Phillips High School - Phillipian Yearbook (Phillips, ME)

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18 THE PH course, be openly amused, but he had a vision of her smile when she saw him pay the check in pennies! A' Oh, you needn't if you 'd rather not, she told him. But I do! 'i Jerry insisted. H I'd love to! I 'll drive around for you. An hour later they 'sat at a cozy little table. Jerry had prolonged the meal as muc-h as possible. They 'd have to leave sometime. He glanced at the check, and frowned. Sylvia smiled 'as she drew her furs closer around her n-eck. jerry tried, Sylvia, I have a little busi- ness with the manager. Why don't you wait in the car? But I don't mind waiting here! Not at all ! . Sylvia would be like thiat, jerry thought furiously. The next few moments seemed like ages, as he, with his face very red, counted out the pennies. He dared not look at Sylvia. She tucked her 'arm in his as they went out. Jerry, dear, how unique! was all she said. As he left her she told him she was go- ing away for a while. jerry feigned dis- appointment, but in reality he decided it was the best news he 'd heard for years. Sylvia was so persistent. With her gone, maybe he could keep away from the rest of his friends. He drove home where he found his father fuming silently. Jerry -grinned as he went upstairs. Poor old Dad. Maybe the pennies aren't so bad, after all l Meanwhile Mrs. 'Carrington had eaten her lunch-the first meal she had ever prepared. The meat was burned, the vegetables only half-cooked, the dessert which she had tried to make from a recipe in a cook-book she had found, was a com- plete failure. Virginlia found her trying to wash dishes, and then jerry came. They talked over their troubles. Virginia had slept on the couch in -the library, the night before, and she told them -her part wasn't ILLIPIAN half-bad, while Jerry related his experience with Sylvia. Mrs. Carrington had been terribly humil- iated by a visitor. The Mrs. Van Derick, it seemed, had called, while she was sweep- ing the floor, to ask about a club meeting. She had had on an apron, not exactly clean, and later .had discovered that there were two smudges on her nose. She could never meet that woman again, and feel completely at her ease. The week was drawing to a close. Vir- ginia had had little to frighten her at the old house, but today was Saturday. That evening she went into the library and picked out a book. Oblivious to everything she read it through. When Hnally she tin- ished, the grandfather's clock struck a quarter of twelve. Virginia felt that it had an ominous sound. In another quarter-hour! That fifteen minutes was like years! At 'two minutes of twelve Virginia bravely turned off the lights and started upstairs. It was so dark! Her imagination made the harmless curtains, the stair-rail, the very doors, take on a ghostly aspect. But-as she paused before the door of her aunt's bedroom, her hand on the knob, it swung open. A shriek caught in her throat. She entered-the room was in utter darkness. Virginia., feeling ther way, edged toward a chair and sank down into it. Terror seized her. She prayed for unconsciousness, but it did not come. An eerie, long-drawn wail li-lled the room. For hours she sat there. At intervals ghostly forms seemed hover- ing about the bed. Then came the wait like that of a lost soul. Would morning never come? Suddenly her eyes were blinded by 3 Hash of light. A familiar voice told her, 'K You 've certainly earned your money. Mr. Trent stood before her, smiling. Virginia shuddered as she glanced about the room, which the sunlight stripped of all its horrors. Is it really over? It really is. Mr. Trent smiled. There wasn't anything to frighten you,

