CHAPTER	O
I	O
I	O
ON	O
a	O
hill	O
by	O
the	O
Mississippi	O
where	O
Chippewas	O
camped	O
two	O
generations	O
ago	O
,	O
a	O
girl	O
stood	O
in	O
relief	O
against	O
the	O
cornflower	O
blue	O
of	O
Northern	O
sky	O
.	O

She	O
saw	O
no	O
Indians	O
now	O
;	O
she	O
saw	EVENT
flour-mills	O
and	O
the	O
blinking	EVENT
windows	O
of	O
skyscrapers	O
in	O
Minneapolis	O
and	O
St.	O
Paul	O
.	O

Nor	O
was	O
she	O
thinking	O
of	O
squaws	O
and	O
portages	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Yankee	O
fur-traders	O
whose	O
shadows	O
were	O
all	O
about	O
her	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
meditating	EVENT
upon	O
walnut	O
fudge	O
,	O
the	O
plays	O
of	O
Brieux	O
,	O
the	O
reasons	O
why	O
heels	O
run	O
over	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
chemistry	O
instructor	O
had	O
stared	EVENT
at	O
the	O
new	O
coiffure	O
which	O
concealed	O
her	O
ears	O
.	O

A	O
breeze	EVENT
which	O
had	O
crossed	O
a	O
thousand	O
miles	O
of	O
wheat-lands	O
bellied	EVENT
her	O
taffeta	O
skirt	O
in	O
a	O
line	O
so	O
graceful	O
,	O
so	O
full	O
of	O
animation	O
and	O
moving	O
beauty	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
heart	O
of	O
a	O
chance	O
watcher	O
on	O
the	O
lower	O
road	O
tightened	O
to	O
wistfulness	EVENT
over	O
her	O
quality	O
of	O
suspended	O
freedom	O
.	O

She	O
lifted	EVENT
her	O
arms	O
,	O
she	O
leaned	EVENT
back	O
against	O
the	O
wind	EVENT
,	O
her	O
skirt	O
dipped	EVENT
and	O
flared	EVENT
,	O
a	O
lock	O
blew	EVENT
wild	O
.	O

A	O
girl	O
on	O
a	O
hilltop	O
;	O
credulous	O
,	O
plastic	O
,	O
young	O
;	O
drinking	EVENT
the	O
air	O
as	O
she	O
longed	O
to	O
drink	O
life	O
.	O

The	O
eternal	O
aching	O
comedy	O
of	O
expectant	O
youth	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
Carol	O
Milford	O
,	O
fleeing	EVENT
for	O
an	O
hour	O
from	O
Blodgett	O
College	O
.	O

The	O
days	O
of	O
pioneering	O
,	O
of	O
lassies	O
in	O
sunbonnets	O
,	O
and	O
bears	O
killed	O
with	O
axes	O
in	O
piney	O
clearings	O
,	O
are	O
deader	O
now	O
than	O
Camelot	O
;	O
and	O
a	O
rebellious	O
girl	O
is	O
the	O
spirit	O
of	O
that	O
bewildered	O
empire	O
called	O
the	O
American	O
Middlewest	O
.	O

II	O
Blodgett	O
College	O
is	O
on	O
the	O
edge	O
of	O
Minneapolis	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
a	O
bulwark	O
of	O
sound	O
religion	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
still	O
combating	O
the	O
recent	O
heresies	O
of	O
Voltaire	O
,	O
Darwin	O
,	O
and	O
Robert	O
Ingersoll	O
.	O

Pious	O
families	O
in	O
Minnesota	O
,	O
Iowa	O
,	O
Wisconsin	O
,	O
the	O
Dakotas	O
send	O
their	O
children	O
thither	O
,	O
and	O
Blodgett	O
protects	O
them	O
from	O
the	O
wickedness	O
of	O
the	O
universities	O
.	O

But	O
it	O
secretes	O
friendly	O
girls	O
,	O
young	O
men	O
who	O
sing	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
lady	O
instructress	O
who	O
really	O
likes	O
Milton	O
and	O
Carlyle	O
.	O

