Barstow High School - El Desierto Yearbook (Barstow, CA)

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'la Belle CDame Sans Merci I . . The last gleaming rays of Old Sol had disappeared behind the hills of the little desert valley, leaving the small town to refresh itself in the cool shadows of the evening. With the shadows ap- peared a few people, who, during the day had been in hiding from the scorching rays of the sun. ' In the street one figure was conspicuous. It was that of an old woman, hobbling slowly towards a square cement building two stories in height. Upon the roof of a very extensive porch was displayed a large sign with black lettering: GENERAL MERCHANDISE ' The entrance to the second story was gained bya flight of wooden steps which ascended from the -right of the building and connected with a porch. Above the stairway was a similar sign: ' HROGMSJ' -. 4 The figure approached the long wooden bench placed against the front wall of the store, and seated herself by the door. She was large, shapeless, and bent with age and strenuouspast experiences. Her feet were clad in shabby, coarse shoes. Her skirt trailed be- hind, but hiked up high in front to display a pair of tanned bare legs. The dirty appearance of her brown outing flannel dress was somewhat offset by a fresh white apron. Her white hair was cut short, not unlike a man 's, parted on one side and a curly lock was brushed back from her forehead. She reached' 'for a newspaper, and, open-mouthed, peered at it over silver-rimmed glasses, displayu ing a set of rugged teeth. The lines of her face were drawn and hard-the tell-tale marks of her many past hardships. e She had come from France when but a mere girl. Her mother had died soon after reaching this country, and she had grown to womanhood in the rough mining camps of the desert, where her father earned their living by following the mining booms with his saloons. Upon his death she inherited a small sum of money and a considerable stock of liquor. She, too, had followed the mining booms for a long time, then had settled down with her grocery store and rooming house. I She glanced up from her paper upon the arrival of an old gentleman.. He wore a pair of old striped overalls with a blue Jacket. His hair was hidden by his high black cap, although its color was suggested by his heavy white moustache. He was 'fOld Tom, Mrs. lEfarker's husband. Husband? Yes-legally so, although she treated him more as if he were a child, and a very disobedient one, too. In one hand he carried a lantern, for he had just rem turned from meeting one of the evening trains. I ' ' Page Six l', y 4, 4 . --.va 1 . . l xl l -. - -7 l .4 l 1 i I v 4 E l .4 l

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f'Deedn't enybudy come un ze train? she asked him in a com- manding voice. . - T A Nobody, he answered. , 'fO?ze curseed luck! -. A . , 1 'tYou-haven't got no kick, responded Old Tom. 'fEvery room's filled but the back.',' -- . . Weel, et mite as weel be feled hedn't hit? T'w'ould be a doller more, if he -was ac-.man 5 a Meexican, 'twould be feefty cents. Hurry yourself and .geet ze lights, tees dark nowf' .She followed him into the store and busied herself behind the counter. T , She heard the slub, Uslub, ' slub, of footsteps on the porch, and there entered a man. He had his hands in his pockets and walked slouchily along, dragging his feet. His.. shoulders were rounded, although not with age, for he was in truth a very ,young man. He wore a shabby suit and shoes covered with tar. From underneath the low pulled vizor of his cap, his little white narrow, eyes gleamed. .Theywere still not one minute, but roved continu4 ously, observing every detail about him. I - '4Yuh got a room? he asked. HA cheap un? ' -'I gives ye one -for ze doller ze nite, for ze week, five dollers you pay en 'vancefl f T a '4One- nitefs all, he answered, slinging a silver dollar on the counter. ' . She then hobbled up the stairs, and he followed. -She ledwhim to the back room which he was to occupy. Then she crossed the hall, unlocked and entered her own room. It had an old andwworn appearance. The wall paper was torn and faded, the curtains hung stiff with dusty There was a small table, covered with boxes and papers, a rocking chair, an old fashioned bed, and, standing ,square against the wall in one corner was a high, broad, old chiffonier. This she pulled away from the wall, disclosing a small closed door. She. opened this and pulled out a small black chest. This she-lugged, to the-comfy old rocking chair and opened it upon her lap. Oh, what a happy old woman was she! There it was, two hundred thousand dollars, in gold and paper. She ran her stubby, hard fingers through it, and grasping a hand-full clutched it tightly. This wasthe result of 'her many years of hard work and saving. This was her reward-the key to her ambition, for with this she was going back to France-back to her own beloved people. How she longed to see them once again! How she had looked forward to that day during all these long-hard years! And at last it was to come! Yes, in a very few days she was going to the coast, where she would take the steamer for home. And Old Tom, was he going too? Oh dear, no! He could take care of himself. The store she was going to sell to Mr. Rant, who was to take possession of it on the following day. When Old Tom had heard of her plans his eyes had filled with tears. Not that he wanted to go to France 5 of that he had not the least desire.. But for years he had toiledf- Page Seven