Bab Bab 16 · IN THE TENNIS-COURT

Chapter 16. IN THE TENNIS-COURT

Athletic sports were in high favour at Plumfield; and the river where

the old punt used to wabble about with a cargo of small boys, or echo to

the shrill screams of little girls trying to get lilies, now was

alive with boats of all kinds, from the slender wherry to the trim

pleasure-craft, gay with cushions, awnings, and fluttering pennons.

Everyone rowed, and the girls as well as the youths had their races, and

developed their muscles in the most scientific manner. The large, level

meadow near the old willow was now the college playground, and here

baseball battles raged with fury, varied by football, leaping, and

kindred sports fitted to split the fingers, break the ribs, and strain

the backs of the too ambitious participants. The gentler pastimes of the

damsels were at a safe distance from this Champ de Mars; croquet mallets

clicked under the elms that fringed the field, rackets rose and fell

energetically in several tennis-courts, and gates of different heights

were handy to practise the graceful bound by which every girl expected

to save her life some day when the mad bull, which was always coming but

never seemed to arrive, should be bellowing at her heels.

One of these tennis grounds was called 'Jo's Court', and here the little

lady ruled like a queen; for she was fond of the game, and being bent on

developing her small self to the highest degree of perfection, she was

to be found at every leisure moment with some victim hard at it. On a

certain pleasant Saturday afternoon she had been playing with Bess and

beating her; for, though more graceful, the Princess was less active

than her cousin, and cultivated her roses by quieter methods.

'Oh dear! you are tired, and every blessed boy is at that stupid

baseball match. 'What shall I do?' sighed Josie, pushing back the great

red hat she wore, and gazing sadly round her for more worlds to conquer.

'I'll play presently, when I'm a little cooler. But it is dull work for

me, as I never win,' answered Bess, fanning herself with a large leaf.

Josie was about to sit down beside her on the rustic seat and wait, when

her quick eye saw afar off two manly forms arrayed in white flannel;

their blue legs seemed bearing them towards the battle going on in the

distance; but they never reached the fray; for with a cry of joy,

Jo raced away to meet them, bent on securing this heaven-sent

reinforcement. Both paused as she came flying up, and both raised their

hats; but oh, the difference there was in the salutes! The stout youth

pulled his off lazily and put it on again at once, as if glad to get the

duty over; the slender being, with the crimson tie, lifted his with a

graceful bend, and held it aloft while he accosted the rosy, breathless

maid, thus permitting her to see his raven locks smoothly parted, with

one little curl upon the brow. Dolly prided himself upon that bow, and

practised it before his glass, but did not bestow it upon all alike,

regarding it as a work of art, fit only for the fairest and most

favoured of his female admirers; for he was a pretty youth, and fancied

himself an Adonis.

Eager Josie evidently did not appreciate the honour he did her, for with

a nod she begged them both to 'come along and play tennis, not go and

get all hot and dirty with the boys'. These two adjectives won the day;

for Stuffy was already warmer than he liked to be, and Dolly had on

a new suit which he desired to keep immaculate as long as possible,

conscious that it was very becoming.

'Charmed to oblige,' answered the polite one, with another bend.

'You play, I'll rest,' added the fat boy, yearning for repose and gentle

converse with the Princess in the cooling shade.

'Well, you can comfort Bess, for I've beaten her all to bits and she

needs amusing. I know you've got something nice in your pocket, George;

give her some, and 'Dolphus can have her racket. Now then, fly round';

and driving her prey before her, Josie returned in triumph to the court.

Casting himself ponderously upon the bench, which creaked under his

weight, Stuffy--as we will continue to call him, though no one

else dared to use the old name now--promptly produced the box of

confectionery, without which he never travelled far, and regaled Bess

with candied violets and other dainties, while Dolly worked hard to hold

his own against a most accomplished antagonist. He would have beaten her

if an unlucky stumble, which produced an unsightly stain upon the knee

of those new shorts, had not distracted his mind and made him careless.

Much elated at her victory, Josie permitted him to rest, and offered

ironical consolation for the mishap which evidently weighed upon his

mind.

'Don't be an old Betty; it can be cleaned. You must have been a cat

in some former state, you are so troubled about dirt; or a tailor, and

lived for clothes.'

