College stories; Women college students -- Juvenile fiction
"Is it to be cousin or sister?
"ANNA MAITLANDT."
And then,
"I bet on the 'Wearing of the Green.'
"THOMAS CABOT."
She smiled as she read them a second time, and then wondered how Tom
and Anna had ever guessed.
Jean purposely avoided Elizabeth that morning and hurried to chapel
alone. When she took her usual seat she felt as if every eye was upon
her. She tried not to look conscious, but she felt that she failed in
the attempt. It took only a moment to see that she wore the bow of
green, and joy reigned among the Gamma Chis and sorrow among the Sigma
Delts.
It was about two weeks after Pledging Monday that Jean was told to be
ready on Wednesday, November twelfth, for her initiation into Gamma
Chi. At half-past eight she reported at Peggy Allison's room where she
was blindfolded and wrapped in a long black cape. It seemed to her
that she was led miles and miles by a guard on either side who spoke
never a word. Finally they reached what appeared to be a subterranean
passage which led into a cold, damp cave. Jean was commanded to fall
upon her knees and raise her right hand and swear by all the sacred
spirits of the past to be true forever to Gamma Chi. Then there arose
a most dismal wail from the spirits of the past, and Jean in fear and
trembling promised all that was asked of her.
"Will you wear for evermore the insignia of Gamma Chi?" said a
sepulchral voice.
"I will," said poor Jean.
"Then stretch forth thy good right arm that we may bare it to the
elbow. Here let us imprint our emblem," and Jean shuddered as the
red-hot brand traced out the figures on her arm. She wondered why she
did not scream out, and although she had never fainted in her life she
felt at this moment as though she were about to fall to the floor.
Just then the handkerchief was torn from her eyes, a hearty laugh came
from the girls and Jean found herself in the cellar of the dormitory
which the girls had borrowed for the occasion. She looked down at her
bared arm and then at Peggy, who stood before her with a pointed piece
of ice still in her hands.
"You're a brick, Jean. It's no fun trying to haze you; why didn't you
scream or do something exciting? Well, you have been so good about this
part that we'll take you up to society rooms without any more delay."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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