Molly Brown's Freshman Days

ng at Queen's Cottage-four in all. One of these was Julia Kean, "a nice girl in neutral tints," as Molly wrote home to her sister, "with gray eyes and brown hair and a

matches your eyes." She began looking Molly over with a kind of critical admiration, narrowing her eyes as an artist does when he's at work on a picture. "I'd like to make a poster of you in blue-and-white chalk. I'd put

y la

," she said, "with suc

's all. 'Not yet, but

's like the Spanish saying of 'Hasta ma?ana.' You a

oked at her r

character in two

" asked a handsome girl next to her, who had quant

d see why people should stop for introductions at teas and times li

his formality, when we are to be a family party for the next eight

night before, appeared to be absorbed in her coffee cup, and the othe

ld, of Washington, D. C.; Miss Edith Coles, of Rhode Island; Miss Jessie Lynch, of Wisconsin, and Mis

ace," insisted that accurate

" replied Judy. "I was born in mid-ocean on a

it happen?"

y back from Japan, and I arrived a bit prematurely on board sh

ut here; awhile, at le

er a little moss before I

along?" said Frances Andrews.

at college. For that was what her attempts at conversation seemed to amount to. She admired Frances's plu

he was really only gazing into the imaginary bull's-eye of an imaginary camera, and saw not one of them. Molly decided his comeliness was more charm than looks. "The unknown charm," she wrote her sis

feeling a bit strange and unaccustomed, some one plucked her by the sl

party. There will be music, too. I thought perhaps you might like to bring a

efore, without a friend in college, to be asked to a small intimate party by the most prominent girl in the senior cl

ly separated in the alphabet, and were now meeting again for the first time since lunch. Molly had stretched her

receipt for making friends, M

olly," exclaimed Nance. "You are really a perfect wonder. Do

olly. "Besides, it's a rule that works both ways. Th

effort and if you treat them like sisters, they are

y sm

n troubled that

universally cordial manner of yours doesn't bring a lot of rag-tags a

xey's Army," laughed Molly; "because, y

ve her point; and now she was afraid she had hurt Molly's feelings. She was provoked with herself for her carelessness, and when she was on bad terms with herself she appeared to be on bad

only two available dresses for that evening's party. One was a blue muslin of a heavenly color but considerably darned, and the other was a marquisette, also the worse f

red as much as you in such a short time. I wish I did know how to be charming to everybody, like you. It's been ground into me since I was a child not to make friends with people unless it was to my advantage, and I found out

lained because I would bring such queer children out to dinner when I was a child. Indeed, I wasn't hurt a bit. It was the word 'rag-tag,' that seemed to be such

rom under her couch and lifted the lid.

sew?" s

a fas

ose we set to work and make some dresses. How would you like a blue serge, with turn-over collar an

that for me," protested Molly. "Beside

ys. Mrs. Murphy, the housekeeper, was telling me about them. One of the girls here last

endid idea, Nance. It's a fine, honorable labor, as Colonel R

ed on the b

ars," thought Nance, looking at her friend with co

ational meal. Her mind was busy with a scheme by which she intended to remove that

in such a plain dress that at first Molly was deceived into thinking it was just an ordinary frock until she noticed the lines. And in a few moments Nance took occasion to inform her that simplicity

d creature they called "Jennie Wren," whose real name was Jane Wickham. The only other girl t

he freshmen were soon to learn, an

been properly introduced and enthroned in a big tapestry chair, in

we call it. It's about like Hercules trying to clean the Augean Stables, I think, but I try and u

e side of the room was an immense photograph of Botticelli's "Primavera." The only other pictures were two Japanese prints and the only other furniture was a baby grand piano and some chairs. It was really a delightfully empty and beautiful place, an

g of taking the

g very patronizing and superior in Miss Blount's manner, but Molly was determin

at vows?"

d you had become

ut. It didn't take long for news

red. "And the only vow I took was never to

she continued, without waiting for Molly to answer. "He's rather h

t," put in Molly, feeling a little indigna

he called you 'little Mi

eyes grew darker, but she kept very quiet, which was her way when her feelings were hurt. Then Mary Stewart began to play on the piano, and Molly forgot al

thought was a little coarse. Jennie Wren, who could sing exactly like a child, gave a solo in the highest little piping soprano. Two girls played on mandolins, and Mary Stewart, who appeared to do most things, accompanied them on a guitar. Then came supper, which was rathe

you must sing, Miss Brown," here broke in Mary

fine music," protested Molly. "Besides

e'en Vaudeville," cried Jennie Wren.

y, blushing crimson; "but I haven

nie Wren, thrusting a

ght when she found herself the center

announced. Then she struck

d, as she faintly tuned the guitar.

loves s

ves shortn

loves sh

ake him some sh

everybody in the room had

Rat has c

niece a w

-h

good-night and were running as fast as their feet could carry them across the

to their room and undressed in the dark. It was very exciting. They felt li

n in college, though how it happened, it would be impossible to say. It might have been the Cloister story, but, nevertheless,