'Come now, don't hit a fellow when he is down,' responded Dolly from

the grass where he and Stuffy now lay to make room for both girls on the

seat. One handkerchief was spread under him, and his elbow leaned upon

another, while his eyes were sadly fixed upon the green and brown spot

which afflicted him. 'I like to be neat; don't think it civil to cut

about in old shoes and grey flannel shirts before ladies. Our fellows

are gentlemen, and dress as such,' he added, rather nettled at the

word 'tailor'; for he owed one of those too attractive persons an

uncomfortably big bill.

'So are ours; but good clothes alone don't make a gentleman here. We

require a good deal more,' flashed Josie, in arms at once to defend

her college. 'You will hear of some of the men in “old boots and grey

flannel” when you and your fine gentlemen are twiddling your ties and

scenting your hair in obscurity. I like old boots and wear them, and I

hate dandies; don't you, Bess?'

'Not when they are kind to me, and belong to our old set,' answered

Bess, with a nod of thanks to Dolly, who was carefully removing an

inquisitive caterpillar from one of her little russet shoes.

'I like a lady who is always polite, and doesn't snap a man's head off

if he has a mind of his own; don't you, George?' asked Dolly, with his

best smile for Bess and a Harvard stare of disapprobation for Josie.

A tranquil snore was Stuffy's sole reply, and a general laugh restored

peace for the moment. But Josie loved to harass the lords of creation

who asserted themselves too much, and bided her time for another attack

till she had secured more tennis. She got another game; for Dolly was

a sworn knight of dames, so he obeyed her call, leaving Bess to sketch

George as he lay upon his back, his stout legs crossed, and his round

red face partially eclipsed by his hat. Josie got beaten this time and

came back rather cross, so she woke the peaceful sleeper by tickling his

nose with a straw till he sneezed himself into a sitting posture, and

looked wrathfully about for 'that confounded fly'.

'Come, sit up and let us have a little elegant conversation; you

“howling swells” ought to improve our minds and manners, for we are

only poor “country girls in dowdy gowns and hats”,' began the gad-fly,

opening the battle with a sly quotation from one of Dolly's unfortunate

speeches about certain studious damsels who cared more for books than

finery.

'I didn't mean you! Your gowns are all right, and those hats the latest

thing out,' began poor 'Dolphus, convicting himself by the incautious

exclamation.

'Caught you that time; I thought you fellows were all gentlemen, civil

as well as nice. But you are always sneering at girls who don't dress

well and that is a very unmanly thing to do; my mother said so'; and

Josie felt that she had dealt a shrewd blow at the elegant youth who

bowed at many shrines if they were well-decorated ones.

'Got you there, old boy, and she's right. You never hear me talk about

clothes and such twaddle,' said Stuffy, suppressing a yawn, and feeling

for another bon-bon wherewith to refresh himself.

'You talk about eating, and that is even worse for a man. You will marry

a cook and keep a restaurant some day,' laughed Josie, down on him at

once.

This fearful prediction kept him silent for several moments; but Dolly

rallied, and wisely changing the subject, carried war into the enemy's

camp.

'As you wanted us to improve your manners, allow me to say that young

ladies in good society don't make personal remarks or deliver lectures.

Little girls who are not out do it, and think it witty; but I assure you

it's not good form.'

Josie paused a moment to recover from the shock of being called 'a

little girl', when all the honours of her fourteenth birthday were fresh

upon her; and Bess said, in the lofty tone which was infinitely more

crushing than Jo's impertinence:

'That is true; but we have lived all our lives with superior people, so

we have no society talk like your young ladies. We are so accustomed to

sensible conversation, and helping one another by telling our faults,

that we have no gossip to offer you.'

When the Princess reproved, the boys seldom resented it; so Dolly held

his peace, and Josie burst out, following her cousin's lead, which she

thought a happy one:

'Our boys like to have us talk with them, and take kindly any hints we

give. They don't think they know everything and are quite perfect at

eighteen, as I've observed the Harvard men do, especially the very young

ones.'

Josie took immense satisfaction in that return shot; and Dolly showed

that he was hit, by the nettled tone in which he answered, with a

supercilious glance at the hot, dusty, and noisy crowd on the baseball

ground: 'The class of fellows you have here need all the polish and

culture you can give them; and I'm glad they get it. Our men are largely

from the best families all over the country, so we don't need girls to

teach us anything.'

'It's a pity you don't have more of such “fellows” as ours. They value

and use well what college gives them, and aren't satisfied to slip

through, getting all the fun they can and shirking the work. Oh, I've

heard you “men” talk, and heard your fathers say they wish they hadn't

wasted time and money just that you might say you'd been through

college. As for the girls, you'll be much better off in all ways when

they do get in, and keep you lazy things up to the mark, as we do here.'

