Girls New and Old. Meade L. T.

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СКАЧАТЬ do wish the girls here would sometimes talk downright sensible English," she said to herself. "I suppose the sort of sharp repartee which goes on all over the place is very clever, but it certainly puzzles a newcomer like myself. I wonder how Cecil will like it when she comes. The girls are not a bit in her style, but they can't help loving her for all that. She will be a sort of revelation to them. She is so quaint – so unlike anybody else. I wonder when I shall hear from father. Surely father must say yes. I think the Indian mails came to London yesterday; if so, they will be delivered at Redgarth to-day. Oh, I certainly ought to hear from father to-day. I wonder what he will have to tell me."

      "A penny for your thoughts, Molly Lavender," said Amy, giving Molly's wrist a pinch.

      Molly started and blushed.

      "I was thinking," she began.

      "Anyone could see that. About what?" Amy asked.

      "About my dearest friend."

      "For goodness' sake don't answer her when she says 'a penny for your thoughts,'" interrupted Kate. "It is shabby of you, Amy, to try to probe a newcomer. I am head of this table, and I insist on being obeyed. Girls, will you stand up, please? I see Miss Leicester is just about to say grace."

      A moment later Molly found herself alone in the hall. The girls had all rushed off to their work in different parts of the house. Miss Leicester, who was passing through the hall in a hurry, saw Molly standing near the fire. She paused to speak to her.

      "My dear," she said, "prayers are at the school at a quarter to nine. Don't forget to ask Kate to introduce you, immediately after prayers, to Miss Forester."

      Molly promised to obey, and then went up to her room. She found it in the hands of one of the housemaids. She put on her hat and jacket, and ran downstairs again. It was a crisp and beautiful autumn day. Not a leaf stirred on the trees; the sky was of a clear, pale blue; there was just a faint touch of frost in the air.

      "Everything is lovely," she said, under her breath. "I mean to have a splendid time here. I mean to show grannie and father of what stuff I am made."

      Her meditations were cut short by a troop of girls who were seen passing St. Dorothy's.

      They stopped abruptly when they saw Molly. One of them – a girl with a plain, freckled face – came close up to the paling which divided St. Dorothy's from the rest of the school.

      "Say – are you a newcomer?" she called to her.

      "I don't understand you," answered Molly, with a little haughtiness.

      "But do say – are you a new-comer?"

      When the girl spoke a second time, two or three of her companions giggled. Molly's face grew crimson.

      "I have just come to St. Dorothy's," she replied, in a low voice.

      "Oh, dear!" The girl with the freckled face dropped a mock courtesy. "Oh, dear, what a privilege for St. Dorothy's! I say, girls, isn't it a prim little darling? Good-by, dearie! we'll meet very soon in the presence of the great Miss Forester. Au revoir, love, au revoir."

      The girl, with the rest of her companions, hurried across the grounds, and Molly returned to her station in the hall. The rest of the St. Dorothy girls now appeared, dressed in hats and jackets.

      "Come," said Katie, "we are late; we must make a rush for it. I promise to steer you through the shoals. Why, what's the matter? You look worried."

      "I ought not to be," answered Molly, "but I'm afraid I am. A girl who was passing the house called out to me in a very disagreeable voice. Oh, of course I ought not to mind. Is she a Redgarth girl?"

      "Has she sandy hair and a freckled face?" inquired Kate.

      "Yes; she is a plain girl."

      "I know her – her name is Matilda Matthews. If I were you, Molly, I wouldn't take the least notice of her. She doesn't belong to our house, and is never likely to. You'll have little or nothing to do with her, unless by chance you happen to attend the same lectures; she can make herself very disagreeable – none more so. I don't believe she is a high-principled girl, and I should recommend no friend of mine to have anything to do with her. Of course, you won't, and she isn't worth a thought. Now, come on; we must run, or we'll be late."

      A moment later, and the girls entered the wide quadrangle of the school. They entered the enormous hall, where four hundred girls were assembled for prayers. Molly, to her joy, found her place by Kate's side, and after a moment of dazed wonder, had courage to raise her brown eyes to look around her. Hundreds of other eyes seemed to meet hers. In multitudes, however, is safety. Molly could not be afraid of all the eyes. Soon a voice at the other end of the hall arrested her attention. She saw a solitary figure standing on a platform. The figure was that of a tall and noble-looking woman in the prime of life. There was a look about the whole face which immediately arrested the attention of those who gazed at it. The eyes had a kindling light in them, the mouth was shrewd as well as kindly, the brow was very full, broad, and of noble proportion; but it was the voice which awoke that quick enthusiasm with which Molly herself was full.

      "That is Miss Forester, the principal of the school," whispered Kate to her companion.

      Molly nodded; she could scarcely take her eyes from Miss Forester's face.

      The principal gave out the first line of a hymn. A few bars were played on an organ, and then the whole of the great hall became full of the sweetest and most trained melody. The girls sang in parts: the music was simple, but beautifully rendered.

      "At thy feet, O Lord, we lay,

      Thine own gift of this new day,"

      sang the four hundred girls.

      Molly found herself entering into the spirit of the well-known words. Toward the end of the hymn tears very nearly choked her voice. She was just the sort of girl to be easily influenced by her present surroundings. The hymn was followed by a psalm, which Miss Forester read aloud in her deep and beautiful tones. A second hymn followed; then there came a short prayer, followed by the benediction.

      Immediately afterward all was bustle and movement. Miss Forester held up her hand. The girls and teachers stood still, as if by magic.

      "I will take the class for Scripture in the north room in five minutes," said the principal. "Now, file out in order, please; every girl to her class."

      The girls and teachers began to move up the hall.

      "Stay behind one moment, Molly," said Kate; "I will take you to Miss Forester."

      As she spoke Kate led Molly to the upper end of the hall. Miss Forester stood erect and dignified on the platform. It was very evident that her dark eyes took in each particular of the whole scene. Mistresses and pupils alike were all under her domination. Suddenly her eyes fell upon Kate.

      With an imperious wave of her hand she beckoned the young girl to her side.

      "Tell me why you are not going to your class, Kate O'Connor?" was her query.

      "If you please, Miss Forester, I have brought Molly Lavender here."

      "And who is Molly Lavender?"

      "She is the new girl at St. Dorothy's."

      "Yes, of course, I remember. Tell her to come here."

      Kate СКАЧАТЬ