A Popular Schoolgirl | Page 5

family, and help one another on. Cheer up!"
"It will be simply h--h--h--hateful to go back to school this term, and
not live at R--r--r--rotherwood!" sobbed Ingred.
Her mother patted the dark head that rested against her knee.
"Poor little woman! Remember it's just as hard for all the rest of us.
We've each got a burden to carry at present. Suppose we see who can
be pluckiest over it. We're fighting fortune now, instead of the Hun,
and we must show her a brave face. Won't you march with the family
regiment, and keep the colors flying?"
"I'll try," said Ingred, scrubbing her eyes with her pocket-handkerchief.
CHAPTER II
Opening Day
The Girls' College at Grovebury, under its able head-mistress, Miss
Burd, had made itself quite a name in the neighborhood. The governors,

realizing that it was outgrowing its old premises, decided to erect others,
and had put up a handsome building in a good situation near the Abbey.
No sooner was the last tile laid on the roof, however, than war broke
out, and the new school was immediately commandeered by the
Government as a recruiting office, and it had been kept for that purpose
until after the Armistice.
The girls considered it a very great grievance to be obliged to remain
cramped so long in their old college. The foundation stone of the new
building had been laid by Queen Mary herself, and they thought the
Government might have fixed upon some other spot in which to
conduct business, instead of keeping them out of their proper quarters.
All things come to an end, however, even the circumlocution and
delays of Government offices, and by the beginning of the autumn term
the removal had been effected, and the ceremony arranged for the
opening of the new college. Naturally it was to be a great day. The
Members of Parliament for Grovebury, and the Mayor, and many other
important people were to be present, to say nothing of parents and
visitors. The pupils, assembled in the freshly color-washed
dressing-rooms, greeted one another excitedly.
"How do you like it?"
"Oh, it's topping!"
"Beats the old place hollow!"
"There's room to turn around here!"
"And the lockers are just A1."
"Have you seen the class-rooms?"
"Not yet."
"The gym's utterly perfect!"
"And so is the lab."

"Shame we've had to wait for it so long!"
"Never mind, we've got into it at last!"
Among the numbers of girls in the capacious dressing-rooms, Ingred
also hung up her hat and coat, and passed on into the long corridor.
Like the others she was excited, interested, even a little bewildered at
the unfamiliar surroundings. It seemed extraordinary not to know her
way about, and she seized joyfully upon Nora Clifford, who by virtue
of ten minutes' experience could act cicerone.
"We're to be in VA.," Nora assured her. "All our old set, that is, except
Connie Lord and Gladys Roper and Meg Mason. I've just met Miss
Strong, and she told me. She's moved up with us, and there's a new
mistress for VB. Haven't seen her yet, but they say she's nice, though
I'd rather stick to Miss Strong, wouldn't you?"
"I don't know," temporized Ingred, screwing her mouth into a button.
"Oh, of course! I forgot! You're not a 'Strong' enthusiast--never were!
Now I like her!"
"It's easy enough to like anybody who favors you. Miss Strong was
always down on me somehow, and I'd rather have tried my luck with a
fresh teacher. I wonder if Miss Burd would put me in VB. if I asked
her."
"Of course she wouldn't! Don't be a silly idiot! I think Miss Strong's
absolutely adorable. Don't you like the decorations in the corridor?
Miss Godwin and some of the School of Art students did them. But just
wait till you've seen the lecture-hall! Here we are! Now then, what
d'you say to this?"
The big room into which Nora ushered her companion was lighted
from the top, and the walls, distempered in buff, had been decorated
with stencils of Egyptian designs, the bright barbaric colors of which
gave a very striking effect. There was a platform at the far end, where
were placed rows of chairs for the distinguished visitors, and also pots

of palms and ferns and geraniums to add an air of festivity to the
opening ceremony. The long lines of benches in the body of the hall
were already beginning to fill with girls, their bright hair-ribbons
looking almost like a further array of flowers. Mistresses here and there
were ushering them to their places, the Kindergarten children to the
front seats, Juniors to the middle, and Seniors to the rear. Ingred and
Nora, motioned by Miss Giles to a bench about three-quarters down the
room, took their seats and talked quietly