bright and early wednesday morning, jean was up and dressed, for the two girls had planned an early start in order to reach ashton before noon. mr. maitlandt, whose business took him into boston every day, accompanied them to the south station and saw them safely on a north bound elevated. they easily caught the 10:17 train for ashton and in twelve minutes had arrived at the little station, where they found "confusion worse confounded." girls and trunks everywhere, irate and tired expressmen trying to settle difficulties, small boys by the dozens begging to carry suit-cases, wagons piled high with trunks and packing-boxes.
they waded through the crowd and, as anna spied mr. chapin, the express agent, she hastened up to where he stood and said,[15] "good morning, mr. chapin. of course you remember me, anna maitlandt. no, i'm not back for post graduate; i have only come out for a few days to see that my cousin gets started properly as a freshman. here are her trunk checks and when you have time will you please see that they are taken up to merton, 45. any time to-day will do, but of course we should like them as soon as possible. thank you." and he was off again before she could say more had she wished to do so.
just then they heard, "why, nan maitlandt, what on earth are you doing out here to-day?" and a tall girl darted round a pile of trunks. "i've brought my young sister bess to college and we're having a terrible time. only one of her trunks has come, and not a thing in it that she really wants. we've been arguing with old chapie for an hour, but it doesn't do one bit of good."
"nell, how like old times it seems. you always were in some kind of trouble all our four years and it wouldn't be you if something wasn't wrong. how many times do[16] you suppose you lost one of your trunks, or books, or hats, or themes, or tennis rackets? but you always found them sooner or later and i'm confident your sister's trunk will turn up all right. i want you to know my cousin, jean cabot, from los angeles. she and your sister will be in the same class. jean is to live in merton. where is bess assigned?"
"poor child, she didn't make the campus this year and is to room first semester at mrs. mcallister's, but i hope second half she will get in east or wellington, for you know so many drop out at midyear's that there's always a chance. how long will you be here? can't you come down to the cottage with your cousin?"
"thanks, nell, but i expect to be very busy and i'm only here for a few days. you know i begin hospital work at the massachusetts general the first of october and i need every minute at home. but i'll try to see you somewhere if it's only for a few minutes. i want to hear all about yourself and the other girls."
[17]
it took but a few moments to leave the little station and its confusion behind them and jean said, "why, anna, are we the last ones to arrive? everybody seems to be at the station."
"no, child, they're mostly freshmen. the upper-class girls won't arrive until to-night or early in the morning. you know to-morrow is registration day and classes won't meet until friday and saturday. now look straight ahead of you up the hill and you will get your first view of the campus. let me tell you some of the buildings even if you don't remember them all. that tower is the chapel; the trees hide the building itself, but we shall see it better as we climb the hill. the white building is the new library, not quite finished as yet; to the right is east, next to that college hall; opposite is wellington; those dark-red buildings are the laboratories and away over beyond is merton. we will walk slowly up faculty row and get a closer view. the rest of the dormitories are on the other side of the hill. don't you love the hill already? aren't the trees wonderful?[18] the leaves are just beginning to turn and soon will be at their best. wait till you see the ivy on the chapel in its brilliant autumn coloring. before long you'll be racking your poor brain to sing its praises, for every one in lit. i has to write a sonnet on the glory of the ivy on the chapel tower. miss whiting, 'prof' in lit. i, is daffy on the subject and you'll find her any time in the fall lingering in the shadows of the tower and rhapsodizing on its beauty.
"here's 'prexy's' house. isn't it dear? it was finished only last year and modeled after a little english house in stratford-on-avon where miss emerson spent several summers. miss thurston, the dean, lives there with her. be sure you get on the right side of miss thurston, freshman year, jean, and then you'll be safe for the other three."
"other three! why, anna maitlandt, i've only come to college for this one year. nothing on earth could make me stay any longer. i've made up my mind on that subject, and when a cabot once makes up his mind he never changes it. i'll do the best[19] i can this year, but when june comes you can be sure i'll start for home on the very first train and stay there the rest of my life."
"oh, jean, college hasn't begun yet. wait till midyear's and i'll wager by that time you'll be the most enthusiastic freshman on the hill, with room-mate chosen and plans all made for sophomore year. college life grows on you, and once it has made a start you can't stop it. i'm not going to give you a bit of advice now, but just before i leave i've a word or two for you.
