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Analyzing Sensory Data with R Chapman Hall CRC The
R Series 1st Edition Le Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Le, Sebastien, Worch, Thierry
ISBN(s): 9781466565722, 1466565721
Edition: 1
File Details: PDF, 4.07 MB
Year: 2014
Language: english
 Statistics
The R Series
Analyzing Sensory Data with R gives you the foundation to analyze

Analyzing Sensory Data with R

and interpret sensory data. The book helps you find the most appro-

Analyzing
priate statistical method to tackle your sensory data issue.
Covering quantitative, qualitative, and affective approaches, the book
presents the big picture of sensory evaluation. Through an integrated
approach that connects the different dimensions of sensory evalua-
tion, you’ll understand the reasons why sensory data are collected,
the ways in which the data are collected and analyzed, the intrinsic
Sensory Data
with R
meaning of the data, and the interpretation of the data analysis re-
sults.
Each chapter corresponds to one main sensory topic. The chapters
start by presenting the nature of the sensory evaluation and its ob-
jectives, the sensory particularities related to the sensory evaluation,
details about the data set obtained, and the statistical analyses re-
quired. Using real examples, the authors then illustrate step by step
how the analyses are performed in R. The chapters conclude with
variants and extensions of the methods that are related to the sen-
sory task itself, the statistical methodology, or both.
Features
• Shows how to address a sensory problem by providing tailored
statistical analyses using R
• Emphasizes the importance of understanding the objectives of
sensory evaluation
• Interprets the results of each analysis
• Enables you to adapt the code to your own needs
• Includes an introduction to R for beginners

Lê • Worch
• Presents various exercises and recommended readings that
help you become familiar with the sensory evaluations, sensory
data, statistical analyses, and R
Sébastien Lê
K16114
Thierry Worch

w w w. c rc p r e s s . c o m

K16114_cover.indd 1 8/22/14 3:39 PM

 Analyzing
Sensory Data
with R
 Chapman & Hall/CRC
The R Series

Series Editors
John M. Chambers Torsten Hothorn
Department of Statistics Division of Biostatistics
Stanford University University of Zurich
Stanford, California, USA Switzerland

Duncan Temple Lang Hadley Wickham

Department of Statistics RStudio
University of California, Davis Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Davis, California, USA

Aims and Scope

This book series reflects the recent rapid growth in the development and application
of R, the programming language and software environment for statistical computing
and graphics. R is now widely used in academic research, education, and industry.
It is constantly growing, with new versions of the core software released regularly
and more than 5,000 packages available. It is difficult for the documentation to
keep pace with the expansion of the software, and this vital book series provides a
forum for the publication of books covering many aspects of the development and
application of R.
The scope of the series is wide, covering three main threads:
• Applications of R to specific disciplines such as biology, epidemiology,
genetics, engineering, finance, and the social sciences.
• Using R for the study of topics of statistical methodology, such as linear and
mixed modeling, time series, Bayesian methods, and missing data.
• The development of R, including programming, building packages, and
graphics.
The books will appeal to programmers and developers of R software, as well as
applied statisticians and data analysts in many fields. The books will feature
detailed worked examples and R code fully integrated into the text, ensuring their
usefulness to researchers, practitioners and students.
 Published Titles

Stated Preference Methods Using R, Hideo Aizaki, Tomoaki Nakatani,

and Kazuo Sato

Using R for Numerical Analysis in Science and Engineering, Victor A. Bloomfield

Event History Analysis with R, Göran Broström

Computational Actuarial Science with R, Arthur Charpentier

Statistical Computing in C++ and R, Randall L. Eubank and Ana Kupresanin

Reproducible Research with R and RStudio, Christopher Gandrud

Introduction to Scientific Programming and Simulation Using R, Second Edition,

Owen Jones, Robert Maillardet, and Andrew Robinson

Displaying Time Series, Spatial, and Space-Time Data with R,

Oscar Perpiñán Lamigueiro

Programming Graphical User Interfaces with R, Michael F. Lawrence

and John Verzani

Analyzing Sensory Data with R, Sébastien Lê and Theirry Worch

Analyzing Baseball Data with R, Max Marchi and Jim Albert

Growth Curve Analysis and Visualization Using R, Daniel Mirman

R Graphics, Second Edition, Paul Murrell

Multiple Factor Analysis by Example Using R, Jérôme Pagès

Customer and Business Analytics: Applied Data Mining for Business Decision
Making Using R, Daniel S. Putler and Robert E. Krider

Implementing Reproducible Research, Victoria Stodden, Friedrich Leisch,

and Roger D. Peng

Using R for Introductory Statistics, Second Edition, John Verzani

Dynamic Documents with R and knitr, Yihui Xie

This page intentionally left blank
 Analyzing
Sensory Data
with R

Sébastien Lê
Thierry Worch
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
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Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
© 2015 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

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Contents

Foreword xi

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xvii

I Quantitative descriptive approaches 1

1 When panelists rate products according to a single list of
attributes 5
1.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2.1 What basic information can I draw from the data? . . 9
1.2.2 How can I assess the performance of my panel? . . . . 12
1.2.3 How can I assess the performance of my panelists? . . 20
1.3 For experienced users: Measuring the impact of the presenta-
tion order on the perception of the products? . . . . . . . . . 24
1.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

2 When products are rated according to a single list of at-

tributes 35
2.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.2.1 How can I get a list of the sensory attributes that struc-
ture the product space? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.2.2 How can I get a sensory profile for each product? . . . 40
2.2.3 How can I represent the product space on a map? . . 44
2.2.4 How can I get homogeneous clusters of products? . . . 52
2.3 For experienced users: Adding supplementary information to
the product space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2.3.1 Introduction to supplementary information . . . . . . 57
2.3.2 The panellipse function of the SensoMineR package . . 59
2.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
2.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

vii
viii Contents

3 When products are rated according to several lists of at-

tributes 69
3.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
3.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
3.2.1 Why can’t I analyze such a table in a classical way? . 72
3.2.2 How can I get a representation of the product space
based on a consensus? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
3.2.3 How can I integrate the group structure in my interpre-
tation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
3.3 For experienced users: Comparing different panels with hierar-
chical multiple factor analysis (HMFA) . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
3.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
3.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102

II Qualitative descriptive approaches 107

4 When products are depicted by comments 111
4.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
4.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
4.2.1 How can I approach textual data? . . . . . . . . . . . 114
4.2.2 How can I get an individual description of each product? 119
4.2.3 How can I graphically represent the product space? . . 124
4.2.4 How can I summarize the comments? . . . . . . . . . 135
4.3 For experienced users: Comparing free comments from different
panels, the Rorschach test revisited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
4.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
4.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

5 When two different products are compared in various situa-

tions 149
5.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
5.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
5.2.1 How can I measure the distance between two products? 151
5.2.2 How can I measure the inter-distance between products
when compared in pairs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
5.3 For experienced users: The Thurstonian approach . . . . . . 161
5.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
5.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

6 When products are grouped into homogeneous clusters 173

6.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
6.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
6.2.1 How can I approach sorting data? . . . . . . . . . . . 175
6.2.2 How can I get a representation of the product space? . 177
6.2.3 How can I fully interpret the product space? . . . . . 182
Contents ix

6.2.4 How can I understand the data from a panel perspec-

tive? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
6.3 For experienced users: The hierarchical sorting task . . . . . 187
6.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
6.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

7 When products are positioned onto a projective map 201

7.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
7.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
7.2.1 How can I approach Napping R data? . . . . . . . . . 204
7.2.2 How can I represent the product space on a map? . . 209
7.2.3 How can I interpret the product space with the verbal-
ization data? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
7.2.4 How can I represent the consumers, and how can I ex-
plain the product representation through their individ-
ual rectangles? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
7.3 For experienced users: The sorted Napping R . . . . . . . . . 220
7.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
7.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

III Affective descriptive approaches 229

8 When products are solely assessed by liking 233
8.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
8.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
8.2.1 How can I approach hedonic data? . . . . . . . . . . . 235
8.2.2 How can I identify the best product? . . . . . . . . . . 246
8.2.3 How can I get homogeneous clusters of consumers? . . 254
8.3 For experienced users: Dealing with multiple hedonic variables
and supplementary consumer data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
8.3.1 Dealing with multiple hedonic variables . . . . . . . . 263
8.3.2 Dealing with supplementary consumer data . . . . . . 264
8.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
8.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270

