Stadium High School - Tahoma Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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Tl-l'E. TAI-IOMA 29 pieces, but l've decided to spend these last ten minutes as I please. Jess, your nose is simply glowing, she said teasingly, as she wiped the perspiration from her own. Oh, say girls, close those old manuals and let's talk about Dot Farrell's party. You're all going, of course?,' Oh, sure, came in unison from the girls as they closed their manuals. If I only had something decent to wear. Our dressmaker is out of townf' Beth began in a mournful note. Wlnhat .little crepe of yours is too dear for anything, remarked Jess. 'LOh, Jess, it's decades old though, l've worn it half a dozen afternoons. I suppose you're going to have some- thing darling. Tell us about it, Annie dear. Oh, is it a ready made one? Mother and father simply forbid those. I know there are lots of exquisite ones, but Bourque does all our sewing, al- ways has, you know. That sounds awfully sweet at any rate. What's yours like, dearie? turning to another girl immensely interested. uBoys, you are making too much noise, lVlr. Irving said, without looking up from the flower that he was examining. Yes,', remarked one culprit, he could actually hear the color of the gowns WC,1'C going to wear. The girls' heads came close to- gether and they did try to whisper less audiblyg but they didnit stop, and till the bell rang they discussed the details of their dresses, and then contemplated what the rest of the girls would wear. The boys stalked out of the room, when the bell rang. The girls im- mediately became busy with the parts of the dandelion they didn't quite un- derstand. They found Mr. Irving most interesting then. They surrounded his desk, and discussed a hundred things. They began with the flower in question, and ended with the most interesting accounts of picnics, fishing trips and shows. Oh, Jess, do you remember what I ,specially needed to question about?!' Beth asked with a twinkle in her eye, a minute after the bell shruck. Don't be particular, Jess dear, she added as Jess tried to look thoughful. Say, Beth, Mr. Irving began, before Jess had time to conjure an opening, did it ever occur to you that dandelions are excellent conduct- ors on hot days? 'ilt struck me forcibly enough today, at any rate. Beth laughed. lsn't this the most hideous place imagin- able? Bobby sighed expressively, and as Jess whispered in a girli's ea-r, grace- fully even. What shall we study next, Beth? he asked. Oh, there are just hundreds of flowers blossoming out at Twin Firs. Twin Firs, you know, is the most beautiful place in the world in May. Of course, so many of the flowers are rare cultivated ones , Beth ans- wered with a dreamy voice, enjoying the effect her words made on the girls. I was wondering if you girls could get some wild honeysuckleu, Mr. Irv- ing suggested. Oh, that's quite as bad as dande- lions, Jess decided. lt isn't, either, Jess Winslow , Beth declared, it's simply beautiful. Oh, just as you say , Jess answer- ed carelessly. Could you get some, Beth? Mr. Irving asked. Yes, to be sure. Father has plan-

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1 28 Tl-IE. TAI-IOMA Another Thorn GRACE DixoN 'l4. E, I-Ill? botany laliloratofgy seemed 'Nfl . t e iottest an stu lest p ace that the sixth period class is could conceive. Indeed, they found it twenty-five degrees hot- ter than it really was. The sun beat through the light-colored window shades, which shut out what little breeze th-ere was. The tables and sink were littered with dandelions, so sickly and ugly and yellowg the waste- paper baskets were filled with the re- mainder of the scotch broom, brighter than the danelions, and as thoroughly detestable to the class. Frequently some one sighed deeply, and remarked for the dozenth time that it was hot, but made no further effort at conver- sation. At twenty minutes past two, Beth Mitchell closed her manual with a de- cisive slap on the cover. There, I shan't do another thing this day, she exclaimed, turning round on her stool and adjusting the wide blue bow which so effectively showed off her light brown hair. Now, Jess Winslow, you can just suit yourself, she continued, patting the bow into a more becoming position, and glancing at her friend on the other side of the table. I-Ieat, my dear Jessg look how poor Bobby's perspiringlf' Poor Bobby was lVlr. Irving, the only botany teacher of whom the school could boast. He had admir- ably lilled the place left vacant by the sudden illness of the little old ma.n with the forgetful ways, who mixed the boys' andthe girls' names, and who loved flowers with his whole soul. Two days before the spring term