be made to drink.'"

"There, don't you think that is fine, Helen? That will appear in the
next issue of the 'Mirror' with my name at the bottom. Aunt Debby will
be delighted."

There was no enthusiastic response. Hester waited a moment, then looked
at her roommate, and again asked, "Don't you think she will be
delighted? She has never suspected that I was poetic. Indeed, I never
knew it until Miss Bucher asked me to write this."

"If Aunt Debby is the kind of woman I think she is, I am sure she will
not be at all pleased." Helen spoke slowly. Then at the look of surprise
in Hester's eyes, she crossed the room, and sitting down on the arm of
her roommate's chair drew Hester's head close against her and held her
thus in a tender protective embrace, while she continued.

"No, little roommate, I do not believe she will be pleased. I am not. It
is fun--mere fun, I know. Were you and I the only two to know of it, it
would do no harm at all. But consider, little roommate, the 'Mirror'
goes out to all the old students. Hundreds read it. Among them, are many
just as I who took the matter seriously, without considering that the
poet was put to straits to find some word to rhyme with school.

"They will think that we have grown lax here. Many will wonder what sort
of man this Doctor Wilbur is that he dare use such terms in addressing a
student. Do you see now why I wish this would not appear in the
'Mirror'?"

"I see why you think it should not. But really people are very foolish
to cavil over such matters. If I might have my way, I would pay no
attention to them. I would go my way, do as I please and let such people
think as they please."

"It is a very independent way of doing, but it is not at all practical.
We must consider public opinion a great many times. We must hedge
ourselves about with convention when we would be independent, for always
there are some minds which put evil construction upon the slightest
careless act."

"Perhaps you are right," said Hester slowly. Before her faded the dreams
of greatness. Taking up the paper, she deliberately and slowly tore it
into pieces and threw them into the wastebasket. She expressed no word
of regret. She expected no expression of admiration for her fortitude.
She was no weakling. If she believed a thing were right, she would have
performed it, regardless of the sacrifice to herself. She was the
expression of Debby Alden's high ideals and rigid discipline.

"I'll get up