that her family pride
had been nurtured at home, and that her unfortunate way of looking at
things was not wholly her own fault.
Yet that Nora had been able to influence her somewhat was proved by a
slight change in Frances' demeanor towards others. The latter was even
known one day to offer to go out to Ruth Roberts' house to help her
finish a piece of work for the Bazaar. In those last days, too, before
the Easter vacation there seemed to be an unusual unity among the
schoolgirls. Even those in the older classes, who seldom interested
themselves in the "small fry," as they called the Four and their
contemporaries, came forward with many contributions for the Bazaar.
"Dear me!" moaned Brenda one day, "I am afraid that we won't have people
enough to sell all these things to, and a while ago I was afraid that we
shouldn't have things enough to sell to all those who might come to our
Bazaar."
"That shows," said Miss South, who had come up behind Brenda while she
was talking, "that it is never worth while to borrow trouble about
anything."
"That is true," interposed the placid Edith, to whom Brenda had been
talking. "For my own part, I am never surprised or disappointed about
anything, for I never expect too much beforehand. I find that I can
always put up with things when they come."
"Then you are really a philosopher, Edith," said Miss South, "some
persons take almost a lifetime to learn this simple lesson, and indeed
some persons never learn it at all."
As the preparations for the Bazaar advanced it was very pleasant for
Julia to find herself counted in among the band of workers.
It is true that she often had to take a sharp word from Brenda, or a
cold glance from Belle, but these things did not disturb her.
She had become accustomed to her cousin's little ways, and she realized
that her "bark was worse than her bite," as Nora was in the habit of
saying.
There was one thing about which Brenda was very decided, and that was
that no older person, that is no parent or teacher, was to have any part
in managing the Bazaar.
"We want all the credit ourselves, and I think it will be a fine thing
to show how much we can do all by ourselves." If she could have had her
own way, I believe that she would have refused the offer of Edith's
mother to provide a room for the Bazaar, and she would have been quite
willing to pay for a hotel drawing-room from her own allowance--although
to do so would have run her several months in debt. But this was
evidently so unwise a plan, that she contented herself with simply
broaching it to her friends. "The idea!" had been their criticism, "of
throwing money away like that when we can have such a beautiful room for
nothing."
"It certainly would be foolish," said Belle, "and besides my mother
would not think a hotel a proper place for girls like us to hold a
bazaar; it would be different if we were in society, or if some older
women were managing it."
"Oh, I suppose you are right," Brenda acknowledged with a sigh, "but I
should be ever so much better pleased with a hotel. It would seem so
much more as if we were grown up. I hope that this won't seem like a
children's party. You know that Edith always had her birthday parties in
that room."
"Yes, but she'll have her coming out party, there, too, I heard her
mother say so the other day, and really I think that it is very, very
kind in her to offer the room, because there will be strangers coming
and going all day long through the house." So Brenda had to profess
herself grateful for the room, and was obliged to turn in other
directions for an outlet for the energy which she was anxious to show in
managing the Bazaar.
XXIV
AN EVENING'S FUN
Mrs. Blair had said that all the preparations for the Bazaar must be
completed on Tuesday, the day before it was to open. She knew the ways
of girls too well to think that it would be safe to have anything left
for Wednesday morning. The flower table, of course had to be arranged on
that day, and some things for the refreshment table. But so definite had
she been in expressing her wishes, that the girls felt that it was due
her for lending her house to pay all deference to what she said. On the
Monday therefore after Easter they went to work with a will to gather in
the promised contributions. There were naturally some disappointments,
but on the whole the fancy articles bestowed upon them were numerous and
beautiful, and many were the "ohs and ahs" from the Four and their
assistants, when on Tuesday they fell to the task of opening the parcels
and arranging their contents on the tables. Tuesday was rainy, and at
dusk gave little promise of a bright sky for the following day. Brenda
was in a tremor of excitement. "Oh, dear, how dreadful if to-morrow
should be stormy! I am sure it will be, and what _shall_ we do?" with
great emphasis on the "shall."
"Full many a cloudy morning turns out a sunny day," sang Nora, while
Edith patted Brenda on the back and said, "Well, we can't do anything to
change the weather, and we might as well hope for the best. I know that
a lot of people will come even if it rains, and perhaps they'll be good
and buy three times as much as they would in fine weather."
Just then Julia came in with the evening paper in her hand. "See, or
rather hear the news. Old Probability says, 'clear and fair Wednesday.'
