e library window.

April 10. Alice and I went to Mr. Durant to-day about the
tree planting; but Alice was stricken with temporary dumbness
and never opened her lips, though she had solemnly promised
to do at least half the talking; so I had to wade right into
the subject alone. I began in medias res, for I couldn't think
of a really graceful and diplomatic introduction on the spur
of the moment. Mr. Durant was in the office with a pile of
papers before him as usual; he appeared to be very preoccupied
and he was looking rather severe. The interview proceeded
about as follows:

He glanced up at us sharply and said, "Well, young ladies,"
which meant, "Kindly get down to business; my time is valuable."
I got down to it about as gracefully as a cat coming down a
tree, like this: "We have decided to have a regular tree-planting,
Mr. Durant." Of course I should have said, "The class of '81
would like to have a tree-planting, if you please."

Mr. Durant appeared somewhat startled: "Eh, what's that?"
he said, then he settled back in his chair and looked hard at us.
His eyes were as keen as frost; but they twinkled--just a little,
as I have discovered they can and do twinkle if one isn't
afraid to say right out what one means, without unnecessary
fuss and twaddle.

"Alice and I are delegates from the Class of '81," I explained,
a trifle more lucidly. "The class has voted to plant an elm
for our class tree, and we would like to plant it in front of
the college in a prominent spot." We had previously decided
gracefully to ignore the evergreen rumor.

Mr. Durant looked thoughtful. "Hum," he said, "I'd planned
to give you girls of '81 a choice evergreen, and as for a place
for it: what do you say to the plot on the north side, just
under the library window?"

I looked beseechingly at Alice. She was apparently very much
occupied in a meek survey of the toes of her boots, which she
had stubbed into premature old age scrambling up and down
from the boat landings.

Meanwhile Mr. Durant was waiting for our look of pleased
surprise and joyful acquiescence. Then, without a vestige
of diplomacy, I blurted right out, "Yes, Mr. Durant; we heard
so; but we don't think, that is, we don't want an evergreen
under the library window; we would like a tree that will live