Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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THE MAGNET II Many people have brought him bulbs which have proven false. There was great rejoicing a year ago, for the bulb was thought to have been found; but when it was fully opened, it hada black heart. They are searching for them all over the world. In aswamp, you say! I wonder why they have not been found by the horticulturists ?”’ “It is private land, Dr. Barrow. My. great-uncle lives there. He cares not for flowers, but does care if people trespass on his land. He is very stern, even savagely cruel; so people leave his land alone.’’ “Ah, Isee! But you could getto them. Were there many?” “There were quite a few, but I could not get them.” “You must.” ‘‘No, my uncle is very angry with me. He once cursed me, forbidding me to ever set foot on his land again.” At this moment Miss Forsythe was obliged to answer the door bell. A messenger boy stood on the steps. “ A telegram for Miss Forsythe.’ She signed and stepped back into the office. She could not help shaking, for she had never had a telegram before. She opened it and read : Your uncle, Charles D. Forsythe, dead. Béqueaths property to you. Come soon as possible, [Signed] Ludwig James, N. P. June sank nerveless in the nearest chair and held out the telegram to the doctor. ‘“ The Red Lilies,” she gasped. CHAPTER II ‘There, Miss Forsythe, you may rest here. Noone will ask you any more questions,” said Dr. Barrow as he sank into his chair in the Pullman, which was taking him and June south to Tennessee. Yes, Doctor, thanks to your help we got off quickly and quietly.” “Home! home! How sweet the magnolias smell! It is eight years since I’ve been here, Doctor. They seem like centuries. Listen to the nightingales! Wasn't it nice that we could get the old servants back? It seems so homelike and you won’t have to stay at the hotel.” So June and Dr. Barrow staid on at the old homestead. One morning after breakfast June said, ‘Well, Dr. Barrow, since you go home this week, I promise that you shall see the lilies today. Put on your heavy shoes, for the patch is exceedingly rough.” This was not the first walk they had taken since coming south, they had become more acquainted and were excellent companions. Each hid all emotion from the other—the doctor because he felt he did not hold a position high enough to marry, June because she felt her love unrequited. At last they came to the swamp. Inthe dampest, most ugly spot bloomed the lovely giant lilies. All around them were bogs of grayish peat- like moss. It made a striking contrast with the wide red cups of the lilies. “Oh, you darlings!’’ were June’s first words. Down she went on her knees in the wet, caressing each separate flower. Dr. Barrow stood drink-

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10 THE MAGNET A few minutes later she returned and added a little to each glass. We passed the things, and then warned the girls if they didn’t help themselves they would have to go hungey. Finally we were seated comfortably, ready to enjoy the cool drink. “Mercy!” almost shouted Mrs. Cranford, “what has gone into this stuff? ‘Then looking at the bottle she sank limply back in her chair, ©Schlitz’s Beer.” HELEN C. RICHARDSON, '12. Les Lis Rouges CHAPTER | ‘No, Miss Forsythe,” replied the doctor. He was a large, well-built man of thirty, with light hair and blue eyes. People trusted him instinctively because of his kindly, resolute face. June Forsythe was his assistant. She kept his accounts and helped in many other ways about the office. Tall, dark, and graceful, she drew the eyes of many people, but she was sweet and unspoiled. She had been in Dr. Barrow’s office nearly ayear. She had grown to like him more than she was willing to admit even to herself. And never by word or look had any one guessed her feeling—least of all the doctor himself. Having a few moments’ leisure, she sat down by the open window with her embroidery. She was working a sofa pillow which had a beautiful though unusual design of red lilies. She had been working for some time when Dr. Barrow turned from his desk to look out the window into a neigh- boring rose-garden. As his glance fell on the sofa pillow, he started. ‘“Why, Miss Forsythe, where did you get so unusual a design ?” “Where ? Why—I—it is my own drawing!” His sudden question startled her. ‘It is for my younger sister. I thought she would like it, for lilies like this grow in a swamp back of our old Southern home. I have never seen any except there.” ‘Most likely not!’ was all Dr. Barrow said as he wheeled around to his desk again. June laid her work in her lap. ‘“ What is the matter?” she thought. ‘“ Lilies like this do grow down home. And it visn’t like Dr. Barrow to make fun of people.’ Tears rushed to her eyes, but she winked them back. ‘‘Miss Forsythe, did they look like these ?”’ holding a book towards GG I THERE nothing more to do, Dr. Barrow ?”’ her. ‘Just the same, only perhaps a little darker red.” ‘Well, why I asked is because a Mr, Paul of Washington has offered fifty dollars apiece for every bulb of the Lis Rouges that is brought him.

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12 THE MAGNET ing in the beauty of the scene as June bent over the lilies, her cheeks burn- ing with the same vivid red. “June,” his emotion overcame him. “June, listen.” She looked up, startled both by the sound of her Christian name and the tenseness of his voice. | “I must tell you that I love you. Iam buta poor physician. But I intend to start in with surgery this fall, and I feel confident that in time I can build up a respectable practice. All I ask now is—will you be willing to wait until I can ask you to marry me ?”’ | “John, I'don’t want to wait. I want to help you win your way upward and onward.” ‘I think we had better wait, so I'll not ask you to marry me—yet.” Two years later there was a pretty wedding in Tennessee. The bride, Mrs. Barrow, carried a beautiful bouquet of Lis Rouges. Before starting on their wedding tour they sent half a dozen bulbs to Mr. Paul in Wash- ington, asking him to accept them as present; as his offer was the means of their engagement. BERNICE L. PrRouty. A Chinaman’s Journey build a kite. He went into a bamboo forest and cut a bunch of sticks. He had enough to build ten or a dozen good-sized kites. He then went to a dry goods shop and bought several yards of fine Japan- ese silk. After this he made a kite about ten feet tall, and eight feet wide, Then, to fly the kite, he must have some string. He bought a few cents worth, and fastened it to the kite. There was a strong wind blowing, so he decided to try it out. He walked about a mile out of the town to a high hill. There he sat down to rest while he unwound enough string to run with the kite. After the kite was up, he sat down and let the kite pull the string out as far as possible. The weather was very warm, and it made the little Chinaman sleepy. In spite of himself, he fell asleep. Then, as he slept, he dreamed of a beautiful foreign country across the great Pacific. This country was called “ America.’ In this country was a state called ‘“ Massachusetts,” and in the state was a town called ‘“‘ Leominster.” He dreamed of all this while he slept. His father had once worked there and had told him all about it. Then, in his dream, he wrote a let- ter to his father, and told him that he was about to make some money, and eome home with American goods and money. In his dream he saw a crowd of boys standing on an important corner @).: day, in China, a boy of about twelve years of age prepared to