"here we are at old merton. we have talked so much i forgot to point out the other buildings. how do you like the looks of your new home? i tried four of the dormitories and liked this the best of them all and mrs. thompson is a gem of a matron. let's go right in and see her now."
mrs. thompson's rooms were on the first floor opposite the parlors and reading-room. she was a large, cheery woman who welcomed the girls in a way that made them feel at home instantly.
[20]
"we haven't begun our regular meals yet for so few of the girls are here, but i should be pleased to have you both lunch with me in my sitting-room."
"thank you, mrs. thompson, but we have promised to go down to the inn. has miss fairfax, who is to be miss cabot's room-mate, arrived yet?"
"no; we received word this morning that owing to sickness in her family she may be delayed several days. so if you like, miss maitlandt, you may be miss cabot's room-mate until the real one arrives."
"thanks; it will be quite like old days to be rooming again in merton. we'll go up directly, jean," and they darted up the stairs. "let's stop in peggy's room on second for a minute."
stopping before 27, anna gave a vigorous knock and receiving no response opened the door and entered the room, followed by jean. evidently both of the occupants had arrived, for the room was in perfect order and presented a most attractive appearance. anna walked over to one of the desks and found[21] a note addressed to herself. opening it she read aloud:
"dear nan: natalie and i couldn't resist the call of the game and we're up on the courts for a set of tennis. meet us at the inn at one o'clock sharp. hastily, peg."
"those two are fiends at tennis and natalie won the college championship last year and she was only a sophomore. generally it goes to a senior; in fact, natalie is the first under-class girl to win the honor. wait till she's up against you, jean. oh, i have it, there's something for you to work for. why not be the first and only ashton freshman to win the tennis championship? you can do it if you try. why, tom says you are the speediest girl player he ever saw, and for a fellow to admit that a girl can play tennis means more than anything else i know of.
"well, what do you think of their rooms? the bedroom is just off at this side. evidently their enthusiasm waned when they finished the study, for clothes are piled mountain high on their beds. it isn't fair to criticize[22] first day, though, so let's up to fourth."
as they walked slowly up the stairs, jean said a little hesitatingly, "why, cousin, our rooms will never look like that unless my room-mate has all those pretty things. i haven't any pictures except father's and the boys' and they had pictures everywhere. and i haven't any flags or tea-table or chafing-dish or pillows or anything attractive."
"never mind that, jean; it's easy enough to get such things. we'll put the necessary things in order and then make a list of the other things you want, and a trip in town to-morrow will purchase them all. most girls are not as fortunate as you in the matter of money, for i know you can have anything money will buy. so don't worry about it at all. take my word for it, don't have too much in your room. the simpler the arrangement, the better. first-year girls are apt to fill every inch of space with pictures and souvenirs that senior year they would be ashamed to own. you can always tell an upper-class girl's room at first glance. you[23] notice for yourself and see what it is that makes a room attractive to you, and i think in the end you will agree with me.
"why, 45 is locked and we haven't the key. you wait a minute here and i'll run down and see mrs. thompson. sit down on the suit-cases and i'll be back before you can count ten."
but it was a good ten minutes before anna returned, for she evidently had some difficulty in finding the matron. for about five minutes jean sat alone and thought of everything but college, then she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes, for excitement had tired her a bit. suddenly a loud laugh aroused her and she heard, "well, i never, a freshman asleep at the switch! what's the matter, stranger, can i help you?"
"no, thank you; i'm waiting for some one to come and unlock my door. we couldn't find the key. my cousin has gone to find mrs. thompson."
"well, in the meantime, come right over into my room. i'm to live just opposite. my name's remington, midge, or, more[24] properly speaking, marjorie remington, 1915. of course i'm a sophomore and your hated enemy, but that needn't make any difference yet. leave your bags right there. now sit down wherever you can find room. looks pretty bad round here, doesn't it, but you see i only arrived this morning. i've a single this year. couldn't stand another room-mate. nearly died last year with the three i had. first girl flunked out at thanksgiving, second's mother died and she left at midyear's, and the rest of the time i had the greasiest grind in the class to live with. i never studied and she always wanted to, so there was trouble from the start. how are you on the study question?"
before jean could answer she heard anna hurrying up the hall and she excused herself quickly. the door of 45 was soon opened and the room indeed presented a desolate appearance. to be sure, it was clean and large and had plenty of windows, but the pieces of furniture were merely stacked up in the center in one huge pile.
jean simply gasped "oh!" but before she[25] could finish, anna said, "put everything down in the corner and come over here and see the view." indeed, from the southeast corner window there was a wonderful view of the surrounding country, and as here and there anna pointed out interesting places, jean's attention was drawn from the bareness and unattractiveness of the room to the beauty of the landscape.
