Molly Brown's Freshman Days Part 18

Although it was Judy's party, Molly, as usual kind-hearted and grandly hospitable, had invited Frances Andrews. Then she had gone and confessed her sins to Judy, who flared up and said things she hadn't intended, and Molly had wept a little and owned that she was entirely at fault. But what could be done? Frances was invited and had accepted.

To atone for her sins, poor Molly had made popovers as a surprise and arranged to bake them in Mrs. Murphy's oven. But the hostess being gloomy, the company was gloomy, since the one is apt to reflect the humor of the other. However, as the coffee began to send forth its cheerful aroma from Judy's Russian samovar, discord took wings and harmony reigned. It was a very comfortable and sociable party. Most of the girls wore their kimonos, it being a time for rest and relaxation; but when Frances Andrews swept into the room in a long lavender silk _peignoir_ trimmed with frills of lace, all cotton crepe j.a.panese dressing gowns faded into insignificance.

"There is no doubt that college girls are a hungry lot," remarked Margaret Wakefield, settling herself comfortably to dispose of food and conversation and arouse argument, a thing she deeply enjoyed.

"So much brain work requires nourishment," observed Mabel Hinton.

"There is not much brain nourishment at Queen's," put in Frances Andrews. "I've been living on raw eggs and sweet chocolate for the last week. The table has run down frightfully."

Sallie Marks was a loyal Queen's girl, and resented this slur on the table of the establishment which was sheltering her now for the third year.

"The food here is quite as good as it is at any of the other houses,"

she said coldly to the unfortunate Frances, who really had not intended to give offence.

"Pardon me, but I don't agree with you," replied Frances, "and I have a right to my own opinion, I suppose."

Judy gave Molly a triumphant glance, as much as to say, "You see what you have done."

Everybody looked a little uncomfortable, and Margaret Wakefield, equal to every occasion, launched into a learned discussion on how many ounces of food the normal person requires a day.

Once more the talk flowed on smoothly. But where Frances was, it would seem there were always hidden reefs which wrecked every subject, no matter how innocent, the moment it was launched.

"Molly, I can trade compliments with you," put in Jessie Lynch, taking not the slightest notice of her roommate's discourse. "It's one of those very indirect, three-times-removed compliments, but you'll be amused by it."

"Really," said Molly, "do tell me what it is before I burst with curiosity."

"I said 'trade,'" laughed Jessie, who liked a compliment herself extremely.

"Oh, of course," replied Molly. "I have any number I can give you in exchange. How do you care for this one? Mary Stewart thinks you are very attractive."

"Does she, really? That's nice of her," exclaimed Jessie, blushing with pleasure as if she hadn't been told the same thing dozens of times before. "I think she's fine; not exactly pretty, you know, but fine."

"I suppose you don't know how her father made his money?" broke in Frances.

There was a silence, and Molly, feeling that she was about to be mortified again by something disagreeable, cried hastily:

"Oh, dear, I forgot the surprise. Do wait a moment," and dashed from the room.

While she was gone, Nance and Judy began filling up the intervals with odd bits of conversation, helped out by the other girls, and Frances Andrews did not have another opportunity to put in her oar. Suddenly she rose and swept to the door.

"You would none of you feel interested to know, I suppose, that Mary Stewart's father started life as a bootblack----"

"That's what I'm starting life as," cried Molly, who now appeared carrying a large tray covered with a napkin. "I am the official bootblack of Queen's, and I make sometimes one-fifty a week at it. I hope I'll do as well as Mr. Stewart in the business. Have a popover?"

She unfolded the napkin and behold a pile of golden m.u.f.fins steaming hot. There were wild cries of joy from the kimonoed company.

"And now, Jessie, I'll take my second-hand, roundabout compliment----"

she began, when Judy interrupted her.

"Won't you have a popover, Miss Andrews?" she asked in a cold, exasperated tone.

"Thanks; I eat the European breakfast usually--coffee and roll----"

"Yes, I've been there," answered Judy.

"I'll say good morning. I've enjoyed your little party immensely," and Frances marched out of the room and banged the door.

