Clifton Springs High School - Cliftonian Yearbook (Clifton Springs, NY)

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28 THE CLIFTONIAN SARAH’S WISH Sarah was a little orphan Italian girl with no mother or father to love and be loved by. She lived in a large Orphan Asylum with many other orphan children. Sarah, with some of the smaller girls, slept in the lower dormitory, in small white beds close together. All of the children ate common food out of plain dishes, and when they played they shared their playthings with each other. Frequently kind people came to the orphan asylum to take a boy or girl home with them. Sarah longed for someone to take her, but they always picked out the beautiful children. She had no beauty, but had straight black hair and dark brown eyes which looked wistfully up at you. Sarah had no time to feel unhappy. There was so much to keep one’s mind occupied. Many steps were to be taken to help the matron. Many of the small children had to be amused and looked after, and she had her own duties assigned to her to perform daily, such as cleaning rooms, keeping tidy, doing dishes, besides keeping up her school-work. Sarah was willing, obedient and persevering, and by these qualities gained many friends. She was busy all day long. The little children in the orphanage went to bed at six o’clock, while the older children retired between seven and eight o’clock, when their work was accomplished. After Sarah had gone to her little bed, she would pray earnestly for some one to love her. Then she would make believe her lovely mother was sitting beside her watching over her. This gave Sarah much comfort, so she kept working more industriously from then on. Sometimes her mother would whisper kindly to her saying, “My little child, you are very tired. Close your eyes and I will remain close by you and protect you.” It was very hard sometimes to see other children go to homes, but Sarah always felt glad for them, as they were as happy to leave as Sarah would have been. So the days and weeks passed, sometimes quickly but generally very slowly to Sarah. Through all these days. Sarah waited and prayed patiently for the time when she would have a kind adopted mother and father. One day Sarah was sitting by a window resting, and thinking about her mother. She had just finished running on an errand and the matron, sitting next to her, said she might rest as she had been very obedient and kind all day. Soon a car drove up and a lady and gentleman, Mr. and Mrs. Welch, got out of the car and came into the building. As usual they had come for an orphan to be their child. The matron said, “What do you want her to be?” Sarah half expected to hear them ask for a beautiful child like Betty Wilson, with bright blue eyes, yellow hair and dimples; but instead the lady said she wanted a little girl, who would be kind and obedient to her, one whom she could love and be loved by. The matron looked up quickly and said, pointing to Sarah, “There is a loving child .for you. She has just told me she would like very much to have a kind mother and father.” So little Sarah’s great desire came true, and she went away from her dear playmates, with her new mother and father to their beautiful and happy home. AGNES ADAMS ’32 DRIED UP It lay between its grassy banks A rocky bed and sadly dry Revealing all its secrets now To the curious eye. Tall grasses took the seaweed’s place Slow turtles took the fishes The frequent mud spots made Them all the less ambitious. The sun beat down relentlessly Until its merciless ray. Forbade that any h2o Might be allowed to stay. As to the cause of this they say— Fishes malnutrition— Is that some fellow passed a law Concerning prohibition. A. WEIMER “The Fleet’s In” — One P. M.

