Phillips High School - Phillipian Yearbook (Phillips, ME)

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26 T H E P H THE EASTER LILY . U I SN'T it remarkable, the way she cares for her garden-everything grows so nicel ' This is what the neighbors would say when they saw eight-year old Babette Grant working on her precious plot. She was the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Grant who lived on Decatur street. They had a small, modern home. Mr. Grant having worked in a bank for ten years. On one side of the spacious lawn, was Babette's garden, beauti- fully decorated with many flowers. She had a little glass box for a hothouse. Her many species had been given to her by her mother and the neighbors. She tenderly cared for her garden every day. One day Babette came home from school and saw a package for her on the table. It was from the minister. He had sent her an Easter lily bulb! M ot h e r! M ot he r, look! she cried. See what Mr. johnson gave to me. Now I can have a lily all my own.', During the winter, a poor Italian family had moved in, down the street. The father had died, leaving a wife, three small chil- dren and a girl, Betti about Babette's age. The mother had to work very hard so her children would not starve. Babette tried in vain to make friends with Betti, but she paid no attention. Her face was always dirty and she looked to be very cross. By now Babette's lily had grown quite large. It was almost Easter, but would the lily bloom too soon? This question worried Babette. One day Babette had noticed Betti gazing into the window of the Florist Shop. She stood there a long time. When Babette went over, she saw Betti crying. Immedi- ately Betti ran. It must be that Betti liked flowers also and she had been wishing for some. One morning when Babette woke up, the sun was shining brightly. She hurried to look at her lily. Much to her disappoint- ment one bud had already opened and the other was about ready. Oh what shall I ILLIPIAN do? she thought. It's eight days before Easter and my lily will be spoiled. Sud- denly she stopped crying. An idea had come to her. She ran to mother and they whispered for several minutes. She hurried down to Mr. Iohnson's to ask him something. Yes, my dear, he answered, it's all right with me. That afternoon Babette carefully wrapped her lily and went over to Betti's. She was giving it to the poor girl who, she knew, loved flowers down in her heart, instead of putting it on the church altar where every- one would see it and praise her. Mother and the minister both agreed that it was a fine idea. Oh thank you,', she cried, thees is for me? I love-a it. After this the two girls were close friends. Babette gave and taught Betti many things. THE LIE AND HOW IT GREW N this particular morning nine year old jerry Arnold was feeling very sorry for himself-and why shouldn't he? He had just come from a long session in the wood- shed. At least it had seemed long to him. This is how the whole thing happened. Ierry's mother was right in the midst of making a cake when to her dismay she found she had no baking-soda. She hurried to the door and called, jerry, come here a min- ute, please. Will you run down to Mr. Carter's store and get me a box of baking- soda? Wait just a moment and I'll get you some money. Be sure and come right backll' A few minutes later jerry was hurrying down the street, and fearing he would for- get what he was after he kept muttering to himself, Baking-soda, baking-soda. At the same time that jerry was on his way to Mr. Carter's store, a jolly group of young boys was coming down the street, baseball gloves and bats swinging at their sides. Now Ierry's intentions were to do as his mother had told him to, but he soon found himself in a vacant lot, on one side of Mr.

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THE PHILLIPIAN 25 Evelyn confessed that the boys at school had been poking fun at his name and that he, on several occasions, had had to fight and up to now had always had the worst of it. I keep telling them how brave my dad is, he said, almost in tears, but they say that a man who'll name his son Evelyn can't be brave. I guess it just isn't any use. The next morning at recess the boys started their hectoring again. Evelyn had reached the limit of his endurance. His fists Hew and before even he realized it both his tormentors were on the ground. What is the meaning of this? de- manded a stern voice. Evelyn Black, you don't deserve to hear the news I have for you. It was the principal. Is it-is it from my father? quavered Evelyn. It is. I think your-er-friends may be in- terested too. Your father, Evelyn, has just received a medal for bravery. Gosh! exclaimed the boys, and one of them added, You weren't kidding us at all! Your father really is with the R. A. F . Boyl' said the other, A real flyer! Say, how's about being friends? Gee, we really liked you, only, well your name is sort of funny. You bet,,' said Evelyn. And why don't you just call me Butch for short? Nelda Thompson. HOW IIMMY SAVED THE FLAG IT was a cold winter night and Iimmy O'Brien, a poor newsboy, was walking home from work. He and his mother lived in a tiny cottage on the outskirts of the city, almost a mile away. It started to snow and the wind increased. Iimmy, shivering, drew the collar of his thin jacket more closely about his throat. He decided to take a short cut to get home sooner. His way now lay in a bad part of the city. People of almost every nationality lived there and it was almost dangerous to walk in this section alone after dark. Iimmy continued resolutely onward. The wind and snow increased. It seemed as if the bones of his body were frozen, and soon he realized that he must stop at one of these houses to get warm, or perish. He paused in front of a building for he thought he heard angry voices and someone sobbing. He stepped to the window and looked in. The sight that met his eyes made him forget that he was cold. In the small room he could see people. On looking more closely he discovered a little boy crouching in a corner. He was crying and appeared very frightened. A large brutal looking man was bending over him as though threatening to do something. A frail woman was standing near by. It seemed as if she were pleading. She spoke in a foreign language which jimmy could not understand. Her words seemed to make the man more angry. Suddenly Iimmy saw that the little boy held a small American flag partly concealed by his coat. The man started to take it from him. Iimmy felt that it was time for him to interfere. He opened the door softly and entered. The man did not see him. Rushing up behind and knocking him to one side, Iimmy took the flag from the boy's hand and turning to the astonished people cried: This American flag protects all its citi- zens. You are a foreigner. You may be an enemy of this country, I cannot say, but I know you are doing wrong to try to take this Hag from the boy. While you are liv- ing here you are under its protection and should obey and respect its laws. Has the United States ever done you any wrong? The man felt ashamed and lowered his head. Finally in broken English he replied: No, the United States has not wronged me, but my native country does not like her, and I was only doing what I thought was right. I see now that I was wrong. jimmy gave the flag to the boy and told him to honor it and respect it always. As he moved toward the door the woman de- tained him, trying to express her gratitude for his assistance. Finally he started for home. He no longer felt cold. He was very happy for he knew that he had done a good deed that night, a deed of any true American! Robert McKeen.

