CHAPTER XXX

“GOODNIGHT, GLENWOOD, GOD BLESS YOU!”

“Am I not proud of my Little Captain?” said Major Dale, leaning on Dorothy’s shoulder as they slowly wended their way out of doors.

Roger was at her other hand, and Joe nearby. The boys had left their own school a day or two early to come and “see sister graduate.” Aunt Winnie had congratulated “her daughter,” as she was proud to call Dorothy, too.

“Ned and Nat are only sorry that they could not come. Indeed, I had forbade it. We will go to their college instead to help them ‘receive’ on Commencement Day,” Aunt Winnie declared.

“And there is a big surprise in store for you, my dear,” she added, pinching Dorothy’s cheek; but what it was we can only learn when we meet Dorothy and her friends again in “Dorothy Dale in the West.”

Now there was so very, very much to do in getting ready to leave old Glenwood for the last time. The girls had yet to pack; they would sleep one more night in the old room. Then the class would scatter, perhaps never to meet again!

Of course there were hundreds of promises to write and to visit, and plans for the summer were being discussed right and left. Dorothy felt more serious than she ever had felt before; but Tavia was so excited that she could scarcely keep both feet on the ground at once.

“You are really glad to leave dear old Glenwood,” said Dorothy, after they had drunk tea with Miss Olaine and come up to their room again.

“I never did like school as you do, Dorothy. But I love the old crowd, and I’m sorry to lose the fun we have here,” Tavia admitted.

“The whole world’s before us now,” sighed Dorothy.

“Dish-washing, and sweeping, and bed-making, and all that is before your humble servant,” laughed Tavia. “I’m going home, as you know, to keep father’s house for him spick and span. Mother will be glad. She hates housework.”

They packed their trunks more soberly than they had ever packed them for removal from the school before. Down from the walls came every keepsake and picture that they owned.

“Nix on the decorations!” Tavia said. “Jumble them all into the boxes. Never more shall they hang from the battlements----”

“What a lot of them there are, too!” sighed Dorothy. “Not half room in this box for my photographs.”

“We might throw away all the boys’ photographs,” said Tavia, giggling. “You know, we have foresworn boys. Is that right, Doro?”

“Oh, yes; boys are only a nuisance--except our brothers and cousins. Don’t you say so, Tavia?”

“Sure! And a few thousand more,” she added, _sotto voce_. “But we’re going to marry twins if we marry at all. _That_ is decided, Doro?”

“Certainly,” returned Dorothy, gravely.

It was growing late. The nine o’clock bell meant nothing to the girls of Glenwood Hall this night. There was bustle in every room, laughter in the corridors, and a running back and forth until late. Suddenly Tavia had an idea. It grew out of the over-crammed boxes and trunks of “loot” from the walls.

“Goody-goody-gander! I’ve got it!” she announced to Dorothy.

“I know you have--St. Vitus’s dance,” groaned Dorothy. “I have been expecting the announcement for ever so long.”

“Miss Smartie!” responded Tavia. “You’ll see.”

She flew about, whispering to the other graduates. In half an hour, just as Dorothy and Tavia themselves were in their nighties and boudoir caps, a knock came at the door, it flew open, and there filed into Nineteen almost the whole class with arms full of a “great debris” of articles, as Tavia called them, which had plainly been torn from the walls of the various rooms.

“Come on, Doro,” giggled Tavia. “This is a donation party. We’re going to donate to the girls who are left such adornments, and the like, as we do not wish to carry away with us. You know--‘We who are about to die salute you,’ and all that. Come on!”

Dorothy entered into the spirit of the affair. There were many trophies and pictures that would merely gather dust in the attic at North Birchlands, she knew; she grabbed for these, and the procession took up its march from room to room.

The lights had been left turned on in the halls; even if the girls were in bed they were routed out to receive the donation from the departing class. Mrs. Pangborn--even Miss Olaine--were conveniently blind and deaf.

Tavia made the most extravagant speeches. The most ridiculous presents were given with a ceremony that convulsed everybody. It was a fine, hilarious time.

“Oh, and the last bit of fun we shall ever have in old Glenwood Hall,” said Cologne, sadly, as empty-armed at last, the big girls made their way back to Nineteen.

“We’ll never have so much fun again, no matter where we go,” sighed Ned Ebony.

“Never is a long time, Neddie,” said Dorothy, cheerfully.

Molly Richards had her arms around Dorothy. “Miss Cheerfulness!” she said. “When the skies are gray and the birds do not sing, Doro Dale will always be exuding sunshine--eh?”

“And we’ll all miss you--oh! _so_ much, Doro!” cried Nita Brent.

“We’ll miss each other,” admitted Dorothy. “But let us hope, even if we do say good-bye to Glenwood and the old crowd, that we’ll all meet again some time.”

Tavia had been strumming on the banjo strings lightly, not having packed that joy-giving instrument. She broke out suddenly into the old school chant--and they joined her, softly:

“Good night! good night! good night! good night! Good night, again; God bless you! And oh, until we meet again, Good night! good night! God bless you!”

The echoes of their sweet young voices died away. They kissed each other warmly and in silence. Then the others stole out of the old room that Dorothy and Tavia had occupied so long, leaving the two chums to the silence of the June night and their own thoughts.

THE END.

Transcriber’s Note:

Variations in hyphenation and spelling have been retained as published in the original publication. Punctuation has been standardised. Other changes have been made as follows:

Page 5 one of the girl’s in a big _changed to_ one of the girls in a big

Page 29 been more supsicious of _changed to_ been more suspicious of

Page 51 said Dorothy, more cheefully _changed to_ said Dorothy, more cheerfully

Page 54 Dou you mean to say we are _changed to_ Do you mean to say we are

said Tavia, thoughfully _changed to_ said Tavia, thoughtfully

Page 56 Bye and bye there was another _changed to_ By and by there was another

Page 91 aid in the preparation _changed to_ aid in the preparation of

Page 107 the first few moment _changed to_ the first few moments

Page 129 Who dare’s call my Doro _changed to_ Who dares call my Doro

Page 132 throw her Latin grammer _changed to_ throw her Latin grammar

Page 184 “I think it is too bad, sir,” said Dorothy, grave- were run away with.” ly. “Really, it was not his fault at all that we _changed to_ “I think it is too bad, sir,” said Dorothy, gravely. “Really, it was not his fault at all that we were run away with.”

Page 196 That was then my _changed to_ That was when my

Page 228 proceded to repeat _changed to_ proceeded to repeat

Page 237 excaimed Dorothy, her beautiful _changed to_ exclaimed Dorothy, her beautiful

End of Project Gutenberg's Dorothy Dale's Promise, by Margaret Penrose