Abington High School - Oracle Yearbook (Abington, PA)

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You will not be tempted as Meg- was If Ye Have Faith As Meg sank into the nearest vacant seat on the train, she was tired in every inch of her five-feet four, tired from her russet velvet tam that sat jauntily on her black bob to the platform soles of her neat brown shoes. The company had given all the ein- ployees one afternoon in which to Christ- mas shop, and Meg had been in and out of shops all afternoon. It was discouraging to shop with prices so inflated, and when one lived under the rule of the scrowling household god, 4'Budget,,' it took the fun out of shopping. She had all her gifts now, though Ted's present had been wrapped and sent weeks ago with those to go to the armed forces in Korea. What kind of Christmas would it be anyway with Ted away? A tired tear of self-pity slid down Meg's cheek. Sur- reptiitiously she wiped her face and blinked from the Window as the train drew near the little town Where Ted and she had bought their first home a few months be- fore. At the thought of the little bungalow Meg stiffened. They had been so afraid il EE? they would lose it that, when Ted was sud- denly 'called back into service, he had in- sisted that they rent it and that she return to her parents' house until he was out of service. Meg had listened to his careful plans for her and seemed to agree. She really hadn't thought what they meant at the time, and in the excitement of his de- parture, Ted had taken it for granted that she would carry them out. That did 'not mean she had promised anything. With a sudden change of humor, Meg smiled to herself. Wouldn't Ted be sur- prised when he came home and found she was a working woman and their things were still secure in their little home? Still smiling to herself, Meg set the little house in order that evening before she left to spend Christmas Eve with her parents in another part of town. Only when she was arranging the manger scene beneath a tiny table tree did she again let a tear fall. As she placed the Virgin Mary near the little manger, it seemed that the little blue-clad plaster figure was smiling at her. ll, NAN DNALERIO, '51

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I heard somebody shout, Thats the way to play basketball, Glendale. Keep. fight- ing. While I sat in the dressing room, I thought to myself, Who cares if I play a good game or not? No matter how I play, if the team wins, I'1n a hero, and if they lose, I'm a bumf' In the opening minutes of the second half, I managed to give off some very nice passes, and we cut the margin down to two points. It remained that way until the fourth quarter. I opened the final period by making a beautiful one-hander to tie the game and followed that up by sinking a long set shot, which brought the crowd screaming from their seats. Suddenly I saw a momentary pause by my opponent and took the opportunity to intercept a pass intended for him. I dribbled down court and laid it up for two points. The crowd went wild, and all of a sudden it hit me! These fans weren't cheering because I was scoring, they were cheering because the school team was winning. They didn 't care who scored as long as the team was winning. Every fan in the gym was play- ing that game, not just the ten men on the court. Well, the lead soon disappeared when the Coaltowners came roaring back, but I matched them, point for point. One-hand shots, set shots, impossible shots-I made them all. I wanted to win, not for self glory but for the school. I was filled with the thing they call school spirit. Then it happened. With twenty seconds remaining and the score tied, I fumbled away an easy pass. An alert Coaltown forward grabbed the ball and raced down court for the win- ning score. In the dressing room after the game, l was almost in tears. I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Tony standing there. Expecting words of anger and disgust, I was surprised to hear him say, You played a swell game, and you didn't deserve to fumble that pass, but we're not holding it against youf' He was smiling as he said this and, as I looked around, the others were smiling, too. l thought to myself, You won after all. The team lost the game, but you got some school spirit, and that was more i111- portant. ROBERT GOLD,51 CHRISTMAS Christmas comes but once a year, When it 's gone, we'll shed no teaxr. Working to hafve everything that will Dazzle Wearing ourselves to the very last Fraezle Frantically rushing for last minute Necessities- We-arily hoping for no more Compleazities- Reading the story of good old St. Nick- To children so excited, we fear they'll be Sick- Struggling with the tree, to set it just Right- . Trimming it with balls and bright electric Ifight- Wrapping the presents, trying hard to be Original- Comes the day of great Expectations With big, luscious turkey, and gift Creations Forgotten is our weariness of the month 's long Pull. Christmas- Isn't it wonderful! BEVERLY DEAN,53

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Mary and Joseph had found it hard go- ing, too, she recalled. There had always been tyrants and strife, but Mary and Joseph had believed in Godfs promises and through their faith had brought hope and light to mankind. Meg picked up the little figure and gazed into its peaceful face. She would try to have faith, but she felt so alone. Mary and Joseph had had each other on that far-off Christmas Eve. It had been weeks since she had heard from Ted. Carefully she locked the bungalow door, and as she trudged through the new fallen snow, she wept softly. When her parents had retired for the night, Meg went quietly to her mother 's kitchen cabinet. She knew her mother had a box of tiny pellets there. Yes, it was still there on the orderly shelf. She poured the little pills into the pahn of her hand and looked at them. One of these tiny pills had allowed her mother to get a night's needed sleep when she had been ill. Would several A faint rustling sound Disturbed the still night, Q And in the soft glow Of the yellow street light I saw snowflakes swirl, All shimmering white, In a dance of mad ecstasy. give Meg release from loneliness and worry? How very, very tiny they were- as tiny as-What was it that was the tiniest of seeds? Suddenly Meg remember- ed. It was a mustard seed. In the quiet kitchen she seemed to hear the words, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this moun- tain, remove hence to yonder placeg and it shall removeg and nothing shall be impos- sible unto you. Little homes would grow and Christmas candles would glow in them on other Christmases. The spirit of Christ was not to be down-trodden while His followers had faith in God's promises. Meg put the box of pills back and quietly closed the closet door, - Softly across the night she heard the Christmas chimes ring out their song of hope for peace on earth. LOIS WRIGLEY, '53 Snow Dance The 'voice of the snowflakes Became a long sigh- Come dance 5 dance in splendor, Tomorrow we die. But tonight in perfection Descend from the sky, In a dance of sweet ecstasy. 'rr LX P IE, . Yes, tonight we must dance For tomorrow we dkie, Gray and despondent On earth we shall lie, But tonight let us dance In farewell to the sky, . A dance of sad ecstasy. BARBARA FLOWER, '51