9 When products are described by both liking and external

information “independently” 271
9.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
9.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
9.2.1 How can I explain the differences in preferences using
sensory data? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
9.2.2 How can I evaluate the relationship between each sen-
sory attribute and the hedonic scores, at different levels? 278
9.2.3 How can I locate an optimum product within the prod-
uct space? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
x Contents

9.3 For experienced users: Finding the best correspondence be-

tween the sensory and hedonic matrices, using PrefMFA . . . 286
9.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
9.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298

10 When products are described by a mix of liking and external

information 301
10.1 Data, sensory issues, and notations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
10.2 In practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
10.2.1 How can I optimize products based on Just About Right
data? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
10.2.2 How can I optimize products based on Ideal Profile
Method data? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
10.3 For experienced users: Assessing the consistency of ideal data
in IPM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318
10.4 Exercises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
10.5 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331

A The R survival guide 335

A.1 What is R? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
A.1.1 Introduction to R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
A.1.2 The R environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
A.2 Installing R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
A.3 Running my first R function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
A.3.1 Import/export data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
A.3.2 Objects in R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
A.3.3 First operations on a data set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
A.4 Functions in R . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
A.4.1 Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
A.4.2 Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
A.5 Non-exhaustive list of useful functions in R . . . . . . . . . . 344
A.6 Recommended packages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
A.7 Recommended readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Index 353
Foreword

Back in the 1980s when I was still a consultant statistician supporting clients
from sensory and other disciplines, I dreamed of the day when there would be
free, easy-to-use statistical software for everyone to use. It seems that in sen-
sory science that day is approaching fast with the arrival first of SensoMineR
from Sébastien and colleagues at Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France, and
now with a textbook backed up by online exercise data files.
The benefits to sensory scientists will be that they can undertake spe-
cialised sensory analyses such as MFA or GPA that are not widely available
in other statistical packages. However, perhaps of far more benefit is that
students and practitioners around the world can undertake the full range of
standard and specialised sensory analyses at zero cost (as well as saving them
time with automated routines)! I know that Sébastien and Thierry had this
fully in mind as they have labored to finish this text.
All practicing sensory scientists will also find much to benefit from as there
are sections throughout the book for the experienced (advanced) user. In fact,
some of the examples tackled in this book are quite advanced (sorted Napping,
comparison of various profiles, multivariate analyses with confidence ellipses
to evaluate the panel performance, etc.) and very close to research.
The authors are aiming to produce a hands-on style reference text for the
sensory scientist and with the teaching experience of Sébastien and the fact
that both are connected to Agrocampus Ouest in Rennes, sharing the Jérôme
Pagès vision of the statistics in the sensory area, it is clear that this will be a
practical text with a strong multivariate emphasis.
Finally I must note that Sensometrics is still a dynamic and fast-moving
discipline—but the beauty of the R software is that new methods can be
quickly programmed and added to the R portfolio. Actually, the analysis of
sensory data within R has been extended with the useful algorithms available
for instance in the sensR package emanating from Per Brockhoff and Rune
Christensen in Denmark.
I congratulate these two young scientists on their enthusiasm and energy
and I support this project. Now I am looking forward to becoming an R user
for the analysis of my sensory data!

Hal MacFie
Hal MacFie Training, Food Quality and Preference
This page intentionally left blank
Preface

Writing is definitely a foolish act or an act of great bravery, in which an author

reveals their own thoughts to others. Writing a textbook could be interpreted
as arrogant and immodest, as by definition a textbook is a “book used as a
standard work for the study of a particular subject.” Why would someone
take the risk to reveal their thoughts and consider themself as knowledgeable
enough to write a standard?
When we first started on this project, our main objective was simply to
help—to fill a need, by providing to sensory scientists a textbook that would
or could make their everyday life easier. We came up with this idea by re-
alizing that in practice it is very common for (sensory) scientists to entrust
their experimental data to statisticians for their analyses. Similarly, it is com-
mon to see companies externalizing their data treatment by asking statistical
consultancy agencies to perform the analyses for them.
With the desire of understanding why this way of proceeding is so com-
mon, we went back to the source, and went through a large number of existing
teaching programs and syllabuses throughout worldwide universities, to finally
discover that sensory evaluation is literally taught as the evaluation1 of the
senses (i.e., evaluation in the sense of measure). Although these sensory eval-
uation courses are often attached to statistical courses, the statistics learned
are meant to be general to all types of data, and not specific to sensory data.
Due to this disconnection during the teaching process between the sensory
measurement and the statistical analysis of the resulting data, it is not so
surprising that sensory scientists, whether they are rookies or experts, have
difficulties sometimes fully understanding sensory evaluation in its big picture:
the reasons why sensory data are collected, the way they are collected, the
intrinsic meaning of these data, the way they can be analyzed, and last but not
least, the way results issued from the analysis of such data can be interpreted.
It is precisely to reconnect all these different dimensions of sensory eval-
uation that we decided to develop this textbook. We conceived it regarding
two main objectives that seem apparently irreconcilable: to become a refer-
ence book2 and, at the same time, to provide a more integrated vision of the
analysis of sensory data. We hope that by consulting the book, jumping from
one chapter to another, sensory scientists will find all the answers they are
1 Themaking of a judgment about the amount, number, or value of something.
2A book is intended to be consulted for information on specific matters rather than read
from beginning to end.

xiii
xiv Analyzing Sensory Data with R

looking for in terms of sensory data analysis. We also hope that by reading
the book linearly, from beginning to end, scientists will acquire more than a
good background in statistics. In other words, we hope that they will get the
fundamentals of statistics that will render them autonomous for the analysis
of sensory data. In summary, from a sensory point of view, each chapter was
conceived to be self-sufficient but, as a whole, chapters were arranged to be
coherent, from a statistical point of view.
To achieve this, we tried to provide a book that aims to be didactic, the
main objective being to get the readers familiar with the general concept of
analysis, and with the analysis of sensory data in particular. The spirit of this
book is thus to present the data gathered from different sensory evaluations,
and for each evaluation, the corresponding sensory implications. In practice,
we are asking ourselves what is possible to extract from the data in each case.
By fully understanding what is possible to do with the data gathered, we
provide tailored statistical analysis. In each case, we attach great importance
to a good understanding of the sensory evaluation in terms of objectives, so
we systematically provide, for each objective, the notions of statistical unit,
of variables–in brief the notion of data set. Once the data set is presented, we
show how to perform the required analysis by using the statistical software
R, and more especially (but not only!) the SensoMineR package. Besides this
essential practical aspect, we present the results from each analysis, as well as
the keys for the interpretation.
For these reasons, we called this textbook Analyzing Sensory Data with
R, which summarizes well the three main aspects of the book: 1) the act of
performing analyses on 2) sensory data3 by using 3) R as practical tool. With
this in mind, the book intends to be methodological, applied to a particular
scope, and pragmatic. We intend here to learn how to tackle methodically a
sensory problem in order to provide concrete solutions that facilitate decision
making. The analysis of this problem ends up in the statistical treatment of
the data related to that problem.
Writing a book involves making firm choices regarding its contents, and
this textbook is no exception. As mentioned previously, we tried to be as
progressive as possible in terms of statistical methods, with the constraint of
being as coherent and independent as possible in terms of sensory problems.
The book is divided into three main parts: 1) the quantitative approaches; 2)
the qualitative approaches; and 3) the affective approaches. Here, the notions
of “quantitative” and “qualitative” are not specifically linked to the statisti-
cal nature of the data, but rather to their sensory nature. In the first part
“Quantitative descriptive approaches”, products are evaluated in details ac-
cording to different sensory attributes, while in the second part, “Qualitative
descriptive approaches”, products are evaluated as a whole. In the third part,
“Affective descriptive approaches”, products are evaluated with respect to a
3 It can be noted that the second point incorporates two words (“sensory” and “data”)

which are inseparable from our point of view.

