Annie Wright School - Shield Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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10 THE H Y A K The clerk seemed about to say something but catching sight of the boy’s happy face, changed his mind, and with a smile opened the door for him. “That rose,” he said to himself, “cost a good deal more than ten cents, but I do not begrudge it; no, not at all. With his beautiful treasure in his hand, Joe hurried up the long bight of stairs of the Fisher block, and knocked with heating heart at Miss Terry’s door. Almost instantly the door was opened and the sweetest of voices said, “good evening.” With a heart too full for speech, he handed her his gift. Joe felt fully repaid by her delighted, “Oh, Joe, my dear, dear boy, how can you think of such sweet and beautiful things to do, and how can I thank you enough!” “You have. Miss Terry,” he replied; “indeed you have. I wanted to give you this,” he went on. “because you sang the rose song this afternoon. Please will you sing it. for me again— just for me alone, by myself?” “Surely I will,” she said, “right now.” and she bent down and kissed him. Tired but happy, little Joe crep into bed that night. Contentedly he murmured as he fell asleep, “Dear Lord. I think Thee.” Flora Schively. THE MODERN COLLEGE GIRL. It was tonight that Grace Vienne was expected to arrive home for her birthday vacation. She had been away for several months attending a young ladies ' Seminary, and had adopted many little college phrases from her classmates. Her father, who was a grocervman in a little country town, was at the depot with the old horse and the delivev wagon to meet her. When the cars stopped in the depot a bewitching array of skirts and a wide-brimmed hat stepped daintily from the coach and bung itself into the elderly man’s arms. “Why, you superlative dad!” she exclaimed. “1 am more than captivated with your dear presence.” The old gentleman was somewhat surprised at this greeting, but when he recognized the sealskin coat he had paid for with his gray mare he planted a kiss where it would do the most good with a report that

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THE H Y A K 9 JOE’S CHRISTMAS HI FT. I ho sweetest flower that blows I give you as we part: For you it is a rose, for me it is my heart. Little Joe as lie worked sang these words very softly, almost below his breath. and thought it almost the sweetest song he had ever heard. Jo worked hard and fast, his usually pale face flushed, his frail body aching from the weight of the large pieces of wood which he was piling. He did not heed this, however, except when he was twice compelled to stop and rest. For had he not a dear object in view? What was the pain compared to that ! It was Friday. The following Tuesday would be Christmas. Joes face brightened as he thought of the Christmas gift he was to give. “I know she will like it. he thought. He had been pondering for a long time as to what he should give his beloved teacher. 1 1 is heart sank that morning when he went to school, for the last day had come and he had thought upon nothing which was good enough for her that could be had for ten cents the sum a neighbor had promised for piling his wood. He had remained sad and abstracted all morning thinking of one thing and then another that he wanted to give her. but sadly shaking his head after each one as the vision of his lonely dime arose. The afternoon came with the problem still unsolved. The tears which had come to his eyes, while thinking of his disappointment, were quickly succeeded by a smile when he remembered now that the difficulty was cleared. This the teacher herself had unconsciously cleared; for. when singing the song she had gladly consented to sing for her pupils— the song he was softly singing to himself— a t their Christmas program that afternoon, the thought came to him that a rose at this time of the year would be just the thing. He finished his work, washed his hands and face, combed his hair and started for the florist ' s, not daring to trust the precious dime even to his pocket. He himself picked out the most beautiful rose in the store, and eagerly told the clerk he wished to purchase it. The clerk placed the beauty in his hands, and Joe in turn slipped the coin, still hot from his tight clasp, to the clerk’s hand.

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THE H Y A K 11 could he heard thrnughtout the depot. When the trunk and his fine educated daughter were loaded into the wagon, which was soon bumping over the rocky country road toward home. I’a dear. she said, after surveying the crude team, “do you consider this quite excessively beyond?” Mey, said the old man with a puzzled expression “quite exces- sively beyond what? Beyond Medville? I consider it about two miles beyond Medville coming this way.” She explained to him that she did not mean that, but that she meant the horse and wagon. Do you consider them soulful? Do you think they could be studied in the light of a symphony or a poem. and appear as intensely utter on returning home ;t8 one coukl express V The old man grew uneasy at the complicated way his daughter expressed herself. Just then they hit a stump and received a jolt which threw them both from the seat. Oh! there is my lovely and consummate ma!” screamed Grace as they reached the little farmhouse, and was presently embraced by her old mother. “Well.” said the old farmer as he nipped a piece of butter off the plate with his own knife at the supper table, “(trace, how de ye like ver schuleT” Well, pa. now you arc shout— I mean it is far beyond — It is unquenchably ineffable. The girls are stunning— intense— and. oh. the parties and receptions! I he past has ben a week of sublime harmonv. 1 spose, said her father, “but how about deportment, reading and spelling?” “Oh father, it is French art and music that has made mv life one of bliss.” Her father and mother looked hopelessly at one another across the table. After a pause, the mother replied, “How are the biscuits, child?” “Great, mother; too utter for words; ' cause your dear hands made them, and the plum pudding is simply a poem of itself.” Grace retired early that night, and the old folks sat by the fire until late talking it all over. The next morning at breakfast the old man. unnerved by her affected manner, spoke up harshly and said: