Oakwood Collegiate Institute - Oracle Yearbook (Toronto Ontario, Canada)

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At the dance, Jill mixed among the young men and with all the masculinity which she herself pos- sessed plus what she suddenly ac- quired, went over magically. No one could ever have suspected, her fears soon died away and she en- tered with enthusiasm into the warmth and pleasure of the dance as her brother could never have dreamed of doing. Her dancing was graceful, her leading strong and it was not long until rumour spread that Jack Pym, the femin- ine artist, had suddenly become the most marvellous dancer. And so the evening passed. Jill was experiencing the most thrill- ing adventure of her young life. It was on the way home that the girl said to her, Do you know you are very deceiving? I had no idea you were really like this. You are wonderfulf' Scarcely had she breathed the last words when Jill felt her head crash and a heavy weight descend upon her. Then oblivion. The next morning, Jill opened her eyes and gazed about her. It was a small room, all white. A nurse entered, then memory re- turned. She had been in an acci- dent. This was the hospital. What a mixup! Her first words to the nurse were to inquire of the girl whose words were still sounding in her ears. She was more than a little relieved to hear that she only was injured. That helped at least. THE OAKWOOD ORACLE But where was Jack? Why didn't he come to see her '? Suddenly the reason came to her why he was unable to come. The masquerade was still on and she was Jack Pym. She felt the heavy bandages on her head. It was very annoying! The nurse insisted upon calling her Mr. Pym. How much she would have loved to hear some- one say, Jill, how do you feel? But no one did. Amidst these anxieties the white door opened and Jill saw her father. He came to her and whis- pered 'tJill, what's all this any- way? Jack is at home in his stu- dio pacing up and down half wild. The papers say he was injured pretty badly last night, John Pym was now a modern father. He laughed to himself. Something was amusing him very much. But poor Jill felt herself becom- ing more and more distracted. Everything was becoming very much complicated. She was lying back, with eyes closed, mentally exhausted in this unnecessary situ- ation. However, time heals all things and in two days Jill was brought hom from the hospital. In the school newspaper, a few days later, there appeared a notice to the effect that Miss Jill Pym had been called away to relations in New York for three weeks. And thus ended one of the Pym entan- glements. G. E. R. IVA. ikehnn I had come home to my little apartment in the Edgeware Road, weary after a more than ordinarily trying day at the office. I had had my dinner before I came home and I was pleased to find that my little maid-of-all-work had lighted a fire in the grate, and drawn the shades. My big arm chair was near the Qtourt hearth, and I sank into it with re- lief. Now for a quiet smoke and my evening paper. For half an hour I read. It was the same old story-trouble in the Balkans, columns of scandal about the Beach Divorce Case, floods in the West, and, as usual, financial excitement in the United States- Page Sczwztcwf

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THE OAKWOOD ORACLE Rouble lines Birmingham School was by no means an extraordinary school, but it boasted of two very extra- ordinary students. They were the twin children of Mr. and Mrs. John Pym. When John Pym was married one of his ambitions was to have a son whom he would train, himself, to be a star repor- ter as he was. But God had given him a boy and girl who resembled each other to such a degree that excepting differences of clothing even the mother would have been unable to decide which one she was looking at. That was eighteen years ago and John Pym Sr., editor of The Daily News no longer had any desire to make his son a reporter, for the simple reason that his son was un- adapted for that type of work. These children of Pym's were Jack and Jill but more than one believed that there must have been some juggling of names at birth. The girl, Jill, seemed to have all the masculine qualities which her brother so noticeably lacked. She possessed a slim masculine figure, a boyish bob, da1'k tanned skin, muscular arms and shoulders, for she was the athlete of the family. Jill was the best swimmer, the fin- est rider, the fastest runner, in all she was the foremost sport of the school. As for her brother, Jack, it was vcry different. He had never swam a yard in his life, he could not run to the cigar corner without palpi- tation of his heart, he was afraid ol' horses and loathed all sports. llc thought them rough and com- mon. Jack was an emotional, sen- suous boy. effeminate, paler than his sister but of the same height. The routine of practical life wearied him. Ile disliked listening to his faths-r's newspaper talk. What he loved most was his brush and easel to paint things as he Prryr Si.rfr1'n believed them. He was a worship- per of beauty with the soul of an artist. Ratlieragainst his own feelings he studied side by side with his popular, vivacious twin-sister. He did not care particularly for school but being quite young he had no right to choose. Two nights before the Commen- cement Dance, Jack, in a moment of weakness, had invited a young freshette to the dance. The day after he was sor1'y. The night of the dance he was in a state of ex- asperation. He did not want to go. He would despise himself for re- fusing the girl but he would do it rather than suffer through an evening of impossible dancing ac- companied by terrible clanging music. He could not go through with it. Jill, his saviour so many times surely would not fail him now. Let her dress in his tuxedo and take the girl to the confounded dance. Jill was able to dance to any music and she was such a good head. At first Jill refused. The danger was too great but shortly her love of advanture overcame all and she began preparations for the mas- querading. With the aid of stacomb, a newly pressed tuxedo, shiny pat- ent leather shoes and a well prac- tised walk, Jill viewed herself in the mirror and smiled approval. A half-hour later she stepped upon a certain young girl's veran- dah and rang the doorbell. The freshette was waiting, beaming. Jill remarked upon her exquisite beauty that evening and assisted her into the family omnibus. The girl appeared thrilled and brim- ing with happiness. Jill remained cool and tried to remember to low- er her voice.

