Annie Wright School - Shield Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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H Y A K 25 possible? I am so glad to see you. Mrs. C. : And I am sure I couldn’t wish for a greater pleasure than to see an old classmate of mine again. Do sit down and we wdll have one long chat over olden times. It does seem so good to see you again. How did your plans pan out? Don’t you remember how you talked of home-life on a poultry farm? Now tell me all about yourself, won’t you. Mrs. G. : Well, you know I always had a streak of giddiness in me, and you may remember that I often expressed my desire, jokingly, to travel with a circus, although I w T as quite sincere when speaking of my farm. It so happened that a circus came out to South Tacoma, soon after I left school, and I w T as persuaded by one of the performers, whose acquaintance I chanced to make, to join their merry crowd. My parents were broken-hearted over it, but I was right in my element. I made a grand success, so they say, as ballet dancer and tight rope walker, until I met Mr. Guggenheimer, which was quite a romance. Of course, he didn’t like to have me in such a public life, and finally he persuaded me to give it up and retire to farm life with him. So I am now happily located on a poultry farm near Steilacoom and as contented as possible. You must come to see me some time. But how does it happen that you have turned out to be such a genius? Mrs. C. : It would be one long story if I should tell you all, Mary dear, but in short, immediately after leaving school I went abroad for several years, and during my travels I met a Mr. Chesterfield, a wealthy Englishman, whom I married soon after my return to America. We lived happily for four years, but he became dissatisfied with me, because after I became enthusiastic over astrology, I did not care to go out with him as much as I had been doing. Alter a good deal of unpleasantness we decided to separate, so I took up the profession of astrology, with which I am more than delighted, and am making such a success of it. I now have a large class under me. Mrs. G.: Iam so glad to hear of your being so successful and hope you continue so. Mrs. C. : Thank you. But tell me, do you ever hear from any of the girls who were in our class at the Sem.? Mrs. G.: I haven’t heard directly from any one of them in year To tell the truth, it was about one of them that I came to consult you this afternoon ; Lydia Low T ell, she was such a dear friend of mine, you know. Mrs. C. : Do you remember when her birthday comes and just how old she is? Mrs. G. : Just one minute. I brought my old birthday book along Now let me see; yes, here it is. She was born August 31, ’91.

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24 H Y A K ing of the Tree, by Laura Stever, and the Spade Speech, by Ethel Levin, and the receiving of the Spade, by Rowine Kellogg. ADDRESS OF WELCOME It is a hearty welcome that the class of 1910 extends to you today. We feel it an honor to take our turn in giving a glad greeting to one and all ; to our dear Bishop, to Miss Fitch and to the faculty whose wise counsel and help have done much to make this year a happy one, to our predecessors who have set us so good an example and to our friends one and all. In our joy there is a glimmer of sadness; as we greet our fellow students, who in the years to come will take our places — when the rain has washed out our footsteps and the class of 1910 has become but a memory. All too swiftly has this, our senior, year slipped away and we come together now for one last gala day before we part. To the mystic rites of our class day, as we seek to penetrate the veil of the Future, as we bid a fond farewell to the happy Past we give you all a cordial welcome. A. D. 1920. DRAMATIC INTERLUDE THE CAST Mrs. Chesterfield, consulting astrologer Bessie Knettle Mrs. Adolph Guggenheimer, who comes to consult Mrs. Chesterfield Mary Swearingen The scene is laid in Mrs. Chesterfield’s office. Mrs. C. : I wonder where I put that old address book of mine; I had it just a short time ago. I want to see if I am right. Last evening, while I was watching the stars from my observatory, one of my assist- ants handed me a card on which I read the name “Mrs. Adolph Guggen- heimer. ” It seemed to me that I had heard the name before, and after considerable thought I figured it out that she was Mary Swearingen, one of my old classmates at the Annie Wright Seminary. She had ex- pressed a wish to consult me, and one can imagine my anxiety to see her, after a long ten years of separation. I told James to keep the after- noon clear for her and send her in as soon as she came. (A knock is heard.) That must be she now. (Opens door.) Mrs. G. : Is this Mrs. Chesterfield’s observatory ? Mrs. C. : Yes. Mrs. G. May I speak to her, please? Why! Bessie Knettle! Is it

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26 H Y A K Mrs. C. : Then it is a very simple matter. By the modern electrical horoscope machine, on which I have made some important improve- ments, a complete horoscope can be produced almost instaneously. You see, I punch the day, month and year on separate cards, put each card into a separate compartment, connect up the machine, and presto ! here is Lydia’s horoscope. Mrs. G. : Successful inventor, wins fortune, famous musician. Well, what do you think of that! Little Lydia! Mrs. C. : The last that 1 heard of her, she was trying to make a sort of spun-glass veil for motorists; that must be the successful invention that made her fortune. Mrs. G. : And now she’s a famous violinist! She must be touring Europe, I suppose; I haven’t heard of her in this country. How I wish I could see her ! Mrs. C. : That is quite possible, by means of my art. Look behind you at that plain, ordinary-looking mirror. Now watch. (Places tripod before mirror, and sets upon it a censer, which she lights; she scatters a powder over the flame, causing its color to change.) I summon up the visible presence of Lydia Lowell. (Apparition in mirror.) Mrs. G.: Oh! how perfectly wonderful! (Figure vanishes.) That was Lydia, certainly, and did you notice that fine old viorin ? Some fam- ous Stradivarius, I dare say, that cost her thousands of dollars. It’s well she made a fortune. Mrs. C. : Have you the names of all the class in your birthday book? We might call them all up in turn. Mrs. G. : Oh, do! I think I have every one. I have just looked up Harriet Andrews. (Business of horoscope casting as before.) Mrs. C. : So Harriet is famous also, it seems. Mrs. G. : A famous actress, a great tragedian! Oh, let’s see her in the mirror! (Business of mirror as before. Apparition costumed as Lady Macbeth.) Mrs. C. : Let me see that horoscope again. She is to receive honors from crowned heads, did you notice! Mrs. G. : Think of it! Well, let’s find out about Edith Eaton. (Business of horoscope.) Mrs. C.: Many years of study, in this country and in foreign lands; then she becomes an eminent educator, the head of some great institu- tion. I suppose that means that she is president of some women’s college. Mrs. G.: Well, let’s have a look at her. (Business of mirror. Ap- parition in academic robes.) Mrs. C. : Doesn’t she look distinguished? I’m proud to have known her, aren’t you?