The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-10-25
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BY PEARL HOWARD CAMPBELL

Commencement week was over The girls who
for four happy years had made Grafton Hall ring
with songs and laughter had said their last good
bys, and scattered for the summer vacation.
Alone in the little chamber with its quaint, old
fashioned furniture Elizabeth Copley slipped out of
the pretty frlly graduating dress and buttoned her
self into her favorte blue bingham Then she paused
for moment before her mirror, From the gilt
frame there smiled forth girsh face, heathily
brown, with squarc, determined chin and a saucy
mouth, The eyes were brown. and laughter-light-
ed; the hair, by Turns her pride and torment was
deepest auburn.
eff can't climb mountains in the West with the
other girls, shall have to surmount whole ranges
of them right here at home if / go to Wellesley
this fall" she saying TO herself,
Catching up her skirts with both hands she made
deep courtesy to the figure in the mirror. "Eliz-
abeth Alice Copley,' she said you to be hung
away in the closet with the Commencement gown
and the brand new diploma, while little red-haired
,Bess' earns the wherewithal to go to college"
With a ripple Of laughter she down the stairs
to the dining room where the family waiting
for her. her mother looking like bit of fragile
china as she bent above the tea cups; her father,
tall and gray, with kindly eyes; the boys Spencer
and Garrison; and ffteen-year-old Grace.
"We waited for you, dear" said Mrs. Copley.
Your father was little hurried, but daughter
doesn't graduate every day"
Launched, but whittier bound?9 quoted Spencer
from his sisters Grafton. "How does Miss Copley
intend to begin her careerp"
BY smashing family traditions into little pieces"
answered Elizabeth, her eyes swapping
"Whe-ewl' Spencer exclaimed That is rank
anarchy. | really must speak to your professor in
history II you care for few facts in regard to
to accommodate you with quite record
Il don't, Elizabeth answered with what her
brothers called her Betsy look. Sometimes think
I'd change places with Topsy for the sake Of not
having any ancestors to live up to"
Good for you Bess,'' this from Garrison. II
certainly think we could spare few"
Tell us your PLAN daughter, said Mrs. Cop
ley. ! trust il is one that would meet with your
Gteat.Aunt Eizabet1s approval"
The Copleys were poor though they owned the
rambling old house filled to the roof with furniture
IS hygone age; but, as Spencer was fond Of say,
ancestors. Chief among the latter, the young peo-
pie reckoned Great Aunt Elizabeth Anne CopIey,
who lived alone in great splendor IN her house in
Boston, where, Elizabeth asserted she climbed the
family tree every day for exercise.
She had taken q fancy to. Elizabeth IN her baby
days, hut had retired in high dispeasure when the
little girl chrstened Alice for her mothers
mother, instead Of Anne. True. she had sent the
baby an ornate silver cup from which generations
Of little Coplcys had slipped their milk, and robe
course with her nephew's family. Still she how
with her old-fashoned ideas of decorum
Aunt Elizabeth wouldn't approve Of it, was the
reason, given for abandoning many an unconyen-
Your Aunt Elizabeth would be Mortified beyond
measure 1t she knew you considered such an offer
for an instant" was Mr. Copleys decision, when
Spencer announced that ne had hired out to the
grocer during the summer vacation, though the
father afterward gave his consent.
Perhaps the fact that she had so early incurred
her grcat-aunt's dispeasure had something to do
with fostering in Elizabeth an intense dislike for
what she termed ancestral nonsense Independent
to her finger tips she forever setting the family
traditions at naugllt. Merry, sef-relant, she had
long ago transferred the burdens Of the housekeep-
ing from her mothers frail shoulders to her own
robust ones. Yet she found time with all her
school work 70 be her brothers cftirn her fathers
can6dant, and tho little siater's BEST friend.
what Is your plan Betty?" Queried Spencer.
"You will have us all on tptoe, guessing, il you
kerr is IN suspense much longer
She looked II them, laughter Drumming II Der
eyes. II warned yeu Now ster 7 am going 70
start restaurant at Observation-Disclosures
What dc voi suppose your Aunt Elizabeth will
say to that" asked Mr. Cooley with lrnirops
twinkle III fs ewes.
@That It Is vtsloar and commonplace but dont
care if can only 20 to college this fall"
she might help YOU" said Mrs. copley, hope