Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1895 — Frightened Away. [ARTICLE]

Frightened Away.

While Mrs. Alice Freeman Palmer was Miss Freeman, president of the Wellesley College, she was on,her way West at one time, aud had stopped over for a few days’ rest and recuperation at an Adirondack inn, where it so happened that her presidential identity and dignity were unknown. Her neighbors at table were some three or four entertaining Harvard youths, and as Miss Freeman was also entertaining and quite youthful looking, they were soon all very good friends. This lasted for three or four days. One morning, however, Miss Freeman entered the dining-room to be met with cold and distant nods instead of the former cordiality. Not a word was said as she passed around the table; but when she seated herself the mystery was unraveled. There upon her plate lay a pile of official-looking letters, that had been forwarded from the college and that all bore the explicit address, “Miss Alice Freeman, president of Wellesley College.” This the youths had seen and had very naturally been overwhelmed at their presumption. Nor could the previous good-fellowship be re-established. After they had found out that she was a formidable college president it was impossible to joke and laugh as they had done when they thought her merely one of tho most charming women they had ever met.— New York Evening Sun.