Just Patty

irgil

iday afternoons," said Patty dis

astly lecture," Priscilla grumbled, as she peered over Patty's shoulder to rea

oon of listening to a talk by Professor McVey of Columbia University. The subject would be the strike of the women laundry wo

ty, as she noted the latter item

fessor-man intelligent questions; and show him that St. Ursula's is not a common boarding-scho

. "I need some new shoe-strings. I've been tyi

ke you translate the whole-Good morning, Miss Lord! We were jus

greeting, and followed their

receiving their rights, in the dim future of twenty-one; but they were very much concerned about losing a present half-holiday. On Friday afternoons, they were ordinarily allowed to draw checks on the school bank for their allowances, and march in a procession-a teacher forming the head and tail-to the village s

oud has its

t proved that women, as well as men, were capable of standing by each other. The solidarity of labor was a point she wished her girls to grasp. Her girls listened with g

y occupied elsewhere. The great questions of Capital and Labor, were not half so important to them, as the fact of the lost afternoon, or the essays that must be written for to-morrow's English, or even

marks to follow, did not appreciably diminish their case. They were learning by the laboratory method, the social graces that would be needed later in the larger world. Harriet a

rls think for themselves. Sociology was a field in which lessons could not

illa dropped their goodnight courtesy, murmured a polite "Bon soir, Mam'selle," and scampered upstairs, still very wide awake. Instead of preparing for bed with all dispatch, as well-conducted

cross-legged on the couch, her yellow curls bent over the open pages of a V

bly appealing. Everyone teased her, and protected her, and loved her. She was irrevocably predestined to bowl over the first man who came along, with her ultra feminine irresponsibility.

tty. "Why on earth are you bother

plump on Rosalie's right

n't see any sense to it. I can't do eighty lines in two hours. Miss Lo

end and read backwards?" P

as the others. I work more than two hours every day,

is a good deal

because you know a

ay," said Priscilla, "and I can't afford it e

wailed. "And she thinks I'm stupid

lder dri

Rosalie's tear-streaked face. "Cry on th

ituation wa

he would like to have us spend every momen

oning the three branches in which she excelled, "and I think they're a lot more sensible

d from a mom

uld think that something might be done with sociology.

idea aside with a

ularly Rosalie. And you heard what the man said: it isn't fair to gage the working day by the capacity of the strongest. The weakest has to set the pace, or else he's left behind. That's what Lordy mea

ired Priscilla, brea

Union, and strike f

horrified at the audac

d Conny, risi

can?" asked Pri

s Lord say?" R

tell us to listen to the lecture and

hted to find we

f she doesn

ero and C?sar classes i

!" crie

," Priscilla conceded. "She o

on of dependents, and the only way we can match strength with our employer, is by standing together. If Rosalie

won't want to join the

cordance with Miss Lord's desire, s

nd Florence Hissop; and Conny, you route out Nancy Lee-she's up in Evalina Smith's room telling ghos

bediently, but paus

ou do?" she inqu

ty, "will be

working day. The class was to explain the case to Miss Lord at the regular session on Monday morning, and politely but positively refuse to

d been formed, had to be coerced into signing the constitution. Finally, after a wealth of argument had been expended, she wrote her name in

esserts. Irene suffered keenly under this form of chastisement; and she carefully refrained from misdemeanors which might bring it upon her. But Conny produced a convincing argument. She threat

gil Union adjourned its fi

ay following the founding of the Union, the Virgil class gathered outside the door, in growing

oodness' sake, girls, don't look so scared. Remember you're suffering, not only for yourselves, but

, and a slight skirmish occurred at the outset. Her heavy walking boots were

of shoe laces that a lady

shopping on Friday, I couldn't get any more. I don't quite like the effec

y after class," Miss Lord acidly suggested. "

y waited to hear the next name called. Conny's turn ended with the sixtieth line. No one had gone beyond that; all ahead was virgin jung

t translations; even after two hours of patient work with a dictionary, she was still extremely hesitant as to meanings. Now, she blindly forged ahead,-amid a profound hush-attributing to

n her over night; then she caught the cold gleam of Miss Lord's eye. Rosalie's sobs filled the room. And she fell. Irene was fairly good at Latin-her sight translation was at least intelligible. Miss Lord's comment was merely sarcast

vor to extract a glimmering of sense. Plea

aced her superior in the ma

the first sixty l

e lesson that I gave out?"

