Natick High School - Sassamon Yearbook (Natick, MA)

Page 18 text:

PAGE SIXTEEN THE SASSAMON she heard a very startled exclamation from the other room. Oh, but Mr. Peters, I didn't do it-I wasn't there at that time-I-er, here Ted broke off and after a minute replaced the receiver and entered the kitchen, look- ing a little pale and puzzled. What's the trouble? asked his sister, a trifie anxiously. Nothin', only fifty dollars has been stol- en by someone down to the store and Mr. Peters says I did it! and I've got to go down and see him now and prove I didn't. Dottie's mouth fell open. Why you didn't--you wouldn't and you couldn't have done it! she gasped. I know it! cried Ted, as he pulled his hat on and went out, slamming the door be- hind him. Dottie sat down very suddenly. She sat square on top of her lunch and didn't know it. The picnic was forgotten. It was almost five minutes by the clock when she suddenly remembered herself and jumped to her feet. O my poor lunch! cried she, it's all changed into a big pat-a cake-but I don't think I really want to go to the picnic any- way. She glanced out doors. It didn't seem half so alluring so she finally settled down with a book. It was not very long afterwards that Ted came home again. He seemed a a bit de- jected. Dottie looked up inquiringly. Did he- she began. No, he didn't! said Ted, Mr. Peters said that he left the fifty dollars in his top drawer, this morning, while he took the place of one of his clerks. The clerk stayed away longer than expected and when he finally was able to return to his office the money was gone. Of course, he blamed me because he left me in charge of the office until ten-thirty o'clock. I tried to tell him that I came home at ten min- utes past ten, which was before he took the clerk's place, but he said that someone saw me come back at twenty minutes past ten and, of course, he believes the other person first, because I've only been there a couple of weeks, Ted finished his explanation gloomily and fell silent. Dottie sat up very straight, Pm going to call him up and prove to him that you were here at ten-twenty, because you were -why! that was when you called me Dilly dally! Don't! cried Ted, he wouldn't be- lieve you any way and besides, you mustn't get mixed up in this, too! O, say! I thought you were going to a picnic! he cried. So I was! exclaimed Dot, just as though she had just remembered it. She jumped up and slipped on her hat and jack- et and started off, but this time there was no box under her arm. It didn't take her long to walk down town and into the B- store, where she found her way to the office. Peters dont want to see no one, mum- bled the small boy who hovered around the office. O, he'll see me all right! said Dottie, as she stood in her tracks. Please hun'y -it's very important! The boy paused. Whats your name? asked he. Dorothy Welder! The lad disappeared, but soon reap- peared. All right, he said, and Dottie hastened in. Inside of the little private office sat Mr. Peters. He was a tall man, with iron gray hair and humorous gray eyes. They were very stern now, however, or so they seemed to Dottie. What may I do for you ? he asked, as he nodded to a chair. Dottie seated her- self. I'm coming straight to the point,' she announced. You accused my brother of taking fifty dollars, at twenty minutes past ten and at that time he Was-he was-- Was what? inquired Mr. Peters. He was-calling me names! finished Dottie, her cheeks quite pink. In spite of himself Mr. Peters-almost smiled. What names could the little rascal call you, he said. ' 7

Page 17 text:

THE SASSAMON PAGE FIFTEEN His dad, knowing it was of no use to send him back to school until he realized how serious his work was, told Billy that he was planning to send him to Oklahoma for a few weeks. His dad owned a ranch, called a pony on account of size, and knew Bill would jump at the offer. It was really a fruitless offer, but he came to the conclusion that something had to be done. As the train passed on through the states, Bil1's one thought was, Wait until those cowboys see me! He really did think he was going to show them how to ride bosses, rope bulls, and lasoo every moving object. Little Bend, shouted the conductor. Ah, exclaimed Bill, this is my Aburg !r n A team met him at the station Knot a taxi as he had expectedl, and after many bumfps, and exclamations about the dead West, Bill arrived at the little ranch. As he was tired, he retired early. The next morning a complete cowboy outfit was given him, and he was asked to join in the roundup of the cattle. Evi- dently Bill thought all one had to do was to whistle to them. Well, if it was left to Bill, nobody knows when the cattle would have been rounded up. The cowboys cer- tainly had a great time the first day. The next day found Bill trying to ride a hoss. He also tried to rope every mov- ing object, but the hoss wouldn't stand still, neither would the other objects. Well, Bill could not even rope an object that was standing still. As a pistol shot, well, they say, he couldn't hit the side of a barn door, and that fits Bill to perfection. Exactly a month of this found Bill ready to resume his duties at the University, to the great disappointment of the cowboys, who had had a regular time. ROBERT ESTY. DILLY DALLY! Dilly dally Dottie, How can you be so naughty? The taunting voice of big brother Te-d came to her through the open window, one spring morning, as Dottie, in an absurdly large apron stood beating up- a feather cake for supper. Dilly dally! thought she, mournfully, to herself, of all the names-that is the worst! She sighed as she opened the oven door. Brothers are brothers and always will be brothers, I suppose, mused she, and banged the oven door shut. Dil1y dally Dot-tee! How can you b- Theodore Welder! creid Dottie, run- ning to the window, there, now I shan't hear you! and she shut down the window with a bang. At that, Ted made such a grimace that Dottie laughed in spite of her- self and then proceeded to do the rest of her housework. As she turned from the window, she glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes past ten and half the work to do! She must fly so as to have it done by eleven- thirty, when she had a date with some girl friends for a spring picnic. She gave another look out of the window before she sped upstairs. Ted was very busy in the tool shed,-getting ished, thought Dottie, about him. Donny's cart fin- and then forgot Eleven-thirty found out of the back door, with a box under her arm, as she sallied forth for the picnic. Dorothy stepping Ted was still in the shed whistling as he painted the cart a glorious red and green, so Dottie knew she needn't lock the door. The spring air was balmy and pleasant. It was certainly good to be alive. So thought Dottie, as she turned into the street. Then she stopped abruptly. , I know I've forgotten those olives! ex- claimed she. She turned and went back for them. As she entered the house, the persistant ringing of the telephone took' her attention. Oh dear! she said, in a dis- mayed tone, as she took down the receiver. Hell!--Ted?-O yes, just a minute. She went to the door and called-- Ted! you're wanted at the telephone. Aw right! and he strode up the steps and into the room. Dottie had just started out again when

