ogether as much as possible, in classes as well as
out," Helen said. "Let's take the same specials, too."

"I vote for botany," Ruth suggested. "That will take us into the woods
and fields more."

"You mean, it will give us an excuse for going into the woods and
fields," Jennie said. "I'm with you. And if I have to walk much to cut
down weight, it will help."

"My goodness!" exclaimed Helen. "Heavy really _has_ come to college to
get rid of her superabundance of fat."

"Surest thing you know," agreed the fleshy girl.

The freshmen learned that they would have from fifteen to eighteen
recitation periods weekly, of forty-five minutes each. The recitation
periods occurred between nine and twelve in the forenoon and one and
three-thirty in the afternoon.

It took several days to get all these things arranged rightly; the three
friends managed to get together in all classes. The classes numbered
from twenty to forty students and the girls began to get acquainted with
the teachers very quickly. Trust youth for judging middle-age almost
immediately.

"I like Dr. McCurdy," Helen said, speaking of their English instructor,
who was a man. "He knows what he's about and goes right at it. No
fooling with him. None of this, 'Now young ladies, I hope you are
pleasantly situated and that we are going to be good friends.' Pah!"

Ruth laughed. "The dear old things!" she said gaily. "They mean
well--even that Miss Mara, whom you are imitating. And she _does_ have a
beautiful French accent, if she _is_ Irish."

They liked Dr. Frances Milroth. Her talk in chapel was an inspiration,
and that first morning some of the girls came out into the sunshine with
wet eyelashes. They began to realize that they were here at college for
something besides either play or ordinary study. They were at Ardmore to
learn to get a grip on life.

Instrumental and vocal music could be taken at any time which did not
interfere with the regular recitations, and of course Ruth took the
latter as a special, while Helen did not neglect her violin.

"I guess I'll take up the study of the oboe," grumbled Jennie Stone. "I
don't seem to know just what to do with myself while you girls are
making sweet sounds."

"Why don't you roll, Heavy?" demanded Helen.

"Roll _what_? Roll a hoop?" asked the fleshy girl.

"No. Roll a barrel, I should say would be nearer to it," Helen
responded, eyeing Jennie's plump waistline reflectively. "Get down and
roll. Move back