A Patriotic Schoolgirl

ents To

, of no very great importance. If she wished to make any reputation for herself her claims must rest upon whether or not she could prove herself an asset to the school, either by obtaining a high place in her form, or winning distinction in the playing-fields, or among the various guilds and societies. Marjorie was decidedly ambitious. She felt that she would like to gain honours and to have her name recorded in the school magazine. Dazzling dreams danced before her of tennis or cricket colours, of solos in concerts, or leading parts in dramatic recitals, of heading examination lists, and-who knew?-of a possible prefectship some time in the fa

ancie Sheppard. "And I like that Rossetti mouth, although so

ed Elsie Bartlett. "It must be ever so long when it's down. Annie Turner saw

in Sylvia Page. "You may take half a

s a sport!" agre

d they might amuse themselves as they wished. Irene, squatting on the rug, was armed with the tongs, and kept poking down the miniature volcanoes that arose in the coal; Elsie luxuriated in the rocking-chair all to herself; w

did that no end! St. Elgiva's ought to have a chance for the sight-reading competiti

rjorie, who, having changed her dress for supper, now

heppard-"an event upon which you might almost say all the res

e w

an do anything may give us a specimen of her talents, and if she passes muster she's allowed to join one of the societies-the Dramatic, or the Part Singing, or the Orche

you goin

t all. I hate

ura. "I shall help to form the audience and

eels them off no end, I can tell you. You needn't hang your head, Mollums, like a modest violet; it's a solid fact. You're

llie. "I hope you'll like it-it's rather funny. I hear there's to b

body who has time to swat at learning parts for the Dramatic. Besides, some girls can do rehe

erstand," sa

mes made for them, and scenery and all the rest of it-a really first-rate business. Some of the prefects thought that it was rather too formal an affair, and suggested another society for impromptu acting. Nothing is to be prepared beforehand. Mrs. Morrison is to give a wo

acting, Marjori

st lo

't got a great number of volunteers from St. Elgiva's yet. Mos

her curls

te part that I've got into my head, but I can't make up as I go along, and it's no use asking me. I'd only bungle an

unity of showing what she could do. She had received a hint from Mollie, on her first day, that new girls who pushed themselves forward would probably be met with snubs, so she had not tried the piano in the sittin

hy for the school Orchestra," she thought. "I'l

by dodging about the passage Marjorie managed to waylay Dona before the

in for the drawing competition if you like, but I'm not keen. I don't care about all these societies; my lessons are quite bad enough. I've made friends with Ailsa Donald, and we have lovely time

he placing of the various competitors in certain coveted offices. It was esteemed a great privilege to be asked to

white hair dressed high, was an imposing figure, and set a standard of cultured deportment that was copied by every girl in the room. The Brackenfielders prided themselves upon their manners, and, though they might relapse in the playground or dormitory, no Court etiquette could be stricter than their code for public occasions. The hall was quite en fête; it had been charmingly decorated by the Seniors with autumn leaves and bunches of chrysanthemums and Michaelmas daisies. A grand piano and pots of palms stood on the plat

in turn played a one-page study, their points for which were carefully recorded by the judges, marks being given for tone, bowing, time, tune, and artistic rendering. As they retired to put away their instruments, their places were taken by vocal candidates. In order to shorten the programme, each was allowed to sing only one verse of a song, and their merits or faults were similarly recorded. Several of the Intermediates had entered for the competition. Rose Butler trilled forth a sentimental little ditty in a rather quavering mezzo

was to play a waltz especially composed in her honour by a musical friend. It was called "Under the Stars", and bore a coloured picture of a dark-blue sky, water and trees, an

lars; and though Patricia's enemies were unkind enough to say that there was no evidence that the "Patricia" mentioned on the cover was identical with herself, or that

good until another is told, and St. Githa's had been reserving a trump card for the occasion. Winifrede Mason had herself composed a piece. She called it "The Brackenfield March", and had written it out in manuscript, and drawn a picture of the school in bold black-and-white upon a brown paper cover. It was quite a jolly, catchy tune, with plenty of swing and go about it, and th

my head; it's only a matter of getting them written down, really. When I've time

Everybody anticipated the publication of the march, and felt that the repu

me various exhibits of drawings and of scientific and natural history specimens

. Each company was given one syllable of a charade to act, with a strict time limit. A large assortment of clothes and some useful articles of furniture were

let Nelson, two of the Juniors. The syllable to be acted was "Age", a

a in my head," sighed Annie. "Two

led nervously. Marjorie's ready wi

viewed. You've got to ask us our names and ages, and a heap of other questions. Put on that Red Cross apron, quick, and we'll put on hats

began. Marjorie, posing as a wild Irish girl, put on a capital imitation of the brogue, and urged her own merits with zeal. She evaded the question of her right age, and offered a whole catalogue of things she could do, from dressing a wound to mixing a pudding and scrubbing the passages. She was so racy and humorous, and threw in such amusing

Rather! I call her topping!" which, of course, was slang, and not fit for such an occasion; bu

ver, Jean Everard, one of the prefec

Charades Society," she said brie

ing to the roots of her hair with

to co