hearts as none of the dead-and-gone ones can. If through
these pages some girl finds her way to the little green volume of
_Singing Leaves_, or the sweet stories of _Daphne_ and _King
Sylvaine and Queen Aimee_, Catherine Smith and her friends will have
done the world of girls a service worth the doing.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. CATHERINE'S INSPIRATION 3
II. GETTING STARTED 15
III. ORGANIZATION 28
IV. WITH PAIL AND BROOM 46
V. A DAY OFF 58
VI. THE OPENING 71
VII. A PARTY AT POLLY'S 86
VIII. A FORTUNATE MEETING 101
IX. LANDING 109
X. THE MAKING OF A COMPACT 120
XI. BROOKMEADOW 133
XII. ARRIVAL AT WINSTED 151
XIII. CAUGHT IN A SHOWER 164
XIV. AN INTERLUDE 176
XV. SUNDAY SCHOOL 186
XVI. ALICE ON THE WAY 203
XVII. FINDING A VOCATION 212
XVIII. DOCTOR'S ORDERS 221
XIX. JOURNALISM 246
XX. THE THREE R's 254
XXI. THE LAST PARTY 271
XXII. AUF WIEDERSEHEN 284

ILLUSTRATIONS

"Here is a little souvenir for you, Judge Arthur" Frontispiece

Page

"We must find a good place for it" 17
"How much for your tickets?" 77
"Sure I am not too heavy, Karl?" 112
Frieda was telling a story and the others were
listening attentively 184

PART ONE

STARTING A LIBRARY

THE WIDE AWAKE GIRLS IN WINSTED

CHAPTER ONE

CATHERINE'S INSPIRATION

"Alma Mater, Dexter darling, do re mi--O dear! It's much harder to write
than I supposed. I wonder why! When your heart is full of love, why
should it be hard to express it?