ick was elected president. I would have bet
on the college bell against her. It was the shockingest thing that had
happened in politics for five years. Miss Hamthrick was a conservatory
student. Even when you shut your eyes and listened to her singing she
didn't sound good-looking. Davis drew her for the Sophomore class party
the year before and exposed himself to the mumps to get out of going.
Not only was she elected president, but the rest of the offices went
to--no, I'll not describe them. I'm sort of prejudiced anyway. They made
Miss Hamthrick seem beautiful and clever by comparison.

It was a blow between the eyes. The worst of it was we couldn't
understand it. I went over to see Miss Willoughby about it, and she came
down all powdery and beautiful about the eyes and nose and talked to me
as haughtily as if I had done it myself. She said she had trusted us,
but it was evident that all a woman could hope for in politics was the
privilege of being fooled by a man. She even accused me of helping elect
the Hamthrick lady, said she wished me joy, and asked if it had been a
pretty romance. That made me tired, and I said--oh, well, no use
remembering what I said. It was the last thing I ever had a chance to
say to Miss Willoughby anyway. I was pretty miserable over
it--politically, of course, I mean, Miss Allstairs. You understand. Now
there's no use saying that. It wasn't so. College girls are all very
well, and one must be entertained while getting gorged with knowledge;
but really, when it comes to more serious things, I never--

All right, I'll go on with my story. The next day we got a harder blow
than ever. The Freshman class election came off on a snap call, and
about half the class, mostly girls, elected a lean young lady with
spectacles and a wasp-like conversation to the presidency. We raised a
storm of indignation, but they blandly told us to go hence. There was
nothing in the Constitution of the United States to prevent a woman
from being president of the Freshman class, and there didn't seem to be
any other laws on the subject. Besides, the Freshman class was a
brand-new republic and didn't need the advice of such an effete monarchy
as the Senior class. While we were talking it all over the next day the
Sophomores met, and after a terrific struggle between the Eta Bita Pies,
the Alfalfa Delts and the Shi Delts, Miss Hicks was elected president by
what Shorty Gamble was pleased to term "the gargoyle vote." I