So	O
the	O
four	O
years	O
which	O
Carol	O
spent	O
at	O
Blodgett	O
were	O
not	O
altogether	O
wasted	O
.	O

The	O
smallness	O
of	O
the	O
school	O
,	O
the	O
fewness	O
of	O
rivals	O
,	O
permitted	O
her	O
to	O
experiment	O
with	O
her	O
perilous	O
versatility	O
.	O

She	O
played	O
tennis	O
,	O
gave	O
chafing-dish	O
parties	O
,	O
took	O
a	O
graduate	O
seminar	O
in	O
the	O
drama	O
,	O
went	O
“	O
twosing	O
,	O
”	O
and	O
joined	O
half	O
a	O
dozen	O
societies	O
for	O
the	O
practise	O
of	O
the	O
arts	O
or	O
the	O
tense	O
stalking	O
of	O
a	O
thing	O
called	O
General	O
Culture	O
.	O

In	O
her	O
class	O
there	O
were	O
two	O
or	O
three	O
prettier	O
girls	O
,	O
but	O
none	O
more	O
eager	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
noticeable	O
equally	O
in	O
the	O
classroom	O
grind	O
and	O
at	O
dances	O
,	O
though	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
three	O
hundred	O
students	O
of	O
Blodgett	O
,	O
scores	O
recited	O
more	O
accurately	O
and	O
dozens	O
Bostoned	O
more	O
smoothly	O
.	O

Every	O
cell	O
of	O
her	O
body	O
was	O
alive	O
--	O
thin	O
wrists	O
,	O
quince-blossom	O
skin	O
,	O
ingenue	O
eyes	O
,	O
black	O
hair	O
.	O

The	O
other	O
girls	O
in	O
her	O
dormitory	O
marveled	O
at	O
the	O
slightness	O
of	O
her	O
body	O
when	O
they	O
saw	O
her	O
in	O
sheer	O
negligee	O
,	O
or	O
darting	O
out	O
wet	O
from	O
a	O
shower-bath	O
.	O

She	O
seemed	O
then	O
but	O
half	O
as	O
large	O
as	O
they	O
had	O
supposed	O
;	O
a	O
fragile	O
child	O
who	O
must	O
be	O
cloaked	O
with	O
understanding	O
kindness	O
.	O

“	O
Psychic	O
,	O
”	O
the	O
girls	O
whispered	O
,	O
and	O
“	O
spiritual	O
.	O
”	O

Yet	O
so	O
radioactive	O
were	O
her	O
nerves	O
,	O
so	O
adventurous	O
her	O
trust	O
in	O
rather	O
vaguely	O
conceived	O
sweetness	O
and	O
light	O
,	O
that	O
she	O
was	O
more	O
energetic	O
than	O
any	O
of	O
the	O
hulking	O
young	O
women	O
who	O
,	O
with	O
calves	O
bulging	O
in	O
heavy-ribbed	O
woolen	O
stockings	O
beneath	O
decorous	O
blue	O
serge	O
bloomers	O
,	O
thuddingly	O
galloped	O
across	O
the	O
floor	O
of	O
the	O
“	O
gym	O
”	O
in	O
practise	O
for	O
the	O
Blodgett	O
Ladies	O
’	O
Basket-Ball	O
Team	O
.	O

Even	O
when	O
she	O
was	O
tired	O
her	O
dark	O
eyes	O
were	O
observant	O
.	O

She	O
did	O
not	O
yet	O
know	O
the	O
immense	O
ability	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
to	O
be	O
casually	O
cruel	O
and	O
proudly	O
dull	O
,	O
but	O
if	O
she	O
should	O
ever	O
learn	O
those	O
dismaying	O
powers	O
,	O
her	O
eyes	O
would	O
never	O
become	O
sullen	O
or	O
heavy	O
or	O
rheumily	O
amorous	O
.	O

