Greycliff Wings — Reading Notes

orth, was unchanged. The neighboring suite, occupied by Juliet and Pauline, Eloise and Helen, had also earned a name, but the girls were as yet uncertain what to call it, though as Pauline said it was high time they called it something before their last year at Greycliff should be over. When they were making out their schedules of study for the year, Eloise had suggested that it be called the “Labor Union,” but that name was scornfully rejected as not inspirational enough. As Helen was now president of the Psyche Club, Cathalina had suggested that the suite be called the Olympic Portal, or O. P., and while the girls had also rejected this name, she and Betty sometimes referred to the suite as the “O. P.”

Cathalina and Lilian finally settled themselves, Cathalina by Betty, still her room-mate, and Lilian by Eloise, for Lilian had brought her guitar and hastened to get it out of its case. Eloise was already strumming upon her ukulele, and rose to look around for anyone else who had one. But the other girls had either forgotten their instruments or had not wanted to bother with them.

“Start ’em off, Hilary,” said Lilian to her room-mate. “I can’t lead and play too, and neither can Eloise.”

Hilary obediently started the Greycliff songs and some of the war songs so popular then, for the girls never started anywhere upon the water without singing. “The Long, Long Trail,” “Tipperary,” and “Keep the Home Fires Burning,” followed in due order after the Greycliff songs, and Eloise and Lilian sang “I May Be Gone For a Long, Long Time,” which Lilian had brought with her from New York. It was comparatively new to the girls, but one after the other joined, as the catchy tune was supplemented by the chords and “plunks” of guitar and ukulele. Lilian was in a gay humor, for she had just received a bright letter from Phil, who complained that he supposed he would be kept training in this country till the end of the war, but told of many funny experiences, and the fact that he might be in America for some time to come was of much relief to both Lilian and Cathalina.

“Why, where are you _going_, Mickey?” asked one of the girls in surprise, as she saw that they were going out in the open lake far beyond where they usually turned toward the famous old “Island.” This could now be seen at their left in the distance.

“Oi have a surprise fur ye,” said Mickey, turning the wheel a little. “Wait a minute an’ ye can see a little flag on the shore. The trustees has bought a new playground for ye, where there ain’t no rocks.”

Great surprise and pleasure was evident on the faces of all the girls who could hear what Mickey said, and the word was passed around to the others. They all watched with interest, while the boat chugged on, several miles further on, and then turned nearer shore, toward a sandy beach and a new dock. As they approached, several gulls which had been perching there spread their wings and flew away. “Oh,” exclaimed Lilian, “this ought to be called ‘White Wings.’ Look at the terns fishing out there!”

“It does seem to be a regular feeding place for the birds,” said Hilary with great interest. “Of course, the wings are not all white, really,” she added.

“But they look so,” insisted Lilian. “Have they named the place, Mickey?”

“No, m’am, not as I know of,” replied Mickey.

“I’ll write it up, then, for the _Greycliff Star_,” said Lilian who, as chief editor this year was always looking for “copy,”—“and call it ‘White Wings,’ and perhaps the name will stick to it.”

Carefully the _Greycliff_ was docked and the girls helped carry the lunch ashore, hurrying toward a pretty little summer house which Mickey pointed out to them. It stood back among the trees and was screened, with a floor and picnic tables.

“Hurrah!” exclaimed Betty, “no mosquitoes or bugs at our meals. Blessings on the Greycliff trustees!”

“Let’s ask Miss Perin about it,” suggested Hilary. “She did not look the least bit surprised when Mickey was telling about it, and has probably heard all about it at faculty meeting.”

“All right,” replied Betty,—“isn’t it the funniest thing not to have Miss West for chaperone? We always used to ask for her. I had the shock of my life not to find her here.”

“Our dear ‘Patty’ is getting married about now, I suppose,” said Hilary. “Dr. Norris, I mean Lieutenant Norris, was to have leave of absence and they were to be married this week. But Patty is coming back here as soon as he leaves for France.”

