organizers of the club were delighted.
They came whispering and with suppressed giggles up the steep stairway,
made their way between piles of trunks and boxes to where Agnes sat in
state, a call-bell before her. Margaret, much bundled up, had been
permitted to join them, so they were the respectable number of six.
That morning the president and secretary had been closeted for an hour
with Mrs. Conway and whatever they had determined upon in the beginning
which seemed in the least unworthy was smitten from the plan.
The girls disposed themselves upon the various seats, Celia taking a
place at the end of the table provided for the officers. There was much
stifling of laughter and suppressed whispers before Agnes tapped the
bell and said in the most dignified manner, "The meeting is called to
order." Then each girl smoothed down her frock and sat up very straight
waiting to hear what should come next. "The real object of our club,"
Agnes began, "is to find ways of being kind to our schoolmates, but we
are going to do other things to entertain ourselves, things like
bringing new games into the club and any new book we find particularly
interesting. If anyone can write a story she is to do that, and if
anyone hears anything particularly interesting to tell she is to save
it up for the meeting. It has been proposed by Mrs. Conway that we call
the club the Kindly Club or the Golden Rule. Celia, we'd better take a
vote on the name. You might hand around some slips of paper and let the
members write their choice. There is one thing about it; if we call it
the Golden Rule Club, we can always refer to it as the G. R., and that
will be rather nice, I think. However, you all must vote as you think."
There were not quite enough pencils, but by judicious borrowing they
made out and the slips were handed in and gravely counted by Celia.
"There are four votes for Golden Rule, and two for Kindly," she
announced.
"Then it is a majority for Golden Rule, so the name of the club is the
Golden Rule Club, or the G. R., whichever you choose to say when you are
speaking of it. Now, let me see, oh, yes. We are the charter members.
We haven't any charter but we can have one, I reckon. I'll get one ready
for next time. Now, we must have rules. I haven't thought them all out,
but I have two or three. We begin with the Golden Rule: 'Do unto others
as ye would they should do unto you'; Mrs. Conway said we might head the
list with that, for
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