Athens Area High School - Athenian Yearbook (Athens, PA)

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A POOR RKVKNGK ‘ Humph, it's even worse than you said. I read a story the other day that 1 thought was impossible, but this fairly runs rings around that. 1 have never written a story, but I’ll bet that I could write a better one that that,” and here Kenneth Rogeis handed me the magazine which 1 had persuaded him to take long enough to read a short story in it. “That's what—. That’s easy enough to say, but you’ll tind it a different matter when it comes to actually writing a story. I’ll admit that it is some story, but you or 1 or anyone else around here can’t do any better. ou might laugh at it, but, just the same, 1 should like to see you write a better one. He is getting the money lor writing it, and that’s the main point.” Oh, 1 QianT mean that it is easy to write a story. 1 don’t suppose it is. And 1 didn’t mean that I could sit down right now and write a story that would draw a whole lot more money than that, but I’ll bet that I could write a story that to the average person would not seem half as silly as that.” “Well, what’s the difference? If you think that you can write a story so much better than that, then go to it. About the time you have written a few pages you will begin to change your mind.” Up to this time, I had considered my speeches as nice bits of diplomacy, but now 1 began to realize that perhaps 1 was overdoing it, and might fail to have the desired effect, so 1 added, “Still, you’ll be the gainer if you succeed, while you won’t lose anything if you fail. Why not try to write a short story, and then send it to some publisher? I’ll try to write one if you will. Cooper wrote his first story as a result of a wager and perhaps it may happen that way with you.” During the next few weeks 1 felt as 1 think Napoleon must have felt while planning one of his campaigns, namely, only a kind of pity for an opponent whom you feel would be surely crushed. Several times within the next few days. 1 antagonized Kenneth by my willingness to offer advice, which he appeared to be unwilling to accept, whereat I smiled to myself, and resolved to leave him to the fate which was fast approaching him. a resolution that was invariably broken the next day. I knew something of typewriting, having practiced on an old relic in our attic, and later on the one in my father’s oilice. 1 offered to do the typewriting for him, but he showed a natural timidity in letting me pry into his story before he had received an answer from the editor of the magazine to whom we had decided to send our stories. I was deeply hurt at this reluctance to show his story to me. deeming it no inconsiderable afTront, but 1 finally agreed that perhaps it was best, as 1 would, at the same time, be forced to exhibit my own work. After the stories had been sent to the magazine (or at least the story) 1 took it upon myself to make daily inquiry of Kenneth as to whether he had received an answer, and at last my patience was rewarded. One evening, while on my way home, I met him as he was leaving the house. For an instant, as 1 examined his face for the chagrin that I expected to see there. I experienced some misgivings, but 1 immediately comforted myself with the knowledge that it was impossible that his story be accepted, though I didn’t know why I considered it so. “You promised me that you would let me see your story before I saw your answer. That was part of our agreement. Well, here is my story; let me see yours.” He had evidently forgotten the agreement, for he looked somewhat surprised, but informed me that the carbon copy of the story was in the house. At these 10