'If you have such a poor opinion of us, why do you wear our colour?'

asked Dolly, painfully conscious that he was not improving the

advantages his Alma Mater offered him, but bound to defend her.

'I don't; my hat is scarlet, not crimson. Much you know about a colour,'

scoffed Josie.

'I know that a cross cow would soon set you scampering, if you flaunted

that red tile under her nose,' retorted Dolly.

'I'm ready for her. Can your fine young ladies do this? or you either?'

and burning to display her latest accomplishment, Josie ran to the

nearest gate, put one hand on the top rail, and vaulted over as lightly

as a bird.

Bess shook her head, and Stuffy languidly applauded; but Dolly scorning

to be braved by a girl, took a flying leap and landed on his feet beside

Josie, saying calmly: 'Can you do that?'

'Not yet; but I will by and by.'

As his foe looked a little crestfallen, Dolly relented, and affably

added sundry feats of a like nature, quite unconscious that he had

fallen into a dreadful snare; for the dull red paint on the gate, not

being used to such vigorous handling, came off in streaks upon his

shoulders when he turned a backward swing and came up smiling, to be

rewarded with the aggravating remark:

'If you want to know what crimson is, look at your back; it's nicely

stamped on and won't wash out, I think.'

'The deuce it won't!' cried Dolly, trying to get an impossible view, and

giving it up in great disgust.

'I guess we'd better be going, Dolf,' said peaceable Stuffy, feeling

that it would be wise to retreat before another skirmish took place, as

his side seemed to be getting the worst of it.

'Don't hurry, I beg; stay and rest; you must need it after the

tremendous amount of brain work you've done this week. It is time for

our Greek. Come, Bess. Good afternoon, gentlemen.' And, with a sweeping

courtesy, Josie led the way, with her hat belligerently cocked up, and

her racket borne like a triumphal banner over one shoulder; for having

had the last word, she felt that she could retire with the honours of

war.

Dolly gave Bess his best bow, with the chill on; and Stuffy subsided

luxuriously, with his legs in the air, murmuring in a dreamy tone:

'Little Jo is as cross as two sticks today. I'm going in for another

nap: too hot to play anything.'

'So it is. Wonder if Spitfire was right about these beastly spots?'

And Dolly sat down to try dry cleansing with one of his handkerchiefs.

'Asleep?' he asked, after a few moments of this cheerful occupation,

fearing that his chum might be too comfortable when he was in a fume

himself.

'No. I was thinking that Jo wasn't far wrong about shirking. 'Tis a

shame to get so little done, when we ought to be grinding like Morton

and Torry and that lot. I never wanted to go to college; but my governor

made me. Much good it will do either of us!' answered Stuffy, with a

groan; for he hated work, and saw two more long years of it before him.

'Gives a man prestige, you know. No need to dig. I mean to have a gay

old time, and be a “howling swell”, if I choose. Between you and me

though, it would be no end jolly to have the girls along. Study be

hanged! But if we've got to turn the grindstone, it would be mighty nice

to have some of the little dears to lend a hand. Wouldn't it now?'

'I'd like three this minute--one to fan me, one to kiss me, and one

to give me some iced lemonade!' sighed Stuffy, with a yearning glance

towards the house, whence no succour appeared.

'How would root-beer do?' asked a voice behind them, which made Dolly

spring to his feet and Stuffy roll over like a startled porpoise.

Sitting on the stile that crossed the wall near by was Mrs Jo, with two

jugs slung over her shoulder by a strap, several tin mugs in her hand,

and an old-fashioned sun-bonnet on her head.

'I knew the boys would be killing themselves with ice-water; so I

strolled down with some of my good, wholesome beer. They drank like

fishes. But Silas was with me; so my cruse still holds out. Have some?'

'Yes, thanks, very much. Let us pour it.' And Dolly held the cup while

Stuffy joyfully filled it; both very grateful, but rather afraid she had

heard what went before the wish she fulfilled.

She proved that she had by saying, as they stood drinking her health,

while she sat between them, looking like a middle-aged vivandiere, with

her jugs and mugs:

'I was glad to hear you say you would like to have girls at your

college; but I hope you will learn to speak more respectfully of them

before they come; for that will be the first lesson they will teach

you.'

'Really, ma'am, I was only joking,' began Stuffy, gulping down his beer

in a hurry.

