Annie Wright School - Shield Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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20 THE HYAK. Mary— Florida is a pood place for whooping cough. I was going to take little Pierre there, two years ago, but he pot well before we pot ready to start, so Rob and I went alone. Lucy — Oh, pirls! Speak inp of Florida, my uncle down there sent me the most beautiful palm ! I planted it out in the parden; do you think it will live ! z Millie— Oh, I should think so, if you cover it every winter. Ls it in a sunny place! Lucy (putting her arm through Millie’s) — Gome out and I’ll show it to you. (Turns to others) Don’t you want to come, too, pirls, and see an old maid’s parden! Goldie (in a low voice)— Poor thing! (Bell rings.) Exit all. Lucy (turning and reentering) — Oh, there goes that bell again! Please excuse me a minute, girls. I’ll be out in a second. SCENE II. — (A din of tin pans followed by a scream, and the door opens. Enter Nellie Parker, Erma David, Alice Stoddard, Edna Key lor and Jeannette Thorne.) Lucy— Oh! I’m so glad to see you all! Don’t be alarmed at the noise. I’m a lone woman, you know, and that is my burglar alarm. Isn’t it suc- cessful ! Nellie— Well rather. (Supporting Erma, who is almost fainting, to a seat.) It frightened Erma nearly to death. Her poor nerves have received such a shock. Erma (in a weak voice) — Yes, John is a nerve specialist. (Brightens and looks around.) Perhaps you have heard of Dr. Eldrige’s nerve specific, warranted to kill all nerves, whether in the limbs or in the teeth. He has tried so many experiments on me that I am a nervous wreck, but as John says, its all for the benefit of humanity. Lucy— I certainly am glad to see you all again. You must be tired after your ride. Do let me give you some tea. (Serves them.) Where do you live now, Alice! Alice— A t Akron, Ohio, my dear, a most progressive town. We have five clubs there. The mothers’ club, of which I am president. The Wo- man’s Rights Club, of which I also have the honor of being president. The

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THE HYAK. 19 Millie (laughing)— Same old Grace! Mary — Oh! I ' ve been there, too! It’s nothing blit a pile of rocks. Grace (excitedly)— Why it’s not— Millie— Hurry up and go on, Goldie, or well have a pitch battle here. Lucy (solomnly) — Let us have peace. (All laugh.) Goldie — Where was I? Oh! Victor! He looks just like his father, and he’s the dearest little thing you ever saw! And ride! The boys all take turns giving him lessons, and he does as well as most of them already. Lucy— L et’s see, how old is he now? Goldie — Just seven. Going on eight, as he says. We are a long ways from any school, so I teach him myself, and really you’d be surprised, girls, to hear him read ; and lie’s perfectly fine at mathematics. Arithematic’s his favorite study— Hut I musn’t take up all the afternoon with my family. It’s your turn, Grace. Lucy— Yes,, Grace, go on and tell us about Archie. Grace— W ell, Archie’s the best man in the world. Mary— Naturally. Goldie— He isn’t either. Grace— He is too, Goldie Elliot — I mean Goldie Graham, and his oldest son’s the next best. Archibald Algernon Patfield Junior’s, his name. Goldie (aside) — Whew ! Grace— And then there’s Jenny and the baby— The dearest baby! Ana Jenny’s a sweet, little girl, though she’s not a bit like me. Millie— What does Archie look like? Grace— Oh, he’s tall, with gray eyes, and a dark, brown moustache. Haven’t you ever seen his picture? (Opens locket.) Millie — No, we hardly ever get the American papers over on our side. Lucy— Y ou poor exile. Mary— D on’t you get terribly homesick over there? Millie— Yes,, so metimes. This trip home is a great treat. Gustave had to come to Florida for his health, you know. Goldie — Is he delicate? Millie— O h, no, not especially, but a genius has to get run down now and then, you know. It ' s a part of the profession. Lucy (aside) — Paying profession, I should think.

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THE HYAK. 21 Greek Architectural Club, for the purpose of introducing Greek Architec- ture and literature among the small villages of the middle west, and then the Darwinian Club—, Lucy— W hat can that be? Alice— I ts aim is to civilize and save the monkeys, from which we are all descended you know. Lucy— How many children have you, Alice? Alice— Alas! none. Lucy— A fit president for a mother ' s club. Alice (continuing) — I am, nevertheless, deeply interested in the new scientific methods of bringing up children. Jeannette— Yes, she taught me how to play creep mousy scientifically with my baby, Hiram Jeremiah Junior, so as to develop both his muscles and his intellect. Edna— Please give me some ideas, for I have six children. Their father, you know, is a deepwater captain, and I have to train them alone. Lucy— I s he then so seldom home? Edna— Y es, almost never, but I have been very successful so far by myself. You couldn’t find nicer boys anywhere than Stephen Abbott Junior and Charles Henry. He was named for his paternal grandmother— grand- father, I mean ! Alice — Have you heard about my new antiseptic willow switches? I brought some to Jeannette, and she likes them very much. Jeannette— Yes, I haven’t had occasion to use them much. But even the best of children are naughty at times. Erma— That’s just what John says. Nellie— I t must be hard, Edna, to have your husband so far away all the time. Edna— O h, yes, when one has six children, and has to be father and mother b( th to them. As a mother, I dose them and caress them, and as a father, I whip them. Every morning and evening I show them a good photograph of their father. So they won’t forget him, you know Erma— Lucy, you must be lonely without a husband. They are such a comfort. You always w ere so interested in men, too. Lucy (severely)— Y ou shouldn ' t judge others by yourself.