Chapter 13: Great Expectations

For a week before Thanksgiving there was great excitement among the schoolgirls on account of the approaching football game. The “Four” were as excited as the others, although not so many of their own particular friends were in the Harvard team. It was to be a game with Princeton, one of the great University matches, and for special reasons there was the deepest interest in the match. Those girls who had brothers in college, or even cousins or friends, held themselves with more dignity than any of the others, and those who had relatives in the team “were too proud for anything,” as Brenda said. The game was to be played in Holmes’ Field, and tickets were not easy to get, because the seats were far less numerous than now on the great Soldiers’ Field. The girls were making up little groups to go to the game with youths of their acquaintance as escorts, under the chaperonage of older people. A few who had received no invitation were especially miserable, and took no trouble to disguise their feelings.

Edith at this time became unusually popular, because it was known that her mother had given her permission to arrange a large party to accompany her to the game, and every girl was hoping for an invitation—every girl, at least who had not been invited elsewhere to go in some other party.

Now Edith was of a generally generous disposition, and not inclined to limit her favors, of whatever nature, to any particular set of girls. For this reason she had to bear many a reproof from Belle, and even occasionally from Brenda, both of whom were inclined to be more exclusive.

So it happened that the general harmony of “The Four” was somewhat disturbed when Nora one day at recess exclaimed,

“Who do you suppose is going with us to the game?” For of course in the minds of the others there could be but one “game,” and that the one to which they all wished to go.

“Why, who is it?” cried Brenda, and “Who is it?” echoed Belle.

“I know that you can’t guess.”

“Oh, don’t be silly, Nora, it wouldn’t be worth while to guess about something you’ll know all about so soon, except that you speak as if it were some one we might not care to have, and if that’s the case, I declare it’s too bad,” said Belle.

“If it’s anything like that,” broke in Brenda, rather snappishly, “I will just tell Edith what I think.”

“It—that,” cried Nora, “didn’t I say that it was a person, a girl, if I must be more definite, Ruth Roberts, if I must tell just who it is.”

“Oh,” cried Belle, and “Ah,” echoed Brenda.

“You need not look so surprised,” rejoined Nora, “and if you take my advice, you will not say anything to Edith; she ought to have her own way in arranging her own party, and you know when she makes up her mind it is of no use to talk to her about it.”