“Chiefly because the Emersons want them,” quickly said one girl, and without addressing the president. The girls laughed and Cathalina tapped for order.
“The names are posted at the sides of the room,” said the president, “but the secretary will read the names proposed last week, and if there are other names that you have thought of since, they may be proposed then. Will the secretary also give some of the reasons why we invite girls to the society?”
As Hilary rose, to read the list and comply with Cathalina’s request, she hesitated a little, smiled, and put down her papers on the little carved table before her. “I suppose the first real reason, if we are honest,” said she, “is that we want our best friends with us in our society, just as we like to be in the same school and the same classes. Then we want to get girls into the society that will do it honor, girls that will try to help and girls that are gifted or have some qualities that make them desirable. A girl may not have any great gift, but be so utterly lovable and perhaps helpful to everybody that we couldn’t get along without her. And then we want girls that need the society work,—indeed we all need it. I remember a girl that was so timid she was afraid to do anything in public, but she was enthusiastic for the society she was in, helped in all the practical ways, finally tried to take part in the programs, and got all over being so scared. We put her on for reading little things at first, or singing in a quartet, or doing other things with several girls, until she found that she was valuable in those places and liked it. You never can tell. I’m in favor of taking in as many nice girls as we can, up to the number we decided upon.”
Hilary then read the list and with the help of several other girls passed the ballots, long ones on ruled paper.
“Now does any one want to speak for her candidate?” asked Cathalina. Several girls did. Isabel and Virginia were heralded as fine debaters and willing to do anything for the society they were in. The new girls were duly considered, as musical, or literary, or valuable additions in one respect or another. Some of the girls had been dreading to do what they ought to do in reference to one name, but when it was enthusiastically pushed by one or two of the girls, Eloise rose, her cheeks flushed and her dark eyes glowing.
“Madam President, I do hate to say what I feel that I ought to say, and I hope you all know that I haven’t a thing against this girl personally. She is pretty and attractive and a good student, but they tell me that she is a regular trouble-maker and always stirs up things wherever she is. I hope that it isn’t so, but she has had a change of room-mates already, and I have noticed myself that she is not on speaking terms with one or two others.”
“Miss Howe,” said Cathalina, recognizing Juliet. “I am sorry to confirm what Eloise says. You know that the Alpha Zetas, which really does not exist, because we are not allowed to have sororities, or any secret societies,”—smiles went round the room at this remark, and one or two of the girls put on a look of supreme ignorance.
“—began to rush her vigorously, and all of a sudden they stopped. I think that she is just a spoiled girl who may find out later that having her own way at other girls’ expense is not the way to get along. I would suggest that we wait a while about electing her.”
“Madam President,” said one of the girls who had recommended this new girl, a recent addition to the junior collegiate class, from some high school. “I haven’t seen a thing disagreeable in Alice, and it’s just going to be a tragedy! She is counting on it so!” The eyes of Alice’s defender were full of tears as she sat down.
Cathalina looked sympathetic and asked if there were any one else who would speak in favor of Alice or any other candidate, but the society seemed to be through with discussion and the election proceeded. Alas for the occasional heartaches, but a girls’ school is a fine place in which to learn to live with other people.