CHAPTER XXVI A GOOD-BY PARTY

 The June days sped so rapidly that Genevieve wondered where they went, sometimes. School was to close the twenty-third. Mr. Hartley was to arrive on the twentieth. Meanwhile examinations and the prize contest were uppermost in every one's thoughts. Graduation exercises were to come in the evening. The winner of the prize was to be announced at that time, also.

 

"And really, you know, the announcement of the prize-winner is all we care about specially¹," Elsie said one day, in the presence of a group of her friends on the schoolhouse steps.

 

"Just you wait till you graduate," laughed back Bertha's brother, Charlie, "and then I guess the evening exercises will be of some consequence."

 

"Of course—but that won't be till two years from now," cried Genevieve.

 

"Then you girls will be thinking more of frills and furbelows than you will of prizes," laughed Harold Day.

 

"I've got a new white dress for Graduation night," said Elsie in a low voice to Genevieve, "and I don't believe I could have a prettier one, even then."

 

"Another new white dress?" demanded Tilly, who had heard the aside. "Why, Elsie Martin, you had one for Miss Sally's wedding!"

 

Elsie laughed happily.

 

"I know—but this is a muslin. Aunt Kate seemed to want me to have it—and of course I'd love to have it, myself!"

 

Genevieve, for some reason, looked suddenly very happy, so much so that Harold, watching her, said quietly a minute later:

 

"Well, young lady, what's gone specially right with your world to-day?"

 

Genevieve laughed and blushed. She shook her head roguishly. Then suddenly she rejoined:

 

"I reckon one of my awfully² bad things has turned out all good—that's all!"

 

True to his word, Mr. Hartley came on the twentieth. He was to be Mrs. Kennedy's guest until the start for Texas after school had closed.

 

"My, dearie! how fine and tall we are growing," he greeted his daughter affectionately. "Looks like Mr. Tim and the boys won't know you, I'm thinking!"

 

"Nonsense! Of course they will—and I can't hardly wait to see them, either," cried Genevieve.

 

It is doubtful if, on Graduation night, Cordelia Wilson herself listened to the announcement of the prize-winner any more anxiously than did Genevieve. It seemed as if she could not bear it—after what had happened—if Cordelia did not get the prize. And Cordelia got it.

 

"'When Sunbridge went to Texas,'" read Mr. Jackson, "Cordelia Wilson." And it was Genevieve who clapped the loudest.

 

Cordelia, certainly, was beatifically³ happy. And when Genevieve saw her amazed, but joyously⁴ happy face, she wondered why she should suddenly want to cry—for, surely, she had never felt happier in her life.

 

Graduation day, for the Happy Hexagons, was not, after all, quite the last meeting together; for Mrs. Kennedy gave Genevieve a porch party the night before she was to start back to Texas with Mr. Hartley.

 

A very merry crowd of boys and girls it was that sang college songs and told stories that night on the Kennedys' roomy, electric-lighted veranda⁵.

 

"It seems just as if I couldn't have you go away," sighed Cordelia, at last, to Genevieve.

 

"But I'm coming back next year."

 

"Mercy! We couldn't stand it if you weren't," cried Tilly.

 

"And just think—last year we all went back with you," murmured Elsie.

 

"I wish you were going this year," declared Genevieve.

 

"I guess you aren't the only one that wishes that," cut in several longing⁶ voices.

 

"Well, we'll take you all now—if you'll go," retorted Genevieve, merrily.

 

"All—did you say?" challenged Harold Day.

 

"Yes, all," nodded Genevieve, emphatically. "We'd be glad to have you, every one of you."

 

"Well, I begin to think you would—now that I've seen Texas," sighed Tilly. "But I suppose we shall have to content ourselves till you come back this time."

 

"And this wonderful little rhyming dictionary, as Miss Tilly calls her—does she come back with you?" asked O. B. J. Holmes.

 

"Maybe. She comes next fall, anyway, before school begins," smiled Genevieve.

 

"Well, what I want to know is, if you are going to do any more Texas missionary⁷ work," suggested Charlie Brown.

 

"Pooh! She doesn't do that there—she does that here," cut in Tilly.

 

"There isn't any more to do, anyway," declared the exact Cordelia, happily. "She's got everything fixed⁸ even down to Elsie's—" She stopped just in time, but already Genevieve had interposed hurriedly:

 

"Oh, but it wasn't I that did anything. It was Cordelia. She found them to begin with, you know—Reddy, and Hermit⁹ Joe's son."

 

Mrs. Kennedy and Miss Jane, together with Nancy appeared just then with great plates of ice cream and delicious cake; and after that, all too soon, came the time for good-nights. The good-nights were not quite finished, however, until at the foot of the walk, five members of the Hexagon Club turned, and all together gave their Texas yell with a lusty "Genevieve" at the end that brought the tears to the real Genevieve's eyes.

 

"Texas, Texas, Tex—Tex—Texas!

Texas, Texas, Rah! Rah! Rah!

GENEVIEVE!"

"Mercy! What will the neighbors say—at this time of night!" protested Miss Jane Chick, feebly; but her eyes, too, were moist.

1 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

2 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

3 beatifically   

adj. 祝福的, 幸福的, 快乐的, 慈祥的

参考例句：

4 joyously   

ad.快乐地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She opened the door for me and threw herself in my arms, screaming joyously and demanding that we decorate the tree immediately. 她打开门，直扑我的怀抱，欣喜地喊叫着要马上装饰圣诞树。
• They came running, crying out joyously in trilling girlish voices. 她们边跑边喊，那少女的颤音好不欢快。 来自名作英译部分

5 veranda   

n.走廊；阳台

参考例句：

• She sat in the shade on the veranda.她坐在阳台上的遮荫处。
• They were strolling up and down the veranda.他们在走廊上来回徜徉。

6 longing   

n.（for）渴望

参考例句：

• Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
• His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。

7 missionary   

adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士

参考例句：

• She taught in a missionary school for a couple of years.她在一所教会学校教了两年书。
• I hope every member understands the value of missionary work. 我希望教友都了解传教工作的价值。

8 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

9 hermit   

n.隐士，修道者；隐居

参考例句：

• He became a hermit after he was dismissed from office.他被解职后成了隐士。
• Chinese ancient landscape poetry was in natural connections with hermit culture.中国古代山水诗与隐士文化有着天然联系。