"Do you remember the time, Kathryn, you had to learn the 116th Psalm for
Miss Meredith, and thought she said the 119th?" said a plump young
matron with the contented look which belongs to mothers of happy little
families. "_I_ remember if you don't for you made our nights and days
miserable hearing you, and then it was all a mistake."
"Do you remember the first debate we had on woman's rights? Gracious me,
we thought we were advanced thinkers and no mistake."
"Do you remember the time Grace Wilton tried to trick the Infirmary
nurse by pouring her dose of castor oil down a rubber tube attached to a
bottle hid in her blouse, and how she poured it down the tube all right,
but not into the bottle? She _was_ in a mess."
"And do you remember Alice Roberts, when we had the measles epidemic,
rubbing her chest with a stiff hairbrush and complaining of headache so
that when nurse looked at her she sent her off to the Isolation
House--to join her special pal?"
The Sixth hung on the outskirts of the crowd drinking in stories of the
good old days, and then there was a sudden quiet in the room; Miss
Meredith had returned and was standing by the desk looking at them so
tenderly, so understandingly, that every girl knew that the Head
Mistress had come in to them with the prayer in her heart that she might
be able to give a message of strength and inspiration.
Such prayers are answered.
After the lesson the Old Girls moved away in little groups down to the
Big Hall where they were to have their annual business meeting. A great
deal of business was despatched during the next hour; notices of motion
were given for the next meeting, the reports of various committees were
read and approved, the question of this year's administration of the
scholarship fund discussed with much interest, and suggestions made as
to the form which this year's gift to the School should take. The
President got through the business on hand as quickly as possible, for,
as she pointed out, they had a real York Hill wedding on their hands,
and the meeting adjourned to decorate Big Hall for the ceremony. They
left it a bower of beauty. Some of the Old Girls had motored out to the
country and brought great masses of white and purple lilac, and
sweet-scented syringa, and big jars held the roses that the bride loved.
Judith and the rest of the "Jolly Susan" crew had begged to be allowed
to help since they were Miss Ashwell's own cubicle girls, and they had a
joyous time unpacking flowers which kept arriving, speculating as to the
bride's gown, and wondering what they would feel like if they were going
to be married that very afternoon.
"Next year won't be a bit the same," mourned Judith as she handed
festoons of green to Nancy who was decorating the front of the platform.
"Miss Ashwell will be gone and Catherine and Eleanor. I don't see
whatever we'll do."
"Oh, it'll be up to us," laughed Nancy, stepping back to admire the
handiwork.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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