n her first inspiration
to write.

Nearly an hour later, when she went back to her room, it was with
something singing in her heart that made her very solemn and very happy.
It was the immortal music of the Choir Invisible. She had been in the
unseen company of earth's best and noblest, and felt in her soul that
some day she, too, would have a right to be counted in that chorus,
having done something really great and worth while.

That evening after dinner Kitty bounced into the room where Allison sat
talking with Lloyd and Betty during recreation hour.

"To-morrow night there's to be the Old Girls' Welcome to the New!" she
cried. "Come on in, Juliet, and tell them about it."

Juliet thrust her head through the half-open door.

"Haven't time to stop," she answered, "but I'll tell this much. It's the
first of the great social functions. Everybody wears her party clothes
and a sweet smile. It's the first lesson of the year in How to attain
Ease under New and Exacting Conditions. No matter how the seniors snub
you later on, in order to teach you your proper place, you'll all be
birds of a feather that one time, and flock together as peaceably as pet
hens.

"Each new girl has an escort appointed by the entertaining committee,
who sends her flowers and calls for her and sees that her programme is
filled. So there are never any wallflowers the first night. No, Allison,
it isn't a dance. The programmes are for progressive conversation.
Somewhere in the background there's a piano playing waltzes and
two-steps, and so forth, but you talk out the numbers instead of dancing
them. Changing partners so often keeps you from getting bored, and
strangers can tell who is talking to them, for there are the names on
their programmes. You can refer to that when anybody comes up to claim
you. I'm to take Lloyd, and Sybil Green is to take Kitty. I haven't
found out the other assignments yet. I'll let you know as soon as I do.
Continued in our next."

With an airy wave of the hand she withdrew, leaving them to an animated
discussion of what to wear.

"You must remember that this isn't the only time you're to appear in
public, Katherine Walton," said Allison, severely, when Kitty proposed
her best array. "There's to be a reception at the White House next week,
and Friday night we're to go in to Washington to see Jefferson in 'Rip
Van Winkle,' and there's to be a studio tea soon, and a recital, and
all sorts of things. I saw the bulle