Grace Harlowe's Junior Year at High School

by Josephine Chase

  CHAPTER XIII

  A THANKSGIVING FROLIC

  But sudden as had been Mabel's fall, Grace Harlowe was equal to theemergency. With a bound she reached the middle of the road, seized Mabeland dragged her back just as the runabout passed over the place whereshe had fallen. It almost grazed her outstretched hand, then shot ondown the road without slackening its speed for an instant.

  There was a cry of horror from the young folks that ended in a sigh ofrelief. David and Tom Gray quickly raised Mabel to her feet and turnedto Grace, whose face was ghastly, while she trembled like a leaf. Thereaction had set in the moment she realized that Mabel was safe. Jessicaand Nora had both begun to cry, while the faces of the others fullyexpressed their feelings.

  "Grace," said Tom in a husky voice, "that was the quickest move I eversaw any one make."

  Grace drew a long breath, the color returned to her pale face and in ameasure she recovered herself.

  "Some one had to do something," she said weakly. "I was the nearest toher, that's all. Are you hurt, Mabel, dear?" she asked, turning to theyoung girl, who stood by Jessica, looking white and dazed.

  "It came so suddenly," she faltered, "I couldn't get up. It was awful!"She shuddered, then burst into tears, burying her face in Jessica'sshoulder.

  "There, there," soothed Jessica, wiping her own eyes. "It's all rightnow. Stand up straight and let me brush your coat. You are all mud."

  "Here come the would-be murderesses now," cried Hippy. "They actuallymanaged to stop and turn around, and now they are coming this way. Oneof them is my pet abomination--Miss Wright. She used to call me 'fatty'when I was little, and I've never forgiven her. But who is the recklessyoung person playing chauffeur? She ought to be put in jail forexceeding the speed limit."

  "Hush!" said Grace. "Here she is."

  The runabout had stopped and Eleanor alighted. Ignoring the four chums,she walked up to Miriam Nesbit.

  "Will you please tell me if any one is hurt?" she asked pettishly."I saw some one fall, but couldn't stop the machine. I supposed thehighway was for vehicles, not pedestrians four abreast."

  "Miss Savell, you have just missed running over Miss Allison," saidMiriam coldly. "Had it not been for Miss Harlowe, there would have beena serious accident. I should advise you to drive more carefully infuture, or you may not escape so easily another time."

  Eleanor flushed at these words and said haughtily, "I did not ask foradvice, I asked for information."

  "Very true," replied Miriam calmly, "but you see I have given you both."

  "You are the most ill-bred lot of girls I have ever seen," returnedEleanor crossly, "and I think you are making a great deal of unnecessaryfuss over a small matter. Why didn't your prize orphan get out of theway with the rest of you? Besides, you have no right to block a publichighway, as you did. I am very sorry I came back at all."

  Turning on her heel, she walked back to the runabout, climbed in anddrove down the road like the wind, apparently indifferent as to whatcomment her heartless behavior might create.

  "Who on earth is that girl?" inquired Reddy Brooks. "She has about asmuch sympathy as a stone."

  "That is Eleanor Savell," replied Anne Pierson, "and she can be nice ifshe wishes, but she doesn't like us very well. That's why she was sohateful."

  "So that's the famous Eleanor?" said Tom Gray in a low tone toGrace. "Aunt Rose was telling me about her this morning at breakfast.I supposed she was a great friend of yours."

  "She was, but she isn't," returned Grace. "That's rather indefinite.However, I'll tell you about it as we go back."

  "She certainly can't complain as far as looks are concerned," saidHippy. "She must have yards of blue ribbon that she won at baby showswhen but a mere infant."

  "Attention, boys and girls," cried Grace. "Let us forget what hashappened and have just as good a time to-night as we can. We mustn'tspoil the party."

  "I move that we give Grace Harlowe a special round of applause for beinga heroine," cried Hippy. "Hurrah!"

  His example was quickly followed and the noise of the cheering broughtpeople to their doors to see what the excitement was about.

  "Do stop," protested Grace. "People will begin asking all sorts ofquestions."

