Molly Brown's Freshman Days Part 12

CHAPTER VIII.

CONCERNING CLUBS,--AND A TEA PARTY.

At the first meeting of the freshman cla.s.s of 19--, Margaret Wakefield of Was.h.i.+ngton, D. C., had been elected President.

Just how this came about no one could exactly say. She could not have been accused of electioneering for herself, and yet she made an impression somehow and had won the election by a large majority.

"Anybody who can talk like that ought to be President of something,"

Molly had observed good naturedly. "She could make a real inauguration speech, I believe, and she knows all about Parliamentary Law, whatever that is."

"She dashed off the cla.s.s const.i.tution just as easily as if she were writing a letter home," said Judy.

"That's not so easy, either," added Nance mournfully.

The girls were silent. It had gradually leaked out as their friends.h.i.+p progressed that Nance's home was not an abode of happiness by any means.

And yet Nance had written a theme on "Home," which was so well done that she had been highly complimented by Miss Pomeroy, who had read it aloud to the cla.s.s. Molly often wondered just what manner of woman Nance's mother was, and she soon had an opportunity of finding out for herself.

But the conversation about the new cla.s.s president continued.

"President Wakefield wants us to have bi-monthly meetings," continued Judy. "She wishes to divide the cla.s.s into committees and have a chairman for each committee--"

"Committees for what?" demanded Molly.

"Dear knows," laughed Judy, "but her father's a Congressman, and she has inherited his pa.s.sion for law and order, I suppose. She wants to conduct a debate on Woman's Suffrage to meet Sat.u.r.days. It's to be called 'The Woman's Franchise Club,' and she wishes to establish by-laws and resolutions and a number of other things that are Greek to me, for 'the political body corporate.' She says it's a crying shame that women know so little about the const.i.tution of their own country, and in establis.h.i.+ng a debating society, she hopes to do some missionary work in that line."

Judy had risen and was waving her arms dramatically while her voice rose and fell like an old-time orator's.

"I suppose we ought," said Molly; "but I'd rather put it off a year or so. There are so many other things to enjoy first. Besides, it will be four years before I reach the voting age, and by that time I hope my 'intellects' will have developed sufficiently to take in the const.i.tution of the country."

"Anyhow," exclaimed Judy, "I'm proud to have a cla.s.s president who's such a first-cla.s.s public speaker, because it takes it all off our shoulders. Whenever there's a speech to be made or anything public and embarra.s.sing to be done, we'll just vote for her to do it, because she will enjoy it so much."

"But are you going to join the debating club?" asked Nance.

"I suppose it's our duty to," replied Molly; "but I do hate to pin myself down. Suppose we say we'll go to one and listen?"

"Well, you'd better settle it now, because here comes the President sailing up the walk. She's going the rounds now, I suppose, and in another two minutes she'll be springing the question on us."

Judy, who was sitting at the front window of her own room, nodded down into the yard and smiled politely, and the girls had just time to settle among themselves what they were going to say when there was a smart rap on the door and President Wakefield entered.

She wore rather masculine-looking clothes, and carried a business-like small-sized suit case in one hand and a notebook in the other.

"h.e.l.lo, girls!" she began; "I'm so glad I caught you together. It saves telling over the same thing three times. I want to know first exactly how you stand on the woman's suffrage question. Now, don't be afraid to be frank about it, and speak your minds. Of course, I'm sure that, being women who are seeking the higher education, you are all of you on the right side--the side of the thinking woman of to-day----"

Here Judy sneezed so violently that she almost upset the little three-legged clover-leaf tea table at her elbow.

"How do you feel on the subject, Molly?"

Molly smiled broadly, while Nance cleared her throat and Judy blew her nose and exclaimed:

"I think I must be taking cold. Excuse me while I get a sweater," and disappeared in the closet.

"I--I'm afraid I don't know very much about the subject, Margaret. You see, I was brought up in the country, and I haven't had a chance to go into woman's suffrage very deeply."

"There is no time like the present for beginning, then," said Margaret promptly, opening the business-like little suit case. "Read these two pamphlets and you'll get the gist of the entire subject clearly and concisely expressed. I will call on you for an opinion next week after you've had time to study the question a bit."

Molly took the pamphlets and began hastily turning the leaves. She wanted to laugh, but she felt certain it would offend Margaret deeply not to be taken seriously, and she controlled her facial muscles with an effort while she waited for attack No. Two.

"Nance, have you taken any interest in this question?" continued Margaret, who seemed to have the patience of a fanatic spreading his belief.

"I know something about it," replied Nance quietly. "You see, my mother is President of a Woman's Suffrage a.s.sociation, and she spends most of her time going about the country making speeches for the National a.s.sociation."

"What, is your mother Mrs. Anna Oldham, the famous clubwoman?" cried Margaret.

Nance nodded her head silently.

"Why, she is one of the greatest authorities on women's suffrage in the country!" exclaimed Margaret with great enthusiasm. "It says so here.

Look, it gives a little sketch of her life and t.i.tles. She is president of two big societies and an officer in five others. It's all in this little book called 'Famous Club Women in America and England.' Dear me,"

continued Margaret modestly, "I think I'd better resign and give the chair to you, Nance. I'm n.o.body to be preaching to you when you must know the subject from beginning to end."

Nance smiled in her curious, whimsical way.

"Have you ever eaten too much of something, Margaret," she said, "and then hated it ever afterward?"

"Why, yes," replied the President, "that has happened to every one, I suppose. Mince pie and I have been strangers to each other for many years on that account."

"Well," continued Nance, "I've been fed on clubs until I feel like a Strausberg goose. I've had them crammed down my throat since I was five years old. When I was twelve, I was my mother's secretary, and I've sent off thousands of just such pamphlets as you are distributing now. I learned to write on the typewriter so I could copy my mother's speeches.

I've been usher at club conventions and page at committee meetings. I've distributed hundreds of badges with 'Votes for Women' printed on them. I had to make a hundred copies of mother's speech on 'The Const.i.tution and By-Laws of the United States,' and send them to a hundred different women's clubs. So, you see," she added, simply, frowning to keep back her tears, "I think I'll take a rest from clubs while I'm at college and begin to enjoy life a little with Molly and Judy."

Margaret Wakefield, who was really a very nice girl and exceedingly well-bred, leaned over and placed a firm, rather large hand on Nance's.

"I should think you had had enough," she exclaimed, giving the hand a warm squeeze. Seeing teardrops glistening in Nance's eyes, she rose and started to the door. "If ever you do want to come to any of the meetings, you will be very welcome, girls," she said; "but you don't want to overdo anything in life, you know, and if there are things that interest you more than Woman's Suffrage you oughtn't to sacrifice yourselves. People should follow their own bent, I think. Good-bye," she went on, smiling brightly, "and don't bother to read the pamphlets, Molly, dear, if you don't want to. It's a poor way to carry a point to make a bugbear of the subject."

She went out quietly and closed the door.

"I call her a perfect lady," exclaimed Molly, trying not to look at Nance, but wis.h.i.+ng at the same time that her friend would give way just once and have a good cry.

"Let's cut study this afternoon and take a walk," exclaimed Judy. "Trot along and get on your sweaters. It's much too glorious to stay indoors.

Nance, can't you do your theme after supper? Molly, you look a little peaked. It will do you good to breathe the fresh, untainted air of the pine woods."

Judy, it must be confessed, was always glad of a good excuse to get away from her books.

"Splendid!" cried Molly with enthusiasm.

"And I'll bring my English tea basket," went on Judy. "Who's got any cookies?"