Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-11-18
tened with hushed breath, fearing to

lose a word.
"You see," said she, quickly, "it's all
up with the family. They've kept it from
me because | hate money matters.
don't understand them. And they
thought they could get me through. But
they can't. So I'm just going home.
can't teach-I loathe it. Besides, have
MT studied anything with view to
teaching. Oh, why" and she turned and
started at the senior as if just conscious
of what she was saying, why do tell
this to you? / must be crazy. L"
Because" said Clara Williston, quiet
ly, because 1 am just the one to tell it
to. Do you mean to say, Miss Burt,
that for the lack of $500 you are going to
lose your last year?-for that, and moth
ing else?'
EYES," said Cornelia, dominated ut
terly by this rich nobody; "yes, just
that"
Then" said Miss Williston, "then I
say that it is absurd, and that you
shann't do it. 1 can do very little at
college, but can"
nelia, Jelly, 81 do not in the least under
stand you. hardly know you, and"
"Oh, but you do understand me; you
must-you shall!" cried Miss Williston,
and Cornelia saw that she was flushed,
and that her eyes shone like stars. Ills
ten to me! havoc Miss Burt, when I
think of how little it would mean to me
and how much to you! Please, please do
it! Just think, only $500! have 81, 900 a
year. l am ashamed of it, truly am,
but have it for what 1 please-just
exactly what l please. No. you sha'n't
get up yet. See, see how it is with me!
All my four years here, what have l
done? Nothing. I've got through we'll
enough, but that's all. I've made some
friends, but not many. The only two
girls l ever really loved here were very
poor, and they were awfully proud, and
they were afraid that because was the
richest girl in college-oh, it was dread
full! And l shall go and leave nothing
behind me-nothing! If 1 could feel
that had given you to your classic
the college-for year, should be so
happy! / should even think that / was
of some use! Oh, let me-! Let me feel
that I've really done something!"
at would mean so little to me-so lit
tle!" she begged. "And yet it would be
so much for the class! And they would
never know-never would know; but |
should know, and I should know that
I've done something for them, and that
l wasn't just one of those poor, useless
girls that drift into the college and then
drift out again, and don't count-either
way!"
Cornelia felt deeply touched "Why,
how you care!" she said, wonderingly;
show you care!"
q Miss Williston drew long, tremulous
breath. "Care!" she cried; you don't
know how we care, we poor mediocre
ones! Do you think that because we
couldn't write poem to save our lives,
and can'tmake original remarks in class
and are never proposed for office, and
don't, for the best of reasons, edit the
paper, that we don't want to do these
things? Oh, if could only have my
father hear the things said about me
which are said of you every day! If !
could only feel that I was to the class
what what you are!"
1.-THE class don't like me-" said Cor.
nelia, abruptly.
"They admire you, and if you wanted
to, you could be liked very, very much,
indeed" said Miss Williston. 81 always
thought that you didn't care to have us
like you'll"
There was pause. The girls were
drifting back to the houses, one by one
The stars were well out, and Miss Willis
tons face seemed white, now, in their
light.
"Do you really care for the things they
say about one here?" asked Cornelia.
"Care?" said Miss Williston again; "ot
course care. So do you. But you don't
need them. You're sure of them. You
know what you can do. And through
you can do the only thing ever could
do-and go in June. o Miss Burt, only
$500 1 could put it in the bank to
your account, and that would be the
end of it. And you could pay me back
whenever you pleased, if you wanted
to. For l suppose you wouldn't let
me"
NO" said Cornelia, 81 wouldn't. An
hour ago 1 should have said that the
whole thing was impossible"
"But now?" said Miss Williston,
quickly; "but now?"
"But now," said Cornelia, slowly;
"now-oh, never say again that you are
one of the mediocre ones!' No one
could make so disagreable and proud a
girl as 1 accept kindness from a
stranger as gratefully as l do from
you"
But she did not finish, for Miss Willis
ton leaned towards her and kissed her.
81 thank you" she said, simply;
"now l can hold up my head again. I
have done something for my college! I
am something more than Clara Willis
ton, that well-dressed grill" And be-
fore Cornelia could reply, she had
slipped away.
Cornelia lay back in the hammock and
looked at the stars. A strange peace
came to her, and she realized for the first