The Democratic advocate., 1909-11-19
In Borrowed
Pl'Hrllase
The College CIoakroom Maid
and the University Porter
BY JANE OSBORN.

BY JANE OSBORN.


cloaIkroom. Something about her dark,
close fitting dress. her small, ruffied
apron and her parted hair, tied with a
big black bow at the back Of her neck.
suggested French maid much more
than student. But the fact was that
Molly Dodge really was poor south
ern girl working her way through the
womah's department Of this big uni
versity.
During the three or four hours that
Molly was not attending lectures she
had to stay In the stone fioored, locker
lined cloakroom and be ready at any
time to get students hats and coats or
put them away in their owners lock-
ers.
At first it had seemed not at all bad,
for Molly had a soft. loyable, southern
way Of talking and honest brown eyes
that made all the girls like her. But as
the months passed they became accus-
toned to seeing her every day, and
they passed her thoughtlessly by. It
would not have been so hard II Molly
had been intellectual, but she was not
at all fond Of books. In fact, II she
had had chance she would probably
have been little frivolous
But there were two things that made
Molly's life bearable One was the
daily visit of the university porter, and
the other was the appearance now and
then of new and pretty hats and
wraps. Molly had a little mirror over
her desk in the cloakroom, and when
ever any specially charming hat ap-
peared on the clothing counter she
would wait till the girls had left the
room and then with It on her own pret.
ty head steal an admlring glance at
herself over her desk.
And the porter! Well. he used 20
come over from the university every
day with the students mail, which Il
was Molly's duty 90 sort and distrib-
ute. OF course a woman student OF
Thornby college ought not TO have
firted with 80 humble parsonage as
the university porter, but Molly was
only half student. The half that was
cloakroom maid looked forward with
impatience 10 the daily visitation OF
the porter's cheerful smile and cOnta.
gious laugh.
On rainy days Molly had TO handle
countless damp and muddy rubbers
and galoches and dripping umbrellas.
That alone would have made her dis
like the rain. but besides that students
always wore their old hats when 1t
rained
She was looking out OF the iron bars
Of her basement window az the gloomy
sky one dark day In March when all at
once there swept In a stately senior, a
veritable billow of soft black furs She
carelessly slipped them OF. smiled at
Molly and hurried of 10 her class.
What a dreamF' thought Molly.
And on n day like this! But what
does It matter when one has a car
riageT'
Molly raised the soft pieces gently
from the counter and started TO put
them In their locker, But the tempta-
tion was too great. She came back and
replaced them lovingly on the counter
Then very carefully she pinned the
toque over her piquant little face and
glanced approvlngly at her image In
the mirror over her desk II only she
could see the rest. she wished In a
flash she jumped over the counter.
closed the door into the hall and slip
ped into the luxurious coat. Then ehe
stepped up 20 the students long pier
glass.
IF only II were a little longer" she
thought. And then. turning around at
the sound Of the opening door. she
faced the porter He closed the door
quickly and stood against II. Then he
turned to Molly and laughed. But Mol.
ly didn't laugh back. She slipped out
Of the furs, sprang over the counter
and. with guilty blush. took the
morning mail.
The next day when the porter came
Molly was deep in volume Of Horace.
Nice book you're reading, Molly"
remarked the porter. and Molly, the
student, smiled ooidly without raising
her eyes.
After that the porter left or the
'Molly" from his mornings salutation.
and Molly had no difficulty In repress-
ing him. In fact, she was q little dis
appointed that he took his squelchlng
SO willingly.
About a month after the episode OF
the furs there was dance In the col.
lege gymnasium, and Molly, as was her
custom on such occasions, took her
place as maid In the dressing room.
Here she buttoned gloves and slippers
and arranged rufiles and bows for her
more favored colleagues till her fingers
were numb. Then during the long
hours of the dance she was supposed
to sit and guard the wraps and lend
her aid In case Of dilapidated coiffure
or torn rufile. But tonight strains Of
the dance music took possession OF
Molly's soul and started her dainty
feet tapping ON the stone floor. Her
curiosity and her loneliness had the
upper hand. and she slipped out of the
dressing room, ran along the corridor
and up the wide stone stairs toward
the gallery overlooking the gymnasium.
AS she was hurrying timidly along
she had to pass one OF the lecture
rooms. which had been converted for
the occasion into mems checking
room. Three young men were standing
idly smoking There was something
unh0pt the cut Of an evening coat that
aated Molly. and she turned In the
Jw to look
lddenly her heart stood still II
really was the porter, the tallest one.
with the light hair. He was laughing
now. She was Just turning to run
when he faced about. And just for