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THE PHILLIPIAN 27 Grundy's house. Ierry noticed the house was quite near but he under-estimated his ability with the bat. Before he realized it his bat had hit the ball with an astounding crack! and the ball went sailing through the air-crash ll right through Mr. Grundy's front window! The next thing Ierry knew, Mr. Grundy was shouting at the boys and shaking his fist. All in one breath the boys took to their heels and ran for dear life. Ierry ran right past Mr. Carter's store, the baking-soda he was supposed to buy the farthest thing from his mind. As he ran into his own yard his mother met him at the door and asked, Where is the baking-soda, Ierry? Not wanting his mother to know the story of what had happened he did the worst thing he could havewclone-he told a liel They didnlt have any baking-soda! he blurted out. Why didn't you go to another store then?,' Why are you so breathless--have you been running? Yes'm, you see I went to nearly every store in town and nobody had any baking- soda, and- Are you sure, Ierry?,' interrupted his mother, eying him strangely. Oh, yes'm, Ierry answered her, now de- termined to make the most of this lie he had started. You see as I was coming from one of the stores, I happened to look up to Mr. Grundy's house and I saw an old tramp walking right into his house. Pretty soon I heard a noise and the tramp jumped right out of the window, Mr. Grundy hollering, Thief, thief! V' Of course everyone ran right after the thief and so did I, but pretty soon I remem- bered that you told me to come right back so I-Oh Er-good, morning Mr. Grun- dy. Mother may I be excused? lust a moment young man, said Mr. Arnold coming out of the next room where he had heard everything. Let's wait and see what Mr. Grundy has to say. Mr. Grundy told his story and soon went away with money in his pocket to buy a new window. Mr. Arnold now turned to Ierry and asked, 'lDid you do this, jerry? Oh, no, Dadf' Ierry quickly answered, hoping to keep himself from getting a pun- ishment but vaguely realizing he was leading himself to a worse punishment. Ierryl his father sternly said, You have told enough lies for one day. Come with me! All Ierry's protests were in vain, and so now it is plain to see why Ierry was feeling sorry for himself. For that stern, Come with mel' was a trip to the much dreaded woodshed. But Ierry had learned that his fespecially such yarns as Ierry told, do not Pay! Dolena Walker. ALUMNI HALL N the last issue of the PHILLIPIAN we showed the plan for the new building. It was the idea of the committee to continue work as long as funds were available. But there came a time last spring when the funds were exhausted and it was very necessary to complete some of the work. The directors borrowed 151500. From October to December no work was done. It was a question of heating the building. During the Christmas vacation box stoves were put on the stage end and work started again. All of the labor and some of the material was contributed. In two weeks the hall was opened to the public. During the months of Ianuary and Feb- ruary the hall was in almost constant use. It seemed too good to be true that we had such a wonderful place in Phillips. The American Legion Auxiliary has earned a substantial sum to continue the work. The stage has been completed, thd monthly payments on the note have been taken care of each month, and a new heat- ing plant has been purchased and will be installed in a short time. Early this spring the question of wood for another year came up. Truman Masterman offered to give wood if men could be found to cut it. Forty men volunteered--cut, yarded, and trucked twenty-five cords. Later this was sawed and put under cover, all without cost.