Preface xv

very special measure, i.e., the hedonic measure, and associated with the vast
notion of “ideal products.”
This organization of the parts may seem counterintuitive. Indeed, quali-
tative approaches are usually used to screen products and/or attributes, or
when a quick overview of the products is needed (such as in quality control or
overall product evaluation). De facto they are often used prior to quantitative
approaches, which aim to describe how products are perceived through the
human senses, and to provide the so-called product profiles. Still, to be as
progressive and pedagogic as possible in terms of statistics, we fully assume
that choice for two reasons. First, from a practical point of view, starting
with the quantitative approach gives the scientists the chance to get famil-
iar with the book while reading something they can (most probably) already
relate to. Second, from a statistical point of view, it gives us the chance to
gradually increase difficulty throughout the book. Indeed, in the first part,
we introduce the notion of a model with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), as
well as fundamental4 exploratory multivariate methods on quantitative data,
such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Multiple Factor Analysis
(MFA), in its most common usage. In the second part, models are getting
more complex with the Bradley–Terry and Thurstonian models, as well as
multivariate methods, with Correspondence Analysis (CA), Multiple Corre-
spondence Analysis (MCA), and MFA applied to contingency tables. Finally,
the third part is probably the most complex one, since to get meaningful in-
formation, methods have to be combined. It is, for example, the case with
linear (or PLS) regression and PCA to create external preference maps.
Nevertheless, within each part, this textbook is driven by sensory issues:
as soon as a sensory issue is put forward, the most appropriate statistical
methods to answer that issue are presented. To facilitate the reading, their
explanations and outputs are limited to the required essentials. Consequently,
to fully appreciate the richness of a statistical method and its outputs, the
reader must often refer to different chapters.
However, our choices should not go against scientists’ needs. For that rea-
son, we made the different parts as independent as possible so they are able to
draw their own reading path. To do so, we decided to be as consistent as pos-
sible in the writing of the different chapters. Throughout this textbook, each
chapter corresponds to one main sensory topic. Chapters are all structured in
a similar way: they all start with a first section called Data, sensory issues,
notations, which presents the nature of the sensory evaluation and its objec-
tives. This section also develops the sensory particularities/issues related to
the sensory evaluation, provides details about the data set thus obtained (in
terms of statistical individuals, variables, etc.), and introduces the statistical
analyses required. In the second section called In practice, the tailored statis-
tical analyses mentioned, as well as their key outputs and interpretation, are
presented in more detail. More precisely, the way such analyses are performed
4 From our point of view, “forming a necessary base or core.”
xvi Analyzing Sensory Data with R

in R is presented step by step through real life examples. In the third section
called For experienced users, variants or extensions of the methods presented
are proposed. These variants or extensions can be related to the sensory task
itself, to the statistical methodology, or (in most cases) to both. Finally, since
the book is meant to be pedagogic, various exercises and recommended read-
ings are proposed in sections four and five of each chapter. These exercises and
readings aim at getting readers more accustomed to the sensory evaluations,
the sensory data, the statistical analyses, and with R. These readings and ex-
ercises are used to feed the readers’ curiosity, as they are useful complements
to the chapters.
Although R is the tool used for the statistical analysis, we do not assume
that readers are fluent in this programming language. Hence, the R code used
in the various chapters is detailed and commented on throughout the book.
For R-beginners, an additional section introducing R is given in the Appendix.
Without the pretense of making readers R-experts, this book still should give
them enough knowledge to 1) be familiar with this programming language,
2) provide a good reference list of useful functions, 3) give them the aptitude
to analyze and interpret sensory data, and 4) readapt the code to their own
needs.
In addition, there is a blog dedicated to the analysis of sensory data with
R at http://www.sensorywithr.org. This is the website we are making ref-
erence to throughout the book, as it contains all the data sets used in the
different exercises, as well as the solutions.
Acknowledgments

This book would not have been possible without the help of others. Amongst
these people, we are grateful to Rob Calver, Sarah Gelson, Robin Lloyd-
Starkes, and Shashi Kumar for their support, their help, and their dedication.
We are happy to thank all the students who collected almost all the data
sets used in this textbook.
And, of course, we are more than happy to thank Jérôme Pagès, François
Husson, and Marine Cadoret: without these main contributors in terms of
methodology and development, it would have been impossible to write the
book.

Last but not least, the authors would like to thank their families, in partic-
ular Betina and Virginie, for their understanding and their endless support.

xvii
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 Part I

Quantitative descriptive
approaches
Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
 “Effie has sent out regular invitations. Yours is on the mantel in
the sitting room, Isabel. We forgot to give your mail to you last
night. She found out that the boys were thinking of it, so got up
these cute invitations. They say, ‘Ye Old Time Sledding Party’ and
run on in a quaint way, leaving the date unsettled till snow time. Her
brother is going to call up the boys when the snow is right and they
are ready for us.”
“Meanwhile,” said Milton, “it is up to us to get our girls engaged
ahead. May I have the pleasure of your company, Miss Hope?”
“Listen to that!” exclaimed Will, while Virgie looked, surprised and
flushing a little at this invitation. “I was going to ask her myself. This
is no place to ask a girl to a party—at the breakfast table before the
rest of us are awake!”
“I believe in efficiency,” said Milton, offering Virgie a piece of hot
toast. “Make your plans early and lose no time in carrying them out.”
A great clatter was heard on the stairs. Whiz! Norman slid down
the bannisters and Edwin followed. In a moment Norman appeared,
and Edwin’s delicate face was thrust inside the door as he peeped at
the girls.
“Come on in, Edwin,” said Isabel. “Norman, I thought you were
too old to slide down bannisters.”
“Seems to me I remember a girl that did it not so very long ago,”
said Norman, who had already greeted Virginia.
“That was before I went to Greycliff and learned better.”
The others were through with their late breakfast, but Isabel
waited to help Aunt Helen prepare something for the two younger
boys, while Will, Milton and Lou accompanied Virginia into the sitting
room. This was a new experience to Virginia, “so many boys all nice
to her at once,” as she said to Isabel. Milton, who remembered
Isabel’s early description of Virginia, said to her in private, “Why
didn’t you tell us she was good-looking?”
“Why, I never thought about her looks. But she certainly has
changed from when she came to Greycliff. She was half sick then,
and her clothes didn’t fit her. Now she is happy, and well, and her
hair is glossy and thick. I believe Virgie is almost pretty.”
 “She looks as if she had some sense. I like her. But I did that on
purpose to get ahead of old Will.”
“Don’t worry. Virgie isn’t going to think you are in love with her
because you ask her to a party. I told her you would all be good to
her and I knew I could count on you to make her have a good time.”
“She shall have it,” said Milton as he went off whistling.
Virginia had intended to keep a little diary of events on her visit.
But they moved too quickly for that. The snow came that had been
promised by the weather man. Bundled in wraps, robes and hay, the
gay sled load of young folks sped to their destination in the country,
to the tune of sleigh bells. The party in town came off duly, a day or
two before Christmas. The boys had been making skis in the wood-
shed and kitchen and Virginia and Isabel had had their suspicions.
Sure enough, on Christmas morning each girl had a fine pair, marked
“Christmas greetings from the boys.”
It was hard to leave such a home full of cheer and Virginia was
especially pleased to have Mr. Hunt tell her how much it had added
to their Christmas time to have her with them. Every boy was at the
train to see them off to Greycliff again. “Promise to come back next
summer,” said Milton.
“If I can,” Virginia assured him. “Oh, Isabel,” said she, as the train
carried them farther and farther away, “what a wonderful time I
have had!”
“What did you like best?” asked Isabel.
“The folks, and the nice times you all have together. The parties
were just great, but I liked the times in the kitchen when we were
cracking nuts or making candy. Your brothers are handy at
everything.”
“We’ve had to help Aunt Helen so much. Father and Jim made us
in the beginning. Now we hire help, though, to come in and do the
heavy cleaning. But it takes so much money to keep me at Greycliff
and help the two boys through college. Lou will go next year, you
know.”
“It was such a help to talk with them about things I could do to
help out with my funds.” Virginia thought, too, with satisfaction, of
the boxes of homemade candy which were on their way to Greycliff
by the same train.
“You couldn’t do the things they do, of course, but it is fun to talk
it over.”
“That recipe of your Aunt Helen’s is better than mine for the nut
candy. I think the candy will keep soft longer. I feel as if I ought to
pay her for it.”
“She was so glad to have a hand in it. Now we are going to
charge enough for this candy to make what we ought to on it. Now,
remember, and don’t get soft-hearted and give it away. I say ‘we,’
even if you would insist on buying all the materials. You see I’m
interested in this business of yours.”
“You forget all those hickory nuts and walnuts that Milton insisted
on cracking and picking out. I think that Edwin and Norman
gathered most of them, didn’t they?”
“Yes, but they had such a lot that they would never get eaten.
They don’t make candy except when I’m home. Oh, once in a while
Aunt Helen does. But it isn’t good for Edwin, and we have to be so
careful about him. I’m afraid he will be sick after our Christmas
celebrations.”
“I hope not. Well, I’ll remember, Isabel, at least about this
particular candy, that it is very valuable, and charge enough to the
girls. This candy represents a great deal more than just sugar and
nuts!”
 CHAPTER XII
WITH THE NORTHS