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THE PHILLIPIAN 17 dollars, on the condition that he spend, for one week, only pennies, no other coins or bills to be used for anything he may pur- chasef! jerry smiled. He believed his conditions to be the simplest yet read. The four waited breathlessly for Virginia's. It was: To my great-niece, Virginia Carring- ton, I bequeath five hundred thousand dollars, to be left in the hands of my law- yer, until she reaches the age of twenty- one, when she shall receive the whole amount, on the condition that she spend a week at my home at Shadow Falls. The whole house is at her disposal for six nights, but on the seventh she must, at midnight, go to my bedroom in the east wing, and spend the remainder of the night there, all lights to be turned off. .linny shivered. She knew what a lonely, gloomy place Shadow Falls was, and her aunt's bedroom-why, that was where the old lady had died! The remainder of the will read that in case the family did not comply with the conditions as stated, the money would go to a charitable institution. The lawyer lin- ished and looked out over his glasses which were perched on his nose at an angle, where Virginia always watched -them for fear they would drop off. Well - he said expectantly. Mrs. Carrington spoke coldly, Aunt Sara -could not have been in her right mind. She decidedly wasf' Mr. Trent replied. You would have no grounds if you tried to contest the will, and you would simply be cut off altogether. Preposterous! Mr. Carrington de- clared, utterly so. 4' Think it over, Mr. Trent advised. Two million dollars is nothing to laugh at. But-may I have your decision to- night, as soon as possible? You, if you ac- cept, will have to begin to fulfill the con- ditions at twelve o'clock tonight, you know. Virginia will have to go to Shadow Falls, and Mrs. Carrington to the cottage. I be- lieve you may see each other during the day, so long as you do not help in any way. I shall rely upon you all to comply with the conditions, if you do accept. Mr. Carrington stiffened, If you will have dinner with us in an hour, Mr. Trent, you may have our decision then. The lawyer left the room, and an hour later, when the five sat down to dinner, the answer was, Yes . II Jerry offered to take Virginia to Shadow Falls, and, as the car entered the driveway Virginia looked at her watch. Five min- utes of twelve. At midnight she would be alone, with only the servants, in the op- posite wing. In a panic of terror she clung to her brother. I can? do it, Jerry! I'm so fright- ened! Take me back! UAW jinny, be a sport! jerry patted her consolingly. It won't be half-bad. You can stay in the library and read, ex- cept for Saturday night and you can see Mother at the cottage, and I'll come out after this week. Buck up, Sis! They entered the house and Jerry switched on the lights in the library. A fire had been built in the fireplace, but the corners of the room were dark and gloomy. The grandfather clock ticked loudly, and Jerry, with the parting words of: H Say, Sis, if you get lonesome, think of what a figure I'll cut with my pennies. Darn Aunt Sara anyhow! was gone, and -Iinny was left alone as the clock chimed twelve. The next noon Jerry was passing through the hall when the telephone rang. He answered and heard a familiar feminine voice. That you, jerry dear? Uh huh, he replied, thinking, 'I Sylvia Carr, of all people! It is Sylvia, came the voice at the other end of the wire. Don't you want to take me out to lunch? Jerry hesitated. Th-ose pennies! He 'd feel like a fool. Sylvia wouldn't, of

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THE PHILLIPIAN 19 anyhow. According to your auntls letter of directions, to me, Qthose wails were caused by a whistle, by the wayj this was to test your bravery. The rest of the family is downstairs. They have fulfilled the condi- tions O. K. and- I 'll bet Dad is talking a blue streak. They talked it over at breakfast, which was a sort of feast of triumph. 'A Well anyhow, it showis we Carringtons have some grit, ,Terry declared. You certainly have, agreed Mr. Trent. G. W., '33. PRESENT DAY SUPERSTITIONS NYONE would think that in our ad- vanced age there would be no cause for superstition. However, it is surprising to see how many of the old superstitions still cling. There is a belief that putting up an um- brella in a house means bad luck or death. I happen to know from experience that this belief still exists because I started to put up an umbrella in s0meone's house and I received quite a lecture on the subject with the result that I went out-of-doors to open my' umbrella. Where this belief originated I cannot say but there is a rumor that a lady put up an umbrella in a house once and a little girl got the point of it stuck in her eye and she died. This is probably the origin of the belief. Some people believe that it is an evil omen to have a bird follow a person around for two or three days or to have a dog howl for a long time. Salt spilling is a sign of quarreling and people believe that some of this salt thrown over the left shoulder will ward off the evil. There are several superstitions concern- ing lo-oking at the new moon or having -your ears burn but I could never remem- ber which ear or shoulder meant good luck and which bad so I don't believe in those two superstition-s. Some believe that having three lamps lighted in a row means bad luck. Also there is a superstition about ligh-ting three cigars or cigarettes with one match. Prob- ably the person having the third one got burned and that started the belief. Breaking a mirror is a sure sign of bad luck for seven years. Perhaps someone got badly injured by the br-oken glass from a mirror and people were afraid of break- ing mirrors after that. Walking under a ladder is a sure sign of bad luck or death. I have been told that when the palm of my hand iitched I should put my hand in my pocket and I would have a lot of money. Another get rich quick scheme is to say 'I Money, money, money as fast as you can when you see a shooting or falling star and if you succeed in saying it three times before the star disappears you wil-l sometime be rich, but it probably would be sometime. Dropping a dlishcloth or dishwiper on the floor is a sign of company. If a knife or pair of shears stick upright in the floor when accidently dropped, that is also a sign of company. Yet a third sign of company is to have a cat wash its face during the day or any time not directly after meals. In the olden times people always put on their best and made a great time when company came so when the cat cleaned up they 'thought the cat could tell that company was coming and got ready for it. If anyone starts on a journey and finds he has forgotten something and must go back after it, it tis bad luck if he does not sit down in a chair before setting forth a second time on his journey. Some time ago I was talking with a girl whom I had not seen for some time. She remarked that she had not been ill all win- ter and then she -rapped on wood. I did not at the time know why she did that but afterwards I learned that you should never brag unless you rap on wood 'so that your luck in that direction will not change. People do not believe in beginning any-