“Of course, my dear! But I hope it is nothing serious that is beclouding your fair brow,” said the old gentleman with the courteous manner of his generation.
“Yes, it is serious in a way,” and Molly told her husband and his cousin what was the problem the girls had brought to her to solve.
“Of course, I can’t blame the college authorities,” she sighed. “It is hard to feed people as it is, and with expenses going up, up, I know they will have to raise the board. But on the other hand, there are many girls who simply cannot pay more than they are already paying. I feel for them, as I was one of them when I was at college. If the board had been raised one nickel I should have had to stop. I almost had to as it was. If it had not been for Edwin’s fondness for apples, I should have been degreeless to this day.”
“Adam and I!” laughed the professor. “But what do you want me to do, Molly? I am yours to command.”
“I don’t know exactly! I thought you might talk to the girls and we might keep on thinking and praying until some solution is reached.”
“I have a proposition to make that might interest your college friends,” said Major Fern. “They may scorn it, but on the other hand they may like the idea. Let me talk to them.”
“Oh, how lovely! I knew there would be a way,” cried the optimistic Molly.
“Wait until you hear it first,” smiled the old gentleman.
Molly led the way to the library, where the twenty girls were having a hot discussion on ways and means. She introduced Major Fern, who took his seat among them and beamed on them with kindly eyes.
“Ahem!” he began. “I am not much of a public speaker but I am going to put a plan before you and see how it strikes you. I understand that you are making a kick because of the raising of board for the ensuing year——”