THE HARLOWE HOUSE CLUB
"There!" Grace Harlowe laid down her pen and scanned the notice she had
just finished writing. "I'll post this now. The girls will see it this
morning and again when they come in to luncheon. Then they will be sure
to meet me in the living-room before dinner. I hope they will like our
plan."
"They ought to like it," replied Emma Dean. "It makes them a
self-respecting, self-governing body."
"That is precisely what I wish them to be," responded Grace, in all
earnestness. "I believe that being members of Semper Fidelis was of
great benefit to us. Oh, Emma, did I tell you that Mr. Bedfield's gift
to Semper Fidelis is now an endowment? He called to see me on Friday for
the express purpose of telling me that he has arranged the matter with
Professor Morton. The money is to be known hereafter as the Semper
Fidelis endowment. He said he felt certain that we had not handed the
society down to this year's classes. He couldn't imagine any other young
women in our places. Wasn't that nice in him?"
"Very nice and very true," agreed Emma. "I am of the same mind. The
Sempers can never be imitated, passed on to the next class, nor
replaced. They are in a class all by themselves."
"The purpose of this new club which I propose to organize will be one of
welfare. The girls will do more for themselves as a self-governing body
than I can possibly do for them. By the way, I wonder if Miss Ward is up
yet. She overslept and missed her first recitation yesterday morning.
She came down to the dining-room long after breakfast was over. Susan
was rather upset over having to serve an extra breakfast. I was obliged
to tell Miss Ward that if it occurred again she would have to abide by
the consequences of her own tardiness. I can't impose upon the servants
to please a girl who has no thought for any one except herself."
Grace spoke rather bitterly. Her early disappointment in Evelyn Ward had
deepened as the time passed.
"I don't hear a sound from her room," commented Emma, who sat before the
dressing-table brushing her long hair. With hair brush poised in the air
she listened intently. "She is dead to the world."
"Then I'll have to waken her," sighed Grace.
Stepping out into the hall she knocked lightly on Evelyn's door.
Receiving no response she knocked again, this time with more force.
"Come in," called a sleepy voice.
Grace turned the knob. Sure enough, Evelyn lay comfortably back on her
pillow, her wonderful golden hair falling in long, loose waves about
her. Her beauty now made little impression upon Grace, who knew only too
well the tantalizing, troublesome spirit that lay behind it. "It is
almost eight o'clock, Miss Ward. Remember, breakfast is over at nine."
"I know it," responded Evelyn with maddening sweetness. She eyed Grace
speculatively, but made no effort to rise.
Without further words Grace closed the door. She did not wish to betray
her annoyance. She had experienced a wild desire to march over to the
bed and drag the complacent freshman forth from it by the shoulders.
When Evelyn descended to the dining-room she found that most of the
girls had eaten breakfast and gone off to chapel. Happening to recall
that she had not attended the morning services for a week, and with
visions of her unsigned chapel card staring her in the face, she ate a
hurried breakfast and was about to depart when her eyes happened to rest
upon the bulletin board in the hall around which were gathered several
girls. Pausing, Evelyn read Grace's notice. It asked the members of
Harlowe House to be in the living room at five o'clock that afternoon
for the discussion of a most important subject.
"I wonder what it is," said Nettie Weyburn, lively curiosity
overspreading her usually placid face.
"I think I know," volunteered Mary Reynolds. "Miss Harlowe was telling
me only last night that she wishes to organize a club of just Harlowe
House girls, with a president and other officers. The club will have a
constitution and by-laws and every member will have to live up to them."
"Wouldn't that be splendid?" asked Cecil Ferris, a gray-eyed,
black-haired freshman who made up in energy what she lacked in height.
"Who would be president I wonder," murmured Evelyn, shooting a glance of
apparent innocence about the circle.
"You'd make a good president, Miss Ward," declared Mary Reynolds, in
open admiration. To her beauty-loving little soul Evelyn was the most
exquisite person in the world.
"_I_," cried Evelyn in well-simulated amazement. "I wouldn't attempt to
be, I am not clever or popular enough."
"I believe you would be the very one. You are so independent and know
just how to do things." Now that Mary had suggested it, it met with
Nettie Weyburn's placid approval. Cecil Ferris echoed it. She, too, had
fallen under the spell of Evelyn's beauty.
