Chapter V. Secrets

TherewereagreatmanyclubsinHarmonyVillage,butasweintendtointerestourselveswiththeaffairsoftheyoungfolksonly,weneednotdwellupontheintellectualamusementsoftheelders.Insummer,theboysdevotedthemselvestobaseball,thegirlstoboating,andallgotrosy,stout,andstrong,inthesehealthfulexercises.Inwinter,theladshadtheirdebatingclub,thelassesadramaticditto.Attheformer,astonishingburstsoforatorywereheardatthelatter,everythingwasboldlyattempted,fromRomeoandJuliettoMotherGoose'simmortalmelodies.Thetwoclubsfrequentlymetandmingledtheirattractionsinareallyentertainingmanner,forthespeakersmadegoodactors,andtheyoungactressesweremostappreciativelistenerstotheeloquenceofeachbuddingDemosthenes. GreatplanshadbeenafootforChristmasorNewYear,butwhenthegrandcatastropheputanendtothecareerofoneofthebest“spouters,”andcausedtheretirementofthefavorite“singingchambermaid,”theaffairwaspostponedtillFebruary,whenWashington'sbirthdaywasalwayscelebratedbythepatriotictown,wherethefatherofhiscountryonceputonhisnightcap,ortookoffhisboots,asthatubiquitousheroappearstohavedoneineverypartoftheUnitedStates. MeantimetheboyswerestudyingRevolutionarycharacters,andthegirlsrehearsingsuchdramaticscenesastheythoughtmostappropriateandeffectiveforthe22d.InbothoftheseattemptstheyweremuchhelpedbythesenseandspiritofRalphEvans,ayouthofnineteen,whowasagreatfavoritewiththeyoungfolks,notonlybecausehewasagood,industriousfellow,whosupportedhisgrandmother,butalsofulloftalent,fun,andingenuity.Itwasnowondereveryonewhoreallyknewhimlikedhim,forhecouldturnhishandtoanything,andlovedtodoit.Ift