Saint Ursula Academy - Scroll Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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Hollow Victory OBBIE JEAN, a mem- ber of our precious younger set, was real- ly a slick chick, any- way Herbie thought so. Like nearly all the other true jive hounds, Bobbie simply swooned over Frankie Sinatra's voice, You're a droop if you donyt like Frankie, just everybody does,', she would remind Herbie every time she saw him. You see, Herbie had the misfortune to tell her frankly that he thought Bing Crosbyls crooning was ten times better. He noticed that Bobbie had been rather distant toward him late- ly, but saying something against her dream man put their Haffairu on the rocks. One would never know that they were practically going steady at one time, to see them one lovely spring day after school, when they chanced to meet in Pinkelheimerls Drug Store. VVhen Herbie walked in, there was Bobbie standing at the counter with her nose stuck into a magazine she was reading. There was a soft, dreamy look in her big brown contented eyes. To those who knew Bobbie, it was evident that she was drooling over a picture of The Voice. Poor Herbie made another dreadful mistake. He greeted her and looked over her shoulder at the object of her interest. f'What do you see in that crumb? YVhatys he got that I havenlt got ? Well, she told him. He couldn't have been more crushed if you ran over him with a steam roller. Herbie trudged toward home, bitterly discussing the situation with himself. YVhat a dirty deal he got. Is it his fault that he didnlt look like that skinny runt? Herbie was -ALYCE BAUMGARTNER '45 very easy on the eyes and everybody recognized the fact, except Bobbie Jean. She often thought of how wonderful it would be if his curly hair hung over his forehead and he lost thirty or forty pounds, ,cause Herb was really very sweet, In the meantime Herbie was still brooding. Oh, cruel fate! Why did he have to be six feet two? Why the broad shoulders? Why did he get a butch? He did have curly hai1'. VVorst of all, why IIILLYFIFS? Sinatra hasnyt a muscle in his body. An idea dawned on him. As soon as shool was out he would go away for a few weeks and return a new man-ga broken down one, Summer vacation finally came and he and his best friends, Joe and Hawknose, who promised to supervise the proceed- ings, went to a cottage for a few weeks. VVhile his two chums went swimming and acquired suntans and vibrant health, Herbie was in the cottage drinking grape juice and munching on Rye-Krisp crack- ers, of which he allowed himself only six a day. He couldn't shrink in height but he'd die trying to effect the width contraction. Every day he watched him- self waste away and his hair grow out. Very much satisfied with his efforts, and unrecognizable, Herbie returned home, His poor mother almost fainted when she saw him, but his father, under- standing the situation, assured her that it wouldn't last long. The very first thing he did was to stagger down to Pinkelheimer's to see Bobbie. VVhen he stumbled through the door, he saw her standing just as she had last spring, looking at a picture of the swoon king. The magazine slipped from her fingers on to the floor as she stared open- mouthed at the new Herbie. There he was with that lean hungry look, and, oh joyl curly hair dripping down on his forehead, QTurn to page 46j THE SCROLL 19

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Worth i hting For OOKING down be- low, Hank saw only water. He leveled the -' controls and settled back in the seat of his plane, VVell,H he sighed, one more mission completed and here I lm, still in one piece. Fancy thatll' Hank, who was actually Hank Gray, had now completed seven missions over Germany. How far he was from home now! Yes, here he was flying over places of which he had never heard. It seemed like centuries ago that he had stood on the platform of the small station in Albany, Kansas, embraced his mother and kissed Carol, his girl, good- bye. Hank had had to put on a good performance that day. All the while he was consoling Mom his stomach was turning Hips. He was really scared to deathg and now, thinking about it, he wondered if his smiles had really fooled Mlom. He doubted it. He had hated to leave lhlom alone. Since his fatherys death when he was twelve, he had been the man of the family, and Nlom had come to depend on him. Nlom was really some sport though, and when she realized how much joining up meant to him, she reconciled herself to the fact. just to make him feel free to go, she made a big joke of his going and almost threw him out of the house bodily. Gee, lVIom was swell! Sinking still deeper into thought, Hank began to recall his life before joining the Air Corps. His first vivid recollection was of the building where he had gone to grade school. Never would he forget that building, for it Was