"I must run along or be late to chapel," murmured Evelyn modestly, and
hurried off at precisely the wisest moment to further her own cause. The
ambition to become the president of the proposed club had sprung into
life in her self-centered young soul as she stood reading the bulletin,
and she determined that she would leave nothing undone to obtain the
honor.
At luncheon that day she took particular pains to be unusually friendly
to every one with whom she came in contact, exhibiting a gay
graciousness of manner toward a number of girls she had secretly
labeled, "digs, prigs and plodders." This quite won their trusting
hearts and made them innocently wonder how they had, so far, happened to
miss becoming really well acquainted with Miss Ward.
When at five o'clock the big living room began to fill, Evelyn was among
the first there, with a dazzling smile for all comers. At ten minutes
past five the thirty-three girls who claimed Harlowe House as their home
were sitting or standing expectantly about the room, waiting for Grace,
who stood at one end of the room with Emma, to call the meeting to order
and enter upon the discussion of that "most important subject."
"I have asked you to come here this afternoon because I believe the time
has arrived to try out a plan which I have had in my mind ever since
college began," stated Grace, by way of beginning. Then in clear,
concise sentences she told of her desire that her girls should be
self-governing and of how much good fellowship their banding themselves
together would create. "I thought, if you approved of the plan, we might
elect our officers at once, and appoint a committee to draw up the
constitution and by-laws. I am going to ask you to talk it over among
yourselves for ten minutes, while Miss Dean and I prepare some balloting
slips," she concluded, and at once a loud buzz of eager conversation
began.
It was fifteen minutes before Grace again called the meeting to order,
and appointed four tellers, who distributed ballots. Then nominations
were in order.
"I nominate Miss Ward for president," proposed Cecil Ferris.
"I second the motion," came from Mary Reynolds.
Grace could hardly control the surprise in her voice, when, after
waiting a little, she asked: "Are there any further nominations?" "I
nominate Miss Sampson," called a small pale girl from her perch in the
window seat, with a fond smile in the direction of her roommate. Another
girl seconded the nomination, and it was then moved and seconded that
the nominations for president be closed. The nomination for
vice-president, secretary and treasurer were then in order and after
they were closed the voting began.
"Well, of all things," whispered Emma to Grace, who sank into the chair
beside her friend, a peculiar expression on her fine face. "I never
dreamed of matters taking that turn, did you?"
Grace shook her head. It had indeed come as a shock. She had thought of
the club as a novel and possible means of bringing the Harlowe House
girls into a closer relationship with one another. She had never
considered the possibility of Evelyn being president of the club. It was
evident that her nomination had come about through admiration of her
undeniable beauty. She was absolutely unfit for any such office. Grace
hoped, devoutly, that Miss Sampson, a tall, capable young woman, with a
likable personality and a cheery, hearty manner of speaking, would be
elected.
Emma made no further remark, but watched the tellers with calculating
eyes. At last one of them, who had been industriously making notations
on a sheet of paper, rose to announce the results of the election.
"The total number of votes cast for president was thirty-three. Of these
Miss Ward received twenty-nine"--an enthusiastic clapping of hands
sounded--"Miss Sampson four." She then went on to read the result of the
balloting for the other three officers. Nettie Weyburn had won the
vice-presidency, Cecil Ferris had been chosen secretary, while quiet
little Mary Reynolds had been made treasurer. The reading of each name
elicited its quota of applause, but it was plain that, of the four
officers, Evelyn was, by far, the greatest favorite. After appointing a
committee of four girls to assist her in drawing up the constitution and
by-laws, Grace said pleasantly: "Will the new officers please come
forward so that we can all see you. You must be formally introduced, you
know."
The newly elected officers rose from their various positions which they
occupied in the room and advanced to where Grace stood. About Evelyn
Ward's red lips played a smile of suppressed triumph as she shook the
hand Grace offered her and listened to the former's sincere wish for her
success. For an instant the gray eyes studied the perfect face gravely,
as though trying to penetrate what lay behind its smiling mask. Then
Grace turned to greet the vice-president, just in time to miss the
mocking flash which lighted Evelyn's blue eyes.