Fiercer discussion ensued at this. “Business before pleasure,” said a sententious member. “What’s a programme to a matter concerning the Constitution itself?”
The sponsor for the motion grew sarcastic. It developed later she was on the programme. Since the business of the Society was only useful as a means of conducting the programme, which was the primary object of the Society’s being, she objected to the classing of the programme as unimportant.
But the programme was postponed. When people begin to handle red tape, there is always a chance that they get enmeshed in its voluminous tangles.
It was dark when the Society adjourned. Platonians gave up dinner and Friday afternoons to the cause, but what Platonian doubted it being worth it?
Miss MacLauren and Hattie walked home together. At the corner they met a boy. It was the other boy whose name, as it chanced, was Chester. He joined them and they walked along together. Something made Miss MacLauren’s cheek quite red; it was her blush when the boy joined them.
A few steps farther on, they met Miss Kilrain, the new teacher at the High School. It was just as Miss MacLauren was laughing an embarrassed laugh to hide the blush. Miss Kilrain looked at them coldly, one was conscious of her disapproval.
Miss Kilrain’s name had been up that very afternoon in the Society for honorary membership. All teachers were made honorary members.
With the Sophomore year, High School pupils had met several new things. Higher Education was one of them. They met it in the person of Miss Kilrain. It looked forbidding. She lowered her voice in speaking of it, and brought the words forth reverently, coupling it with another impressively uttered thing, which she styled Modern Methods.
Miss Kilrain walked mincingly on the balls of her feet. She frequently called the attention of her classes to this, which was superfluous, for so ostentatiously did she do her walking, one could not but be aware of some unnatural quality in her gait. But Miss Kilrain, that they might remember to do the same, reminded her classes so often, they all took to walking on their heels. Human nature is contrary.
Miss Kilrain also breathed from her diaphragm, and urged her pupils to try the same.