Lilian scarcely knew how to feel about these vacation days. It was
so strange not to be going back to the old home. Yet she was happy,
too, to be entering the new experience of a home in the same city
with Cathalina, to say nothing of Philip, whom she would see at this
holiday time. Judge and Mrs. North had taken an apartment
temporarily, perhaps permanently, though both were missing the
freedom and space of their former home. It was, however, much
easier for Mrs. North to look after a compact apartment than the big
two-story and attic place which had been theirs for so many years.
“It seems that I never can have a visit from you, Lil,” said Hilary,
on the day of departure from Greycliff. “Last year it was one thing;
this year something else.”
“Mother scarcely had any visit with me last summer, you know,”
said Lilian.
“Yes, I know, and there are other attractions in New York as well,”
and Hilary looked at Lilian with a quizzical little smile.
“I understand that somebody nice is coming to Cincinnati, too,”
said Lilian.
“Maybe,” assented Hilary. “Campbell said that he was trying hard
to plan it. He will just stop off, you know.”
“Oh, certainly—just accidentally call around, as it were.”
Hilary laughed. “Not very accidentally, I guess.”
“Ready, Lilian?” called Cathalina. “There is the ’bus.”
“Coming!”
Arrived in New York, the girls found two brothers to meet them,
Richard North and Philip Van Buskirk, with Phil’s car. Phil was driving,
and it must be confessed that he paid more attention to Lilian than
to Cathalina, whom he left to Richard, putting Lilian next to himself
in the car. Richard and Cathalina exchanged an amused glance, then
dismissed Lilian and Philip from their thoughts and had a good visit,
while Richard told Cathalina about the North affairs and his good
success in the office.
“I think that I am in luck,” said he, “to step into a firm in this city
with every chance of making good. And you may be interested in
knowing that we have our eyes on another young man. He has been
reading with another lawyer a little, but we think that we may be
able to offer sufficient inducement to get him to come with us.”
Richard’s lips curved into a smile. How he enjoyed using that “we”!
And Cathalina was all interest, for she knew a young man who was
studying law, going to law school when he could, or reading with a
lawyer.
“Of course Dad and his old friends will be in the game for a long
time, but they want a pair of us young chaps, and I’d like to work
with Van Horne.”
“Captain Van Horne!”
“Yes. I met him at your house, you know.”
“I’ve only seen him a few times since school began, and he didn’t
say anything about it.”
“He doesn’t know it, but I feel that he will consider it an
opportunity, and if he comes to New York on his vacation, I’ll have
him meet my father and his friend.”
“Is your other sister coming to spend Christmas with you? Lilian
said that no one had mentioned it, nor answered her questions
about it.”
“We have been so busy that I judge Mother hasn’t written very
fully to anybody, and I have not written at all. No, it is too far to
bring the kiddies in cold weather, and there is a little baby this year.”
Philip, meanwhile, was making arrangements to see as much as
possible of Lilian during the vacation. “I don’t know how many family
parties they are arranging for this time,” Philip was saying, “but
unless you are invited, too, I don’t expect to be among those
present. Now, have you any special plans for your time?” Philip was
watching the traffic, but his voice was eager.
“No, I haven’t, Philip, except to be with Father and Mother and
Dick on Christmas Day, and go to church with them on Sundays.”
“Good. Now, could you let me take you to a lot of things that are
going on? There is some music that I know you will enjoy. Suppose I
come over this evening with the ‘program,’ and let you make the
dates ahead.”
Lilian turned to look at Philip and met a glance that made her
drop her eyes. “Do come, Phil,” she said, “I shall be delighted to see
you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t say ‘we,’ Lilian,” replied Philip. “And I’d really
like to carry you off somewhere tonight, for some ices and cake or
something—anything, you know, so we can talk. After I’ve seen the
family, of course. Are you too tired?”
“No, indeed. I think it’s lovely of you to want to make me have
such a good time.”
“I’m not altogether unselfish, Lilian,” said Philip with a laugh. “I’ve
been looking forward to this vacation. I enjoyed having you at our
house, but there were so many other people around that I had to
play host to. Now there isn’t anybody else?”
“Where is Ann Maria?” asked Lilian, mischievously.
“At Aunt Katherine’s, as usual. Why, Lilian!” exclaimed Philip, as he
began to understand the meaning of her question. “Did you—do you
think I care especially for Ann Maria?”
But before Lilian could answer that question, Cathalina leaned
forward with some remark to Philip, and then they had arrived in
front of the apartment building. Saying to both Lilian and Dick that
he planned to “run over” in the evening, Philip drove off with
Cathalina to the Van Buskirk home, where welcome waited for
Cathalina.
Lilian’s heart was not beating in quite normal fashion as Philip
asked that last question, but as she rode up in the elevator with Dick
she put the matter temporarily out of her mind, and prepared to
meet her dear people.
 “Oh, what a dear apartment!” she exclaimed, after the first
greetings were over. “And here are all our nice old things, Father’s
law books and all, and grandmother’s old mahogany. Why, it seems
like home, after all. I guess home is chiefly folks and a few of the
things you love. And it will be so easy to do things here.”
“I found a good woman to come twice a week, and the rest I shall
do myself. Come, see the new gas range; and Father and Dick have
brought in all sorts of electrical utensils, toaster, grill—here they are.
But when you have rested, I want to hear you sing.”
“Oh, yes. You know I could not keep away from the piano, my
beloved piano!—and I have all sorts of pretty new things. Some of
them my teacher gave me, and some of them I just picked up from
hearing what the other girls sang. Eloise and I have been getting
some pretty duets. I thought perhaps Philip and I might sing
together, too.”
“Has Philip written to you steadily, Lilian?” asked her mother.
“Yes, about every week.”
“You are pretty young, daughter, for anything serious.”
“Yes, I know it.”
“Are you sure that it may not be Philip’s fine home, and stylish
clothing, and the free way in which he can spend money that are
attractive?”
“Mother, Philip would be himself, wouldn’t he, if he didn’t have
those things? And Phil is really gifted. The first minute we met we
began to talk and haven’t it all said yet. He plays wonderfully, and I
guess he could make a living at that if he didn’t have any money.
Then he has so much good sense, too, and is so interested in his
father’s business. He asked me to let him write an accompaniment
for that little lullaby I made up, and sang for them last summer, and
I’m just crazy to try it. He has it finished, he says. Just wait till you
see him. He is coming over to see me tonight. Or perhaps you have
met him?”
“No. Mrs. Van Buskirk told me that he would arrive last night. We
were invited out there last week. I shall be glad to see the boy who
is so interested in my little girl, but I scarcely know what to think
about it, Lilian.”
“I don’t believe you need worry, Mother. But I like Philip, better
than any boy I know. And he seems so grown up now.”
“This is his last year in college, isn’t it?”
“Yes; and he told me last summer that if we get into the war he
has promised his father to finish out the year anyway. Have you met
Mrs. Van Ness and the Stuarts and the rest?”
“Yes, a number of the relatives. We put our letters in the church,
too, and have met some fine people there. But I have been so busy
