Chapter I: Front Matter

BETTY WALES
DECIDES

A STORY FOR GIRLS

_by_
MARGARET WARDE

AUTHOR OF

BETTY WALES FRESHMAN
BETTY WALES SOPHOMORE
BETTY WALES JUNIOR
BETTY WALES SENIOR
BETTY WALES B. A.
BETTY WALES & CO.
BETTY WALES ON THE CAMPUS

ILLUSTRATED BY
EVA M NAGEL

THE PENN
PUBLISHING COMPANY
PHILADELPHIA

MCMXI

COPYRIGHT
1911 BY
THE PENN
PUBLISHING
COMPANY

Introduction

Betty Wales and her friends appeared first in “Betty Wales, Freshman,” which told the story of their freshman year at Harding College. Eleanor Watson was in that group; so were Mary Brooks, Helen Adams, Roberta, the three B’s, and Katharine Kittredge, of Kankakee. Madeline Ayres made her entrance in “Betty Wales, Sophomore.” “Betty Wales, Junior,” and “Betty Wales, Senior” completed the undergraduate history of Betty’s class. “Betty Wales, B. A.” is the story of a summer abroad, where Betty met Mr. Morton, and “Babe” met his son. “Betty Wales & Co.” described the beginnings of the famous Tally-ho Tea-Shop, and “Betty Wales on the Campus” brought Betty back to Harding as the Secretary of the Student’s Aid Committee. She lived in Morton Hall, erected by the testy old millionaire because Betty’s work had won his sympathy and interest.

The “ploshkin” referred to in this story was at first a fascinatingly impossible little animal in a story that Eugenia Ford told Betty’s Smallest Sister, but Madeline Ayres saw its wide possibilities as a fun-maker, and Jasper J. Morton helped the girls put images of it on the market.

Contents

I. A SLUMP IN PLOSHKINS 9

II. MONTANA MARIE O’TOOLE DAWNS UPON HARDING COLLEGE 27

III. THE INITIATION OF MONTANA MARIE 45

IV. MONTANA MARIE TAKES A RIDE 64

V. THE B. C. A.’S “UNDERTAKE” MONTANA MARIE 81

VI. THE INTERVENTION OF JIM 98

VII. BINKS AMES MAKES A DISCOVERY 115

VIII. JISTS AND SUFFRAGISTS 131

IX. THE TALLY-HO’S DIGNIFIED DINNER 147

X. RESCUING MONTANA MARIE 165

XI. THE BEGUILING OF THE SMALLEST SISTER 179

XII. THE POPPING MASCOTS 193

XIII. MONTANA MARIE AND THE PROM. MAN SUPPLY COMPANY 212

XIV. ENTERTAINING GEORGIA’S SISTER 227

XV. THE NEW WOMAN AT HARDING 246

XVI. THE FRECKLES OF MISS A. PEASE 265

XVII. TWO SURPRISES 283

XVIII. MONTANA MARIE DISAPPEARS 293

XIX. LIVING UP TO HARDING 311

XX. CLIMAXES 324

XXI. THE END OF BETTY WALES 341

Illustrations

PAGE

“I THINK I SHALL LIKE IT HERE” _Frontispiece_

“GO AHEAD--MAKE A SPEECH” 54

“I’VE PASSED OFF MY ENTRANCE LATIN” 113

SHE PEEPED CAUTIOUSLY IN AT THE DOOR 161

HE WAVED HIS PURPLE BANNER 205

A TALL MERRY-FACED GIRL 240

“SO I’VE SHUT MY EYES, AND I’VE CHOSEN” 335

Betty Wales Decides