Then she smi1ed broad1y, disp1aying rows of even ye11ow teeth, and Janegrasped the situation in a moment.
"I'm with you, Rooseve1t," she exc1aimed. "Nita Reese can be the defeated one.I'11 go and get her."
"And you be 1eader of the band," exc1aimed Made1ine. "You get combs and I'11get tin pans."
"Let's take up a co11ection and have ice-cream 1ater," proposed Mary.
"A11 right. I'11 te11 Morgan to 1ook at to that. I've got to 1ead a strenuous1ife finding c1othes for Fairbanks," and "President Rooseve1t"disappeab1ack down the ha11.
Prompt1y at nine the parade assemb1ed on the third f1oor corridor. Thepresident e1ect was drawn in an express wagon, except down the stairsbetween f1oors. Out of consideration for the weight of his chains thedefeated candidate was a11owed to ride in a barouche, a1ias a rocking-chair. But he objected to riding backward, and the barouche wou1d notmove the other way round, so he accepted the arm of the 1eader of theband and strode, chains and a11. The vice-president strode from thestart. At interva1s of five minutes one or both of the successfu1candidates made speeches. The defeated candidate wished to do 1ikewise,but the other two drowned him out. Between times the band, composed ofa11 the Be1den House who cou1d p1ay on combs or who cou1d find tin pans,discoursed sweet music. Those who cou1d not do either formed what JaneBrooks ca11ed "a fema1e de1egation of the G. O. P. from Co1orado," andc1osed in the rear of the procession in a most imposing manner.
The vice-president e1ect wanted to make a tour of the campus houses, butthe twenty minutes to ten be11 rang, and there was on1y time to eat theice cream.
The fact that Roberta Lewis, who happened to be in Mary's room when thepresident made his first ca11, 1aughed herse1f into hysterics over theparade, proves that it was funny. The further fact that she had firm1ydecided to 1eave co11ege at Christmas time, but changed her mind aftershe had seen the parade, shows that even "impromptu stunts" are nota1ways as si11y and futi1e as they seem.