For	O
all	O
her	O
enthusiasms	O
,	O
for	O
all	O
the	O
fondness	O
and	O
the	O
“	O
crushes	O
”	O
which	O
she	O
inspired	O
,	O
Carol	O
’s	O
acquaintances	O
were	O
shy	O
of	O
her	O
.	O

When	O
she	O
was	O
most	O
ardently	O
singing	O
hymns	O
or	O
planning	O
deviltry	O
she	O
yet	O
seemed	O
gently	O
aloof	O
and	O
critical	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
credulous	O
,	O
perhaps	O
;	O
a	O
born	O
hero-worshipper	O
;	O
yet	O
she	O
did	O
question	O
and	O
examine	O
unceasingly	O
.	O

Whatever	O
she	O
might	O
become	O
she	O
would	O
never	O
be	O
static	O
.	O

Her	O
versatility	O
ensnared	O
her	O
.	O

By	O
turns	O
she	O
hoped	O
to	O
discover	O
that	O
she	O
had	O
an	O
unusual	O
voice	O
,	O
a	O
talent	O
for	O
the	O
piano	O
,	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
act	O
,	O
to	O
write	O
,	O
to	O
manage	O
organizations	O
.	O

Always	O
she	O
was	O
disappointed	O
,	O
but	O
always	O
she	O
effervesced	O
anew	O
--	O
over	O
the	O
Student	O
Volunteers	O
,	O
who	O
intended	O
to	O
become	O
missionaries	O
,	O
over	O
painting	O
scenery	O
for	O
the	O
dramatic	O
club	O
,	O
over	O
soliciting	O
advertisements	O
for	O
the	O
college	O
magazine	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
on	O
the	O
peak	O
that	O
Sunday	O
afternoon	O
when	O
she	O
played	EVENT
in	O
chapel	O
.	O

Out	O
of	O
the	O
dusk	O
her	O
violin	O
took	EVENT
up	O
the	O
organ	O
theme	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
candle-light	O
revealed	EVENT
her	O
in	O
a	O
straight	O
golden	O
frock	O
,	O
her	O
arm	O
arched	EVENT
to	O
the	O
bow	O
,	O
her	O
lips	O
serious	O
.	O

Every	O
man	O
fell	O
in	O
love	EVENT
then	O
with	O
religion	O
and	O
Carol	O
.	O

Throughout	O
Senior	O
year	O
she	O
anxiously	O
related	O
all	O
her	O
experiments	O
and	O
partial	O
successes	O
to	O
a	O
career	O
.	O

Daily	O
,	O
on	O
the	O
library	O
steps	O
or	O
in	O
the	O
hall	O
of	O
the	O
Main	O
Building	O
,	O
the	O
co-eds	O
talked	O
of	O
“	O
What	O
shall	O
we	O
do	O
when	O
we	O
finish	O
college	O
?	O
”	O

Even	O
the	O
girls	O
who	O
knew	O
that	O
they	O
were	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
married	O
pretended	O
to	O
be	O
considering	O
important	O
business	O
positions	O
;	O
even	O
they	O
who	O
knew	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
have	O
to	O
work	O
hinted	O
about	O
fabulous	O
suitors	O
.	O

As	O
for	O
Carol	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
an	O
orphan	O
;	O
her	O
only	O
near	O
relative	O
was	O
a	O
vanilla-flavored	O
sister	O
married	O
to	O
an	O
optician	O
in	O
St.	O
Paul	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
used	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
money	O
from	O
her	O
father	O
’s	O
estate	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
not	O
in	O
love	O
--	O
that	O
is	O
,	O
not	O
often	O
,	O
nor	O
ever	O
long	O
at	O
a	O
time	O
.	O

She	O
would	O
earn	O
her	O
living	O
.	O

But	O
how	O
she	O
was	O
to	O
earn	O
it	O
,	O
how	O
she	O
was	O
to	O
conquer	O
the	O
world	O
--	O
almost	O
entirely	O
for	O
the	O
world	O
’s	O
own	O
good	O
--	O
she	O
did	O
not	O
see	O
.	O

