Betty Wales Senior | Page 7

little plans because they are not big and fine enough to
suit the whole class. I hope the elections to-day may be conducted in
that spirit. We each want what we all want, I am sure. We know one
another pretty well by this time, but perhaps it will help us in choosing
the right persons for senior officers if some of the candidates' friends
make brief nominating speeches. It is now in order to nominate some
one for the office of senior president."
Christy was on her feet in an instant, nominating Marie Howard, in a
graceful little speech that mentioned her tact and energy and class spirit,
recalled some of the things she had done to make the class of 19--
proud of her, and called attention to the fact that she had never had an
important office before.
"And she wouldn't be having one now if we hadn't succeeded in
throwing off the rule of a certain person named Eastman and her
friends," muttered Bob sotto voce.
Alice Waite seconded the nomination.

"I can't make a real speech like Christy's," she stammered, blushing
prettily, "but I want to call attention to Marie's--I mean to Miss
Howard's sparkling sense of humor and strong personal magnetism.
And--and--I am sure she'll do splendidly," ended little Alice, forgetting
her set phrases and sitting down amidst a burst of amused applause.
Rachel called for other nominations but there were none, so Marie was
elected unanimously, and with tremendous enthusiasm.
After she had assumed the cap and gown, taken the chair, and thanked
her classmates, Barbara Gordon, one of Christy's best friends, was
made vice-president. Babe, to her infinite annoyance, found herself the
victor in the treasurer's contest, and Nita Reese was ensconced beside
Marie in the secretary's chair.
"And you said none of 'The Merry Hearts' would do for officers," Betty
whispered reproachfully to Madeline.
"Well, will they think we are office-grabbers, if I put up Eleanor?"
asked Madeline.
"Oh, no," declared Betty eagerly. "You see Babe's such a general
favorite--she's counted into half a dozen crowds; and Nita is really a
Hill girl, only she never would go to class-meetings when she was a
freshman and so she was never identified with that set. You will
propose Eleanor, won't you?"
"Honor bright," promised Madeline, and returned once more to the
pages of a new magazine which she had insisted upon bringing, "in
case things are too deadly slow."
"The next business," said Marie, consulting the notes that Rachel had
handed her with the cap and gown, "the next business is to dispose of
our ten thousand dollars."
Instantly a dozen girls were on their feet, clamoring for recognition.
Marion Lustig urged the need of books for the English department.
Clara Madison, who after two years of amazement at Harding College

in general and hatred of the bed-making it involved in particular, had
suddenly awakened to a tremendous enthusiasm for microscopic botany,
made a funny little drawling speech about the needs of her pet
department. Two or three of Miss Ferris's admirers declared that
zoölogy was the most important subject in the college curriculum, and
urged that the money should be used as a nest egg for endowing the
chair occupied by that popular lady. The Spanish and Italian
departments, being newly established, were suggested as particularly
suitable objects for benevolence. Dr. Hinsdale's department, the history
and the Greek departments were exploited. 19-- was a versatile class;
there was somebody to plead for every subject in the curriculum, and at
least half a dozen prominent members of the faculty were declared by
their special admirers to stand first in 19--'s affections.
"Though that has really nothing to do with it," said Jean Eastman testily,
conscious that her plea for the modern language departments had fallen
on deaf ears. "We're not giving presents to the faculty, but to the
college. I like Miss Raymond as well as any one----"
"Oh, no, you don't," muttered Bob, who had caught Jean in the act of
reading an English condition at the end of Junior year.
Jean heard, understood, and flashed back an acrimonious retort about
Miss Ferris's partiality for Bob's work.
The newly elected president, whose tact had been extolled by Emily
Davis, found it speedily put to the test. "Don't you think," she began,
"that we ought to hear from the girl who had most to do with our
getting this money? Before we act upon the motion to refer the matter
to a committee who shall interview the president and the faculty and
find out how the rest of the money is to be spent and where ours seems
to be most needed, I want to ask Miss Betty Wales for an expression of
her opinion."
Betty gave a little gasp. Parliamentary law was Hebrew