Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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erat THE MAGNET 9 The Challenge LICE VINING was the most popular girl in Queenstown, and presi- A dent of the Alethea Girls’ Club, the principal club in town. Her rival for popularity was Ruth Burton, the daughter of a very rich man. Although Alice’s father was a well-to-do business man, she could not enjoy as many luxuries as Ruth. Ruth was nearly as popular as Alice. She was, however, an only child, and had her own way in almost anything. It chanced that Ruth and Alice met at a party given by the Aletheas, and she perceived that Alice was receiving a great deal of attention. At this Ruth called Alice to one side and challenged her to a horseback race. The condition which Ruth made was that the loser should resign from whatever office she held in the club, and not attend a party for three months. Alice accepted the challenge. They then agreed that the race should take place the following Saturday. The girls were to start from the Alethea Girls’ Club House, and ride to the inn at Leicester, the next town, then back to the Club House again, a distance of ten miles. When Alice arrived at her home, it was so late that she decided to wait until the next morning before telling her father. The next morning at breakfast she said, “ Daddy, dear, Ruth Burton challenged me to race with her on horseback tomorrow. On the impulse of the moment, I ac- cepted the challenge.” Her father nodded and asked, ‘‘ At what time will the race start, and what is the distance you are to ride?” Alice then explained the conditions and circumstances of the race. Her father answered her, ‘‘ Well, Alice, you did just what I should have ad- vised you to do in this particular instance. It would give me great pleas- ure to see the Burton girl’s pride taken down. If you win this race to- morrow, I| will give the best banquet that money can buy in Queenstown, to which you may invite your friends, including Ruth Burton, to show that no hard feelings exist.” Mr. Burton issued an announcement of the race, and so a great crowd was assembled at the Club House next morning to see the girls start. Promptly at nine o’clock the two girls started, Alice mounted on her mare, Daisy, and Ruth on Firefly, one of the many thoroughbreds from her father’s stable. Just before the start, Alice shouted to Ruth, “I dare you to ride the first two miles through your father’s meadow land!” Ruth consented, and her horse, Firefly, being a thoroughbred, took the walls much easier than Daisy, who, though fearless, had never been ridden so hard before; consequently, when they came out on the highway again, Firefly was about one hundred yards in advance of Daisy. Soon, however, Daisy, having the lighter weight, had overtaken Firefly,

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8 THE MAGNET the sheet and flourished it over his head dramatically. ‘Now,’ he con- tinued, ‘“‘make yourself useful, little one, and wind my wrist up in a pro- fessional manner. Naw, not my left one. What good would that do? Sure, an’ it’s me right wrist I sprained last Wednesday, and it’s very painful.” Bob grinned appreciatively. ‘ Didn’t you say Diggs saw you at the game? Won't he catch on?” “Nope,” replied Jack, ‘‘ he didn’t see me enough for that. He just got a glimpse of me, but enough to know I was there, plague it all. There, that’s a real swell bandage. Thank you, fellow. Say, how in the dickens do you hold a sprained wrist, anyway?” And Jack held it rigidly before him. ‘Naw, that'll never do,’’cried Bob. ‘Do it like this,” illustrating with his own wrist. After a little practice, Jack again started for the literature room. Up- on reaching it he knocked boldly on the door. A rather pleasant voice answered, ‘‘Come in,” and Jack stalked in to learn his fate. “Good morning, Emerson. What can I do for you this morning?” ‘“Good morning, Mr. Diggs. I called to tell you that I have been un- able to write that essay, and would like a week longer for it.” “A week longer!” exclaimed the professor, in surprise, ‘What is your reason?” “Well, you see sir, I sprained my wrist last Wednesday, and it’s pretty painful. I haven’t been able to write a thing.” “Why, if that’s the case, certainly, Emerson. You may have until next Wednesday, but I will expect an extra good essay then.” “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Good morning, sir,’ and Jack stumbled out of the room. . ‘‘Gee! That was easy,” he muttered to himself. Outside the building he met Bob. “ Well, old fellow, how did it go,” the latter exclaimed eagerly. “Great,” exclaimed Jack, and seizing Bob’s hand he pumped it ener- getically up and down. At that moment Bob glanced up and saw Mr. Diggs watching them quizzically. “Good morning, Walker,” hesaid. ‘Well, Emerson, your wrist healed rapidly. I should like to know the name of the doctor you employed. By the way, step inside. I'd like a little private conversation with you.” Jack cast one despairing glance at his friend, who was bent double with laughter. The result of Jack’s interview was that he had the original theme to write, and also a much longer and harder one in addition. As he said, he didn’t mind anything except the fact that he would get credit for neither. He never again suffered with a sprained wrist, but it was some time before the anxious queries regarding this one ceased. Oca K. LAWRENCE, ’13.

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10 THE MAGNET and for about a mile the two horses were neck-to-neck. Then Ruth gave Firefly a loose rein, and she fairly flew over the ground. Alice, perceiving the folly of this, kept Daisy at a moderate pace. When she arrived at Leicester, she found that Ruth had passed by ten minutes before. Only then did Alice let Daisy out a little. Then, as she rounded a bend in the road, she saw Ruth riding quite a distance ahead of her, but Firefly had slackened his rapid rate. Now it was only a matter of a few minutes before Alice would overtake Ruth. Ruth urged Firefly on with all her strength, but soon the little horse dropped behind, and Alice could not resist the temptation to fling back at her rival, ‘‘We’ll meet again soon.” Then Alice rode along slowly, know- ing that Firefly was so exhausted he could not overtake Daisy. At about half-past ten, Alice rode up to the starting point amidst the applause of her loyal friends, the winner. When Ruth appeared, Alice ran out to her and told her to regard the conditions of the challenge as noth- ing. Thus the two rivals became firm friends. ELEANOR McGUIRE, ’12. Field Hockey as a Game for Girls HE frail, incapable, hot-house-bred kind of a girl, if she ever really At was, is no longer our ideal. We do not care to see weakness, whether in girl or boy, and we admire daring, courage, self-control, quite as much in a woman as in a man. According to modern psychologists, any activity that requires use of a quality, develops that quality. Field hockey does demand a certain de- gree of these virtues, when it comes to dribbling a hockey ball down the field in the face of many adverse hockey sticks. That there are some knocks received, we do not deny. What we say is,—what of the knocks! It is the knocks and not the soft things of life that develop the qualities most worth while, It isa sad, but true, fact that women everywhere show a lack of ability to co-operate. It is quite possible that this is due to her past social condi- tion, to the fact that for centuries women have lived unto themselves in their individual homes, while men have been out in the world working with other men. While we have not made any great strides yet in this respect in our playing, we dave improved, and we hope some day to give an exhi- bition of team work that will compare favorably with any boys’ team. Dorotuy Cross.