'So was I. I'm sure I--I'm devoted to 'em,' stuttered Dolly,

panic-stricken; for he saw that he was in for a lecture of some sort.

'Not in the right way. Frivolous girls may like to be called “little

dears” and things of that sort; but the girls who love study wish to be

treated like reasonable beings, not dolls to flirt with. Yes, I'm going

to preach; that's my business; so stand up and take it like men.'

Mrs Jo laughed; but she was in earnest; for by various hints and signs

during the past winter she knew that the boys were beginning to 'see

life' in the way she especially disapproved. Both were far from home,

had money enough to waste, and were as inexperienced, curious, and

credulous as most lads of their age. Not fond of books, therefore

without the safeguard which keeps many studious fellows out of harm; one

self-indulgent, indolent, and so used to luxury that pampering of the

senses was an easy thing; the other vain, as all comely boys are, full

of conceit, and so eager to find favour in the eyes of his comrades

that he was ready for anything which would secure it. These traits and

foibles made both peculiarly liable to the temptations which assail

pleasure-loving and weak-willed boys. Mrs Jo knew them well, and had

dropped many a warning word since they went to college; but till lately

they seemed not to understand some of her friendly hints; now she was

sure they would, and meant to speak out: for long experience with boys

made her both bold and skilful in handling some of the dangers usually

left to silence, till it is too late for anything but pity and reproach.

'I'm going to talk to you like a mother, because yours are far away; and

there are things that mothers can manage best, if they do their duty,'

she solemnly began from the depths of the sunbonnet.

'Great Scott! We're in for it now!' thought Dolly, in secret dismay;

while Stuffy got the first blow by trying to sustain himself with

another mug of beer.

'That won't hurt you; but I must warn you about drinking other things,

George. Overeating is an old story; and a few more fits of illness will

teach you to be wise. But drinking is a more serious thing, and leads

to worse harm than any that can afflict your body alone. I hear you

talk about wines as if you knew them and cared more for them than a

boy should; and several times I've heard jokes that meant mischief. For

heaven's sake, don't begin to play with this dangerous taste “for fun”,

as you say, or because it's the fashion, and the other fellows do. Stop

at once, and learn that temperance in all things is the only safe rule.'

'Upon my honour, I only take wine and iron. I need a tonic, mother

says, to repair the waste of brain-tissue while I'm studying,' protested

Stuffy, putting down the mug as if it burnt his fingers.

'Good beef and oatmeal will repair your tissues much better than any

tonic of that sort. Work and plain fare are what you want; and I wish

I had you here for a few months out of harm's way. I'd Banting you, and

fit you to run without puffing, and get on without four or five meals a

day. What an absurd hand that is for a man! You ought to be ashamed

of it!' And Mrs Jo caught up the plump fist, with deep dimples at each

knuckle, which was fumbling distressfully at the buckle of the belt girt

about a waist far too large for a youth of his age.

'I can't help it--we all grow fat; it's in the family,' said Stuffy in

self-defence.

'All the more reason you should live carefully. Do you want to die

early, or be an invalid all your life?'

'No, ma'am!'

Stuffy looked so scared that Mrs Jo could not be hard upon his budding

sins, for they lay at his overindulgent mother's door line in a great

measure; so she softened the tone of her voice, and added, with a little

slap on the fat hand, as she used to do when it was small enough to

pilfer lumps of sugar from her bowl:

'Then be careful; for a man writes his character in his face; and you

don't want gluttony and intemperance in yours, I know.'

'I'm sure I don't! Please make out a wholesome bill of fare, and I'll

stick to it, if I can. I am getting stout, and I don't like it; and my

liver's torpid, and I have palpitations and headache. Overwork, mother

says; but it may be overeating.' And Stuffy gave a sigh of mingled

regret for the good things he renounced, and relief as he finished

loosening his belt as soon as his hand was free.

'I will; follow it, and in a year you'll be a man and not a meal-bag.

Now, Dolly'; and Mrs Jo turned to the other culprit, who shook in his

shoes and wished he hadn't come.

'Are you studying French as industriously as you were last winter?'

'No ma'am; I don't care for it--that is, I, I'm busy with G-Greek just

now,' answered Dolly, beginning bravely, quite in the dark as to what

that odd question meant till a sudden memory made him stutter and look

at his shoes with deep interest.

'Oh, he doesn't study it; only reads French novels and goes to the

theatre when the opera bouffe is here,' said Stuffy, innocently

confirming Mrs Jo's suspicions.