"now we'll not do a thing here until after lunch and then we'll work like trojans and get the place livable. how's your appetite? i'm nearly starved. it's almost one o'clock, so we'll have to hustle to meet the girls on time."
when they arrived at the inn they found it thronged with girls, but marguerite was waiting for them and said that she had reserved a table and that natalie was waiting inside. they entered the dining-room and were immediately seated in an extreme corner near a large window. introductions were soon over and jean thought natalie the most attractive girl she had yet seen. she was her exact opposite in every way, small, dark,[26] with large dancing brown eyes and an abundance of wavy brown hair. her face and arms were brown as berries and just now, when violent exercise had flushed her cheeks, the heightened color came and went as she talked. immediately she and jean found a common subject of conversation in tennis and jean talked as she had not done before with any one. girls came up to their table with pleasant words of greeting and passed on and before jean was quite aware of it lunch was over and they were on their way back to merton.
natalie and jean walked together and soon jean was telling her all about the ranch and her early life there. when they reached the dormitory the two juniors insisted upon going up to 45 to help put things in order. "you know we juniors are your staunchest friends, even-year classes against the odd years," said natalie.
so up the stairs went the four and took possession of 45. they first chose the bedroom furniture and placed it in the small adjoining room. there were two white beds,[27] two chiffoniers and two small chairs. to tell the truth, the room could hardly have held any more, and it required some care to place this amount so that there was any walking space. "we can't make up the beds until your trunks are unpacked, so let's tackle the study," said peggy.
out in the other room there was one large study-table, two small book-cases, two desks, a large couch, and two comfortable rockers. just as they were moving some of these into place there was a knock at the door, and joe, the colored janitor, announced the arrival of jean's trunks. these he put in the middle of the room and unstrapped them.
"what! three trunks? aren't you the lucky girl to have enough to put in them? it's all i can do to fill one," said peggy allison, whose love of clothes was her greatest failing.
"father insisted upon aunt molly's superintending my wardrobe, and all summer long i've done nothing but try on clothes until i don't care whether i ever see any more or not. that largest trunk has the few things[28] i brought for my room." from the top of the trunk she lifted one box very carefully and showed the three girls the pictures of "her family" as she called the five. surely they were splendid examples of american manhood, and one could not blame any girl for being loath to leave them.
"sometime soon i'm coming up to visit you, miss cabot, and i want you to tell me all about your family and especially this member of it," and peggy held up the picture of the second son, nelson cabot, a somewhat serious-looking fellow.
"oh, nels? why, he's coming east on business in the winter and he has promised to spend a week in boston and give me the time of my young life, as he says. of course he'll come out here, and then you can see him and judge for yourself. we all call him our 'serious brother,' but he's got fun in him just the same when he gets started.
"now let's make out a list of the things you really think i need for my room. i'll do my share before my room-mate appears and she'll find such a comfortable room that she'll[29] be glad i arrived first. now i want a tea-table and 'fixings' like yours, peggy, and a chafing-dish, some ferns, rugs, curtains, pictures, a couch-cover, chairs"—and the girls added one thing and another to the list until it was a very long one. jean detested shopping, and anna made a most welcome promise to help her out with the difficulties the following afternoon.
the two juniors were to be busy in the evening, so, left to themselves, jean and anna enjoyed a long walk after supper. as they returned across the campus, lights twinkled in the windows of the dormitories, happy voices and the occasional burst of music floated out on the still evening air. once anna stood perfectly still for several moments and then exclaimed almost to herself, "oh, how i love it all! how i wish i were just beginning college! oh, ashton, how much you have done for me!"
then with scarcely a word they approached old merton and climbed slowly to 45. "i told you, jean, that before i left i was going to give you a little advice. it's[30] only this, go slowly, choose the best of everything, make the best of everything and love old ashton better than anything else in the world."