getting settled that I have had time to think of little else. Several
times Mrs. Van Buskirk has telephoned and brought the car around
for me. We had lunch together, and went shopping for the
apartment. She is charming.”
“Indeed she is, and I know she is thinking the same thing of you.
Just wait till I see her. About the first thing she will say is, ‘My dear,
what a lovely woman your mother is!’”
Mrs. North laughed. “I am considerably older than she, I think.”
“I don’t know about that. You may be a grandmother, but I
scarcely think that our Margery is so much older than Philip.”
“Oh, yes, Lilian. Margery is twenty-five, and has been married four
years.”
“That is only a few years older, anyhow. She seems older because
of the three babies.”
Evening came, and Philip. Lilian did not know just where she
might be taken, but dressed for evening and laid out her pretty new
evening wrap, over which she had gone into raptures. It was to have
been a Christmas present, but learning of Philip’s plans for Lilian,
Mrs. North had decided to give it in advance. For a cruel parent, who
did not approve of anything serious in the line of love and marriage
for Lilian in the near future, Mrs. North was taking a great deal of
interest! “But if you are going around so much this vacation, I
suppose you will need it now,” she said.
Although Philip was so accustomed to meeting people, he felt
some measure of embarrassment when he met Lilian’s parents.
Judge North he knew, and Dick, but Mrs. North would appraise him,
he felt, as he came to call upon her daughter so definitely. However,
he intended to make a general visit as well, and in the pleasant
atmosphere of hospitality, with many things in common as subjects
of conversation, Philip’s embarrassment soon passed. Lilian’s piano,
newly tuned, had to be tried, and Philip surprised Mrs. North, as
people were wont to be surprised when they heard him play. Dick
left soon to meet an engagement, and as Philip finished the
accompaniment he was playing for Lilian, he whispered, “Shall we
go?”
“We are leaving, now, folks,” announced Lilian, bowing to her
father’s applause. “Did you like that, Father?”—starting to get her
wraps as she spoke.
It was the little electric coupé that was parked outside. “Isn’t this
fine!” exclaimed Philip as he tucked the robes around Lilian. “Are we
really by ourselves going off somewhere? Where would you like to
go?”
“I haven’t an idea,” said Lilian. “Anywhere.”
“That is the way I feel about it,” said Philip, “only in a different
degree, I fear me. As long as I have you, the place is immaterial.
And before we start I want to ask you what you meant by asking me
where Ann Maria was. And you did not answer my question.”
“I couldn’t, you know.”
“Yes, I know. But you will answer me now, won’t you?”
“Let me see; what was it?”
Philip hesitated. “Some way, I think you know, don’t you? I asked
you if you thought that I cared for Ann Maria.”
“You said ‘especially’.”
“Yes, I thought you would remember!”
“I have been trying to think, Philip, how I would answer that.
Because, you see, I should not have asked the first question. I did
think, Philip,” continued Lilian, honestly, “that you must care for her,
or that there had been some special affection between you.”
“Was it anything that I did?” asked Philip.
 “It was more her manner, a sort of taking possession of you. But I
must apologize for referring to it at all. It isn’t any of my affair.”
“Oh, it isn’t?” said Philip hopelessly. “Then you didn’t suppose I
meant anything when I talked to you in the pine grove at
Merrymeeting, or other times?”
“I—I didn’t know—what to think about it all.”
“Cathalina could have told you all about Ann Maria.”
“I didn’t ask her.”
“Didn’t you care enough?”
“Oh, Philip, can’t you understand how a girl feels? I couldn’t!”
“I could; I asked Cathalina all about those boys in your home
town, and at the military school.”
“That is very different.”
“I haven’t gone at it in the right way, I suppose. But you are a
friend of mine anyhow, aren’t you?”
“I should think I am!” Lilian laughed.
“As far as Ann Maria is concerned, I never have made love to Ann
Maria and never shall, but that’s what I am trying to do to you! I
thought at first that I ought not to do it. I thought your father and
mother would not like to have you in love with me, and perhaps I
ought not to try to make you like me. Then the prospect of our
getting into the war made me think so all the more. But, Lilian, I
can’t stand it. If I go to war and get all shot up I’ll not let you marry
me, but I must know whether you can love me a little or not. You
are the only girl on earth for me, and I want a chance to be with you
this week. I’m asking you to marry me, sweetheart, and I want you
to think it over and let me know before the vacation is over.” Philip’s
earnest eyes looked into Lilian’s. He evidently had no idea of the
high regard in which Lilian held him, for he spoke as if she might
have to consider the matter of her affections for some time.
“You take my breath away, Philip,” said Lilian.
“Yes?” inquired Philip. “I’d like to run away with you this minute,”
he added. “But the idea of an elopement might not strike you!” Philip
had started the little car by this time, and they rolled easily along.
“I’m taking you to a quiet little French place where we shall have
good things to eat and fine service.”
Over the little table where they sat a long time to visit, Lilian said:
“Philip, since you have said so much tonight, and put an end to
some of my worries, I want to tell you that you need not be so
humble about my liking you.”
“Lilian!” exclaimed Philip under his breath, his eyes lighting up.
“Yes, I believe I’ll tell you how horribly jealous I’ve been of Ann
Maria.”
“Honestly? Was that why some of your letters were so cool?”
“Were they? Yes, I suppose so. I’ve trusted you most of the time,
though.”
“And you do altogether now?”
“Oh, yes. But you are right about the folks. I’m afraid Mother will
think I’m too young to be engaged to you.”
“But how about you, Lilian?”
“I seem to feel pretty grown up, Philip.”
“What does that mean?”
“I can’t imagine any one, Philip, as fine as you are, and in spite of
all the common sense I’ve tried to bring to bear upon the subject,
thinking that perhaps you did not care for me anyhow, and that
Father and Mother would say I couldn’t be married for a long, long
time—some way——” Lilian hesitated and blushed, while Philip
leaned toward her in anxious anticipation. “Please don’t stop,” he
urged whimsically.
“Well, Philip,” Lilian continued soberly, “we seem to belong to each
other, just naturally. And I will confess, too, that the best thing about
this vacation was that I should see you again!”
“Lilian!” exclaimed Philip again. They were talking in undertones,
while playing with their fast melting ice-cream, for the room was
warm, if it was winter outside. “I had no idea that I was going to be
made so happy this first night of your coming. I thought perhaps I
could persuade you, if I tried hard enough! Indeed, I have had the
feeling that we belonged to each other, but I scarcely hoped that it
might be mutual. Will you have something else?” The waiter was
approaching again.
“Nothing more,” said Lilian.
“I’ve something to show you when we get in the car,” said Philip,
as with grace he ushered out his lady love. “Oh—I believe I’ll wait till
we get home. There is too much to say. You are the most wonderful
girl not to keep me worrying all week.”
“When you love people, you don’t want them to be unhappy,” said
Lilian.
When they reached the apartment house again and the car was
drawn up to the curb, Philip reached in his pocket, drew out a little
package and slowly opened it. He took out something, while Lilian
gasped in astonishment. “You will think me rather assured of the
final outcome, I am afraid, but I wanted to persuade myself that it
would be all right, you see. I went into Tiffany’s yesterday. Now the
hand, Lilian.”
 CHAPTER XIII
THE RING

