“You’re not so much interested in athletics now, are you?” asked Lily, as the girls entered the door.
“Yes, I am; but I simply don’t have enough time to do anything well. I’m always helping to get some party ready for the sorority, or talking with the girls, or going to a meeting or a feed. I wish I could do better, though,” she added wistfully; “I still love Miss Phillips, and—somehow I’m not as good as I am when I feel her influence. Wouldn’t you love to be like her when you’re a woman, Lily?”
“Yes, I would. I’m crazy about her, too. You see I know her better now. By the way, did you know what we girls do every Friday evening while you have sorority meeting? We go up to Miss Phillips’s room, and take our fancy-work, and she reads to us.”
“That must be lots of fun,” said Marjorie. “What sort of books does she read?”
“She has just finished reading us ‘Old Chester Tales’ by Margaret Deland. It’s great, too! And one night she read us a story by O. Henry, and I was so interested that I wrote home and asked mother to buy me the book. She usually reads a poem or two besides, that she thinks we would like.”
Marjorie thought of the profitless way in which the evenings of sorority meetings were spent, and sighed; but she said nothing.
That evening the freshmen pledged became regular members and were awarded the little blue-and-gold sorority pin, to wear home Thanksgiving.
CHAPTER IX
MARJORIE’S HOUSE-PARTY
Although Marjorie and Ruth did not visit each other during the Thanksgiving holidays, they met at the station on the day of their return to school, and rode back together. But they seemed to have less to talk about than when they first made the trip. Ruth was still jealous of Marjorie because she had made the sorority, and she made no attempt to conceal the fact from the other girl. The consciousness of her feelings made Marjorie uncomfortable. They tried to keep up the conversation with commonplace remarks; but both girls felt relieved when the journey was over.