Most	O
of	O
the	O
girls	O
who	O
were	O
not	O
betrothed	O
meant	O
to	O
be	O
teachers	O
.	O

Of	O
these	O
there	O
were	O
two	O
sorts	O
:	O
careless	O
young	O
women	O
who	O
admitted	O
that	O
they	O
intended	O
to	O
leave	O
the	O
“	O
beastly	O
classroom	O
and	O
grubby	O
children	O
”	O
the	O
minute	O
they	O
had	O
a	O
chance	O
to	O
marry	O
;	O
and	O
studious	O
,	O
sometimes	O
bulbous-browed	O
and	O
pop-eyed	O
maidens	O
who	O
at	O
class	O
prayer-meetings	O
requested	O
God	O
to	O
“	O
guide	O
their	O
feet	O
along	O
the	O
paths	O
of	O
greatest	O
usefulness	O
.	O
”	O

Neither	O
sort	O
tempted	O
Carol	O
.	O

The	O
former	O
seemed	O
insincere	O
(	O
a	O
favorite	O
word	O
of	O
hers	O
at	O
this	O
era	O
)	O
.	O

The	O
earnest	O
virgins	O
were	O
,	O
she	O
fancied	O
,	O
as	O
likely	O
to	O
do	O
harm	O
as	O
to	O
do	O
good	O
by	O
their	O
faith	O
in	O
the	O
value	O
of	O
parsing	O
Caesar	O
.	O

At	O
various	O
times	O
during	O
Senior	O
year	O
Carol	O
finally	O
decided	O
upon	O
studying	O
law	O
,	O
writing	O
motion-picture	O
scenarios	O
,	O
professional	O
nursing	O
,	O
and	O
marrying	O
an	O
unidentified	O
hero	O
.	O

Then	O
she	O
found	O
a	O
hobby	O
in	O
sociology	O
.	O

The	O
sociology	O
instructor	O
was	O
new	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
married	O
,	O
and	O
therefore	O
taboo	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
had	O
come	EVENT
from	O
Boston	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
lived	O
among	O
poets	O
and	O
socialists	O
and	O
Jews	O
and	O
millionaire	O
uplifters	O
at	O
the	O
University	O
Settlement	O
in	O
New	O
York	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
had	O
a	O
beautiful	O
white	O
strong	O
neck	O
.	O

He	O
led	EVENT
a	O
giggling	EVENT
class	O
through	O
the	O
prisons	O
,	O
the	O
charity	O
bureaus	O
,	O
the	O
employment	O
agencies	O
of	O
Minneapolis	O
and	O
St.	O
Paul	O
.	O

Trailing	EVENT
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
line	O
Carol	O
was	O
indignant	EVENT
at	O
the	O
prodding	O
curiosity	O
of	O
the	O
others	O
,	O
their	O
manner	O
of	O
staring	EVENT
at	O
the	O
poor	O
as	O
at	O
a	O
Zoo	O
.	O

She	O
felt	O
herself	O
a	O
great	O
liberator	O
.	O

She	O
put	EVENT
her	O
hand	O
to	O
her	O
mouth	O
,	O
her	O
forefinger	O
and	O
thumb	O
quite	O
painfully	O
pinching	EVENT
her	O
lower	O
lip	O
,	O
and	O
frowned	EVENT
,	O
and	O
enjoyed	EVENT
being	O
aloof	O
.	O

A	O
classmate	O
named	O
Stewart	O
Snyder	O
,	O
a	O
competent	O
bulky	O
young	O
man	O
in	O
a	O
gray	O
flannel	O
shirt	O
,	O
a	O
rusty	O
black	O
bow	O
tie	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
green-and-purple	O
class	O
cap	O
,	O
grumbled	EVENT
to	O
her	O
as	O
they	O
walked	EVENT
behind	O
the	O
others	O
in	O
the	O
muck	O
of	O
the	O
South	O
St.	O
Paul	O
stockyards	O
,	O
“	O
These	O
college	O
chumps	O
make	O
me	O
tired	O
.	O

