East Lansing High School - Ceniad Yearbook (East Lansing, MI)

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intoxicating perfume that soothed my restless spirit. I sank back into my chair, overpowered by the tranquility of it all, overpowered by a feeling of magnetic influence. The solemn tolling of a midnight bell roused me for a moment, but I had not the power to control myself. My eyes were closed but I was conscious that the room was illumined as if by magic. A scarcely per- ceptible flutter reached my ears, I held my breath. I saw nothing, but I was aware of a mysterious presence, and a weird voice whispered to me: Listen, oh daughter! Though art a prophetess born. The future of all these lives shall be revealed unto thee. Look, and thine eyes shall behold all these mysteries unveiled! Enchanted with it all, I sank into a reverie, weaving my fantastic imaginations into vivid scenes. Spell-bound, yet fascinated, I gazed before me, almost involuntarily, for in the dim, fiickering light I saw familiar forms and faces. At first I could not distinguish their features for the light that encircled them was a ghastly, uncertain blue. But it gradually became clearer and I recognized the present members of THE ORACLElS editorial staff sitting in a group. To be sure, time had wrought great changes in their personal appearance, but I recognized each individual at a glance. There was Beth, calm and steadfast as ever, and Maud, as handsome in middle age as in youth, complacently sitting at one side listening sym- pathetically as the rest recited their tales of woe. t'Well, Roy was saying in a regretful tone, and I observed at once that he had lost the formal manner that had characterized his senior year, Frank and I are in the same boat. And all glanced at Frank's dispirited countenance. After being elected business manager of the Observer in my junior year, and then advertising manager of THE ORACLE in my senior year, I felt that there was only one thing lacking to crown my social success, I must learn the art of dancing. After leaving school I tried journalism and failed utterly. I scarcely need dwell on the rest. McKibbin and I have gone into part- nership and have bought out Mr. Harris' old stand of Fresh Meats. H I find my occupation profitable enough,'l said Ralph Hasty. After considerable misfortune with my classes in dancing, I gave them up to Bert Baker and got a position as pastry cook in the Downey House. I draw a good salary and have many friends there,-Martin

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Class Prophecy , - e When, at the close of a school life, it becomes necessary for a graduating class to appoint its representative speakers for the final exercises, a class prophet is usually included in the list. Our class, confident of its infallible strength, abil- ity and energy, was quite willing to let the public know its future, for with such ambitious and capable members it would, without a doubt, give to the world the greatest geniuses of the age. I, too, proud and hopeful as the rest, l was perfectly willing to have my future prophesied, for I was positive that after a little perseverance and experience I would be elected to distribute my knowledge in the capacity of professor of some college. But what was my astonishment when I myself was appointed class prophet. The thought completely overwhelmed me, for what prophetic powers had I ? I was well acquainted with the members of the class, had had daily intercourse with them for four years, I had an idea what each one intended for his future work, but I could not rely upon that, nature often plays havoc with our intentions and those who dream of ambition's height are not suffered to tread aught but the common paths of life. I went home wrapped in thought and from that hour the prophecy was uppermost in my mind. I pondered over it in waking, I dreamed of it in sleeping. It became a part of my life, and I whiled away the long spring evenings in contemplation thereof. , One calm, glorious night, I sat dreaming as usual of the possibilities the future had in store for us. The moon Hooded my room with a silvery light, casting dreamy shadows upon the wall. Not a breath of air but whispered of Nature's mysterious workings, and with it came an

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Clippert is chief clerk and Leland Briggs has an excellent position as porter. Oh, dear! cried Louise impatiently, you have nothing to com- plain about. .Iust think of me! For ten years I was the belle of Lansing, and counted my conquests by the score. My fondest hopes have been blasted, time has passed and I am still Miss Alsdorff' And how does the world treat you? asked Frank, turning to Maud and Beth. I have reaped many blessings since I graduated, Beth quietly replied. I am now director of schools in our district. And Maud,w you all know that her fame as an ideal artist extends over all Europe. Years ago she gave promise of it in her remarkable Physics Notebook. H I learned Stanley Montgornery's fate while in France, said Maud, sadly. He was an inmate of a noted sanitarium, trying all medical skill for the cure of a strange malady. I was told that he was suffering from some mental derangement caused by overwork in his youth,-that all through his high school course he had been hampered with a diflicult study called physical geography. A profound sigh escaped the lips of all present. 'L I heard, too, Maud added after a pause, Hthat Zoe Cook is a nurse at the same institution and that Miss Hurd lives alone in a small cot- tage in the remote part of the country with no companion except a great, solemn-eyed cat. One would scarcely recognize in this stern, heart-broken maiden lady, laughing, rosy-cheeked Bessie Hurd of high school days. After this the light grew obscure and the scene gradually changed. The vision that came to me next was somewhat blurred, but I could distinguish a middle-aged man seated at a piano, and by his rendition of a difficult masterpiece I knew that he was one of the world's famous men. Surely that shapely head and tangled hair belonged to the renowned Paderewski! But what connection had that famous musician with our class? I looked again and could only stare in astonishment at my dis- covery. It was by the one stray lock on the back of his head and by the quiet smile on those firm lips that I recognized in this artist the artful Arthur Dodge of former days. I knew that smile,-Arthur's smile always spoke volumes,-and I could not suppress the tears,-tears of joy that rose to my eyes. About the piano were grouped many mem- bers of the class, and, either from their conversation or dress, I learned