Mrs. Blair sent this paper up from the library to cheer you. There was a
large patch of blue in the west when the sun went down----"
"The sun!" exclaimed the others derisively.
"In the place where the sun should have gone down," she responded with a
smile. "Why, how well the rooms look! there won't be a thing for the
boys to do this evening."
For Philip and Will Hardon and one or two others were to come in the
evening to see what they could do to help, and in view of their coming
Mrs. Blair had invited the girls to stay to dinner.
"Oh, no, there really isn't a thing for them to do, but perhaps when
they see how hard we have worked they will make up their minds to spend
any amount of money to-morrow. I think it's a rather good idea to have
them come to-night, so that they can make a lot of other boys come
to-morrow."
"Boys are not so fond of spending money at fairs, I can tell you that,"
said Nora, rather decidedly, "and besides most of them are so much in
debt that they haven't anything to spend."
"Oh, well, Philip's friends are not like that," said Belle, rather
sharply. "I know several who have more money than they know what to do
with. Some juniors that I know--New York fellows, are coming to-morrow
and they will spend a lot of money."
"Gracious!" exclaimed Brenda, "I hope that we have things that will suit
them. It seems to me that most of these things are for girls to use."
"Oh, they can buy things for their sisters and cousins; besides, boys
like pincushions and picture frames and sofa pillows. Oh, I am sure that
we shall have no trouble getting them to buy all that they can afford,"
replied Belle positively.
As a matter of fact when the boys after dinner were ushered into the
pretty little ballroom, where the tables laden with fancy goods stood,
they expressed great interest in all that they saw, and began to make
bids for the things which seemed to them best worth having.
"Look out," cried Nora, "or we may take you at your word, Will Hardon,
and make you pay one hundred dollars for that crimson pillow that you
admire so."
"Well, why not?" he enquired, "as long as it is to be in a good cause."
"Oh, no," interrupted the practical Edith, "that would not really be
fair. Besides, I am sure that we ought not to sell anything until
to-morrow; everybody ought to have an equal chance at the beginning."
"Oh, how silly you are, Edith," broke in Brenda; "as if all the people
who come to the Bazaar could be here at the same minute. If any one
wants to bid on anything to-night I say that it is perfectly fair."
After much discussion, it was at last decided that any one who had a
great preference for any special thing might write his name on a piece
of paper and have it pinned to the object with the limit of price that
he was willing to pay.
"Then you must be willing," said Brenda, "to let us sell the things you
have chosen, if some fussy old person comes along and wishes any of
these reserved things, and refuses to be contented with anything else."
"But in that case what are _we_ to do?" cried two or three of the boys
in chorus.
"Oh, there will be plenty of things that will suit you just as well, if
you only make up your minds to it."
"Perhaps you'll want me to buy a blue sofa pillow or some other Yale
thing," sighed Will Hardon.
"Perhaps I shall be driven to take this," moaned Philip, holding up a
large doll dressed in the long embroidered robes of a baby.
All the girls laughed except Edith, who seldom saw the funny side of
things as quickly as the others.
"Well, you can see yourselves, boys," she said, in a determined tone,
"that you ought to be glad to buy whatever is left over,--for you
probably won't get in until toward evening. You can always find some one
to give the things to that you buy."
"This doll?" asked Philip, holding it rather clumsily on his arm.
"Why, of course," said Edith, "we know several children who would be
delighted with it at Christmas."
"No, thank you, sister Edith," responded Philip, "I'm not going to spend
my hard earned allowance in presents for children; if you make me buy
this doll, out it goes to a certain room in one of the college buildings
to become a cherished decoration, and," waving the doll dramatically in
the air, "I shall defy any proctor or college authority to tear it away
from me."
"Then I hope he may get it," murmured Will Hardon to Ruth Roberts; "I
can't imagine anything that would amuse the fellows more; we'd have to
hold open house for a week or two--a regular reception. But you know I'm
in earnest about that pillow," he added, for he knew, and Ruth knew that
he knew that the down pillow with its rich crimson cover embroidered
with a large "H." was the work of her skilful fingers.
Ruth and Will had met several times since the ball game, and although
the Four had not yet discovered it, these two young persons had begun to
take considerable interest in each other.
"You wouldn't pay a hundred dollars for it?" queried Ruth.