  "Don't interfere with our simple pleasures," expostulated Hippy. "Let ushowl in peace. High School yell next, please."

  By the time the party had reached the center of the town where theirways parted, the shadow cast by the near accident had almostdisappeared.

  By eight o'clock that evening the last guest had arrived, and theHarlowe's hospitable home was the scene of radiant good cheer. Mrs.Gray, enthroned in a big chair in one corner of the drawing room, was inher element, and the young folks vied with each other in doing herhomage. The sprightly old lady was never so happy as when surrounded byyoung folks. She had a word or smile for each one, and the new girls whohad at first felt rather timid about meeting her, were soon entirely atease in her presence.

  The greater part of the furniture had been removed from the big livingroom and the floor had been crashed; while a string orchestra that madea specialty of playing for parties had been hired for the pleasure ofthose who cared to dance.

  As dancing was the chief amusement at nearly all of the young people'sparties in Oakdale, the floor was filled from the beginning of the firstwaltz until supper was announced. This was served at two long tables inthe dining room, Mrs. Gray occupying the seat of honor at the head ofone, and Miss Thompson, who was a favorite at High School parties, theother. There were miniature ears of corn, turkeys, pumpkins and variousother favors appropriate to Thanksgiving at each one's place. In thecenter of one table stood two dolls dressed in the style of costume wornby the Pilgrim fathers and mothers. They held a scroll between them onwhich was printed the Thanksgiving Proclamation. In the center of theother table were two dolls, one dressed in football uniform, a miniaturefootball under its arm, while the other, dressed as a High School girl,held up a blue banner with O. H. S. on it in big, white letters.

  This had been Grace's idea. She had dressed the dolls with the idea ofcontrasting the first Thanksgiving with that of to-day. There was agreat craning of necks from those at the one table to see the centralfigures on the other, but soon every one settled down to the discussionof the dainties provided for them.

  The supper ended with a toast to their young hostess, which was drunkstanding, and then the guests repaired to the drawing room, whereimpromptu stunts were in order. Every one was obliged to do something,if only to make a remark appropriate to the occasion. Nora sang, Annerecited, Grace and Miriam did a Spanish dance that they had practisedduring vacation with remarkable spirit and effect. Jessica was thendetailed to play, and under cover of her music, Tom, Reddy, David andHippy left the room, Tom returning presently to announce solemnly thatan original one-act drama, entitled "The Suffragette," written by Mr.Wingate and presented by a notable cast, would be the next offering.

  After a moment's wait, Hippy, Reddy and David appeared, and were greetedwith shouts of laughter. Reddy minced along in a bonnet and skirtbelonging to Mrs. Harlowe, while Hippy wore a long-sleeved ginghampinafore of Grace's, which lacked considerable of meeting in the back,and was kept on by means of a sash. After deliberately setting theirstage in full view of the audience at one end of the room, the playbegan, with David as the meek, hen-pecked husband, Hippy as theneglected child, who wept and howled continuously, while Reddy playedthe unnatural wife and mother, who neglected her family and held woman'ssuffrage meetings in the street.

  The dialogue was clever, and the action of the sketch so ridiculous thatthe audience laughed from the first line until the climax, especiallywhen the suffragette was hustled off to jail by Tom Gray, in the role ofa policeman, for disturbing the peace, while her husband and childexecuted a wild dance of joy as she was hauled off the scene, protestingvigorously.

  The applause was tremendous and the cast were obliged to bow theirthanks several times before it subsided. Songs, speeches and recitationsfollow
ed rapidly until everyone had contributed something in the way ofa stunt. Then the guests formed two long lines from the living roomstraight through the big archway into the drawing room, and soon aVirginia reel was in full swing, led off by Mr. Harlowe and Mrs. Gray,who took her steps as daintily as when she had danced at her first partyso many years before.

  After the reel, the young folks romped through "Paul Jones," and thenthe party broke up, all declaring that never before had they had quitesuch a good time.

  As Grace sleepily prepared for bed, she felt a little thrill of pride atthe success of her party, and her only regret was the fact that of allthose invited, Eleanor was the only one who had refused to be present.