Part 24 (1/2)
”Right-o,” replied Josephine; ”give a dog a bad name--and hang him. No one believes in me just because my hair is untidy. You'll live to see the day, Patricia, when--”
”Clear out,” said Patricia, laughing at Josephine's solemn indignation.
”I've got millions of things to do--now, please look after your share.
Come on, Judy, let's tackle this parlour.”
”Oh, how sweet!” cried Judith as they pulled out the big awkward screen.
”Three cheers for the Studio girls! Wherever did you get such old-fas.h.i.+oned wall-paper, Peggy?”
”Miss Ashwell found it in one of the shops,” said Peggy, ”and we painted the border ourselves to match the chintz. Aren't those frilly little petticoats for the chairs the cunningest things?”
They worked hard for a couple of hours, and when curtains were hung at the windows which gave glimpses of an old-fas.h.i.+oned garden, and pictures and bric-a-brac, such as our grandmothers loved, in their appointed places, they felt that the result justified their labours.
Judith produced a list and checked it over--yes, everything was ready but the candlesticks, and she'd get those now, and remind Patricia about the draperies which were to transform Mrs. Bennet's parlour into a ball-room or Lady de Burgh's drawing-room.
”It's charming,” declared Miss Marlowe who had come in just before.
”Congratulations, Patricia, you've certainly done your share towards making to-night a success. And you're ready in such good time--it's nice not to have a rush at the end.”
”That's really owing to Judy, Miss Marlowe,” said Patricia quickly; ”she and the others, too, have been splendid.”
”I'm glad you've had such good helpers,” said Miss Marlowe, giving Judith a special smile of approval. ”I shan't give a thought to the stage management, Patricia; I'll leave that and the properties to you--there are one or two who still need help with their parts and I want to give them every moment possible.”
Judith fairly glowed with happiness as she watched Miss Marlowe disappearing down the hall. Miss Marlowe's words of praise were eagerly prized--they really meant something. Like most other people Judith loved to be approved of, and she had lived these last few days in an atmosphere of admiration. She was this afternoon to receive a special prize in English, and the second prize for General Proficiency in her Form. She had won the tennis trophy for her House, and in many little ways latterly the Senior girls and her own friends had shown her that they turned to her as to a leader; she knew that it was whispered about that next year she and Nancy would probably be prefects. It would be hard, of course, but it would be awfully nice--
Patricia broke in upon her happy musings by calling to Josephine who was leaving the Hall.
”Is everything O.K. in the make-up room, Jo?”
”Molly Seaton's wig hasn't come yet, but Stewarts say they'll have it here by three o'clock,” answered Josephine.
”And they promised faithfully to have it here last night,” said Patricia disgustedly. ”Now will you be certain sure to get it from the parcel room and see that Molly has it in plenty of time. I'll make the two of you responsible--Judy, you remind her--we go straight to the drawing-room for the reception after prize-giving and--”
”Don't worry your fussy old self,” said Josephine cheerfully; ”n.o.body really believes in me, but Judy never forgets. We'll put the wig with our own fair hands on Molly Seaton's head. Come on, Judy, and see if Cathy's flowers have come yet.”
Upstairs everything was in delightful confusion: trunks were being carried off, last packings attended to, every one was visiting every one else, and every one was doing her best to make her voice heard above the general confusion.
After luncheon white frocks were donned for prize-giving, and then the younger girls went about in groups visiting the graduating Sixth Form and admiring their flowers.
The crew of the ”Jolly Susan” had clubbed together to buy roses for their Captain.
”We can't get blue roses,” Nancy had said regretfully, ”but let's get the palest pink we can find and tie them with blue gauze. I'm afraid that's all we can do to suggest sailor boys. Whatever shall we do without her next year?”
There were beautiful flowers everywhere they went, but the crew were quite convinced when they came back to the ”Jolly Susan” that none were lovelier than theirs, and most certainly no one to compare with Catherine herself.
Prize-giving proved even more exciting than Judith had antic.i.p.ated. ”If only Daddy and Mother could have been here,” she thought, as she took her place in the long line of white-frocked girls and looked a bit wistfully at the big audience which held the girls' fathers and mothers.
But that must be Uncle Tom--yes, it was, and Aunt Nell--bless them. She wouldn't feel lonely now. And yes--there were Tom and Jack. Then Judith remembered that she mustn't look about the audience, but keep her mind on the programme. She looked down at the printed sheet in her hand, but she knew quite well where they were sitting, and Jack's friendly smile was the first she saw when she came down from the platform with her prizes in her hand.
Prize-giving was an especially important event for the Sixth, who were graduating. To them it was perhaps the greatest moment of the year, for the receiving of diploma or certificate, seeming to mark a parting of the ways, was bitter sweet--bright with hopes of the joys to come, but tinged with regret for ”the great glad days” that were now left behind.
The School gave them a great ovation. Judith, looking at the group of prefects and captains who received a special pin as a badge of honour, echoed Nancy's cry--how COULD they get along without them next year?