"If I couldn't get it in any other way, of course I would, and besides
it would be worth much more to me."
This was not entirely an idle boast, this readiness to spend a large sum
of money for a small thing--on the part of Will, as Philip and some of
his classmates might have testified. Although very quiet in his way of
living, and in his general conversation, he had a larger income than
many in his set. His own tastes were simple, and though he naturally
spent more than the average undergraduate, in accordance with the habit
of the set to which he belonged, he still had enough to spend on others,
and more than one of his less fortunate classmates had reason to thank
him for what he had done for him. No one knew of his liberality except
those whom he helped, for he had not the least wish to pose as a
benefactor.
Now Ruth, while pleased at his wish for the cushion had no idea that he
would, if necessary, pay a hundred dollars for it.
"If you really wish to have it, I'll try to secure it for you," she
said. "I am sure there won't be any trouble, although I suppose that it
can't be laid aside to-night, as long as Edith feels as she does."
"Very well," answered Will, "I'll trust to you, for I really do want it
very much."
"Come," cried Brenda, rushing up to them, "you are not doing a thing,
you two."
"Well, the rest of you seemed so busy that we thought we should only be
in the way," said Will with the glibness that is almost second nature
with youths of his age, "but we're ready to work now," and they went
across the room to the surprise table where half a dozen of their
friends were busy. The "surprise table" had been an idea of Belle's, and
was a rather agreeable change from the usual grab-bag. All kinds of
little things--toys, novelties, like those used as German favors, small
books and photographs, were neatly done up in bright tissue paper
wrappings, and tied with silk ribbons. They were heaped on a large
table, and purchasers were permitted to buy each little package at their
own price, provided at least, according to a sign placed above the
table, that no bid should be for less than fifteen cents. Nora was to
have charge of this table, and she expected to have a great deal of fun
out of the misfits between the purchasers and the parcels.
Altogether the preparations for the Bazaar had moved along much more
smoothly than any one had expected. It is true that the various mothers
of the girls comprising "The Four" had said that they would be glad
enough when it was all over, because for a fortnight it had been
impossible to get the girls to think of anything else. Yet each of these
mothers saw a compensation for the excitement of this last week or two
in the fact that her daughter had shown more perseverance than she had
given her credit for. Mrs. Barlow was especially pleased with the good
spirit that her niece Julia had shown, for it would have been so easy
and natural for her at the last to display a little pettishness in the
way of a refusal to have anything to do with the Bazaar in view of the
fact that she had not been invited to join "The Four" at their weekly
meetings for work.
But Julia was not one to show this kind of resentment, and since she had
become interested in Manuel she was only too glad to help the Bazaar
that was to benefit him. At her aunt's suggestion she had made it her
special duty to collect flowers and plants for the flower table, and
armed with notes of introduction from Mrs. Barlow she had gone to many a
supposedly close person to ask for some small contribution to the flower
table. Her success had been altogether remarkable, and in addition to
the cut flowers that were to arrive on Wednesday, a great many beautiful
potted plants and vines had been sent in from various conservatories for
general decorations.
The only real work for the boys who had come to assist, consisted in
moving some of these heavy plants about to places between the mirrors,
or near the flower table where they would be most effective. The work
did not, of course, proceed very rapidly, for every one in the group of
fifteen or more had to give an opinion on everything, and a unanimous
opinion as to what looked best in any particular case was naturally
impossible.
The large room was so handsome as to require comparatively little
decoration. The long mirrors with which every side was paneled formed a
complete decoration in themselves, and added to the general
effectiveness, as Brenda said by making the tables "look double."
Now if the boys did not find a great deal of work to do they were very
outspoken in their admiration for all that had been accomplished by the
girls.
"Well, if other people will only be as much impressed as you are, and
will open their purses accordingly, we shall have nothing to complain
of," said Nora, "and I hope that you will all come back and buy
everything that is left over by to-morrow evening."
"Can't we have first choice of anything?" queried Tom Hurst, a mischief
loving friend of Philip's whom some of the girls distrusted a little.
"No," answered Nora, sternly, "you must not be so selfish. There may be
old ladies who will want----"
"Do you suppose that any old lady will want that tobacco pouch?" asked
Tom, with a most innocent expression on his face.
"She might," answered Nora, with a very dignified manner. "She might if
she had a son who was fond of smoking, at any rate she ought to have
first choice."
