“I’m going home to pack,” whispered Katherine. “This isn’t exciting enough.”
“Wait a minute and we’ll all go,” returned Rachel.
The president gave a significant little cough and glanced around the gym.
“The last gift is a complete surprise to me,” he went on. “As I was on my way here, I met the donor. In fact he was waiting outside the door to intercept me, which isn’t”—the president’s gray eyes twinkled—“the way all gifts come to colleges. He has been spending the commencement season with us and during his brief stay he seems to have found out a good deal about Harding. He likes some things about our college very much, he says; and other things he would prefer to see changed. But he wants it made quite clear to you all that the reason why he just now handed me a check for fifty thousand dollars is because of the stand the junior class has taken in regard to the dresses they wore to usher in at the various commencement festivities. He liked those dresses as much as a great many other people have liked them”—the president’s eyes twinkled again—“and he liked the principle behind them. He wishes the junior class, when it reassembles next fall as the senior class, to vote ten of the fifty thousand dollars to any department of our work it chooses, and he hopes the spirit of Harding College may always be the spirit which this class has manifested, not on this occasion alone but on many others, in which wish I heartily join him.”
A great wave of applause swept over the crowd, as the president paused.
“I don’t know that I am authorized to do so,” he went on when he could be heard, “but I think I may safely say that 19— will accept the trust——”
“The junior president is in the gallery,” called some one in the back of the hall, and the next minute every one was looking up at Rachel Morrison, who was too busy shaking hands with Betty and Katherine to notice what was happening down below.
“Speech!” shouted a boisterous young alumna, quite forgetting the dignity of the occasion, and the august president of the college tossed back his head and laughed with the rest.
“Speech, Miss Morrison,” he repeated gaily, and Rachel came forward to the balcony railing.
“19— is very proud,” she began bravely, “to be the means of securing such a splendid gift for the college. But I think the proper person to make acknowledgment is the one who originated the idea of having the ushers dress as they did. She is right here——”