“There is Miss Perin now. Ask her, Hilary.”

The girls joined their young chaperone, who was taking Miss West’s place, with English and Latin classes, at Greycliff.

“Yes,” Miss Perin replied, in answer to Hilary’s question, “this is a farm which was willed to Greycliff and they came into possession of it this past summer. The beach was so fine that they decided to make a new picnic place for the girls of the school, and they rented the farm to a man who is supposed to keep an eye on this part of the grounds as well. They say that they were able to secure a real scientific farmer to run the place because he wanted to experiment with a hydroplane here. He has one or two helpers that are very good and the trustees got him for a very reasonable price to furnish certain things to the school. It gives him a convenient market, too.”

The girls scattered about the beautiful place to see what was there. The “picnic grounds” proper were out upon a point or peninsula where the little screened house had been erected, with a small boat house and another building which proved to be an ice house. Easy enough was it to get a supply of ice to last over the summer. Grounds stretched out to left and right toward the lake, and on the right hand was a little bay, an ideal place for the experiments with hydroplanes. Another small dock was here.

Leaving the picnic point behind, the girls crossed a little road to the farm proper, where the usual farm-house and other buildings were located. There seemed to have been an old log house as the original home. This stood back upon a rise of ground, while some distance to the side and front of it was a modern farm-house, a large barn and silo still further over. Back of the bay were open fields. A vineyard of well-trained grape-vines was on a slope and stretched for quite a distance. A big orchard and a pretty stretch of woodland attracted the bird lovers, who ran up the slope to investigate.

Betty and Cathalina were together. Although Lilian loved Cathalina dearly, and for Phil’s sake now as well as her own, still Hilary, her room-mate, was her chief confidante whenever they were within reach of each other. And Hilary had visited Lilian during the summer, enjoying a little of the time with her own as yet undeclared lover, Campbell Stuart, cousin to Cathalina and Philip Van Buskirk. It was plain to all what Campbell thought of Hilary, but he thought that she should be free until after the war. Lilian and Philip, on the other hand, were openly engaged, and by common consent were permitted to enjoy each other’s society in the few days they had together. The Norths had moved further out, for the judge felt too cramped in the apartment to which they had first moved when they went to New York.

Both Lilian and Hilary were lingering near the bay to discuss matters pertaining to their future, while Cathalina suggested to Betty that they go through the rows of vines to reach the woods. They did so, but paused to listen to a wren song. “That’s a Bewick wren, Cathalina,” said Betty. “Take the glass and see if you can find him.”

Betty handed the glass to Cathalina, and turning, saw a man who was tying up one of the vines and had turned to look at her. Betty caught a flashing look of recognition and then the man’s back was quickly turned. Betty was instinctively on guard, and in even tones continued her low conversation with Cathalina. “Do you get it, Cathalina?”

“Yes, Betty. _You_ look now. It is on that low bush. See?”

The girls satisfied themselves in regard to the wren and went on up the slope toward the old log house, on whose step they sat down to look over the whole place with their field glass, for they had decided that one was enough to bring on a picnic.

Betty glanced around to see if any one was within hearing. “I’ve something to tell you,” she said. “Did you notice the man that was tying up the vines as we came along?”

“Why, yes, I believe I did see somebody, one of the hands, I suppose.”

“Yes, and he gave me the funniest look and hurried to turn his back on us. Now where have I seen those flashing eyes before? I certainly haven’t any acquaintances like that!”

“You have had some queer experiences, Bettina, for a timid little lady like yourself. Think of your friend Captain Holley.”

“I have it, Cathalina. Your suggestion fits. This is one of the men in that boat, way back in our second year at Greycliff, there at that place where afterwards Isabel and I heard somebody in the cave, you know, and then saw Captain Holley come out, and the men carried away the box. You remember that we went there once with Patty last year, but didn’t see anything and were afraid to investigate much.”