"Well, then," replied Tom, "I don't believe that I shall return, for I
am not sure that I ought to patronize an institution that encourages old
ladies to buy tobacco pouches."
"They're more harmless for old ladies than for Harvard undergraduates,"
said another of the girls seriously, whereat two or three of the boys
pulled cigarette cases out of their pockets, and said, "Wouldn't you
rather have us use tobacco pouches than smoke these unwholesome
cigarettes?"
"You shouldn't use tobacco at all," cried Edith in a plaintive tone, "at
your age, Philip, you know how mamma feels about it."
"Don't be a goose, Edith," retorted Philip, "unless you want us to stay
away to-morrow. Anyway it's time we started for Cambridge, we're not
used to late hours." At this the rest of the boys laughed rather more
loudly than the occasion seemed to warrant, but with a return of good
manners they bade the girls good-bye, and promised Mrs. Blair, who had
returned to the room that they would certainly drop in some time on
Wednesday.
"Don't forget your promise to me," said Will Hardon in an undertone as
he shook hands with Ruth, and Ruth promised not to forget. Ruth and one
other girl were to spend the night with Julia and Brenda, so as to be
ready early in the morning, and the rest of the assistants started off
in a large group attended by one of Mrs. Blair's servants, for none of
them had very far to walk.
"It certainly does look as if it might clear up," said Belle to Nora, as
they walked along.
"Yes, indeed," answered Nora, "there are as many as twenty stars to be
seen, and that is almost a sure sign. Some people believe that it will
be fine the next day if you can count nine stars the night before."
XXV
THE BAZAAR
The sun, after all, did shine on Wednesday morning, and The Four and
their assistants arrived bright and early at Mrs. Blair's.
By ten o'clock everything was in order for patrons, and really the
arrangement of the tables reflected great credit on the young girls. The
table of fancy handiwork was loaded with beautiful articles. There was
Nora's afghan with its rich, warm stripes, there was Belle's fine
embroidery,--centre piece, doilies, and other dainty bits chiefly for
the dining-room. I cannot truly say that Brenda, though giving
liberally, had contributed very much that was made by her own hands, and
I have an idea that if the bottom drawer of her bureau had been
examined, it would have been found to contain the majority of the
unfinished things over which at one time or another she had been so
enthusiastic. Not even her zeal for the Bazaar had enabled her to
disentangle that confusion of odds and ends.
Some of the older girls at school had contributed beautiful things. One
had copied an old French miniature and had had it framed in gilt.
Another had painted a set of tiny chocolate cups. There were some
exquisite picture frames covered in old brocade brought over from Europe
by another girl, and still a third had sent some wood carvings done in a
peculiar style which she had learned at Venice. An uncle of Edith's who
was a publisher, had sent a number of finely bound books. Then there
were many smaller and less expensive things, so that it seemed as if
every taste must be suited.
"Oh, how lovely," exclaimed Ruth as she stood for a moment beside the
flower table which Edith, Julia and Ruth had spent an hour or more in
decorating.
"Where did you get those beautiful orchids?" asked Edith.
"Why Edith Blair," answered Julia, "I should think that you ought to
recognize your own possessions. Your mother sent these in from your
greenhouse in Brookline."
Edith laughed good-humoredly. "I thought that they had a kind of
familiar look, but then other people have orchids, too."
"Well other people _have_ been generous, as well as your mother. I have
quantities of violets besides these on the tables, and the most
beautiful roses, and see this dozen of maiden hair fern in little pots.
Almost every plant has been engaged by some of the girls at the tables.
They are to be left with me until evening."
"What will you do with things that are left over?"
"Oh, I have been told to do with them as I like, and probably they will
be sent to the Children's Hospital. Shouldn't you think that a good
idea, Edith?"
"Oh, yes, the very best in the world; it would be fun to go up on the
same day and see what the children say to them."
"Yes, provided we really do have anything left over. Of course it would
be better if we could sell everything in the room."
"Yes, of course, when you can leave do come over to my table for a
minute; I want to ask your opinion about arranging something. It's
awfully hard to combine the colors, and in some way Frances and I never
agree exactly about things, though I try to see things as she does," and
Edith walked off, sighing a little over her weight of responsibility,
for she had complete charge of the fancy-work table with Frances Pounder
as chief assistant. Other girls from their group of friends were to
relieve them at intervals during the day, but the responsibility of
seeing that there were always two attendants at the table fell entirely
on Edith.