“It seems a pity that you can’t stay till Monday, when college really opens,” said Dr. Helen, pressing out a filmy waist in the dining-room, where the four girls were gathered, setting last stitches.
“But the new girls who have come on early and those who have had to take ‘exams’ are just the ones who need cheering up, and we are the official Comfort Committee, aren’t we, Alice?”
Alice, fastening the thread after sewing in a fresh ruche, nodded. “Got to keep the blues away, or perish trying to,” she said. “And Hannah has to be home before Monday. And Frieda needs a day or two to get settled. Hilda said she’d come back to-day, and they could get their room in order before Sunday. I’m so glad you’re going to room with Hilda, Frieda dear. She’s such a darling child.”
“Is she still given to crushes?” asked Hannah. “She fairly worshiped Lilian Burton’s door-sill when I was there.”
285“Crushes are going out of fashion at Dexter,” said Catherine emphatically. “And one of the reasons I thought it would be good for Hilda to room with Frieda was that Frieda has too much sense to indulge in them, and she will keep Hilda suppressed.”
“Catherine, you have such a positive manner when you talk about Dexter,” said Hannah thoughtfully. “You’ll be House President senior year. O, dear!” for Frieda, in getting up to help Dr. Helen fold up the ironing-board, had brushed by Hannah’s chair, and a fat little button bag rolling to the floor had emptied its contents all over the room.
“Such a lot of buttons, Hannah!” exclaimed Dr. Helen, stooping to help gather them up.
Hannah laughed. “Mamma was so surprised when I came back from Dexter because there were as many in it as when I went, and I told her there were more because I had put in all the buttons that had come off while I was there! And then she was shocked!”
The doorbell rang and Inga came in with a big parcel for Catherine with Grandma Hopkins’ compliments. Catherine opened it, wondering, and the others dropped their work.
“A cake! Did you ever in your life? And I already have Mrs. Graham’s jelly, and Mr. Graham’s bag of nuts, and old Mrs. Hitchcock’s jar of preserves! Mother, how can I ever thank them all?”