Page 8 - 1918 February - To Dragma

TO DRAGMA OF ALPHA OMICRON PI 101

Dean Coldwell, whom I had known in Oakland, and then I was
taken to the house. B y this time, m y curiosity was aroused. There
was not a speck of dust i n evidence, and I suspicioned a cedar mop
i n t h e h a n d t h a t w a s n o t c l a s p i n g m i n e , b u t t h e h a n d c l a s p was w a r m .
W i t h actives and alumna;, we had an Alpha Omicron P i dinner fol-
lowed by a meeting. I wondered, when the girls spoke of my not
looking at all like Virginia Esterly, i f officers were supposed to have
a general resemblance, but learned later that they understood we
were sisters. I h a r d l y dared to think that I m i g h t rise to their
expectations of Virginia Judy Esterly, but I remembered in time that
her little A l p h a O sister and I look alike. T h a t d i d help, d i d i t not,
U p s i l o n ? Y o u are h o s p i t a b l e , U p s i l o n , a n d d e m o c r a t i c too, so the
campus says, and f o r this we are glad.

T w o days l a t e r , w h e n t h e t a x i d r i v e r a t 2 :30 A. M. c a l l e d " H o t e l
B o z e m a n , " I f o l l o w e d , r e m e m b e r i n g i t as the one where A l p h a P h i
had had their installation banquet. Later in morning, Peggy Schoppe
phoned me that Azalea Linfield was to meet me. I was aesthetically
d e l i g h t e d , f o r B o z e m a n is f a m e d f o r i t s flowers. W e t o u r e d B o z e -
man, I realized at great risk to life and limb, f o r Azalea admitted
that she had not driven the car before—but I am o f Presbyterian
ancestry. A f t e r lunch at Peggy Schoppe's, I met the girls. I am
sure that A l p h a P h i personifies the spirit o f the West. I t is the way
the f r o n t door is t h r o w n open, and the chapter comes r u n n i n g t o w a r d

one w i t h b o t h h a n d s o u t s t r e t c h e d . O n e must m e e t t h e i r f r i e n d s , t h e

p r e s i d e n t , t h e f a c u l t y , t h e w o m e n s t u d e n t s , m u s t see t h e m o u n t a i n s ,
the creeks, and all this while one is growing to know them. A t night
there was the intimate time, when they talked and I listened. One
thing I heard, " W e are the only national w i t h two locals, yet we must
not use this to our advantage i n rushing freshmen." T h a t evening
a t P e g g y Schoppe's is sweet w i t h m e m o r i e s . I s h a l l a l w a y s see t h e m
a l l w a v i n g to me a n d s i n g i n g A l p h a O songs as I l e f t .

Nebraska is not f a r f r o m Montana, is not different i n spirit, a n d
to a timorous grand president that Zeta handshake was worth leaving
California for. Viola Gray, here, needs no introduction, and I was
glad to meet her again. Annie Jones, president of the alumna; chap-
ter, opened her home f o r a d e l i g h t f u l afternoon w i t h the alumnae
and actives. W h e n I think o f Zetas, I somehow want to smile and
"reminisce," I had such a formally informal visit. T h e long rides
w i t h t h e g i r l s , t h e p l e a s a n t e v e n i n g s a t t h e fireside; t h e i r c o n s i d e r a -
tion, thoughtfulness, and love, I shall never forget.

As the universities were not all open i n the vicinity of Chicago and
as i t was necessary that I be i n Boston by the t e n t h o f October, m y