Madge noticed how quiet she was, but laid it to her being tired. As they went into their room, after all the fun was over, Madge said, “I hope you didn’t mind what Sidney said that time about ‘Mother Goose stuff.’ Your song and the way the freshmen sang it nearly made me double up laughing, and to think you won the prize makes me swell with pride to have such a room-mate.”
“Nonsense! I’d think you’d be ashamed of me for the style of literature that I produced, to say nothing of that tune.”
“It was as funny as the words, and the jazz was thrown in by the piano and violin. The queerest thing, Shirley, was that as I looked back, out of the corner of my eye when Sidney’s voice spoke so near us, I found that she was wearing the witch costume, the one with the yellow cat. You can imagine how surprised I was to see Sidney as a Turkish lady, after masks were off.”
“I knew that Sidney was the yellow cat witch, Madge, for I heard Fleta talking to her when they left the room. I happened to be near her again when I went out to change my costume. I watched to see if she would come back, and she didn’t come for so long that I gave her up. Then I found her later, or the costume that I imagined was the one they had spoken about. I felt worried, for some reason.”
“Sidney is sort of peevish about things lately, Caroline says.”
“Perhaps it is my being here. I’m sorry; but it doesn’t seem to be possible to help it.”
“You are a little too bright at your lessons and too influential yourself Shirley, to please Sidney, who is used to being the center of things. That is my private opinion.”
“I don’t care for any particular influence, Madge, but of course I do care for standing well in my classes. I’ll try to keep off of committees after this.”
“You must do nothing of the kind. It isn’t fair.”
“Yes, it is Madge, because all I want is to have good reports for my father and mother and to enjoy as much of the good times with you girls as I have time for.”