Etheldreda the Ready: A School StoryVaizey, George de Horne, Mrs.
History
Etheldreda the Ready: A School Story
Vaizey, George de Horne, Mrs.
Girls -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Schools -- Juvenile fiction
The girls brightened visibly at this suggestion. It would be distinctly
more amusing to write for their own magazine than to cudgel their brains
to produce a sheet full of ideas on the abstruse subjects suggested by
Miss Drake. They edged a little nearer the fire, straightened their
backs, and fell to discussion.
"Perhaps she might."
"We'll ask her."
"She might be editor."
"She could write a lovely story herself."
"Bertha could illustrate. She draws the killingest pictures. There was
one of the fifth dormitory at 6 a.m. You saw all the girls asleep, and
their heads were killing. Amy had a top-knot that had fallen on one
side, Phyllis a pigtail about two inches long, and as thin as a string.
You know her miserable little wisp of hair. Mary was lying on her back
with her mouth wide open. It was the image of her. She's nearly as
good as Hilda Cowham. We might call her `Hilda Cowman' as a _nom de
plume_. Wouldn't it look professional?"
Dreda was a trifle annoyed that the position of editor had not been
offered to herself as the originator of the movement, and she likewise
cherished the belief that she was entitled to take a prominent place as
illustrator; but she consoled herself with the reflection that when the
magazine was really started her previous experience could not fail to be
useful.
"We'll have stories, and essays, and poetry, and competitions, and
advertisements at the end. You have to pay for advertisements, and that
pays for stationery."
"What sort of advertisements?"
"Every sort. Exchanging stamps and post cards, selling snapshots--
anything you like. I should put: `Fifth form pupil will coach junior
for ten minutes daily in exchange for fagging: hot water, sewing on
buttons, darning, etcetera.' I'm not used to mending. It's the limit!
What shall we call it?"
"The magazine? _The Grey House Monthly_--_Messenger_--_Herald_--
something of that kind. We ought to bring in the name of the school."
"I don't see why. I think it would be nicer without. Less amateury.
The--_Casket_. Wouldn't _Casket_ be good? It implies that it is full
of treasures."
"_The Torch_! That's nicer than _Casket_, and sounds more spirited. We
could have a picture of a woman holding up a lamp, with the word
`Progress' written across the beams--like they do in the _Punch_
cartoons. I think _Torch_ would be lovely."
"Why not _Comet_?" asked Nancy in her brief, quiet tones, narrowing the
double line of black eyelashes as she spoke so as to hide the expression
of her eyes.
There was a moment's pause, broken by Dreda's quick, suspicious
question:
"Why _Comet_?"
"Why not?"
"Do you mean because of the _tail_?"
"Comets _do_ have tails, don't they? So do magazines!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account