Molly Brown's Junior Days Part 7

Molly wept a little over this frank expression of criticism, although there did seem to be an implied compliment in the last line. She reread the story and blushed for her commonplaceness. Surely there never had been written anything so inane and silly.

For a long time she sat gazing at the white peak of Fujiyama on the j.a.panese scroll.

"Simple and natural, indeed," she exclaimed. "It's much harder than the other way. Unaffected and sincere! That's not easy, either." She sighed and tore the story into little bits, casting it into the waste-paper basket. "That's the best place for you," she continued, apostrophizing her first attempt at fiction. "n.o.body would ever have laughed or cried over you. n.o.body would even have noticed you. My trouble is that I try too hard. I am always straining my mind for words and ideas. Now, when I write letters, how do I do? I let go. I never worry. Can a story be written in that way?"

"How now, Mistress Molly," called Judy, bursting into the room. "Why are you lingering here in the house when all the world's afield? Get thee up and go hence with me unto the green woods where we are to have tea, probably for the last time before the winter's call."

"Who's 'we'?" asked Molly.

"Why, the usual crowd, and a few others from Beta Phi House."

"But you'll never have enough teacups to go around, child," objected Molly.

"Oh, yes, we shall. There are two other tea baskets coming from Beta Phi. There will be plenty and some over besides. Rosomond Chase and Millicent Porter were so taken with my basket last year that they each bought one. Of course Millicent's is much finer than mine or Rosomond's."

"I dare say. But I don't think I want to go, Judy."

The truth was Molly never felt in sympathy with those two Beta Phi girls, who represented an element in college she did not like. They dressed a great deal, for one thing, especially Millicent Porter, the girl who had sub-let Judith Blount's apartment the year before.

"Now, Molly, I think you're unkind," burst out Judy. She never could endure even small disappointments. "They are awfully nice girls and they want to know you better. They said they did."

"Well, why don't they come and see me? That's easy."

Judy did not reply. She was pulling down all the clothes in the closet in a search for Molly's tam and sweater. She was in one of her queer, excited moods. Could it be that Judy thought the sparkling coterie from Queen's was being honored by these two rich young persons from Beta Phi? Molly rejected the suspicion almost as soon as it entered her mind.

No, it was simply that poor old Judy was obsessed with a desire to get into the "Shakespeareans," and by courting the most influential members she thought she could make it.

Molly pulled her slender length from the depths of the Morris chair where she had been lolling.

"Very well," she said resignedly. "I was meditating on my ambitions when you broke in on me. You are a very demoralizing young person, Judy."

Judy laughed. She made a charming picture in her scarlet tam and sweater.

"Come along," she cried, "and ambitions be hanged." She seized her tea basket under one arm and a box of ginger snaps under the other.

"Why, Judy, I am really shocked at you," exclaimed Molly. "I think I'll have to give you another shaking up before long. You're getting lax and lazy."

"Nothing of the sort. I only want to enjoy life while the weather is good. It's lots easier to think of ambitions on rainy days."

The other girls were waiting on the campus: the Williamses, Margaret and Jessie, Nance and presently the two Beta Phi girls. Rosomond Chase was a plump, rather heavy blonde type, always dressed to perfection and bright enough when she felt inclined to exert her mind. Millicent Porter was quite the opposite in appearance; small, wiry, with a prominent, sharp-featured face; prominent nose, prominent teeth and rather bulging eyes. She talked a great deal in a highly pompous tone, and her voice always slurred over from one statement to another as if to ward off interruption. She seemed much amused at this little escapade in the woods, quite Bohemian and informal.

The Queen's girls could hardly explain why she appeared so patronizing.

It was her manner more than what she said; although Margaret insisted that it was because she monopolized the conversation.

"We didn't go to listen to a monologue," Margaret thundered later when they were discussing the tea party. "We came to hear ourselves talk."

What surprised Molly was the attention that the young person of unlimited wealth bestowed upon her.

"Come and sit beside me, Miss Brown, and tell me about Kentucky," she ordered.