akes too much time away from our other lessons. We are perfectly willing

h a flagrant case of insubordination. And it was purely insub

mean?" she ga

ss of our demands better than any of the other teachers, because you believe in unions. Now, the girl

deep breath an

nd beginning Latin, but you can't find anybody but us to read Virgil. It's like the laundry trade. We are not just plain boilers and starchers; we are fancy ironers. If you want to have a Virgil class, you have got

er word, but in the end she

is no reason why we should allow the others to be overworked. It is our duty to stand by one another against the encroachments of our employer. We women are not so advanced as m

ultimatum, and leaned

ghtened by gleams of fire. She had Irish ancestors and red hair. Patty alone listened with head erect and steely eyes. The red blood of martyrs dyed her cheeks. She was figh

finally dr

oolroom until she has translated perfectly the last t

while Patty turned into the empty schoolroom. On the thresho

ca

reakfast, with only a glass of milk at eleven o'clock. Even the pleasurable sensation of being abused did not quite offset the pangs of hunger. She listlessly set about learning the morrow's lesson in French History. It dealt with another martyr. Lou

find Osaki, the Japanese butler, leaning far out from his pantry window, and

tebasket, Missy," h

fering. There was no knife or fork, but primitive methods suffice in a case of real starvation. She finished the turkey and buried the plate b

tle Junior A. darted to Patty's side. She cast a conspiratorial glance

l suspect. I asked to be excused to get a handkerchief. Kee

lls into Patty's

ce. Also, the rolls were a grateful addition to the turkey; her five-hour appetite was still insistent. She finished one of them and wa

gingerbread, Miss

startled her, and she scurri

lue hat appeared momentarily over the sill, its owner boosted from below, and an unidentified hand sent an orange rolling down the center aisle. Patty hastily intercepted i

aseless shuffle of footsteps, all Saint Ursula's had errands that led past the schoolroom door. Patty did not cast a glance behind, but with rigid shoulders stared into space

n a stage whisper. "I'm awfully sorry there's

a box was swiftly lowered by a st

ned in a haughty stage whisper.

ce became audib

hat afternoon recreation wa

ad time to s

atty's face assumed an air of suffering stoicism, as she stared ahead, in the profound hope that Irene would have sense enough to rem

nished your

Miss

y n

-morrow's lesson in

her meaning was clear. She emphas

he twenty line

silence f

ou he

Miss

syllable was sha

ciples," said Patty

ntil those twenty l

ell, Mi

to suffer. Here i

Osaki to set

aved it

gnity. "I refuse to eat until I am ser

's Oriental calm. Miss Lord set the bread o

in Paradise Alley above her head. Groups passed the schoolroom window with happy calls and laughter. Pepper and Tabasco, the two riding horses, were saddled and brought out. She could see the girls taking turns in galloping around the oval, while Martin, as ringmaster, waved his whip and urged them on. Martin now was bent with rheumatism, but in his far-off reckless youth he had been a cowboy, and when he taught the girls to ride, it was with a

wearily on her arms. Finally she heard footsteps in the hall, and Miss Sallie entered and closed

at Patty needed chastisement of a rare sort; but it was her practice to hear

at is the meaning of

ed reproac

e, Miss

rest of the girls to mutiny. You are one of the most able pupils in the class, and your failure to finish the

ou understand,"

r you to explain," s

and by my

ie affably agreed. "And w

e fair to Rosalie. The working day should not be gaged by the capacity of the strongest. Miss Lord will flunk Rosalie if the rest of us don't take care of her. Up

to believe that you listen

f our daily lives, and when we do, she backs down. But anyway, we intend to maintain the strike, until she is ready to meet our just demands. It isn't through selfi

suffering sisters came down on top of one another, whi

but she controlled herself a

ives. I am sure that when Miss Lord fully understands the case she will feel gratified. Suppose I

had passed in and shut the door. Kid McCoy, returning from Paradise Alley, where she had been stretched on her stomach with her face to the register, reported that Patty had fainted through lack of food, that the Dowager had revived her with whiskey, and that she had come

to the Dowager's private study, while the dancing commenced with sudden fe

and there were weary circles about her ey

at

you d

it co

erfectly

he fur

did sh

e," Patty replied with quiet dignity. "Hereafter the lesson

ard the dining-room door. There was an aloofness about her, an air of having experie

the lighted window, as she sat in state at the end of a long table. Osaki on one side, tendered preserved strawber