"I should think you would have learned a lesson by this time, Molly Brown," cried Judy hotly. "There is always a row whenever that girl is around. She can't be nice, and there is no use trying to make her over."

"I'm sorry," said Molly penitently. "I wish I could understand why she behaves that way when she knows it's going to take away what few friends she has."

"I think I can tell you," put in Mabel Hinton. "n.o.body likes her, and n.o.body expects any good of her. If you are constantly on the lookout for bad traits, they are sure to appear. It's almost a natural law.

Everybody was expecting this to-day, and so it happened, of course. If we had been cordial and sweet to her, she never would have said that about Mary Stewart or the food at Queen's, either."

"Dear me, are we listening to a sermon," broke in Judy flippantly.

But, in spite of Judy's interruption, Mabel's speech made an impression on the girls, some of whom felt a little ashamed of their att.i.tude toward Frances Andrews.

"Did you ever see a dog that had been kicked all its life?" went on Mabel; "how it snarls and bites and snaps at anybody who tries to pet it? Well, Frances is just a poor kicked dog. She's done something she ought not to have done, and she's been kicked out for it, and she's so sore and unhappy, she snarls at everybody who comes near her."

"Mabel, you're a brick!" exclaimed Sallie Marks. "I started the fight this morning and I'm ashamed of it. I'm going to make a resolution to be nice to that poor girl hereafter, no matter how horrid she is. It will be an interesting experiment, if for no other reason."

"Let's form a society," put in Molly, "to reinstate Frances Andrews, and the way to do it will be to be as nice as we can to her and to say nice things about her to the other girls."

"Good work!" cried Margaret Wakefield, scenting another opportunity to draw up a const.i.tution, by-laws and resolutions. "We will call a first meeting right now, and elect officers. I move that Molly be made chairman of the meeting."

"I second the motion," said Sallie heartily. "All in favor say 'aye.'"

There was a chorus of laughing "ayes" and a society was actually established that morning, Molly, as founder, being elected President. It consisted of eight members, all freshmen, except the good-natured Sallie Marks, who condescended, although a junior, to join.

"Suppose we vote on a name now," continued Margaret who wished to leave nothing undone in creating the club. "Each member has a right to suggest two names, votes to be taken afterward."

It was all very business-like, owing to Margaret's experienced methods, but the girls enjoyed it and felt quite important. As a matter of fact, it was the first society to be established that year in the freshman cla.s.s, and it developed afterward into a very important organization.

Among the various names suggested were "The Optimists," "The Bluebirds,"

"The Glad Hands," mentioned by Sallie Marks, and "The Happy Hearts."

"They are all too sentimental," said the astute Margaret, looking them over. "There'll be so many croaks about us if we choose one of these names that we'll be crushed with ridicule. How about these initials--'G.F.' What do they stand for?"

"Gold Fishes," replied Mabel Hinton promptly. The others laughed, but the name pleased them, nevertheless. "You see," went on Mabel, "a gold fish always radiates a cheerful glow no matter where he is. He is the most amiable, contented little optimist in the animal kingdom, and he swims just as happily in a finger bowl as he does in a fish pond. He was evidently created to cheer up the fish tribe and I'm sure he must succeed in doing it."

The explanation was received with applause, and when the votes were taken, "G.F." was chosen without a dissenting voice.

It was decided that the club was to meet once a week, it's object, to be, in a way, the promotion of kindliness, especially toward such people as Frances Andrews, who were friendless.

"We'll be something like the Misericordia Society in Italy," observed Judy, "only, instead of looking after wounded and hurt people, we'll look after wounded and hurt feelings."

It was further moved, seconded and the motion carried that the society should be a secret one; that reports should be read each week by members who had anything to report; and, by way of infusing a little sociability into the society, it was to give an entertainment, something unique in the annals of Wellington; subject to be thought of later.

It was noon by the time the first meeting of the G. F. Society was ready to disband. But the girls had really enjoyed it. In the first place, there was an important feeling about being an initial member of a club which had such a beneficial object, and was to be so delightfully secretive. There was, in fact, a good deal of knight errantry in the purpose of the G. F.'s, who felt not a little like Amazonian cavaliers looking for adventure on the highway.