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THE OAKWOOD ORACLE nothing new. Suddenly, in the Agony Column, the Personals, my eye caught my own name, Somerset Maughanf' This is what I read: If Somerset Maugh- an, son of the late Urban Maughan, of Montaign Hall, Hailyton, Her- fordshire, will send his present ad- dress to Welsh and Welsh, Inner Temple, London, he will hear of something to his advantage. I was greatly surprised and also a trifle amused. As far as I knew, my elder brothers had absorbed whatever property and money there had been in the family. Per- haps it was debts I had inherited. It could scarcely be anything else. But the spirit of adventure claimed me, as it always did, and I sent my address to Welsh and Welsh the following morning. Promptly came a request to visit their office, and promptly I went there. Two dear, old gentlemen, the brothers Welsh. informed me that by the will of an old aunt of my mother's, tbless me, I had quite forgotten dear old Aunt Carolinel, I had fallen heir to an old property, Kelton Court, in Dor- setshire, on the edge of the moors. I signed the necessary papers, and left with the keys of the property in my pocket and explicit directions as to its whereabouts in my mind. I was told that the house had been unoccupied for some time. I decid- ed to go down to see it at once, and left London next morning. All day I drove through drizzling rain, hoping to reach Kelton Court before dark. I met a peasant in a quaint smock, and he informed me that Kelton do be just a moil and half o' that around the bend. So around the bend I went, when sud- denly my wheels went down in mud, hopelessly mired. I tried hard to extricate my car, but in vain. It was pelting rain by this time, and almost pitch dark. I couldn't go back. I must go for- ward. Accordingly, on foot I Page IfIfjllfl'I'll struggled and splashed for a moil and half of that, carrying my bag, and lighting my way with a power- ful flash-light which I had in my car. Iflventually, I reached my destin- ation. An iron paling with an iron gate set in it, with Helton Court in brass letters above it, enclosed the place. I took out my keys and opened the gate. Passing through I set my foot in what seemed deso- lation itself. Overgrown with weeds, the garden was a dreary spot, even in the light of my flash I looked towards the house. No sign of life greeted me. The windows were shuttered fast, and the whole aspect of the place was dark and forbidding in the ex- treme. The thought of fear never enter- ed my mind. Physically I was strong, and I didn't know the mean- ing of nerves, or I thought I didn't. I ran up the steps and set my key in the lock of the door. Hust- ily and grudgingly, the wards drew back under my strong pressure, and I stood in a fine, lofty, dim old hall. Walking into a room on the 1'ight, I found myself in a library. I was by this time, very tired. A heavy thunderstorm was raging without, so I decided to wait till morning to explore my new possession further. I flung off my heavy raincoat and looked around for candles. There was one, half burned down, in a silver candlestick on the mantel- piece. I lighted it, and sat down in a great green leather chair, glad to rest, even in these strange sur- roundings. The storm increased in fury, and I could not stay still. I was uneasy, perhaps because I waw so utterly weary. Not a sound but the rolling o the thunder assailed my ears, and after a while I threw myself on a couch and drew up a dark woollen afghan, which was folded at the foot of it. Cn