Ashtabula High School - Dart Yearbook (Ashtabula, OH)

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T h e Dart ance in the month of roses. Nothing daunted, however, the girls started out for Aunt Betsey’s homestead, about two miles away. A middle-aged man, who alighted from the same train, looked curiously at Bess as she unbuttoned her cloak to see if the old fashioned locket was still in its unaccustomed place. Her blue-flowered dress looked strangely out of place on a winter day, but the whole picture was wonderfully familiar to the eye of the masculine observer. Allowing the two girls to precede him, he kept them in view. Courageous as they appeared, he feared they would need assistance before a mile was traversed, for the drifts were piling higher, and he remembered one large spot which, years ago, was almost impassable in winter weather. But the girls trudged slowly on. How tired they were growing! How those two miles had lengthened in eight months! At last the dreaded pastureland was reached, and the girls paused to rest before braving the task of crossing a large open meadow where no friendly trees could offer protection from the “ North Easter.” While they were trying to regain their breath, the stranger arrived, and courteously offered his assistance to the young ladies, whose destina- tion lay on the other side of the meadow, just below the brow of the hill. In summer time the red brick chimneys could be seen from where the three were standing, but now the heavy snow allowed no cheerful chimmeys to appear. After a brief rest, the three resumed their journey and battled with the angry elements. At length, almost exhausted, the two girls, aided by the stranger, reached the end of their travels, and the valentines awaited the response to the loud summons which the man and not the girls delivered upon the heavy oaken panels. Quickly the door was opened,and dear surprised Aunt Betsey gathered her two nieces into her arms and brought them to the warm bright fire- place. The stranger was cordially invited to enjoy the shelter of the homestead and partake of a cup of warm tea. The man almost boy- ishly assented. It was not until the weary travelers were cosily watching the blaz- ing logs and sipping delicious tea that Aunt Betsey noticed a marked resemblance between the stranger and a friend who long ago left Ellen- dale for the wealth of the orange groves of California. Soon Bess, who looked so much like Aunt Betsey, quietly slipped out of the room, followed by pretty Charlotte. Needless to say Aunt Betsey had a surprise in store for her two pretty, mischievous nieces, when they joined her again in the cosy living room after the departure of Aunt Betsey’s “ company.” 8

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Slur iFlmurrrit Halrntinru SUSIE RICE '11. HARLOTTE, why couldn’t we be valentines for Aunt Betsey ? Just pay her a surprise visit, give the door a resounding whack, and instead of the customary scamper, await her appearance at the suffering door. Wouldn’t she be surprised though ?” “ Bess, how did you ever think of that scheme? Of course, we’ll do it. But did you stop to think how we could get to Aunt Betsey’s after arriving at the station ? ” asked the practical Charlotte. “ Why, tramp it, to be sure,” was the reply. “Remember, Bess, Ellendale in February isn’t Ellendale in June. But if snow drifts in the unsheltered and open country don’t worry you, they certainly won’t disturb me. And so, plans were discussed and agreed upon. The two would-be valentines spent the week that intervened in getting ready for their surprise. Old chests were ransacked and the contents examined until the two girls decided upon their costumes. Dressed in the fashion of twenty years before, in blue sprigged satin, the two young ladies presented a pretty picture as they stood in their room, previously to putting on their long cloaks, which would completely cover their costumes, while they were making the journey. It was early in the morning and the sky looked dark and threatening. Their father had prophesied a heavy snow storm before noon, but the fearless girls were occupied too much with the spirit of mischief. They left home in time to board the seven-thirty train, which was scheduled to arrive at Ellendale about two hours later if storms did not interfere and if the stops were infrequent. Contrary to the girls’ expectations, the train did not appear on time at their home station. Three-quarters of an hour after “ traintime ” they were pleased to see the long-looked for train coming slowly into the station. Comfortably seated in the car, they brightly looked foreward to their trip. Three and one-half hours tediously dragged by while the train toiled through a blinding snow storm before Ellendale came into view. True for Charlotte, Ellendale looked vastly different from the appear- 7

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(Utr Evolution of thr ®at FLORENCE PERRY Ml. HIS history, which is written in order that we may realize how very important hats are to civili- zation, opens in the year 755 B. C. in England. It was a time when men and women knew no other homes than caves, and had none of the conveniences which we now think are neces- sities. Even baskets were unknown, and a hat could not have been found from one end of the land to the other. But these people, having never heard of such things, could not miss them, and so they lived hap- pily, until an event took place which revolutionized the world, and has caused more happiness, and at the same time more discontent, than any other one thing in the world. As Virgil says, “ A woman was the leader.” Many of us wonder, perhaps, as we look at the queer hats which are now worn, how they came into being and whence they came. Dili- gent search has revealed some of these facts. One day, in this ancient time, a woman was going on a long journey. She wished to take many things with her which she could not carry far alone. Starting out, she tried to carry them in her hands, but the way was rough and many of the precious packages were spilled. Discouraged, she sat down by the wayside to plan a better method. As she was rest- ing, she idly plucked some rushes and began braiding them together. Almost before she knew it, she had evolved a rounding shallow affair in which she placed her unwieldy bundles and went on her way joyfully. As she walked along, people stared at the strange basket and plied her with questions. She told the story to all who inquired, and soon every one in the land knew how to make baskets from rushes. The people talked of them for years, for they were the only new things which had been introduced for a long time. But perhaps the connection be- tween baskets and hats is not evident. A long time after the baskets were first made, a woman was re- turning from a journey. Her basket was empty and was swinging, useless at her side. It was mid-summer and the sun was scorching. Even her thick locks (and they were all her own) did not entirely pro- tect her from the hot rays. The basket had become burdensome and so she placed it on her head, thus making a good sunshade. She little 9