'So I understood; and that is what I want to speak about. Ted had a

sudden desire to learn French in that way, from something you said,

Dolly; so I went myself, and was quite satisfied that it was no place

for a decent boy. Your men were out in full force; and I was glad to

see that some of the younger ones looked as ashamed as I felt. The older

fellows enjoyed it, and when we came out were waiting to take those

painted girls to supper. Did you ever go with them?'

'Once.'

'Did you like it?'

'No 'm; I--I came away early,' stammered Dolly, with a face as red as

his splendid tie.

'I'm glad you have not lost the grace of blushing yet; but you will

soon, if you keep up this sort of study and forget to be ashamed. The

society of such women will unfit you for that of good ones, and lead you

into trouble and sin and shame. Oh, why don't the city fathers stop that

evil thing, when they know the harm it does? It made my heart ache to

see those boys, who ought to be at home and in their beds, going off for

a night of riot which would help to ruin some of them for ever.'

The youths looked scared at Mrs Jo's energetic protest against one of

the fashionable pleasures of the day, and waited in conscience-stricken

silence--Stuffy glad that he never went to those gay suppers, and

Dolly deeply grateful that he 'came away early'. With a hand on either

shoulder, and all the terrors smoothed from her brow, Mrs Jo went on

in her most motherly tone, anxious to do for them what no other woman

would, and do it kindly:

'My dear boys, if I didn't love you, I would not say these things. I

know they are not pleasant; but my conscience won't let me hold my peace

when a word may keep you from two of the great sins that curse the world

and send so many young men to destruction. You are just beginning to

feel the allurement of them, and soon it will be hard to turn away. Stop

now, I beg of you, and not only save yourselves but help others by

a brave example. Come to me if things worry you; don't be afraid or

ashamed; I have heard many sadder confessions than any you are ever

likely to bring me, and been able to comfort many poor fellows, gone

wrong for want of a word in time. Do this, and you will be able to

kiss your mothers with clean lips, and by and by have the right to ask

innocent girls to love you.'

'Yes'm, thank you. I suppose you're right; but it's pretty hard work

to toe the mark when ladies give you wine and gentlemen take their

daughters to see Aimee,' said Dolly, foreseeing tribulations ahead

though he knew it was time to 'pull up'.

'So it is; but all the more honour to those who are brave and wise

enough to resist public opinion, and the easy-going morals of bad or

careless men and women. Think of the persons whom you respect most, and

in imitating them you will secure the respect of those who look up to

you. I'd rather my boys should be laughed at and cold-shouldered by a

hundred foolish fellows than lose what, once gone, no power can give

them back--innocence and self-respect. I don't wonder you find it

“hard to toe the mark”, when books, pictures, ball-rooms, theatres, and

streets offer temptations; yet you can resist, if you try. Last winter

Mrs Brooke used to worry about John's being out so late reporting; but

when she spoke to him about the things he must see and hear on his way

to and fro from the office at midnight, he said in his sober way, “I

know what you mean, mother; but no fellow need to go wrong unless he

wants to.”

'That's like the Deacon!' exclaimed Stuffy, with an approving smile on

his fat face.

'I'm glad you told me that. He's right; and it's because he doesn't want

to go wrong we all respect him so,' added Dolly, looking up now with

an expression which assured his Mentor that the right string had been

touched, and a spirit of emulation roused, more helpful, perhaps, than

any words of hers. Seeing this, she was satisfied, and said, as she

prepared to leave the bar before which her culprits had been tried and

found guilty, but recommended to mercy:

'Then be to others what John is to you--a good example. Forgive me for

troubling you, my dear lads, and remember my little preachment. I think

it will do you good, though I may never know it. Chance words spoken

in kindness often help amazingly; and that's what old people are here

for--else their experience is of little use. Now, come and find the

young folk. I hope I shall never have to shut the gates of Plumfield

upon you, as I have on some of your “gentlemen”. I mean to keep my

boys and girls safe if I can, and this a wholesome place where the good

old-fashioned virtues are lived and taught.'

Much impressed by that dire threat, Dolly helped her from her perch with

deep respect; and Stuffy relieved her of her empty jugs, solemnly vowing

to abstain from all fermented beverages except root-beer, as long

as feeble flesh could hold out. Of course they made light of 'Mother

Bhaer's lecture' when they were alone--that was to be expected of 'men

of our class' but in their secret souls they thanked her for giving

their boyish consciences a jog, and more than once afterward had cause

to remember gratefully that half-hour in the tennis court.