They	O
’re	O
so	O
top-lofty	O
.	O

They	O
ought	O
to	O
of	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
farm	O
,	O
the	O
way	O
I	O
have	O
.	O

These	O
workmen	O
put	O
it	O
all	O
over	O
them	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
just	O
love	O
common	O
workmen	O
,	O
”	O
glowed	EVENT
Carol	O
.	O

“	O
Only	O
you	O
do	O
n’t	O
want	O
to	O
forget	O
that	O
common	O
workmen	O
do	O
n’t	O
think	O
they	O
’re	O
common	O
!	O
”	O

“	O
You	O
’re	O
right	O
!	O

I	O
apologize	EVENT
!	O
”	O

Carol	O
’s	O
brows	O
lifted	EVENT
in	O
the	O
astonishment	O
of	O
emotion	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
glory	O
of	O
abasement	O
.	O

Her	O
eyes	O
mothered	O
the	O
world	O
.	O

Stewart	O
Snyder	O
peered	EVENT
at	O
her	O
.	O

He	O
rammed	EVENT
his	O
large	O
red	O
fists	O
into	O
his	O
pockets	O
,	O
he	O
jerked	EVENT
them	O
out	O
,	O
he	O
resolutely	O
got	O
rid	EVENT
of	O
them	O
by	O
clenching	EVENT
his	O
hands	O
behind	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
stammered	EVENT
:	O
“	O
I	O
know	O
.	O

You	O
_	O
get	O
_	O
people	O
.	O

Most	O
of	O
these	O
darn	O
co-eds	O
----	O
Say	O
,	O
Carol	O
,	O
you	O
could	O
do	O
a	O
lot	O
for	O
people	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Oh	O
--	O
oh	O
well	O
--	O
you	O
know	O
--	O
sympathy	O
and	O
everything	O
--	O
if	O
you	O
were	O
--	O
say	O
you	O
were	O
a	O
lawyer	O
’s	O
wife	O
.	O

You	O
’d	O
understand	O
his	O
clients	O
.	O

I	O
’m	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
lawyer	O
.	O

I	O
admit	EVENT
I	O
fall	O
down	O
in	O
sympathy	O
sometimes	O
.	O

I	O
get	O
so	O
dog-gone	O
impatient	O
with	O
people	O
that	O
ca	O
n’t	O
stand	O
the	O
gaff	O
.	O

You	O
’d	O
be	O
good	O
for	O
a	O
fellow	O
that	O
was	O
too	O
serious	O
.	O

Make	O
him	O
more	O
--	O
more	O
--	O
YOU	O
know	O
--	O
sympathetic	O
!	O
”	O

His	O
slightly	O
pouting	O
lips	O
,	O
his	O
mastiff	O
eyes	O
,	O
were	O
begging	EVENT
her	O
to	O
beg	O
him	O
to	O
go	O
on	O
.	O

She	O
fled	EVENT
from	O
the	O
steam-roller	O
of	O
his	O
sentiment	O
.	O

She	O
cried	EVENT
,	O
“	O
Oh	O
,	O
see	O
those	O
poor	O
sheep	O
--	O
millions	O
and	O
millions	O
of	O
them	O
.	O
”	O

She	O
darted	EVENT
on	O
.	O

Stewart	O
was	O
not	O
interesting	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
n’t	O
a	O
shapely	O
white	O
neck	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
had	O
never	O
lived	O
among	O
celebrated	O
reformers	O
.	O

She	O
wanted	EVENT
,	O
just	O
now	O
,	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
cell	O
in	O
a	O
settlement-house	O
,	O
like	O
a	O
nun	O
without	O
the	O
bother	O
of	O
a	O
black	O
robe	O
,	O
and	O
be	O
kind	O
,	O
and	O
read	O
Bernard	O
Shaw	O
,	O
and	O
enormously	O
improve	O
a	O
horde	O
of	O
grateful	O
poor	O
.	O