there that he really grew up, Think- -Mo1.r.v WH.fXI.EN '45 ing about it caused a grin to spread across his face. Yes, he surely grew up there and with what a jolt, for, when he entered the seventh grade he fell madly in love with his teacher, and how it broke his heart when she resigned to be married. And to think that he had tried to fail so he could remain in her class. Entering high school was really great. Gee, how big held felt walking down those long corridors. And in his senior year that school had been almost too small for his head. Why, wasn't he Hank Gray, star athlete, smart as a whip, and going with the smoothest girl in the school? Yes, that was Hank and besides all of that he had the swellest lklom ever. She was understanding too. He could bring the gang home after a game and if they raided the ice-box, that was fine. After all, that's what the food was there for-to eat. And if he did happen to get banged up in a game, lhlom didn't cry and carry on as some mothers did, and embarrass him half to death. Sheyd sigh and say, '4Well, I guess that's what you must expect when you're raring like an lndianf' Thatys how he liked to picture Nlom now. Going about her business as al- ways. Klaybe bragging now and then about 'fher boyf' or reading part of his letters at Red Cross. Gosh, how glad he was that Klom didn't cry and carry on like some mothers. She was proud of the service flag in her window and she let people know it. Coming suddenly back to the present, Hank looked below him to see the home- made airfield on which he was to land. He nosed downward and doing so a smile brightened his face as he mur- mured, HYes, 'lN'lom, it was a great life and it's really worth fighting for.', 18 THE SCROLL

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Bringing p ather George, George, where are you? George, you get out from under that sofa. My land, you,d think this recital was like to the guillo- Now get me my red shoes from the bedroom closet. Well, they were there this morning. Now, George, it won't do you any good to hide them. You're going, if I have to wear skis. George, get my jewels out of the safe. You do too know the combination. George, get those jewels. I don,t care. Youyre going if I have to wear strings of macaroni instead of diamonds. I don't care if you don't like them. George, have you seen put them in the scrap drive. I know he took your suspender clasps, but I hid the pins in the red shoes so he wouldn't find them. George, feed the dog! I had so much talking to do on the phone to- day that I didnit get a chance. The poor dear must be starved. George, what are you doing? Canyt you hear the cat? Now let him out. Well, who told you to feed Peps? Let Chrysanthe- mum out. George, do you see a draw- string bag in the dining room? Look and see! You haven't moved from the bottom of the stairs. George! George! Now where is he? Oh, George, how can you be so mean? You arentis dressed yet, and all the time it takes me to dress and you still haven't started. Oh George! George! come out from under that sofa! my bobby pins? Of course Junior didn,t -PATRICIA MCCARTHY '46 The Delirious ,Io of Sneezing S IWISS GWENDOLINE SPITTNER, Centerville High SchooI's English teacher, dressed carefully for her dinner engagement with Professor Nlills, Cjashua Nlills to be exactj she thought to herself, 'iThis must be the night for Professor Nlills to ask mef, Consequently, she concentrated more seriously on her dressing. After a delicious steak dinner at the city's one and only hotel, the couple p1'o- ceeded to the park. The moon had just come out, and the soft summer breezes made the park a perfect setting for a very romantic speech. Nliss Spittner sat breathless with anticipation. Suddenly the Professor leaned forward with a very misty look in his eyes. As his face grew slightly contorted, Xliss Spittner thought he was too overcome with shyness to speak, so she urged him on by saying, Yes, dear Professor Niills. What is it you wish to say to me :W The professor paid no attention, but began fumbling in his pockets for something. Naturally Bliss Spittner thought it was for a ring. 'KOh, how too, too wonderful,', she sighed. 1 As the seconds passed and Professor lNIills could Il0t find what he was looking for, he became very excited and restless. Finally, between gasps, he said, HMiss Spittner, Gwendoline, Iive been trying to find some way all evening in which to ask you-- With this, Kliss Spittner gave a little shriek of excitement and said, Oh, do go on, Professor IXIills, I mean -Iashua, I've been living for this moment for the past ten yearsf' In response the Professor began to shiver and Hshake in his boots. Then came the thunderous a-a-a-chooo! 4'lNIy dear 'Gwend0line, I've been trying to ask you all evening if you have one of those strong, sturdy, ever lush and hard to get KleeneX! --ROSEMARY IXIOBURG '45 20 THE SCROLL