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THE CLIFTONIAN 27 CREATIVE EFFORTS BOOKS A pleasant nook An interesting book. ’ Adventures in strange lands With Robin Hood and his outlaw bands. Following Caesar in his great battle Visiting haunted houses and hearing chains rattle. Seeing ghosts all dressed in white That give you a terrible fright. You’ll read of the bravery of Horatius at the narrow bridge And how he kept the enemy from crossing the bridge. In any book you’ll find something new When the characters pass one by one in review. You’ll laugh at Penrod’s shows in the barn And wonder how the boys escape his experiments without harm. Shylock will make your hair stand on end While he sharpens his knife and vows he’ll not to mercy bend. You’ll hold your breath, when Scrooge is an unwilling host To a midnight visit from a Christmas ghost. You’ll sympathize with Rip Van Winkle when his wife nags Him for his laziness, while his family goes in rags. Many more interesting ones could I name But will let you read about them and their fame. RUTH F. GRIMSLEY, ’32 “Loose Ankles” — Rhetoricals. “Hideout” — Skippin’ school. WOODS IN SUMMER On a hot summer’s day I always feel like flying to the woods where the cool breezes blow through my hair and cool my scorched face. Oh, for the cool solitude of the green woods, when the humid air of the town makes one sick, and the pavements burn one’s feet. I love to walk on the springy, green turf on such a day, and go splashing bare foot in some gurgling, laughing stream that sparkles and glistens like so many diamonds in the sun. Did you ever follow the course oif a winding miniature river like this? Did you ever walk beneath the leafy boughs and feel glad to be alive and wonder at the beauty God created? It makes you feel so free and happy that you shout until the woods echo and reecho with the gladsome ring. You run wild, glad, glad to be away from the stuffy rooms, the sweating, jostling crowds. You can hear the trees gossip together when the winds set their boughs to moving. Listen, is that music you hear? Yes, I am sure it is. Do you suppose it is that mischievious Pan playing a trick on you? Look sharply, perhaps some nymphs and dryads will come creeping from their hiding places and dance on the emerald glades. You watch the birds dart in and out among the trees and envy them their freedom. No cares, no worries for these little creatures all dressed up in their bright colors. You then look at your watch. The time has passed all too quickly. You must return to civilization again. But you thank God that there is such a place to come on a hot summer’s day. DORIS MCCORMACK Mr. Williams—“Can you prove that the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two sides of this triangle?” Ed—“I don’t have to prove it. I admit it.” “Happy Days” — Vacation.

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29 THE CLIFTONIAN SACRIFICE She toiled and toiled night and day, That mother! All for her adored little girl. As yet only three and a half; The father had died. She spent her love money for shoes, All gold and silver trimmed For the child, While she toiled. Then the girl grew older The mother too, Yet she still strove for happiness For her. The girl was educated in college, She danced and played While the mother labored. Then one day She danced away from her toiling mother, On her light feet, Leaving her mother broken-hearted And heart-sick. She still toiled Saving money for the girl Should she return. She was taken away one day Never to toil again, To the God she had loved so long. M. ROTH SUCCESS Success is often made to stand With a torch upheld in her right hand. With robes outflowing with fine grace, And “ambition” written on her face. To some it seems but just a fable, To others she seems to be unable To give the joy that they desire, Oi help them to what they aspire. But I think he’s just a sly old man, Who seems to think it fun to stand Just out o.f reach, just out of sight, Which doesn’t seem to me, quite right. CATHERINE WALTERS, ’31 “The Wild Party” — At the Annapolis. THE PEACOCK PROM It was on Friday night, a week ago, We all went down to Phelps you know. It was a glorious night. That night the Juniors had the run Of everything and oh, what fun. It was a semi-formal dance, And how we all did whirl and prance. Everyone was happy. The music was played by the Rhythm Kings, And made us feel as tho’ we had wings. The girls each looked like a beautiful flower, Each one dressed in her favorite color, What a sight! The boys each dressed in his Sunday rig, Were quiet, subdued and very trig. The refreshments were served and enjoyed by all. Seated at tables at the end of the hall. That was intermission. Then as the hands of the clock reached one, The orchestra stopped and all went home. REBA DONOHUE, ’32 “SPRING” Along the meadow paths and thru the dell She passed and whispered low to them: “Let all those who feel spring’s unfolding spell. Hold out the sappy, sticky stem.” And every swelling stem of .flower and tree Reached out and took her lavish gift Of beauty, knowing it would loving be Yet grateful for the strong uplift That kept their faith alive, for well they knew God’s plan would never fail; that when The frost and snow and wintry winds were thru, “Spring” with her gift would arrive again. HELEN KEATING ’32