When Lilian entered the apartment at the hall door, she peeped
into the front room and saw her father working at his desk. Her
mother had evidently retired. She knew better than to disturb her
father when he was working on a case. He would be patient, but it
was a real interruption at such times. She only tapped gently on the
door, saying, “Good-night, Father, I’m in,” and waited till he turned
his head, nodded and smiled, and turned again to his work. “I’m
afraid he will forget, as he does sometimes, and then Mother will
wake up and ask him if I’m in. I believe I’ll leave my wraps inside
the door—there. If anybody does any prowling around, they’ll see
my wraps.” With which ungrammatical remark, Miss North retired to
her room, but not to sleep—yet. She had been so engrossed in the
words and presence of her lover that she had not yet half looked at
the ring, though she had seen that it was beautiful. Turning on her
light, she held up her hand with the flashing gem upon it. “Oh, you
dear Philip boy,” she said, “to get that exquisite thing for me!” But
Lilian was big enough to value more than the clear diamond the
sincere love of the giver, and slipped into her warm nest under the
blankets to lie awake a long time, and go over the new, sweet story
that Philip had told her once and again. Her little prayer was one of
gratitude and her last thought was, “I shall see Philip tomorrow.”
In the morning, Mrs. North tapped on Lilian’s door and came in to
visit with her. Lilian gave her mother a warm hug and then slipped
her left hand into her mother’s. “Look!” said she.
“Oh, Lilian—just what I was afraid of!”
“Is it so dreadful, Mother?”
“Oh, no, my child, but you are so young to be engaged.”
 “Not if you are sure, Mother. Besides we do not intend to be
married for some time. I am not so terribly young, either. And I don’t
see what possible objection you could have to Philip.”
Mrs. North smiled. “I liked him very much. He is unusually
attractive, and his face is good as well as handsome.”
“That’s a dear mother! But I accepted the ring, Mother, with the
understanding that if you and Father felt too bad about it I would
not wear it, and we would not announce the engagement. But we
can’t help caring for each other. I tried not to, because I thought
Philip liked Ann Maria; and he was so polite to everybody that I
thought his attentions to me might not mean anything.”
“Well, little girl, I’ll talk to your father, and see what he says. It
was very dear of you to be willing to wait in regard to the ring, and
the acknowledged engagement.” Mrs. North kissed Lilian, patted the
little hand that wore the ring, and went out to talk to her husband.
“What do you think, Father?”
The judge considered a moment. “How old is Lilian?”
“Eighteen last month. And girls aren’t as grown up now as they
used to be.”
“Oh, yes, they are. They just go to school longer. Well, Mother, I’d
rather this hadn’t happened right now, of course. On the other hand,
this young fellow has the qualities that would always appeal to
Lilian; he is a good, clean boy, and will have means enough to
support her. A father always has to think of that, you know. He is
going into business with his father, unless that war over in Europe
finally gets all our young men. It looks as if we should be in it pretty
soon. How do you think Lilian would feel if she were not engaged to
Philip and he goes to France?”
“She would probably be better satisfied to be openly engaged to
him, for she seems to care for him so much. But how is one to
know!”
“How does anybody know? How old were you when we were
married, Mother?”
“Twenty.”
 “And we had been engaged a year. This is not so much worse, is
it?”
“No, I suppose not.”
“You talk it over with Lilian, Mother. Whatever you decide is
acceptable to me. I like the young man and the family, and we do
not want to spoil Lilian’s happiness. On the other hand, I do not like
long engagements, if they can be avoided. Lilian has two or three
years of school, Philip this one, and then business—or war.”
“So the learned judge wants his wife to decide after all.”
“Yes. I get enough experience in that line.”
At breakfast they all talked on general topics. Dick had had Louise
Van Ness out to a concert the night before, and reported on the
program, asking Lilian where she and Philip had gone. Plans for
Christmas and New Year’s were discussed. Lilian had taken off the
ring before coming to the table. No need to tell Dick until the matter
was decided. Judge North and Richard departed for the city in due
time, while Lilian and her mother were making the “house” neat.
Lilian told her mother the latest news from Greycliff, with much
interesting chatter about the Psyche Club, Virgie’s plans, the class
work, and other activities. Very sweet and womanly was Lilian this
morning. Finally, each found some bit of Christmas handwork to do,
and sat down in the living room to discuss the important topic.
“I am trying to think it out, Lilian,” said Mrs. North. “I think that
you know how I feel about it. We realize that it is important and
serious to you both, and something about which you will finally
decide yourselves. And both your father and I appreciate your fine
attitude of consulting with us, and listening to our advice for the
present. Your happiness and welfare are our first concern. Do you
think that if you wear the ring this one happy week among the
relatives, you could lay it off during the rest of the school year at
Greycliff? I feel pretty sure that Miss Randolph would prefer it. I
want you to be a real school girl this year, yet now it is too late to go
back to the old relation with Philip. Do you think that you can get
your lessons as well?”
 “Oh, yes! I’ll not be worrying about Ann Maria now, especially if I
may wear the ring here!”
Lilian had scarcely finished her sentence when the telephone
sounded, and she dropped her work into her chair while she ran to
answer it. There was somebody at the other end of the line who
brought out a pleased smile on Lilian’s face as she listened. “Oh,
yes, we are up, and just sitting working on Christmas things. How
can I answer that over the telephone? Yes, I think you’d better come
over at once. All right, wait a minute—Mother, can we go out to
lunch with Philip?”
“Most happy,” said her mother.
“Yes, Philip, she will; says ‘Most happy.’ Yes, it is pretty nearly all
right. Come over and talk to her about it. Very well. Goodbye.”
Lilian came back smiling mischievously. “I told him to come over
and talk it over with you. He is afraid to do it, I know.”
“Naughty child, you know that I can’t say anything disagreeable
to him.”
“You won’t want to. Philip Van Buskirk is warranted to melt the
hardest heart.”
“Yours, my daughter, was not hard to begin with!”
“It was adamant to every suitor till Philip appeared on the scene!
Picture, if you can, the mid-Victorian Lilian scorning her suitors, but
fainting in the arms of the true hero.”
“What is the name of your melodrama?”
“The Cruel Parent, or the Fate of Lilian North.”
Lilian was her gay self. Philip was coming. Her parents liked him,
however doubtful they might be of the wisdom of an engagement.
There would be more than a week in which to wear the beautiful
ring. This itself would announce to the circle of Philip’s relatives the
new relation. Then she and Philip could write during the months of
separation, while they finished the school year. There would be
vacations and all sorts of good times ahead. What a lovely world—
for Philip loved her!
It took a little courage on Philip’s part to arrange this luncheon,
but no effort was too great to win and please Lilian’s mother.
Cathalina had heard him telephoning, the last few sentences, as she
came into the library where he was. “Wasn’t that Lilian?” she asked.
“Yes, dear sister; I am inviting Mrs. and Miss North to go out to
lunch with me.”
“Not going to ask us, too?” asked Cathalina, a little surprised.
“Not this time, Kit; the combination would be too much under the
circumstances.”
“What do you mean, Philly?”
“I’ll tell you. Come over here, Cathalina.”
Philip led Cathalina to the window-seat where he and Lilian had
visited more than once, during the house party of the previous
