Peggy Parsons at Prep School

oung ladies," the principal repeated impressively

te's ear as they sat in chapel and listened to an addr

atherine. "S

credulously. "Why, I never di

ot down to the pavement from a window i

gy, "I thought maybe

ol as to conduct herself in this manner." The principal lifted her chin in a deliberate way she had, "and as you pass out from chap

Peggy rose with them. "I haven't it on my conscience,"

generously. "It was just as much my fa

d threaded her way up the a

e paused

her aunt. And looking down into that gleeful little face this morning, shining as it was with all the joy of living, and the irresponsible happiness that comes o

face crumpling into its funny

an to-child, are

y nothing of the h

no

d, "but you see it made them sing to me and I can't be so

lained

s over. "The other young ladies are going to see a performance of the 'Blue Bird' this afternoon, a

discussing the matinée party for to-day, and she had never dreamed of not going with them.

one the girls to-day,

Miss C

be allowed to come with us to the first party. Don't you remember when you were away at school-how heartbreaking it was if you were shut

et out to be a good disciplinarian, and the girls she graduated from her school must be as nearly alike as possible, she wanted them all run in the same mold of training. But Miss Carrol

re of the change in her immediate fortunes brought about by Miss Carrol

n for my English class," one teacher was saying, tapping the folde

eautiful girls, but so few brilliant ones. Peggy Parsons may be popular-and she may dev

he mirror. She had never been conscious of just how she did look before. She had never thought of being beautiful, but much less had she

d into its familiar expression of merriment, and she watched the fine dark e

l be one and surprise them all. Maybe I've never tried to make myself look pretty before. I will try awfu

the mirror, her hai

p," she said, "and I'

Carrol knocke

irits more or less restored by the pro

oor r

nounced Miss

n, she laughed up into Miss Carrol's face. "Come in," she invited a second time, "I'm ve

that Mrs. Forest had relented, and she w

ged her g

ople have been hurting my feelings all the morning and now you come and

"You girls have the oddest things in your minds h

nd then she came o

near Miss Carrol's ear. "One of th

id. "Well, that's nothing dangerous. I must run along now, Peggy, child, but all the girls are

little brown velvet suit, with a chiffon waist, and an adorable hat that came dark against her light curls promised well. She manicured her nails, humming all the while, then she steamed her face and dashed cold water on it till it was all glowing. She did her hair twice and it didn't suit, so she took it all

red. Her nose was alluringly chalk white when she had finished. It was only talcum powder but enough of it had its effect. The girls of Andrews

emptation of a long gold snake bracelet with emerald eye

she was too engrossed in the process of becoming beautiful really to sense what might be going on. Once she even thought she heard her name, but she was just applying a

look almost as pretty as the actresses, now," she approved.

er? She felt a chill of misgiving when she reached the parlor door. No laughter drifted out, no sound of chattering came from

d waited for her in the lobby. Panting, she tore across the lawn and boarded the first street-car. It seemed to go so

ls, no Miss Carrol. She looked up wildly at the clock above the ticket seller's window. Four o'clock, it said! Almost time for the show to be over! Oh, how

s girls in ther

otten here on time. But at the minute she could think of nothing else to say and she was conscious of a vague hope that the ticket-seller would help her, would suggest something

e ticket-seller was replying,

d so helpless and so-yes, so homesick. She couldn't go back to the school and have to face possible questions. She would stay

ly about her. Next the theater was the public library. This looked like a r

to read-about-about girls

-

d blue silk kimono, the ordeal of dinner and curious questions over, Kat

, we misse

don't care a bit about being a belle. I'd rather get to places on