com- menced Mr. Irving arrived, effectively dressed. I-le had an interesting manner, a pleasant voice, and was next door to being good-looking. Immediately a goodly number signed up for botany. In fact, the classes were over-crowded, and this was attributed to the fact that the spring term of botany is always more interesting than the fall. At least, this was the reason that one of the girls in the junior class gave Beth Mitchell two days after Mr. Irving arrived. As I expected, another victim of the botany mania, laughed Beth. Of course I'm going to sign up. My case is every inch as bad as yours. I-Ie's simply a dear, she finished, with the consciousness of pronouncing a decision eagerly awaited by her clique. So these became the only words used to describe the new botany teacherg that is, these were the only ones used by the girls, the boys, however, having dozens. Isri't that a cunning frown? she went on now to Jess. Oh, it's those abominable dande- lions that have been annoying him, Beth laughed as Mr. Irving removed a large jar of them from his desk to the floor. I-Ie glanced around his class and smiled at the amusement in the girls' faces, remarking that the sixth period ended at two thirty. This was ad- dressed to the boys, and was meant for the class, of course. We understand, Beth whispered, as she leisurely pulled a dandelion to

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30 TI-IE T ned a little trip up toward the moun- tain Sunday, and l'm sure to see some along the way: in fact, l know of a spot where there are just stacksf, All right, then, We'll have wild honeysuckle Monday. lt's one of my favorite flowers , lVl1'. Irving declared. The girls all liked it, too. This being decided, the next thing that came up for discussion was the assembly of the same morning. After the speaker's dress and hat had been thoroughly reviewed, and Bobby's opinion given in passing, Beth sighed and declared that she was going home. ul know the car isn't waiting for me. Mother thinks it so undemocratic to have it meet me after school, she said with a little pout, 'Td make the janitor clean up all this mess, she called back, as she and the rest of the girls went out. Beth stamped her foot and scolded as she placed her little panama on her wavy hair, and took a squint at herself in the little mirror that was the common property of a dozen or more girls. Mother doesn't realize how nasty and hot it is on that miserable Springdale car, for she never rides on it herself. Oh, yes, we all know that you are a very unfortunate childf' Jess said with mock pity. I only wish my dad could boast of an automobile at allv, she laughed carelessly. Well, you are unfortunate, Jess, the others remarked. Oh, goody, thereis your car, Annie, half a dozen girls cried mer- rily, as they emerged from the stuffy basement into the hot afternoon. They and more, piled into the auto, shout- ing back good-byes. Stop in for me tomorrow afternoon, Bethg we'll all go down to Dot's together, was the parting salute. AI-IOMA All right, good-byew' Beth an- swered merrily enough. After a fifteen minutes' walk to the lnterurban de- pot, Beth's good spirits were consider- ably lowered. Sh-e climbed on the Springdale car two minutes before it left the station. It was filled with farmers, seedy and unshaven, and their wives, dowdy and tired. A coarse- looking 'man got up and gave Beth his place, with an awkward grin. Beth's tip-tilted nose went higher in the air as she sat down. Within the next few blocks a young woman, red and perspiring, got on with two large baskets in her hands. Oh, hello, sisterf' she called, smil- ing as she stopped by Beth's seat. Beth's body straightened visibly. 'il-lello, Helen, she answered coldly. One of Bethis neighbors farther up in the car rose and offered Helen his seat. 'Tm tired, because I'm late getting through with my delivering, so I think I'l1 sit down, Beth. Beth's critical eyes noticed with displeasure how her hister's dress drooped, how old and run down her shoes were, in short, how dowdy she looked. l-ler eyes wandered again and again to her faded blue dress, and the faded flowers on her hat, and she remarked, also, that her sister had grown round-shoulderedg that her finger-nails were worn, and her hands and arms sun-burned. A feeling of aversion came over her, yet she could not but notice how soft and line her voice was contrasted with the shrill, coarse ones around her. I do love l-lelen, but- she thought to herself and that but be- came enormous. After a ride, long enough to get one thoroughly out of sorts, they arrived at Springdale. They said nothing till l-lelen commented at the gate, in front of their little cottage, Aren't the snap-dragons lovely, Beth Y'