Paxton High School - Reflector Yearbook (Paxton, IL)

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8 THE PAXTON HIGH SCHOOL REFLECTOR ALICE’S TRIAL Alice Blake’s father had been dead about half a year when she and her mother sold their small home and moved to Lowell, Mass. Her father had not been successful in his busi- ness; and, upon his death, it was found that he had left very little mon- ey for his wife and daughter. As Mrs. Blake was an invalid, Alice had to earn enough money to support them both. She thought that she could more easily find work in a large fac- tory town than in their own small vil- lage; and, as soon as possible, they rented a few rooms in Lowell, and moved there.. Alice easily found work, but as she was a rather timid girl, she dreaded the first day at the factory. She wen', early and found only one gi l there before her. This girl, after ask- ing her name, began to talk in a lively manner. This made Alice like her a; orce. The other girls soon began to come in. Alice noticed one in parti- cular—r. tall dark girl, whose name was Mr'ry Grimm. Alice grew ac- quainted with the girls in a few days and things did not seem so strange. All the girls liked her but Mary, who thought she was too quiet, for Alice w'as much quiter than most of the girls. As time went on Alice could easily see that Mary did not like her, and for this reason she tried to avoid her. Mary said to one of her friends that she supposed Alice Blake thought herself too nice to have any- thing to do with her. She tried :n dozens of little ways to annoy Alice. One Saturday evening, after receiv- ing their week’s wages, the girls were standing in the hall putting on their coats and hats One girl. Belle Dover, laid her purse on the window-sill in the hall, while she buttoned her coat. Some one called to her and said to hurry, and she went out forgetting about her money. Most of the girls had now gone, and Alice was left alone in the hall for a few mom- ents, but she soon left. Just as the door closed behind her, Mary came into the hall. She saw the purse on the window, and thought of a chance to get Alice into trouble. Pick- ing the purse up, she carried it into another room and dropped it behind the radiator, and then started home. She met Belle coming back to the fac- tory and asked her what the matter was “I left my money on the window-sill in the hall”, she answered. ‘‘Come back with me while I get it.” Mary turned and went back, but when they reached the factory sne waited outside while Belle went in. Suddenly Belle gave a little cry and Mary went in and asked, in the most innocent tone, if she had found it. “No. It s gone. I put it here in the window and now I can’t find it.” “Are you sure you put it here?” asked Mary. Belle said she remembered exactly where she had laid it. Both girls be- gan to hunt, but it could not be found. At last they gave up, and Belle tried to think what had become of it. “Some one must have taken it,”she said at last, “but most of the girls left before I did.” Mary then said that Alice Blake was in the room when Belle was, and had perhaps taken it after she had gone. “I came into the room just as Alicj left and the money was gone then, ’ sho said. Belle thought that Alice would hardly do such a thing, but as they walked home, Mary said that Alic? was the only one who could have tak- en it, as she was about in the room and could easily have picked it uo without being seen by anyone. The next Monday morning, Alice

