art'--'smart' people are
often pests. The trouble's that this is worse than it's ever been.
And today I got a letter from Professor Sutton. He says you evince no
interest whatever in your work."

Missy felt a little indignant flare within her.

"He knows what responsibilities I have!"

"Responsibilities?" repeated father.

Here mother, who had been sitting quietly by, also with a disapproving
expression, entered the discussion:

"I knew all that Iolanthe and class flummery would get her into
trouble."

Flummery!

Missy's voice quavered. "That's a very important part of school life,
mother! Class spirit and all--you don't understand!" "I suppose parents
are seldom able to keep up with the understanding of their children,"
replied mother, with unfamiliar sarcasm. "However, right here's where
I presume to set my foot down. If you fail again, in the spring
examinations, you'll have to study and make it up this summer. You can't
go with Aunt Isabel."

Lose the Colorado trip! The wonderful trip she had already lived
through, in vivid prospect, a hundred times! Oh, mother couldn't be so
cruel! But Missy's face dropped alarmingly.

"Now, mamma," began father, "I wouldn't-"

"I mean every word of it," reaffirmed mother with the voice of doom.
"No grades, no holiday. Missy's got to learn balance and moderation.
She lets any wild enthusiasm carry her off her feet. She's got to learn,
before it's too late, to think and control herself."

There was a moment's heavy pause, then mother went on, significantly:

"And I don't know that you ought to buy that car this spring, papa."

The parents exchanged a brief glance, and Missy's heart dropped even
lower. For months she had been teasing father to buy a car, as so many
of the girls' fathers were doing. He had said, "Wait till spring," and
now-the universe was draped in gloom.

However, there was a certain sombre satisfaction in reflecting that
her traits of frailty should call forth such enthrallingly sinister
comments. "Lets any wild enthusiasm carry her off her feet"--"before,
it's too late"--"must learn to control herself--"

Human nature is an interesting study, and especially one's own nature
when one stands off and regards it as a problem Allen, mysterious and
complicated. Missy stared at the endangered recesses of her soul--and
wondered what Raymond thought about these perils-for any girl. He liked
her of course, but did he think she was too enthusiastic?

Yet