The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-01

Finlay college, gave a peculiar knocl
at several carefully selected doors
tossed among the peaceful occupant:
q bombshell in the startling announce
ment, Council of War in Sparrow:
! Nest, Two O'Clock Sharp!' and van
ished amid a shower of questions, ex
carnations, reproaches and appeals fol
candy.
It was half-past II then, and two
o'clock saw a dozen girls, respectful,
curious over Elsie Sparrow's reddenei
eyes assembled for the council, Kitty
presiding with great dignity.
"You have been called together,
ladies'" she began impressively, ''fo1
purposes of consultation and aid in 6
most trying case. 0 girls!' she went
on, and this was as long as Kitty
dignity usually lasted, ''Elsie's father
has lost all his money, and she thinks
she will have to leave college! Now
the question is, Aren'tany of us bright
enough to think Of any way she can
BARN some money and stay?"
There were cries of sympathy and
distress all around the room, and Ell
Sic, with tears flowing again, aud
Mary and Mabel and Edith and Alice
and Kitty and Gertrude all besieging
her with questions and commiseration,
began to feel some consolation for hel
troubles in the importance they
brought her.
cit isn't as if l could do anything
great and glorious to help things out
at home," she said at length. eff l
could wouldn't mind leaving college
50 much; but Grace is at home, and
mamma is going to send old Ellen
away-and she's been with us ever
since l can remember-and mamma
and Grace are going to get on alone.
So I'm not really needed. Mamma
and papa hate dreadfully to take me
out Of college when I'm SO nearly
through, but mamma says they don't
feel as il they could spare the money
for my expenses this year, though it
does seem to me that my leaving now
only postpones the time when [ could
helpmyself and 50 help them-unless I
could get a school now, which is I'M
likely; and my tuition paid through
the first half, too"'
"sNo tuition will be refunded after
Il student has actually entered col
lege,'" said Gertrude Miller gloomily,
quoting from the catalogue. Each
student will provide herself with four
sheets, two pairs of ~pillow-cases, six
towels, one napkin-ring, ETC. | hope
your things will be refunded to you,
Elsie"
"she isn't gone yet,' said Kitty,
hopefully. $50 on, Elsie. Real la
dies will notinterrupt. All others re-
quested not to-"
swell, girls, You can imagine I was
perfectly crushed when the letter
came" continued Elsie, obediently,
land I had no idea of doing anything
but packing my trunk and going
home"
"And leave us!" "And leave the
class of '55." 20 Elsie!" chorused
the various sopranos, regardless Of
Kitty's threatening eye.
But Kitty said, couldn't I stay if
I could pay my W expenses. and
] said I supposed I could, if
/ could write a book or marry a
lord, which would be better. But she
thought those were both impracticable,
and if I can only stay and graduate 1
know I can teach next year. So that's
what Kitty called you in for"
"What?" came the soprano chorus.
"Why, to see how she could pay
her own expenses, of course" ex-
planned Kitty, briskly.
81 read once Of a girl that went
through Vassar by mending and sew
ing for other girls" suggested Mabel
Ransom, hesltatingly.
Then Elsie joined the general laugh
and said, ''That's very helpfulto a poor
Incompetent who a barely sew on a
shoe button and who quails in abject
despair before a three-cornered tear.
Try again, somebody"
"We.l, is there anything you a
do, Elsie?" persisted Mabel, undaunted-
ly. "Because-"
'"That isn't the way to begin" ex-
claimed Kitty, with sudden inspira-
ton. "Let's take all the occupations
we can possibly think of in alphabet
cal order and see which one she fits.
Of course there is something she can
do, Mabel. Don't be SO discouraging.
A stands for architect-at least it did
on my blocks. Elsie, can you build?"
II did decide to be a carpenter
once when I was a little GIRL" said
Elsie, rather fo%rlornly, 'tand 1 made a
chicken coop, ut it wouldn't hold
chickens, and l CAV. it up. Try B."
''My mind won't work alphabetical
ly," said Edith Caldwell. 81. haven't
thought of anything but singing and
sweeping and tinkering and painting
and tutoring and weaving and fruit
raising and other things at the tail end
of the alphabet. I move we proceed
to miscellaneous suggestions"
"What geese we all are" broke in
Mary Maynard, eagerly. doesn't B
stand 70 boiling and brewing and
baking, aud G for cooking and candy
and catering and cake and cookies and
chocolate, and don't we all know that
Elsie is a born genius in all that kind
of thing? Aren't her spreads always
more magnificent than anybody's
else, and doesn't she always make
everything herself, aud does anything
eatable or drinkable eve dare to fail
under her magic touch? And isn't she
al authority on all such? Hear how the
subject inspires me, girls! Elsie, be
the college caterer, do. I'm sure
there are plenty of SPREADS all through
the year that the girls would. he glad