The Opelousas courier., 1899-07-01
ELSIE'S APTITUDE.
How a Bevy of College Girls Taught Self.Help to a
"Chum in Distress"
BY ISABELLA NJ. ANDREWS.

"Glorious!'' "Just the thiax'
"Bravo!' from everybody ct oncS
"How lucky you room alone, Elsie!'
added Kitty. You can mess all you
like with nobody to sm:.11, taste, touch,
see or hear"
Elsie still looked doubtful. "Do
You think I could make anything at
it?' she said, hesitatingly. 81 know
I can do all those things. It's my one
gift; but there doesn't seem to be the
usual 1ong-felt want"
"Oh, yes, there is" said Mary, posi-
lively. "Tm chairman of the re-
freshment committee for the freshman
spread, and every single girl on that
committee has privately groaned to
me that she didn't see how she could
find a minute to give it. I'll call that
committee together tomorrow morning,
a I'd I'm sure it will be the greatest
relief in the world to put the whole
thing into your hands if you will take
it.
"It happens just right, too" Mary
hurried on, ''for we can make this
your debut, Elsie dear, and I prophesy
that orders will pour in upon you.
Frances Cox has a little at home the
week after for those friends Of hers
that came this year, and you know
she has loads of money and hates to
work. And then there's the senior
reception to the sophomores and by aud
by the freshman reception to the
classes that have entertained them end
amy number of little ones coming along
all the time. And think of commence
ment! Oh, yes, my dear! Your for
tune is made. The path of glory
leads'-no, that isn't what I mean-'
Victory calls you; on, be ready"
quoted Mabel.
Elsie lay awake nights planning the
freshman spread. 1t was a great sue
cess, though quite as simple as the
college spreads usually were, but it
was full Of novelties and surprises, for
Elsie was a born genius, as Mary had
said. And the dainty courses sue
ceeded each other like clockwork,
VIE the entertainers were fresh and
unwearied for the real task of getting
acquainted with the NEW girls"
Elsie had furnished everything, had
gone early and made the necessary ar
rangements in the private home that
had been kindly offered for the even
ing, had instructed the house servants
and privately posted one or two friends
III her secret how to keep the ball
rolling and was herself in the kitchen
with her hand on the pulse Of the
party, although the party knew it not.
Then Chairman Mary, full of unseltish
enthusiasm, told the girls all about it
while they were songratulating her on
her success, and Elsie'y debut could
not have been more suspicious.
She had asked i've dollars for her
services owe ard above the cost of
her materials, and she paid her rent
and coal bills with more real satisfac-
ton than she had ever felt before in
her life. Then, to her surprise and
delight-for she had been i~ncredulous
orders began to come. Many of
them were small, for very few Of the
college girls were rich; but every lit
tie helped, and her father and mother,
sympathizing with her brave efforts
to help herself, managed to pay her
tuition for the second half year.
Then one OF the professors wives
engaged her help for a series of after
noon receptions, and one or two others
did the same, for Elsie had been a
great fayorite, and the girls generously
trumpeted her fame in season and out
of season. By and by she found her.
self the fashion and was as busy and
happy and important as could be-
She began to enlarge her scale of
work, arranged decorations and SOU
v~enirs, hired extra dishes and in short
troubled the hostess for nothing but
t Q number of her guests. Mrs. Banks
gave her the use of her summer
kitchen and gas stove and shared Ell:
Sic prosperity, for she made delicious
cake and through Elsie's influence
received many an order for it. And
when Elsie engaged her little girl to
run on errands and assist her gener-
ally, the good woman's joy over the
addition to her scanty income was
complete.
After commencement was over and
the books were balanced Elsie found
that she paid for her board. books, the
dreaded '%'sundries" and a few clothes
and had needed to ask for very little
help from home. Her class standing
was not so high as it would otherwise
have been, but she had gained ten
pounds in weight, beside an ~incalcu-
liable amount of experience and a
priceless pointer on her province"
a. she elegantly put it, when, the night
fore they all parted, she entertained
il her grandest style the girls who
had taken counsel together in the
ST arrows Nest.
Mary, as the happy originator of the
plan, sat in the place of honor, and
when Katie Banks, gorgeous to be-
hold in cap and apron, had brought
the coffee and finally disappeared, FL
sic made her maiden speech.
81 a thank you enough,
girls" she said. 81 couldn't have
done it except for your help, both in
starting it and in supporting it, and
now I want to tell you what it has led
to, which is nothing more or less than
IN entire change of my plans for next
year aud the future. Mrs. Howard.
who gave me my first catering outside
OF the class work, has been talking to
me and says I have a special gift for
this sort of thing and I ought to Gull
tivate it. and the small voice within
NE says she is right. My mind al