“Oh yes. You and Isabel told Dr. Norris or somebody about it, but I guess nobody thought much about it.”

“Everybody had too much to do. Do you suppose Captain Holley is still at the military school? He’s an ‘enemy alien’ now.”

“Yes, he is there. Louise is back, you know, and I heard her say that her brother was coming over to dinner with her Sunday. Louise is a lot nicer to the girls than she used to be, and I heard her say that she was very unhappy to think that her country and her adopted country were at war.”

“Oh, well, let’s not think about them!”

“I suppose this man is some one who lives around here. But it is funny that he did not want you to look at him. It looks as if there were something out of the way going on, that time at the cave.”

“It does indeed! Isn’t there a pretty view from here? There come Hilary and Lil. Let’s go on to the woods. The birds are in the fall migration now, perhaps we’ll find something different. Think of it, Cathalina, only one more beautiful spring here! Do you suppose we’ll like it as well at college?”

“It will be different. I don’t believe any place could be to us what dear old Greycliff has been. I can’t realize yet that we are seniors. Wouldn’t it be fine if they would add the two more years of a college course?”

“They don’t want that kind of a school here. Have you any idea where you will go?”

“Yes, in New York, but whether I get right into Columbia or not I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll just take what I want. But mother wants me there. She pretty nearly kept me at home this time. It is hard on her, you know, with Philip away at camp. But Aunt Katherine was strong for having me finish up this course here, and Father said, ‘Your Aunt Knickerbocker’s idea of sending Cathalina to Greycliff worked out pretty well’!”

“He usually calls her that, doesn’t he?”

“Yes. Then Aunt Katherine reminded Mother that she would be head over heels—she didn’t say that—in war work, and Mother is on about forty committees more or less, so it was decided.”

“How about little Cathalina? Didn’t she have any voice in the matter?”

“Yes indeed. But I thought if Mother really needed me I would stay without a word. I’ve been so upset in plans myself, as all of us have been, and I thought I’d like to be where I’d see Phil if he is sent over very soon. But they are to telegraph, and Lilian and I will go on. And say, Betty, the last letter I had from Captain Van Horne said that it will not be very long until the Rainbow Division goes over.”

“Does he write often?”

“Oh, no, not so very often,—not like Lilian and Phil, or Hilary and Campbell. By the way, what was it you told me about Donald Hilton? I’ve been on such a rush ever since we began school that I have a lot of confused impressions about different things.”

“Donald joined the marines! I never was so surprised.”

“Why, did he know anything about the navy?”

“Not a thing, but it seems he always has been crazy about ships and things. You must read some of his letters,—they are so interesting.”

“I’d love to, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I always tell you anything flattering that he says in them anyway. Do you ever hear from Bob Paget, or Lawrence Haverhill?”

“Yes, both boys have written since I came here. Lawrence is in a different camp, it seems, and is sorry not to be with the other boys.”

“That was such a lovely house-party that we had last year, just a year ago, after camp.”

“The next one will probably be for Lil’s wedding, after the war.”

“_Lil’s_ wedding?—and you Phil’s sister!”

“Yes, the wedding is chiefly the bride’s, I guess. I wish I had another brother or cousin for you, Betty, though the future Admiral Hilton wouldn’t thank me for that, I suppose. But to have you ’way off in Chicago!”

“Don’t you think that we are going ahead just a little too fast, Cathalina?”

“I guess we are, especially if the war lasts for years and years!”

“Donald says it can’t after he and the other boys from Grant Academy get over there! He is always joking that way.”

“I wonder where the farm ends,” said Cathalina, looking through the woods which seemed to stretch endlessly along the bluff above the shore.

“We’d better not go too far. I don’t see Hilary and Lilian now. Let’s go back. That looks like another shack or cabin ahead of us. Perhaps it belongs to some other farm.”

