Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.fadedpage.net [Illustration: Dolly.] DOLLY'S COLLEGE EXPERIENCES BY MABEL CRONISE JONES The C. M. Clark Publishing Company BOSTON MDCCCCIX Copyright, 1909 THE C. M. CLARK PUBLISHING CO, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS U. S. A. All Rights Reserved ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Dolly Frontispiece "My brother says that I can heat water splendidly" 9 Beth and Dolly were discussing it one day as they took their usual walk 35 There were music and singing later in the evening 62 A moment later Dolly had been introduced to Beth's father 107 "Let me introduce you to two more of your classmates" 156 "Father could really get the papers by mail quite as well, I think, Mother" 206 "Aren't you going to say anything to me, Dolly?" 267 DOLLY'S COLLEGE EXPERIENCES DOLLY'S COLLEGE EXPERIENCES CHAPTER I Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Dolly looked around forlornly enough. Of course, she wanted to go to college, but for the first time she realized how dreadful it was, to be away from all the home-folks. In all those great buildings, with their hundreds of students, there was not a soul that Dolly knew. Outside the door she could hear the old girls talking and chattering together. But she was not an old girl. She was just an insignificant little Freshman. No one took the least notice of her. Her father had put her on the train and had even come part way with her. But the real loneliness commenced after she reached Westover. The college bus was there, and there was a good-natured man whom the girls all hailed as Patrick, and who seemed to belong to the college. He was evidently an expert at picking out the students, for when he caught sight of Dolly, he had walked up to her respectfully, and had inquired if she were not going to Westover College. Then he put her safely into the bus, took her checks and looked after her bundles. A few moments later the bus was filled to overflowing with girls, the most of them apparently old students, for they seemed well acquainted with each other and were chattering like magpies. Some of them had been on the same train as Dolly, and our poor little Freshman had looked at them then with wistful, speculative eyes. But she had been too shy to attempt any conversation with them. When they reached the college, all too soon for Dolly, she had hung back irresolutely, while the rest rushed up and embraced the teachers who stood in the reception room, ready to receive the newcomers.