“Oh, I guess my father will give as much as anybody,” said Hester, tossing her head. Henry Grimes was a wholesale butcher and was accounted a very wealthy man in Centerport. He was a member of the Board of Aldermen and wielded much political influence.
“I suppose we must interest more than our parents in the plan,” said Laura, thoughtfully. “From what I read in that little book, some of the girls’ athletic fields in the big cities have cost upwards of a hundred thousand dollars to build and equip. Of course, that includes a clubhouse, and swimming pool, and all that.”
“A nice time we’d have trying to get anything like that in Centerport,” sneered Hester.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” spoke up Celia Prime. “We have some very wealthy people here.”
“Just think what Colonel Richard Swayne might do with some of his money—if he wanted to,” said Laura.
“My father says that of course the burden will come upon the parents who are well-to-do. It’s always the way,” said Hester. “The rich have to do for the poor.”
This was a tactless speech, to say the least, for Mary O’Rourke’s father was merely a day laborer, and several of the other girls on the committee were from poor families.
“I expect that the money part of it will not be within our jurisdiction,” said Miss Prime, sharply.
“No, we haven’t got to worry about that,” laughed Laura.
“That’s all very well,” said Hester. “But my father will be called upon to give more than yours, Laura. He always is.”