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THE TAX lOH HI EH SCHOOL REFLECTOR her idea of “getting even with Miss Selkirk. The plan was then discuss- ed thoroughly and after receiving light refreshments in the shape of cheese and crackers, they retired to their rooms. As they left, their whis- pering and laufhter showed how they enjoyed the thought of playing a prank on their preceptress. The next night Cicely stepped out of doors; and, seeing that the night was clear with a bright moon, decided to carry out her plan. She ran swift- ly to the garden and crept down back of fome bushes. She had hardly hid- den herself when she heard the mur- mur of voices, and, as they came near- er, saw to whom they belonged. Slow- ly down the garden path, arm-in-arm. walked Miss Selkirk and Professor Black of the Young Men’s College They were engrossed with each other and did not see their self-appointed spy back of the bush watching them. As soon as Cicely saw them walking down the path toward the garden bench, she stole back to the dormitory and related her discovery to her fel- low-conspirators. Then, stepping softly, they followed Cicely out of doors and crept in around about way until they were hidden in the bush- es directly behind the garden bench, where they hoped the elderly couple would stop. They were very still but found t necessary to look out every now and then to see if the Professor and Miss Selkirk were coming that way. Their viigls were soon rewarded for they saw their prey approaching and scar- cely had time to conceal themselves before they had come arpund the curve and slowly approached the gar- den bench. They halted in front of it, and the girls’ hearts were in their throats for they heard the Professor ask Miss Selkirk if she wished to rest or continue the stroll. They were thankful that she chose to rest and seited herself on the garden bench. The girls grew very impatient a3 they sat very still and waited for the Professor io speak. After several mo- ments, however, he ventured to take her hand and began his old-fashioned courting. He leaned over and was about to caress her when a great light flashed on them and they knew that they were discovered. They covered their confusion by ordering the girls to the house, and they followed soon aftei. Several weeks later. Miss Selkirk was much surprised to receive a par- cel in her morning mail. On opening it, she beheld the duplicate of the scene enacted in the garden several weeks before; also, a letter from Fred Trevor, of the Young Men’s College. In it the asked permission to call on his sister Cicely, as he heard that she had been forbidden the use of tb grounds where they had be n p ing. The preceptress was very ang. to think that she had made such : mistake, but she did not release Cicely from her punishment; instead, she included the other girls in it. Although the chief one, that the girls wished to annoy, was Miss Sel- kirk, they did not forget the Profes- sor and sent him a duplicate of the flashlight picture. Myrtle Hammerlund. Laugh, and the teacher laughs with you. Laugh, and you laugh alone; First, when the joke is the teacher’s, Second, when the joke is your own. “Johnny’’ said a stout lady, “can I get through that gate to the river?” T guess so,” answered Johnny, “a load of hay went through there this morning.”

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THE PAXTON HI OH SCHOOL REFLECTOR V was a little late. Before she came Belle asked the girl if they had seen anything of her money. When they all said they had not, Mary told how and why she suspected Alice. Alice came in a few minutes later, and was surprised that all the girls stopped talking and looked meaningly at her and then at one another. She woul 1 have asked them what the trouble was, but they acted so queer that she did not dare. They continued to act this way, and would hardly answer her when she spoke to them. This went on for nearly a week before she found what the trouble was. One morning after t! e girls had all come, Mary turned 10 her suddenly and asked why she lid taken Belle’s money on Saturday n ght. For a full minute Alice was too surprised to say a word. Then s' e grew pale and the tears came to her eyes. “You can easily see that she took it. Just look at her,” exclaimed Mary. “But I didn’t take it, and didn’t e en know it was lost,” protested Alice. Oh yes, you did You can’t deny it”, replied Mary. Alice declared that s'e had not taken the money, but none believed her. She soon began her wmrk, although she did not feel much like it, for she could not forget what Mary had said. Later on, she was carrying some 1 oxes to the back part of the fatcory, and in doing this she passed through a large unused room. She thought s’ e smelled smoke and stopping a moment, decided that there must be a fire some where near. Quickly crossing the floor she opened a door which led into a small room. The floor of this room was covered with loose paper and boxes. As she threw open the door of this room, she saw with horror that half of the room was in flames, and that the fire was rap idly spreading among the loose paper. She quickly gave the alarm and then hurried to the room where the girlo were busy. As soon as they heard that there was a fire, they jumped up and rushed out of the building, push- ing and shoving one another. When Alice reached the door she stopped suddenly. She remembered that. Mary Grimm’s younger sister had been sent upstairs on an errand. She wondered why she did not come down when she heard the fire, and decided tnat she must have been hurt or she woul have hurried down. The fire had spread over the east side of the factory. If Alice should try to go up- stairs, she would have to go through one of the rooms now burning. She quickly decided to try it, and dashed up the stairs. When she reached the top she saw the little girl sitting on the floor crying. She told her to come quickly because there was a fire, and they would be burned if they did Dot hurry. I can’t” answered the child, I slipped and hurt my foot so I can’t walk.” Alice picked her up and hurried down through the flames. Rushing blindly through the smok°. she finally reached the open air. Her face and armes were burned very badly. After they had been bandaged, Mary Grimm offered to go with her home. ‘I don’t know how to thank you enough for saving my sister,” she said, “but I wrnt to tell you some- thing. When I first knew you I didn I like you and wanted to get you into trouble. I took Belle's money and hid it, trying to put the blame on you. I’m awfully sorry, and I’ll get the money and tell the others girls.” And Mary did tell them soon, for they were able to begin i irl; in a few days, as the factory was damaged cniv a little and was soon rep «’red. Laura Johnson.