summer.
“Cathalina, I asked Lilian to marry me last night.”
“Oh, Philip. And did she say she would?”
“Yes, but she wasn’t sure what her father and mother would think
about her being engaged so young. She has heard them discuss
those matters. I don’t know what she has said to her mother about
it, and, of course, her father will not be home until night; but I
couldn’t stand it to wait, so I called up and asked Lilian and her
mother to go to lunch with me. Don’t you hope Mrs. North will be
good to me?”
“Don’t worry. She will, I’m sure. Does Mother know?”
“I told her the other day that I was in love with Lilian, but I think
that it was no news to her. I suppose she saw it last summer.”
“Were you really, Philip, last summer?”
“Indeed I was.”
“It is so dear of you to tell me about it. I thought when you asked
me about whether Lilian cared much for those other boys that you
must care a good deal, and I have been so glad that Lilian liked you.
I could tell.”
“That was more than I could. But it’s all right now. How will you
like Lilian for a sister?”
“She is lovely, and we girls that live with her know. You are both
crazy about music, and both—Oh, everything is perfect about it. I’m
crazy to see her. But I don’t wonder you want to have them to lunch
alone till you know how you stand with Mrs. North. Are you going to
tell Mother about it?”
“Right away, before I go.”
“That is good—I think that she will be pleased.”
“Mothers are not always so pleased, but she likes Lilian; she told
me so.”
The luncheon went off successfully, Philip and Mrs. North feeling a
little more at home together. That evening, also, Philip appeared
again at the apartment, and Judge North took his hand at the door.
Putting his other hand on Philip’s shoulder, he asked. “Is this the
young man that wants to marry my little girl?”
“Yes, sir,” said Philip promptly and with dignity.
“Well, you could do worse!” concluded the judge, to Philip’s
astonishment and amusement. The judge laughed, too, saying,
“Here, Lilian, tell him what your mother’s conclusions are. We men
have small chance, Philip, small chance,” and Judge North shook his
head, pretending to be very solemn.
Lilian had her wraps at hand, for Philip was taking her to an
entertainment. It was to be Broadway tonight.
Cathalina was over the next morning, The girls had an exciting
visit in Lilian’s room, talking over the great event, looking at the ring
which expressed so much, and recalling past incidents.
“Do you remember that time when Philip arrived at camp just in
time to see you beat me in tennis?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Campbell told me then that Phil had a difficult problem on his
hands, choosing between his sister and ‘best girl,’ but he thought
that the ‘best girl’ stood first.”
“You don’t care, do you, Cathalina?”
“Not a bit. It is different, Lilian. Now I might fall in love myself,
you know. And I’ll have Phil for a brother to be proud of always. This
is so romantic; but you ought to have a great deal more of trouble,
to have it like a story, you know.”
 “I’ve had all the worries I want, Cathalina Van Buskirk, and it is
terrible that I can’t wear his ring all the time!”
“But just think what a sensation it will make at the Christmas
gathering at our house.”
“Am I going to be there?”
“Of course you are. Aren’t you going to be in the family? Two
years ago when Hilary was visiting me, Cousin John had his
sweetheart there. And I know a secret about Christmas, too. Phil
told me. If you can’t wear a ring because it marks you as engaged,
you can wear something else, can’t you?”
“Why, yes! I hadn’t thought of that. I wonder what it is. Can I
wear it all the time?”
“Yes, if you want to.”
“He oughtn’t to give me anything more. The ring takes my breath
away, as Phil did last night. Do you think I’m silly, Cathalina?”
“No, Lilian. It would be dreadful, with Phil thinking so much of
you, if you could not care for him.”
“I wish old Hilary were here. I wrote her a tiny note this morning,
before you came.”
“She ought to be at the family dinner, too, but I imagine it won’t
be many years before she will. Campbell was struck with her that
very time. We shall miss Campbell. I suspect that he is on his way to
Cincinnati now. But I suppose you know all about their plans.”
“Hilary and I are very confidential, of course, but Hilary is shy
about her love affair, and does not say much about Campbell. She
writes him a long letter every week, though, and I think he writes
oftener.”
Mrs. Van Buskirk came alone to call on Lilian and her mother that
very afternoon. She was sweet and motherly to Lilian, and expressed
her pleasure in the arrangement. The entire North family were
invited to the family dinner at the Van Buskirk’s on Christmas
evening, but Mrs. North felt uncertain about herself and the judge,
for Christmas was a home day to Judge North. Lilian promised to be
there, and Mrs. Van Buskirk told her laughingly that indeed she could
not help herself, for Philip would be after her. Richard would speak
for himself later.
The North home was well decorated these vacation days, for
Philip either brought or sent flowers every day. Mrs. North insisted
that Lilian’s health would be undermined by the extravagant boxes of
candy which came, and new music, both classic and “rag-time,”
found its place upon Lilian’s piano. Such a happy time it was. Philip
accompanied Lilian, or at the Van Buskirk’s Cathalina accompanied
them both, or Lilian played a violin obligato while Philip sang and
Cathalina was at the piano.
On the night of the customary Christmas gathering, Philip drove
over early for the Norths. The judge had concluded to go. “We might
as well get acquainted with the relatives, Mother,” said he. Lilian had
been at home with them for the day, and Philip had been over only
once, bringing another little tribute early in the morning and saying
his “Merry Christmas” to them all. Judge North stated once or twice
that they were going to miss Philip as much as Lilian when the
vacation ended. “Philip is getting to be a habit,” said he. The most
fragrant pink roses of all that Philip had sent came for Lilian to wear
to the family dinner.
They found the Van Nesses there when they arrived. Little
Charlotte, older but just as pretty and spoiled, seized upon Philip at
once and was greatly taken with Lilian. “Are you one of our
cousins?” she asked.
“She is going to be, Charlotte,” replied Philip for Lilian. “Sit here
between us and I’ll tell you about it.”
“Oh, yes! It will be like Juliet and John. Do you like her, Philip?”
“I should think I do, Charlotte.”
“Do you like Philip, Lilian?”
“Do you, Charlotte?”
“Oh, everybody likes Philip. Of course I do.”
“So do I.”
Meeting so many aunts, uncles, and cousins was somewhat
exciting to Lilian, though she enjoyed it. But she knew how
interested they all were in Philip’s choice. Many of the younger
people she had met in the summer, and they greeted her as an old
friend. Naturally graceful, and of a frank, friendly disposition, Lilian
gained the approval of the assembled family. Ann Maria saw the
flashing ring at once, and asked Philip if congratulations were in
order. When he replied that they were she said, “Then you have
mine, Philip,” and went up to Lilian, saying in a low tone, “Welcome
into the family, Lilian.”
Nothing but the ring and Lilian’s presence indicated the
engagement, but Mrs. Van Buskirk was especially thoughtful of Lilian
and saw that she met all the friends at this annual family reunion.
There were several packages for Lilian on the Christmas tree, among
them the gift from Philip to which Cathalina had referred.
Philip stood near as Lilian opened the package, so prettily tied.
“Your chains,” he explained gravely. “Let me put them on, please.”
“‘My chains!’ Oh!” Lilian laughed, as she took from the cotton two
dainty gold circlets for her wrist. “Bracelets—how delicate and pretty.
You have the most exquisite taste, Philip.” Cathalina came up just
then, and Lilian held up her wrist, shaking her arm. “Hear them
clank, Cathalina? Phil says these are my chains.”
“They are what I said you could wear all the time, you know,” said
Cathalina.
“I shall, day and night.”
 CHAPTER XIV
SKIING ON HIGH HILL

