Ball High School - Purple Quill Yearbook (Galveston, TX)

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5 carry with them. I don't know why, but Iive always found myself characterizing the group rather than the individual. Always, though, there is one who is a little special to me. One who means just a little more than the others. This year it was Jane. I first met Jane one summer day. Summer school was in session as usual, but ,lane wasn't a pupil at summer school, and for that matter, hadn't been even in the winter. But this fall she would start at our school. Yes, she would start not only at a new school, but she would try to get a new start at -well, everything. In a town like ours, news travels. Oh, we aren't one of those gos- sipyn little towns that knows everyone else's business 5' but if some- thing does get started-good or bad-it has plenty of force behind it. There isn't a minute wasted, either. Jane had been here for three weeks, and everyone already knew why she and her mother had come here to live. You see, the state penitentiary was near our town, and they knew that Jane's father was there serving a term for doing-oh, something. Nobody knew exactly what, there were three or four dif- ferent stories. It didnit matter to them which one, if any, was true. VVasn't he in prison? That was the main reason they came to' our town. But I guessed that probably jane's mother had another reason for bringing Jane to another town to go to school. It had been just a hope, and now it seemed that it would always be nothing more than a hope. So on this day--this hot day--Jane was passing down our side- walk. Summer was at its height, the sun was sifting through my limbs, and in their own shadow the leaves were a darker shade of green, but on top they played with the sun, trying to reflect back a part of its light. The heat was so intense that one could almost see the freckles as they popped out on Jane's nose, and damp ringlets were pressed to her forehead. I heard the sigh she heaved when she reached the part of the sidewalk shaded by my shadow. She must have liked it there in the shade, because she lingered beneath my branches for a few minutes. She was examining the school and wondering what it was like on the inside. She was wondering how it would be for her. I could tell that she was looking forward to the opening of school. The fact that no one had made an attempt to become acquainted yet didn't bother her too much. Oh, she had her secret fears, but her hopes were stronger. She thought that people were just naturally unfriendly to all strangers, and as soon as school started she would make a lot of friends, she knew: so Jane dared to dream on. A class was over and students began to come out, so Jane walked on. You'd think they wouldn't have noticed, but one of the girls chanced 121

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to remark to her companion, You know who that is, I suppose. Yes, isn't she .lane Martin ? just to show that she was up with the latest, one contributed, She and her mother came here just so they could be near her father. Can you imagine? Being loyal to a criminal! No, and just think, she'll be going to school here this year and might sit next to one of us. 'fNot me, if I can help itfl I was glad when they were gone. Their talk was stifling. The day grew hotter, the ground was scorching and dry. The voices of those thoughtless girls kept echoing back and forth, and then the ex- pression on Janeys face would come to me. Oh, those thoughtless girls! VVe had an early fall this year. By the beginning of school my branches were already a little lighter, and the leaves that still clung had already changed their summer green for the reds and browns of autumn. It was good to see all of the familiar faces together once again. They all seemed willing enough to begin a new school year, but everywhere there were still remnants of summer. Most everyone wore a coat of sun tan left over from vacation, and they carried with them the atmosphere of summer freedomg though some had a more serious, determined expression in their eyes than was there when school had closed. There were a lot of faces that I missed-the faces of those who had graduated and gone on into the world. But there was an equal number of new faces. I looked for Jane, but it was a whole week before I saw her. The lunch bell rang, which stirred up the whole school at once. A group of laughing girls had assembled under my branches to eat their lunches and exchange experiences. f'Gee, Betty, wasn't that the worst history test you've ever taken?,' Oh, it wasn't too bad, but I think it was mean of Miss Rodgers to pop it on us without a warning. Oh, Rose, you should be in my English class. You know, that cute Richard Brown is in there, and today the teacher moved us around and he sits right behind me. I can't wait until English period now. 'KI don't know what you see in him. I can think of millions of boys I'd rather have sit behind mef' One man's opinion. Say, are you all going to Mary's birthday party ? I never found out if they were going or not, because I lost track 123