The Gilded Years Read Online Free PDF Page A

that.”
    “I was planning on it, after choir practice,” Anita replied. “We have the vocal and violin recital on the twenty-fifth and we’re singing at the Christian Association Reception on the first of October.”
    “That is ever so much trilling. We should have you give private concerts in our room with that voice of yours. You and Belle, though you take the lead, since you’re the coveted first soprano. We could fleece the freshmen and then spend all our earnings in New York. You will come down to New York with me, won’t you?”
    “Of course I will,” said Anita, trying not to sound too thrilled. If Vassar was her most cherished place, then New York City, which she had visited twice, was what she dreamed about.
    “Good! It’s all settled. First we’ll go to the debating society meeting, then we’ll put in with Kendrick for a weekend when we can go down. You’ll love my family. I don’t most of the time, but most others seem to.”
    “Lottie!” Anita said, stopping midstep.
    “I know, I’m shockingly honest,” she replied with an impish smile. “Such an unfeminine trait. But being feminine is a great annoyance most of the time. What is your family like? Are they as outrageous as mine?”
    “I doubt it,” said Anita, growing uneasy at the mention of her relatives. “They’re rather serious. Very intellectual. Yours sound more entertaining.”
    “We do excel in the social arts, especially my mother. You should meet her; she measures the distance between teacups with long mahogany rulers and likes there to be fireworks for every occasion. Recover from the common cold? Fireworks. Home before the rain? Fireworks. You’ll see. Now go sing, and meet me in the J Parlor for the meeting. And beware, Father says I win every argument because I can talk past the limit of most human vocal chords.”
    “I should be thrilled to hear it. I’ll see you there at four o’clock,” said Anita, back on the dusty path to Main.
    After choir, Belle walked Anita to the debating society meeting and headed alone to the library. Anita promised to come and read Greek with her afterward and opened the door to the ornate, gold silk-lined parlor, one of her favorite rooms on campus, saying hello to two sophomores. Lottie was already present and waved her in. Anita sat down next to her and they greeted the other girls they knew.
    “I hear you’re rooming with Lottie Taylor,” whispered Gratia Clough, a girl who had been in debating since freshman year. Anita shot Lottie a glance, but she was deep in conversation with her back to the pair. “You’re the luckyone. You’ll get to stay at her house in New York. I heard it’s magnificent. Dora Fairchild used to make the trip down with her. She even spent Christmas there sophomore year as she didn’t want to travel home to Georgia. You’ll tell me all about it when you go, promise?”
    “I promise,” Anita whispered, already savoring the prospect.
    Medora Higgins, the newly appointed debating president, stood up, called for silence, and launched into a recollection of the outstanding debates conducted by last year’s seniors. Lottie leaned over and pulled Anita’s ear.
    “Do you bicycle?” she whispered. She offered her a shortbread biscuit, but Anita shook her head no and watched Lottie insert the entire thing in her mouth.
    “Hardly,” Anita whispered back.
    “Oh, no. We have to change that at once. You’ll adore flying on two wheels. I’m wonderful at it now, though I was miserable for my first few rides. I fell flat on my face and nearly broke a tooth. Tricycling was the thing here in the eighties, but now, I assure you, it’s bicycling. Mastering it is a bit like the French tongue, painful at first but then you’re off and it’s une très belle vie. I’ll teach you. I have a bicycle here already; it’s an Orient bicycle from the Waltham Manufacturing Company in Massachusetts. The very best. It weighs a mere twenty-two pounds, has a pneumatic saddle