Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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18 SPECTATOR cAunt Elizabeth’s Request When Aunt Elizabeth asked her nineteen year old nephew John Hamil to spend Christmas with her at “the Beaches ’ she appended a peculiar request to her letter. “Like a good boy,” she wrote, “won’t you drop off at Waynesboro and meet my friend’s twin children who are coming with me. They will arrive on the train due one-half hour after the ar- rival of yours. You can all then come together on the 11:15 train to Hillcrest.” “What the deuce does Aunt Elizabeth mean,” exclaimed John as he finished reading the letter, “ to take charge of two ‘kids’ for a distance of sixty miles. The idea! I wonder if she thinks I’m running a nursery. Pity she couldn’t send their photos or give a description of them. How am I to know them? But its just a characteristic of the family. Thank goodness I take after my great-grandfather who only made one mistake in his life and that was to fall in love with a girl he didn’t know.” Looking at his watch, he exclaimed, “Gee whiz! I‘ve only forty minutes to catch the train.” Hastily packing his valise, and glancing around the room to see if he had forgotten anything,he took his valise and umbrella and hurried to the station. He boarded the train just in time. As he entered the car, he tripped and fell, mentally ejaculating that he would get even with those “kids” by boxing their ears for causing his so much hurry and trouble. But on the train he was to meet at Waynesboro, no children got off, only a few old folks and the prettiest girl he thought he had ever seen. In a little while the train for Hillcrest arrived. As he settled down to read the morning paper, he gave a sigh of relief. Just then he heard a sweet voice say, “Is this seat taken ?” Looking up, he beheld the pretty girl who had got off the train on which he expected the children. Hastily raising

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SPECTATOR 17 The Old Fashioned Umbrella Salome Cartwright ’14 Grown old and shabby from constant use, With one rib broken and handle loose: It’s ferrule bent in a crazy way By a man who borrowed it one day. The silken cover stained by dust, And even the catch eaten off by rust; And from its shining folds, the years Have cut the glory with wanton shears. Of folks who in the stone-house dwell, A varied history it could tell! ’Twas given her son on Chirstmas day By a mother, long since passed away. And brave it stands in the ancient hall In the old stairway, against the wall. Now jostling a cane with a golden knob, They’re two old cronies out of a job. That ancient handle carved with care Inlaid with ivory, here and there, Might tell of happiness and pride And glad home coming with his bride. Blushing maid and happy fellow, Well sheltered by the green umbrella, Once entering at the parson’s door, To be thence parted never more. Ah! many hands have carried it: And some were worthy, some unfit. ’Twas lent the pastor, making calls, Had gone to funerals, weddings, balls. And once ’twas stolen and made a trip: It crossed to Germany on a ship. And now with the staff it finds repose, And we bring this eulogy to a close.

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SPECTATOR 19 his hat, he answered in the negative and removed his valise to make room for her to sit down. During the journey they became quite friendly. He told her his name and all about his Aunt’s request. Speaking of the children he said,” I guess I’d have to play Santa Claus, trim the Xmas tree, and do a hundred more things such as children want. Thank goodness, those bothersome “kids” didn’t come and I hope they won’t.” These words seemed to amuse her greatly. Three or four times he saw her put her kerchief to her mouth as if suppressing a scream. At the end of his journey, John Hamil arose, and turning to his companion, with whom he had almost fallen in love, to bid her good-by, was surprised to hear that she too was going to “The Beaches.” The carriage with Uncle Ned, the colored driver, was there to meet them. Uncle Ned greeted John heartily, for John had always been a favorite of his. After assisting them into the carriage, he mounted his seat and drove rapidly away from the station. During the drive, John, glad upon hearing that his companion was to spend the holidays at his Aunt’s home, was enthusiasticly telling about the jolly times they always had at “The Beaches” at Xmas, and about the good skating near the house, suddenly remembering that he had done most of the talking and had forgotten to ask his fair companion’s name. He was just about to do so when the carriage stopped, and there at the door stood Aunt Elizabeth and a fair young fellow, the very image of the girl by his side. “How nice,” exclaimed Aunt Elizabeth as she lovingly kissed the girl, “that you two could have traveled together. It was much nicer than traveling alone, wasn’t it?” Turning to her nephew, on whose forehead was such a puzzled look, she shook his hand heartily and said, “John, allow me to introduce Caroline’s twin brother Bob. They are — -— — — —just then the girl moving quickly to her brother’s side and, looking gravely at John said. Those bothersome kids,” and laughing merrily ran into the house.