Page 19 text:

THE SASSAMON PAGE SEVENTEEN He called me Dilly dal1y! said Dottie, and smiled. Oh! he'll never call you that again ! ex- claimed Mr. Peters. He was smiling, too. I assure you that he won't. But return- ing to my subject, are you sure it was twenty minutes past ten? Positive! exclaimed Dottie. I re- member looking at the clock! Dottie was so anxious to assure him of the truth that Mr. Peters could restrain himself no longer. I'll believe you if you'll believe me,', he said, his eyes twinkling a great deal, and then, with a flourish, he drew open the top drawer. There lay the fifty dollars, safe and sound. I found I didn't leave it in the top draw- er after all, explained he, but I had put it in my hat band, when I got it out of the bank, first thing this morning. With that he sat back in his chair and watched Miss Dorothy Welder, who sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed in astonishment. As he finished, she drew a breath of re- lief and rose to go, thanking him the while. It's dinner time, so I might as well take you home, he said, casually looking at his watch. And so it was that Ted, looking very much surprised, saw Dottie actually riding homeswith Mr. Peters! Well, this is a funny world! thought he, and oddly enough what Mr. Peters had said came true, for Ted never called Dot, Dilly Dally any more. LUCJILE NICHOLS. THE SOLILOQUY OF A WASTE-BASKET Before being thrown into discard let me tell you a little of my past life. If I should sound the least bit gloomy please forgive me, but when one has just heard that his doom is nigh, to be cheerful is perhaps not an easy matter. Did I not hear Miss Pratt tell the janitor, this morn- ing, that I had seen my best days and that she's going to ask the School Committee for a new waste-basket? Personally I think Miss Pratt could have been a little bit more considerate of my feelings by not giving vent to such an outburst when she knew right well that I was in the room, un- der her desk, where I've been for the last tell three years. However, I promised to you a little of my past life, did I not? Though so far I have only succeeded in telling you of my grievance. Three years ago a prouder or more beautiful waste-basket than I had never been made. My creator robed me in a beautiful coat of pale green paint and then sent me to a nearby school, where I was given to the teacher, Miss Pratt. How well I remember the ovation that was given me! Taking me ln her hands, Miss Pratt held me up in front of the class and commenced, 'Before you I am holding a beautiful new waste-basket, it being school property, I hope you will all treat it as such. I shall keep it under my desk, and from. now I wish to see a tidy room with no waste paper lying around, for this basket is a receptacle for all waste materi- al, and, I think, an essential to civic pride! After that speech you can imagine my disgust when a big wad of gum was sent down my insides, followed by another and another, 'till I thought everyone in the room must have been chewing gum, any- way, I was getting pretty 'stuck-up.' I can tell you that I had a hard time convinc- ing myself that my purpose in life is rub- bish, and that I was made to be useful, as well as ornamental. Many may think that my life is always sad, but that is not so. For instance, the eighteenth amendment to the Constitution may affect some people, but not me,-no matter what happens, I am always full. 'AI have often been witness to personal matters, some quite thrilling, like love- notes, for instance. As a friend I'll advise you always to tear your notes up into very small pieces, because some people like puz- zles and might use your note for one, if they had the chance. However, I warn you never to tear notes when the teacher is in the room, because the tearing of paper al- ways distracts a teacher's attention from her work, and worse still, makes her suspi- cious of the truth.