Boarding schools -- Fiction; Family life -- New England -- Fiction; New England -- Fiction; Schools -- Fiction
'Come now, don't hit a fellow when he is down,' responded Dolly from
the grass where he and Stuffy now lay to make room for both girls on the
seat. One handkerchief was spread under him, and his elbow leaned upon
another, while his eyes were sadly fixed upon the green and brown spot
which afflicted him. 'I like to be neat; don't think it civil to cut
about in old shoes and grey flannel shirts before ladies. Our fellows
are gentlemen, and dress as such,' he added, rather nettled at the
word 'tailor'; for he owed one of those too attractive persons an
uncomfortably big bill.
'So are ours; but good clothes alone don't make a gentleman here. We
require a good deal more,' flashed Josie, in arms at once to defend
her college. 'You will hear of some of the men in “old boots and grey
flannel” when you and your fine gentlemen are twiddling your ties and
scenting your hair in obscurity. I like old boots and wear them, and I
hate dandies; don't you, Bess?'
'Not when they are kind to me, and belong to our old set,' answered
Bess, with a nod of thanks to Dolly, who was carefully removing an
inquisitive caterpillar from one of her little russet shoes.
'I like a lady who is always polite, and doesn't snap a man's head off
if he has a mind of his own; don't you, George?' asked Dolly, with his
best smile for Bess and a Harvard stare of disapprobation for Josie.
A tranquil snore was Stuffy's sole reply, and a general laugh restored
peace for the moment. But Josie loved to harass the lords of creation
who asserted themselves too much, and bided her time for another attack
till she had secured more tennis. She got another game; for Dolly was
a sworn knight of dames, so he obeyed her call, leaving Bess to sketch
George as he lay upon his back, his stout legs crossed, and his round
red face partially eclipsed by his hat. Josie got beaten this time and
came back rather cross, so she woke the peaceful sleeper by tickling his
nose with a straw till he sneezed himself into a sitting posture, and
looked wrathfully about for 'that confounded fly'.
'Come, sit up and let us have a little elegant conversation; you
“howling swells” ought to improve our minds and manners, for we are
only poor “country girls in dowdy gowns and hats”,' began the gad-fly,
opening the battle with a sly quotation from one of Dolly's unfortunate
speeches about certain studious damsels who cared more for books than
finery.
'I didn't mean you! Your gowns are all right, and those hats the latest
thing out,' began poor 'Dolphus, convicting himself by the incautious
exclamation.
'Caught you that time; I thought you fellows were all gentlemen, civil
as well as nice. But you are always sneering at girls who don't dress
well and that is a very unmanly thing to do; my mother said so'; and
Josie felt that she had dealt a shrewd blow at the elegant youth who
bowed at many shrines if they were well-decorated ones.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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