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school and we had two class parties in the old domestic science rooms to earn money for it. Early in the second year we had a party to raise money to frame the picture, but we found afterward that this would not have been necessary, because February fifteenth, before the picture was framed, our high school burned and our picture with it. We did not lose any time on account of the burning of the building, but went to the Methodist and Presbyterian churches until the Annex could be made habitable. We are now nicely settled in the new building and think it is a great improvement over the old one. When we were Juniors, the Seniors gave a fair and we rented a corner of the gymnasium and built a booth, where we sold punch. Near the close of school we had Field Day on the Fair grounds and some members of the class took part in the races and the games. Commencement week the Juniors and the Faculty served a banquet to the Seniors. The Senior year has been the most active of all. Near Christmas time we sold Christmas seals. We have had two bake sales, two class parties and an ice cream social. We gave our play, The Bachelor’s Romance, on May 26th, and the week of the second of June, the class went to Washington. As we draw near the close of our school days we realize more and more that they are the happiest days of our lives. MARIE SALSMAN, ’19. HIGH SCHOOL SPIRIT In the high school we have a good chance to see how much depends on spirit. This has been shown in athletics, Red Cross work and class competition. In athletics, spirit is not only shown by the players but also by those on the sidelines who cheer their heroes on and encourage them. This has been proved to be true by the games which have been held in our own home town. The students always work enthusiastically in selling tickets and practicing the cheers. The high school is always well represented at the games of the students. The students of the high school formed auxiliaries in which many take an active part. There are twelve groups of girls, including two groups of eighth grade girls and 5 groups of boys. Each group is made up of ten students. This makes a splendid showing of having one hundred and seventy students in the organization. They do a great deal in aiding the local Red Cross. They sent about twenty-four hundred pounds of clothing to the Belgians. They also aided in other ways. Spirit is shown by the students in the different classes in various ways. Basketball games were held in the gymnasium and many students were present. This shows that they took great interest in the welfare of the high school. A half day holiday is promised to the class having the highest percentage of attendance. The percentage is posted on the blackboard in each room showing which class is ahead. Every class is very anxious for the time to come when the percentage is posted in order to see how they stand. Thus we see the spirit prevailing and that has prevailed for the past year. It is this spirit which has tended to give the high school its present standard. It is up to the remaining students to keep this good name up by still pursuing activities that have been furthered this year. 9 RAYMOND F. MARVIN, 19.

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words misgivings of the same nature as before appeared, but somewhat stronger, and more deepseated, giving rise to the supposition that they had been steadily growing since I had first seen him that evening. As I am sure that you would like to read his story also. I will proceed to set it into print: “I’ll give you fifty dollars if you’ll loose that race. No? One hundred. Stop and think it over. It isn’t very often that a person gets a chance to win a hundred dollars by losing a race. Just sprain your ankle or postpone your sprint at the finish too long and the hundred is yours. Refuse to enter and I will make it two hundred. Well, what do you say?’ The speaker, a short, slender man. dressed in clothes notable mainly for their lack of taste, pulled out a roll of bills and fingered them enticingly. “I say no! I wouldn’t accept if it were twenty thousand instead of two hundred. No half respectable person would think of taking your money. The chances are. at that, that you blackjacked someone to get it. or else robbed a bank. You’d better get out while the getting’s good. You wont get off so easy next time.’’ “That’s the boy, keep it up. I don’t blame you for wanting all you can get. I’ll make it three hundred. No? Four hundred. I hadn’t intended to offer you so much, and I wouldn’t anyone else, but you’re sure to win first place, and— here he broke off as he preceived his companion quite evidently preparing to use force in his ejection from the room, but as he disappeared through the door, he went on, “I’ll make it five hundred. If you decide to accept the offer let me know.’’ Paul Leonard, best known for his athletic abilities, particularly in the crosscountry races, stood watching the gambler as he ran down the stairs, then he sat down on the edge of the bed to think it all over. He had felt that either he would have to drive the gambler from the room or else be compelled to accept the money. He could undeniably make good use of the money, but here his thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of two more visitors. A few months before. Leonard, with the two young men who had just entered. Donald Perry and James Burns, had formed a union for the purpose of promoting their mutual interests. They realized that with the combined energies of the three and by joining their capital, they would have a much better chance of becoming successful in business than they would otherwise. They had evidently come this evening with a definite intention, for they immediately got down to business. “Leonard, you have probably heard that Smith is going to leave for the West. That’s what we have come down here for. He runs the only electrical shop of its kind in town, and Don says that he will sell to us for $2500 cash. Between the three of us. we have about $1400 on hand, and I know where we can raise another thousand. That would leave us a hundred dollars short. With a little energy and enterprise on our part. I am sure we can make our first venture a success and Don says that he can run the shop until we know something more about it.” “It will probably take several hundred dollars for improvements and for running expenses, which you don’t want to forget. “We can see about that after we have decided whether we shall take the shop or not. It s up to you. You say no. why we’ll give it up. Mr. Smith wants his answer by Wednesday night, so that I think we can have $2500 ready by then. ' “I for one. think that it’s too good to be true. It’s just the chance we have been waiting for. What did Mr. Edwards say? I suppose that it was from him that you borrowed the money.” “He thinks that it is very possible, and that the three of us ought to put it through in great shape. Well. I guess that I’ll have to be going. Don will answer 11