When the girls gathered again at Greycliff after the winter

vacation, there was much to tell. Lilian and Hilary exchanged
confidences, and Cathalina told Betty all about her vacation days,
and the romance surrounding Philip and Lilian. Lilian had left her
ring at home with her mother, for safe keeping and lest she be
tempted to wear it. But her “chains” she wore constantly, and took
great comfort in the thought that Philip considered them quite as
binding as a ring. She was quite sober at times, plunged into her
work with determination, finding time, however, for two long letters
a week to Philip, and wrote more poetry than ever.
Virginia’s candy went off like hot cakes, as she said, giving her a
comfortable little sum to begin on. She planned to make more of the
popular varieties every Saturday. In a talk with Miss Randolph, she
was assured that she might pay over what she had at the beginning
of the next semester, and wait to settle finally until the end. This
relieved her mind of all immediate worry, for there was a prospect of
her winning one of the prizes. Affairs might prove better with her
father also, by that time, and meanwhile she would earn and save all
she could. She had a complete outfit for mending, with all shades of
thread, silk or cotton, and plenty of darning cotton. Her business
descended upon her “like the wolf on the fold,” she said.
“Talk about one’s business growing! I don’t even need to
advertise. I didn’t know there were so many lazy girls that hate to
do anything for themselves!” Here Virginia cocked her head on one
side. “That isn’t really true, though, Isabel. I know all you girls have
planned to waste your pin money on me by having as much done as
possible. I’ll have to make a new schedule of hours, and see how
much time I can afford to spend on this without neglecting my
lessons.”
“And you must plan to take enough exercise, too, Virgie,” said
Isabel. “It wouldn’t pay to get sick.”
“No; but a little skating and skiing will give me what I need, with
the walking to and from class, and I want to get ahead on funds
while it is winter, before the lovely days come in the spring. I
thought perhaps I could get one of the bird prizes, too, for an
original description and a long bird list. Has the list of prizes been
posted yet?”
“I haven’t seen anything of it! I think it should be pretty soon,
though, if there is anything new, so we could be working toward it.”
“If I can just get the academy diploma I shall be partly satisfied. I
think I could get some country school to teach out near home,
where I could see Father occasionally, and perhaps I could go to
college later.”
“Cathalina told me that her Aunt Katherine talked last
Commencement time with Miss Randolph about some collegiate
scholarships to be offered by Cathalina’s father, just as they have in
high schools, you know. Now, if that happens, you will know that
they weren’t just established for you.”
“No, that would be all right. But Miss Randolph did not say a word
about anything like that.”
“Probably they aren’t ready to announce them yet, though you
would think that they would in the fall.”
“Not if the idea is new and undecided. I’m working as hard as I
can, anyhow, on all my lessons. You ought to get the first prize for
scholarship, Isabel. I shall not be a bit jealous of you. I have had too
much to make up; but if they give several scholarships I ought to
get one, I think.”
Betty had been up in Canada with her mother during the vacation,
and came back with stories of skating, skiing, and all sorts of winter
sports.
“We went on account of my aunt, you know. She is so worried
about the boys in France all the time, and is getting thin trying not
to show it. But I had the most wonderful time. I know so many of
the young folks up there.”
“Didn’t you ’most freeze?” asked Pauline. This was at the first
meeting of the Psyche Club in the beginning of the second week of
school.
“No, indeed; you dress for it. And I don’t see that it is so much
farther north than this, after all.”
“Did your skis get here, all right, girls?” asked Juliet, of Isabel and
Virginia.
“Yes. We tried walking on them Saturday. But I don’t see how we
are going to do much more than that!”
“I’ll show you,” offered Betty. “Do your brothers know how,
Isabel?”
“Pretty well. It’s a new sport in the town, and they haven’t any
very good hills there. I feel so clumsy with my skis on—don’t see
how you ever manage them.”
“It is like everything else, you have to learn. How did you learn to
stand up with skates on? Oh, it’s just wonderful when you learn to
take those jumps, with your pole to balance you—you feel as if you
are flying!”
“Until you come down!”
“Yes, but you learn to land just right. Of course, there will be
accidents, but if the snow is deep and soft it doesn’t hurt to take a
tumble once in a while. Let’s all go out and practice Saturday. Can
you spare the time, Virginia?”
“Oh, yes; I’ll have to take a little recreation on Saturdays. I’m
planning to make one or two batches of candy on Friday afternoon,
after classes.”
“I’ll help you with the nuts, Virgie,” said Isabel. “And if we get up
early Saturday, you can have your candy made and sold by noon. All
of us will be busy in the morning.”
“Speaking of skiing, girls,” said Lilian, “I have the most lovely
song. Perhaps you have seen it or heard it, Eloise. I learned it this
vacation. ‘My Lover, He Comes on the Skee,’ it is called. It is a
Norwegian love-song.”
 “No, I haven’t it,” said Eloise.
“We must try it, then.”
“Don’t expect me to play it for you,” said Cathalina, with a gesture
of dismissal as far as she was concerned. “It has an awful
accompaniment.”
“‘Awful!’” exclaimed Lilian. “It is beautiful—the most inspiring,
rippling thing!”
“I mean, my dear, that it is hard to play. Here it is,” said Cathalina,
lifting a pile of books to take the sheet of music from the table.
“Look at those runs, Hilary. Do you blame me? But Philip, of course,
played it easily.”
“The accompaniment is half of its attraction,” said Lilian, exhibiting
the song to Eloise, who was naturally interested and hummed the air
as they went through it. “You get a picture of the action in every
line, and I love it where it repeats ‘the wind in his wake is singing.’
Then, here at the end it is so effective.”
Cathalina turned to Hilary with a smile, saying aside, “‘I love thee’
is repeated several times, with growing emphasis! Of course she and
Philip sang that in unison! But it really is a glorious love-song, and
Lilian’s voice is so clear and full on it. No wonder she likes it. Phil
gave it to her. I don’t think it has been out very long.”
“Let’s go down to the Shakespearean Hall and try it over,”
suggested Isabel. “I have the key.”
“But who’ll play it?” asked Cathalina.
“Evelyn will try it, I know,” said Hilary. “She can play anything at
sight.”
“So can you, Hilary,” said loyal Lilian, “but it will be fine if Evelyn
will do it. Will you, Evelyn?”
“What is it?” asked Evelyn, who had been talking to Olivia. “Oh,
that? Yes, I know it. The voice teacher gave that to one of the senior
girls just before the holidays. I played the accompaniment for her
two or three times.”
For several days the girls hummed or sang the song, and made
ready to go skiing on “high hill,” as they called it, the hill back of
Greycliff’s buildings, which sloped away from the direction of the
river over a broad expanse of unfenced land. It was not steep
enough to be dangerous for the girls, the authorities had concluded,
and on Saturday afternoon a number of the girls gathered there,
some of them to learn, others to enjoy a sport to which they were
accustomed. There were, indeed, several hills from which to make a
start, and this proved good for the learners. They could practice
without getting in the way of the more experienced.
Isabel and Virginia were laughing over their various attempts, and
Betty was alternately showing them with great patience and
shooting down the hill herself, when a group of young men came
round from behind Greycliff, making for the brow of the hill. “Look!”
exclaimed one of the girls. “There are a lot of boys with their
German professor!”
“They have gotten permission at Greycliff to use the hill,” said
another. “Do you suppose we’ll have to go?”
“Of course not,” replied the first. “Miss Randolph knew we were
out here. Unless she sends for us, we can stay.”
More life was naturally infused into the scene when the boys
began to take part. Greetings were exchanged between those who
knew each other, and Captain Holley watched with interest the flying
figure of Betty, who happened to have started down hill before they
arrived. Hastily adjusting his own skis, he was next on the track and
arrived in time to help Betty uphill again. Poor Donald Hilton was
having trouble with his skis and watched the handsome young
officer, whom he now considered his rival with Betty, with rising
wrath. A graceful figure Rudolph Holley made as he started down
the long track again. His staff in air, he jumped as only a practised
performer could do, while Betty and the other girls watched
admiringly.
Betty was not aware how unsatisfactory her manner was to
Donald that afternoon. He came up to visit with her, and they
chatted together on different topics, but he found her too much
interested in skiing to permit of much visiting. She had no idea that
Donald had anything special on his mind, having asked him at first if
he had found out who had fixed his room before the military
reception. He had replied that one of the boys had owned up to it,
and she had taken that as final. Donald, however, had much more to
tell, but the circumstances were not propitious. Donald could do well
himself on the skis, but there was something the matter with one
this afternoon. He barely saved himself from a bad tumble the first
time, and considered that he had been about as awkward as a
beginner. This before Betty did not please him, particularly since
there was such a handsome expert in the group.
On Betty’s part there was her great love for winter sports. She
was much interested in Donald, liked him, felt happy when she was
with him, and had confidence in him. But she was not in love, in
spite of the romance of their first meeting. Probably neither Donald
nor Betty had analyzed their feelings at this stage. It was youth and
young romance, and nothing very serious. To Betty life was full of
good times. Donald, too, had his friends among the boys, and many
a jolly performance was staged at the military school. Before the
girls left, however, Donald had opportunity to ask Betty if he might
call.
“Yes, indeed,” said she. “I rather expected you before the holidays
—that is, you said you were coming.”
“I know it, and you were good to say I might come, but I had all
those demerits and I could not prove that I had not done those
things myself. Consequently, I am on probation for the rest of the
time before Christmas. Didn’t you get my note?”
“No. Did you write one?”
“I certainly did. That makes another queer thing.”
“Perhaps you didn’t address it correctly.”
“I don’t see how I could help it. I think I can get off next week
Friday or Saturday, and will telephone to make sure. Will I have to
write to Miss Randolph?”
“We are allowed calls on Saturday afternoon. Just send in your
card to Miss Randolph, with my name, too. What time will you
come?”
“About three o’clock.”
 “I shall be ready to see you at that time, then. Don’t get any more
demerits!”
“No, not if I can help it. I remember that the ice carnival will be
held again some day. May I speak to skate with you?”
“Does the best skater in the military school have any doubts as to
that?”
“Meaning me?”
“Meaning you.”
Somewhat consoled for his lack of prowess in skiing that
afternoon, Donald determined to keep from demerits, as Betty had
urged, to buy a new pair of skis, and to practice his more favorite
diversion, the skating, that he might not lost first place in that.
 CHAPTER XV
DONALD’S DISCOVERIES

On the following Saturday, Donald Hilton called upon Betty at

Greycliff. He had both written and telephoned and found that it
would be “perfectly convenient” for Betty to receive him. Alma
brought his card to Betty, who had just come down stairs, at the
appointed hour, to wait in a small reception room. Several girls were
there, according to custom at Greycliff, expecting callers. Cards were
always first taken to Miss Randolph or whatever teacher was in
charge for the afternoon.
Upon receiving Donald’s card, Betty crossed the hall to the double
parlors or reception rooms, in one of which Donald was waiting. At
her approach he rose and held out a friendly hand. Betty was
looking particularly fetching, though simply dressed for the
afternoon. There were some other guests in the large room, but
Donald led Betty to a comfortable seat in the corner at one end of
the room, near one of the windows, and placed his own chair, a big
affair with a high back, in such a way that he would face Betty and
the world would be shut off, so far as he was concerned.
“Now we can talk,” said Donald. “You haven’t any idea how
aggravating it has been not to be able to get over here.”
“What did you have to do while you were ‘on props,’ as we call
it?”
“What didn’t I? But being ‘on props’ chiefly cuts you off from
privileges, you know. I didn’t see the commandant again—thought I
would not bother the old boy, and he had been pretty fine about it,
anyhow. I did go to Van Horne and I told him all the details. I think
he believed me. But none of the officers can say much if it is a case
of breaking rules. And I could not prove anything. Consequently I
went ‘on props.’”
 “Do they write home about it?”
“No, but I did, of course. I wrote the whole thing, more because I
was afraid of what might come of it in the future than because I
wanted them to know about it. I told them not to waste any
sympathy on me, but they’d better get it straight from the first.”
“It was a perfect shame!”
“A fellow has to take these things sometimes, and I do not need
any sympathy. What made me so provoked was that I could not find
out who set it all up. And now I come to the thrilling part of my tale
of woe. You remember that we thought it might be the younger
cadets getting it back on us older fellows, but I was the only one so
favored!
“I think that I told you once, Betty, about the little rivalry in our
class, and the fellow that would scarcely speak to me because I
made the first team and he didn’t.”
“Yes, but I have forgotten his name.”
“Newt Fuller. He is a great follower of Captain Holley. Then there
is another named Jim Clark that was friendly with me, until he began
to go around with Newt and his friends, and roomed with one of
them. I had noticed that they were not any too cordial, but didn’t
pay much attention. I treat all the boys alike, except to have an
especial pal or two, as all of them do.
“Well, shortly after the reception, I noticed Jim’s starting to say
something to me two or three times, then looking all around and
changing his mind. Finally, I asked him what was the matter, if he
wanted to speak to me about something. We were separating after
drill that time. ‘Sh-sh!’ he said. ‘Yes, I do, but I can’t tell you now. If
I can get a chance, I’ll tell you something one of these days. I don’t
dare now. But watch your step!’”
“Mercy sakes!” cried Betty. “Is anybody going to do anything very
terrible to you?”
“No, indeed. Nothing very serious, I’m sure. Of course, my mind
ran back to the cause of my being on probation, and I began to
connect that with Newt, because Jim was with that crowd.”
“Then it wasn’t the younger cadets at all?”
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