Chapter II.
The morning passed as usual, with the exception that just before recess Mr. Gorham stated that he had a few words to say to the school, and begged the closest attention. It was needless to ask that, for every eye was already fixed upon the speaker, and every face betokened the liveliest interest in what he was about to say.
In a few words Mr. Gorham unfolded the May-party project, said the honor of Queen would be given to the one who stood first in her classes, and as having looked over the records he found two of the pupils, Miss Florence Tracy and Miss Susie Kingman, ranked equally high, a vote would be taken before close of school to decide the matter. He then referred the girls to Miss Page to find out about their costumes, and finished by setting the twentieth of June, the last day of school, for the fête, then struck the bell.
The buzzing of voices that followed! Among the many exclamations one might have heard,
"It's really a June party!"
"All the better, for we never could wear thin dresses out-of-doors in May!"
"The best kind of a way to end up school!"
"Why, girls, it will be just a month from to-day. Let's find Miss Page and learn all the particulars."
At this proposal quite a number went into the recitation-room, but Susie, with her eyes on Florence's sad face, seemed chained to her seat.
"I must decide now," she was thinking. "No; I can not give it up. I gave up to Dick this morning, and that's enough for one day. Then, too, it's Friday, visitors' day, and I should just like to show them how well I stand. And when papa hears of my success he'll be delighted; he always is when he thinks I'm getting on well in my lessons. Oh no; I can not, can not give it up! Of course I shall vote for Florence, and that's all I can be expected to do. I haven't asked the girls to vote for me, and I'm not supposed to know anything about it."
"But you do know about it," said the still, small voice. "You know, moreover, that you can make Florence very happy, and that it will not affect your standing in the least."
"Oh dear!" sighed Susie. "I suppose I'll have to give it up, but I can wait until after the votes are counted, and then say I prefer Florence to have the place."
"Ah!" interposed Conscience, "your idea is 'to be seen of men.' There is no charity in that, and, besides, how would Florence feel to be so patronized? If you give it up at all, do it entirely and cheerfully."
"Oh, I can not, I really can not. It will be lovely to have all the girls for my subjects, to be waited on by them, and pass under their garlands. Why does every word I read this morning in the commentary keep coming into my mind, about one's being willing to have another honored if one can be more honored one's self? How exactly that applies to my giving up to Florence after being elected myself; and then that 'In honor preferring one another' has been running in my head all the morning. I'll just stop thinking about it, and go in Miss Page's room with the rest, and talk over the dresses. That reminds me. That lovely one I had made in the fall for Cousin Clara's wedding—I believe it will be the very thing." And she hastily went down the passage between two rows of desks.
FLORENCE AND SUSIE IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM.
Florence caught her hand as she went by, and said, "I know the question is as good as decided, Susie, and I shall hail you as our Queen as gladly as any other of your friends."
Susie tried to thank her, but the words would not come; and instead of going into Miss Page's room, she took an opposite direction to a vacant one, used for certain meetings, and there she sat down, saying: "Only ten minutes left me."
"Yes," suggested Conscience, "ten minutes to decide you will show yourself unselfish, will make a fellow-creature very happy, and that you try to live up to the teachings of the Bible."
There were tears in Susie's eyes; in fact, one or two had rolled down her cheeks, when she slowly said, "I've decided," and on looking toward the door saw Sadie.
"You're the one I want," said Susie, trying to speak in her usual tones. "I was just going for you."
Sadie noticed her tear-streaked cheeks and effort to speak cheerfully, so hastened to say, comfortingly,
"Don't worry an instant; it's just as I said; every girl in the school will vote for you."
"That's just what they mustn't do," said Susie, earnestly. "Oh, Sadie! do promise you'll make me very happy by not voting for me."
"Not voting for you!" cried the astonished girl. "What do you mean?"
"Hush, Sadie! somebody will hear you. I mean this: that you must get all the votes you can for Florence. It will make me a thousand times happier than to be Queen myself; and just think of Florence! You said yourself she never looks happy, and now we'll all unite to make her so."
"Oh, Susie," said Sadie, after a moment's pause, "how good you are to propose such a thing, and how Florence will love you for it!"
"No, no," protested Susie. "Sadie, of all things, Florence must never know, never even suspect; that would spoil it all."
"I'm so bewildered!" said Sadie. "What can we do in the few minutes left? As you say, how delighted Florence will be! but I never could have given it up, Susie—never!"
"Oh, yes you could, if you knew how great the joy was that followed," said Susie, simply. "I wonder now that I hesitated a moment."
They both went among the different groups of girls, and there was more whispering than ever, and numberless expressions of wonder, always silenced by, "Hush! Florence will hear, and she must never know." The ringing of the bell put an end to all stifled exclamations, and the scholars were soon in their seats.
Sadie asked permission to speak. Mr. Gorham smiled, knowing she had been talking every moment for the past half-hour, nevertheless he granted it.
She leaned over and whispered to Susie, "Ten or twelve girls went out to walk at recess, and haven't heard the new plan."
"Never mind," returned Susie. "It will seem all the more natural to have a divided vote."
The usual Friday visitors now began to come in to listen to the readings and recitations that always took place on the last school afternoon of the week, and among them was one who had never before presented himself—Squire Tracy.
"All the better," whispered Sadie, forgetting in her excitement that her permission to speak had long since expired. And Susie signaled a "yes" in reply.
After the weekly exercises were over, Mr. Gorham explained to the new-comers about the May-party, gave the names of the two scholars for whom votes were to be cast, and then handed each of the forty girls a slip of paper on which to write the name of her choice for Queen.
The Squire grew interested. He wiped his glasses, and looked about for Florence. She could not raise her eyes for thinking, "Oh, uncle has no idea what a popular girl Susie Kingman is! What will he think when I don't get any votes?"
The Squire caught her eye at last, and nodded encouragingly. "He never looked so kindly at me before," moaned the unhappy girl. "He really thinks I've as good a chance as Susie," and her eyes filled with tears as she traced Susie's name on her paper.