“Annis and I are at swords’ points,” she told Basil. “This is the time truly ‘when Greek meets Greek.’”
“Is that meant for a joke?”
“No, unless you prefer it to poetry. You know we are to hear to-morrow who is to be first-honor girl. I say Annis, and Annis says I will be.”
“Perhaps it will be neither.”
“Then it will be Nellie Hall.” And Persis went up-stairs to lay aside her costume.
The next day the great question was settled, and Persis was quite overpowered when it was announced that first honors were hers, that Nellie Hall stood second, and Annis third. Annis was of course disappointed. She had always been very confident of Persis’s place, and declared that it was only the rivalry between herself and Nellie that was the question at issue. And she was in reality very happy over her cousin’s success.
Class-day dawned with fair skies and balmy breezes. “‘What is so rare as a day in June?’” quoted Persis, as she appeared at the breakfast-table. “Did you ever see such a gem of a day? It is just perfection. Oh, I am so happy! Just think of having blue skies and roses, delicious odors, a picturesque costume, and first honors all at once. There is only one flaw in my perfect happiness.”
“And that is——?” queried her father.
“Lisa is not here. If I could only see her dear, beautiful face I should be so glad.”
“You’d get into a fuss before the day was over,” Porter observed, sagely.