Oh, I was very cheerful. When I think of it—but
I might have known, all along. Nothing went right
with me that week.
Just before we got to the house he said:
“Goodnight and goodbye, little Barbara.
I’ll never forget you and this evening.
And save me a dance at your coming-out party.
I’ll be there.”
I held out my hand, and he took it and kissed it.
It was all perfectly thrilling. And then we drew
up in front of the house and he helped me out, and
my entire Familey had just got out of the motor and
was lined up on the pavment staring at us!
“All right, are you?” he said, as coolly
as if they had not been anywhere in sight. “Well,
good night and good luck!” And he got into the
taxicab and drove away, leaving me in the hands of
the Enemy.
The next morning I was sent back to school. They
never gave me a chance to explain, for mother went
into hysterics, after accusing me of having men dangling
around waiting at every corner. They had to have
a doctor, and things were awful.
The only person who said anything was Sis. She
came to my room that night when I was in bed, and
stood looking down at me. She was very angry,
but there was a sort of awe in her eyes.
“My hat’s off to you, Barbara,”
she said. “Where in the world do you pick
them all up? Things must have changed at school
since I was there.”
“I’m sick to death of the Other Sex,”
I replied languidley. “It’s no punishment
to send me away. I need a little piece and quiet.”
And I did.
All this holaday week, while the girls are away, I
have been writing this Theme, for Literature class.
To-day is New Years and I am putting in the finishing
touches. I intend to have it tiped in the village
and to send a copy to father, who I think will understand,
and another copy, but with a few lines cut, to Mr.
Grosvenor. The nice one. There were some
things he did not quite understand, and this will explain.
I shall also send a copy to Carter Brooks, who came
out handsomly with an apoligy this morning in a letter
and a ten pound box of Candy.
His letter explains everything. H. is a real
person and did not come out of a Cabinet. Carter
recognized the photograph as being one of a Mr. Grosvenor
he went to college with, who had gone on the stage
and was playing in a stock company at home. Only
they were not playing Xmas week, as business, he says,
is rotten then. When he saw me writing the letter
he felt that it was all a bluff, especialy as he had
seen me sending myself the violets at the florists.
So he got Mr. Grosvenor, the blonde one, to pretend
he was Harold Valentine. Only things slipped
up. I quote from Carter’s letter:
“He’s a bully chap, Bab, and he went into
it for a lark, roses and poems and all. But when
he saw that you took it rather hard, he felt it wasn’t
square. He went to your father to explain and
apologized, but your father seemed to think you needed
a lesson. He’s a pretty good Sport, your
father. And he said to let it go on for a day
or two. A little worry wouldn’t hurt you.”