The girls retraced their steps, finding other girls strolling about, and joining some of them to go where some fine stock was grazing. Betty leaned over a fence to snap some pictures of the cattle. “Nice old bossies,” she said. “I guess this place is where that grand cream we’re having now comes from. Come on, let’s get the farmer to pose for us with some of the horses, or the family, if they, want to.”

“There isn’t any family there yet, but the tenants live back in that little bit of a house. See?” Eloise was pointing as she spoke. “And it’s no use to ask the farmer. Some of the girls did, and he acted as if he were mad about it. I don’t believe he likes to have the girls come here. Listen! That’s the dinner bell. Doesn’t it make you think of Merry-meeting Camp?”

“Where do we have our lunch?—O, yes, of course, in the little summer house they made on purpose. Say, Eloise, wouldn’t it be fun to snap the farmer when he wasn’t looking? Where is he?” Betty was looking all around to find the new farmer of whom she had had a glimpse as they went up to the wood. “He’s such a straight, fine-looking man that he would make a good picture for our memory books, if we could get him with a good background of the woods and lake, or the vineyard, or some of the pretty surroundings here.”

“He doesn’t look as if hard work had broken him down, does he?” said Diane.

“No, he doesn’t,” said Betty. “I tell you, some of you girls stop and talk to him, and I’ll get behind some bushes or something and watch for a good chance to snap him. There he is now, bringing out that handsome black horse from the barn. Come on.”

The black horse was restive, and Betty, hurrying on, caught an excellent picture of both horse and man, while the farmer was too busy with the horse to observe anything else. When he did observe her and her camera he took pains to keep his face turned away.

“Funny folks around here,” remarked Betty to Cathalina. “One man does not want to be seen at all, and another can’t bear to have his picture taken and doesn’t like girls much, I guess. Now I must get a picture of the beach and some of the birds, if Lilian is going to call the place White Wings. I wonder if they won’t let the seniors name it. I suppose that shed or something down there is where the hydroplane is. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could get that, too. Perhaps we can when it’s finished.”

“And name it White Wings, too,” suggested Eloise.

“Some of the girls started to peek in a while ago, and the crossest man, worse than the farmer, told them that they weren’t to come around there at all.”

“I imagine it upsets them to have us all over the place like this,” said Cathalina, “but they’ll get used to it, unless they make a rule that picnic parties have to keep to the picnic ground. But the girls were told not to break off any of the fruit or do anything ‘destructive’ and I don’t think any of the senior girls would. My, Diane, do you see that wonderful basket of grapes that man is carrying across the road for us!”

“Who wouldn’t be a senior girl at Greycliff Farm?” inquired Eloise of the squirrels or birds or anybody who happened to be listening, as they hurried to the little summer house.

“Really, this is the best part of the place for us,” said Hilary. “There isn’t a better beach anywhere along than this, and about two or three o’clock we can have a fine swim. Have you noticed the swings and seats in that grassy spot under those old trees?—over in that direction. I’m going to get out my knitting as soon as lunch is over and go there to rest my bones.”

“I didn’t bring my knitting,” said Betty, “but have a good story, one that I bought to read on the train, but didn’t read it there, nor have I had any time since. If you like I can read aloud a while. I move that we offer resolutions of thanks to whoever got up all these things.”

“Miss Randolph thought it up, I imagine,” said Lilian. “She hasn’t liked the Island very well, though I suppose they will go there sometimes still.”

“The Island is very romantic,” said Helen Paget, in her pretty Southern way. “There is the cave, you know, and the rocks, and the place where the water rushes through. I’m glad we had it.”

“Speaking of caves,” said Diane, “you girls never took me to that one you told such wonderful tales about last year. Didn’t you and Isabel, Betty, explore one the year that I wasn’t at Greycliff?”

“We didn’t exactly explore it,” replied Betty. “We must go there before it gets cold. As senior girls, we ought to be able to get permission to go beyond the place where the breakwater is.”

“O, no; just around the cliffs toward Greycliff Heights, you know, where all those big rocks are. But I want to have a lot of the girls along.”