"I am afraid I haven't the gift of language," replied Molly, without budging from her seat on a log. "Ask Margaret Wakefield. She's the only conversationalist in the crowd."

"I suppose Mahomet must go to the mountain, then," observed Miss Porter, and she moved graciously over to the log, where she regaled Molly with a great deal of wordy talk.

"If she's going to do all the conversing, it might as well be on something interesting," thought Molly, and she started Millicent on the topic of silver work. This young woman, rich beyond calculation, had an unusual talent which had not been neglected. She worked in silver.

"Her natural medium," Edith had observed when she heard of it.

She could beat out chains and necklaces, rings of antique patterns, beautiful platters with enameled centers with all the skill of a real silversmith.

Molly listened with polite interest to Millicent's lengthy description of her art. There was often an unconscious flattery in the sympathetic attention Molly gave to other people's talk. It had the effect of loosening tongues and brought forth confidences and heart secrets. She was a good listener and the repository of many a hidden thought.

"I am only going to college, you know, to please papa," Millicent was saying. "He thinks I should be finished off like a piece of statuary or a new house. I would much rather do things with my hands. I can't see how I am to be benefited by all these cla.s.sics. In the sort of life I shall lead they won't do me any good. Society people never quote Latin and Greek or make learned references to early Roman history and things of that sort. It isn't considered good form. Modern novels are the only things people read nowadays, but papa is determined. Now, with silver work, it's quite different. I love it. I love to make beautiful things.

I have just finished a grape-vine chain. The workmanship is exquisite.

My sitting room is my studio, you know, and I work there when I am not busy with stupid books. You seem interested. Do you know anything about silver work?"

Molly admitted her ignorance on the subject, but Millicent did not pause to listen. Her voice slurred over from the question to her next outburst.

"I like beautiful rich colors. I intend to design all the costumes for the next Shakespearean performance. If I had been born in a different sphere in life, I should have divided my time between silver work and costuming. I can draw, too, but it's more designing than anything else."

Then Millicent, encouraged by Molly's sympathetic blue eyes, lowered her voice and plunged into confidences.

"The truth is," she said, "we were not so--er--well-to-do two generations ago. My great-grandfather was an Italian silversmith. Isn't it interesting? He was really an artist in his way, and made wonderful vessels for the church, crucifixes, and things like that. I tell mamma I believe her grandfather's soul has entered into my body. But that isn't all. Now, if I tell you this, will you promise never to breathe it? It's really a family secret, but it accounts for my love of rich, beautiful things. I can sew, you know. I adore to embroider. If I had to, I could easily make all my own clothes----"

"But that's nothing to be ashamed of," broke in Molly.

"No, no. That isn't the secret. The secret is where I got the taste for such things. You promise not to mention this?"

"I promise," replied Molly gravely, repressing the smile that for an instant hovered on her lips.

"The silversmith grandfather had a brother who was a merchant. He had a shop in Florence where he sold all sorts of beautiful fabrics, velvets and brocades and lots of antique things."

"No doubt it was an antique shop," thought Molly.

"Mamma remembers it well, and the shop is still there to-day, but it's in other hands."

Molly felt much amus.e.m.e.nt at this explanation of heredity. It would not be difficult to add a few lines to Millicent's small, thin face and place it on the shoulders of the old silversmith or of his brother, the dealer in antiques. How would they feel if they could hear this granddaughter conversing about society and the cla.s.sics?

"But I have rattled on. Here I have told you two family secrets. But of course they will go no farther. You know more about me than any girl in Wellington. Won't you come over to dinner with me Sat.u.r.day evening and see my studio?"

"I am so sorry," said Molly, "but I have an engagement,"--to try to write a sincere, natural, simple short story, she added, in her mind.

"Oh, dear, what a nuisance! Can you come Sunday? They have horrid early dinners Sunday, but no matter."

Molly was obliged to accept, anxious as she was to keep out of the Beta Phi crowd.

"By the way, do you act?" asked Millicent abruptly.

"A little," answered Molly, and that ended the tea party.