Grace Harlowes Plebe Year at High School | Page 8

was a junior at the High School and quite grown-up to the young freshmen.
David Nesbit, like his sister, was tall, dark and handsome; but unlike her, he was quiet and unassuming. He, too, stood at the head of his classes, but he was not athletic, as Miriam was, and spent most of his time in the school laboratory, experimenting, or working at home on engines and machinery of his own contriving.
However, there was nothing snobbish in David's attitude. He greeted Anne as cordially as he had the others.
"We never see you now, David," continued Grace. "You are always so busy with your inventions and contrivances. What is the latest? A flying machine?"
"You guessed right the very first time," replied David. "It is just that."
"Really?" laughed the girls, incredulously, while Anne's eyes grew large with interest.
"Shall you fly around Oakdale in it?" asked Jessica.
"Oh, we are not building big ones yet," answered David. "These are little fellows. Models, you know. The big ones may come later. Six of the junior and senior fellows have been working on them all summer. We started it in the manual training course. After we had learned to hammer things out of silver, and do wood carving and a few other little useful accomplishments, I suggested a flying machine to Professor Blitz and he fell to it like a ripe peach. It was too late to do anything last spring except talk, however. But we are almost ready now, after our labors this summer."
"Ready for what?" demanded Grace. "If you are not going to fly yourselves."
"For our exhibition. Why don't you come and see it at the gym. next Friday night?"
"We can't. We aren't invited," answered Nora, tossing back her saucy little curls.
"I'll invite you," said David. "This will admit four young ladies to the High School gym.," he continued, taking out a card and writing on it, "At 7.30 Thursday evening."
"Then everybody isn't invited?" demanded Jessica.
"No, not everybody," replied David. "Just a chosen few. And you must be sure to come, too, Miss Pierson," he added, turning to Anne, who, all this time, had been silently listening to the conversation.
"I should love to," she answered, giving him a grateful glance.
"I'll leave you here," said David, turning in at a graveled driveway that led to the Nesbit house, a very large and ornate building standing far back from the street in the midst of a well-kept lawn.
"I wish Miriam would take a few lessons in manners from her brother," murmured Grace, when they were out of hearing distance.
"He is certainly one of the nicest boys in High School," said Jessica.
"If he only played football!" said Grace, with a sigh.
"And danced," added Nora.
"I don't know how to dance, nor did I ever see a game of football," said Anne.
"Meaning that Mr. David suits you, Miss Anne," said Grace teasingly.
"It was nice of him to ask me, too," was all Anne said in reply.
"How do you do, my dears?" said Mrs. Gray, a few moments later, when John, the aged butler, ushered the girls into the long, old-fashioned parlor. "You are most kind to come and cheer up a lonely old woman. I shall expect you to be very gay and tell me all the gossip of the Oakdale High School, the four of you."
"Luncheon is served, ma'am," announced John, whereat the sprightly old lady led the way to the dining room.
Over the delicious broiled chicken and other good things they discussed the affairs of the school, the new teacher in mathematics, Miss Leece, who was so unpopular; the girls' principal, Miss Thompson, beloved by all the pupils; the merits of the Freshman Basketball Team and a dozen other schoolgirl topics that seemed to delight the ears of Mrs. Gray.
"The truth is," she said, "I believe this freshman class is going to be one of the finest Oakdale High School has ever turned out. I have a feeling that I shall be very proud of my new girls, and at Christmas time I mean to do something I have never done before, if all goes well."
"Oh, do tell us what it is, Mrs. Gray," cried the girls in great excitement.
"I mean to celebrate with the largest Christmas party that's been given in Oakdale for many a long year. Grace, you shall manage it for me, and all of you shall help me decorate the tree and the house. We'll invite the freshmen boys and have a real dance with Ohlson's band for the music."
"Oh, oh!" cried the girls ecstatically, even quiet Anne joining in the chorus.
"By the way," went on Mrs. Gray, "do you know any girl who would like to come up and read to me twice a week, and write my notes for me? I'm getting to be an old woman. My eyesight is growing dim.