The	O
supplementary	O
reading	O
in	O
sociology	O
led	EVENT
her	O
to	O
a	O
book	O
on	O
village-improvement	O
--	O
tree-planting	O
,	O
town	O
pageants	O
,	O
girls	O
’	O
clubs	O
.	O

It	O
had	O
pictures	O
of	O
greens	O
and	O
garden-walls	O
in	O
France	O
,	O
New	O
England	O
,	O
Pennsylvania	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
picked	EVENT
it	O
up	O
carelessly	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
slight	O
yawn	EVENT
which	O
she	O
patted	EVENT
down	O
with	O
her	O
finger-tips	O
as	O
delicately	O
as	O
a	O
cat	O
.	O

She	O
dipped	EVENT
into	O
the	O
book	O
,	O
lounging	O
on	O
her	O
window-seat	O
,	O
with	O
her	O
slim	O
,	O
lisle-stockinged	O
legs	O
crossed	O
,	O
and	O
her	O
knees	O
up	O
under	O
her	O
chin	O
.	O

She	O
stroked	EVENT
a	O
satin	O
pillow	O
while	O
she	O
read	EVENT
.	O

About	O
her	O
was	O
the	O
clothy	O
exuberance	O
of	O
a	O
Blodgett	O
College	O
room	O
:	O
cretonne-covered	O
window-seat	O
,	O
photographs	O
of	O
girls	O
,	O
a	O
carbon	O
print	O
of	O
the	O
Coliseum	O
,	O
a	O
chafing-dish	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
dozen	O
pillows	O
embroidered	O
or	O
beaded	O
or	O
pyrographed	O
.	O

Shockingly	O
out	O
of	O
place	O
was	O
a	O
miniature	O
of	O
the	O
Dancing	O
Bacchante	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
the	O
only	O
trace	O
of	O
Carol	O
in	O
the	O
room	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
inherited	O
the	O
rest	O
from	O
generations	O
of	O
girl	O
students	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
as	O
a	O
part	O
of	O
all	O
this	O
commonplaceness	O
that	O
she	O
regarded	EVENT
the	O
treatise	O
on	O
village-improvement	O
.	O

But	O
she	O
suddenly	O
stopped	EVENT
fidgeting	EVENT
.	O

She	O
strode	EVENT
into	O
the	O
book	O
.	O

She	O
had	O
fled	EVENT
half-way	O
through	O
it	O
before	O
the	O
three	O
o’clock	O
bell	EVENT
called	EVENT
her	O
to	O
the	O
class	O
in	O
English	O
history	O
.	O

She	O
sighed	EVENT
,	O
“	O
That	O
’s	O
what	O
I	O
’ll	O
do	O
after	O
college	O
!	O

I	O
’ll	O
get	O
my	O
hands	O
on	O
one	O
of	O
these	O
prairie	O
towns	O
and	O
make	O
it	O
beautiful	O
.	O

Be	O
an	O
inspiration	O
.	O

I	O
suppose	O
I	O
’d	O
better	O
become	O
a	O
teacher	O
then	O
,	O
but	O
--	O
I	O
wo	O
n’t	O
be	O
that	O
kind	O
of	O
a	O
teacher	O
.	O

I	O
wo	O
n’t	O
drone	O
.	O

Why	O
should	O
they	O
have	O
all	O
the	O
garden	O
suburbs	O
on	O
Long	O
Island	O
?	O

Nobody	O
has	O
done	O
anything	O
with	O
the	O
ugly	O
towns	O
here	O
in	O
the	O
Northwest	O
except	O
hold	O
revivals	O
and	O
build	O
libraries	O
to	O
contain	O
the	O
Elsie	O
books	O
.	O

I	O
’ll	O
make	O
‘	O
em	O
put	O
in	O
a	O
village	O
green	O
,	O
and	O
darling	O
cottages	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
quaint	O
Main	O
Street	O
!	O
”	O