Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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The Aegis l 920 Saturday, and we git our half day off. I'm going to git the toothachefand go ta l-latie's office. Hut, that's not a picture show. Now listen, Rosey. 1'll have him pull my tooth, this one right here, see, feel, and while he's pulling my tooth you get a piece of gold and put it in your pocket. Then we'll take it to the pawn shop, and see, Rosey, we can see that pretty girl. Oh, that would be stealin'. But, we'll never git to see the show, if we don't. llut Katie said it hurt to have your tooth pulled. Well, I'd rather have my tooth pulled, then get the gold. No, let me have mine pulled. No, I want to, we'll draw straws. Sh-be quiet. Don't wake Momse. sl at .4 ,losey tiptoed to the kitchen, and produced two straws from a stubby broom. Now he still. The longest one gits to have their tooth pulled. Now draw. Oh, I git to. Goody, oh Rosey, now we can go to the show. The little fingers fairly flew as they wrapped stems of roses at the factory next morning. By noon, as the whistles were blowing, two little bright eyed girls hur- ried in the direction of'the business district. Do you ride in that car ?', breathed Rosey sometime later. Oh, I bet that's the elevator Katie told us about. Lets see. It's on the sixtn floor, she said, didn't she? Hold on to your hat Josey. It might blow off, ya can't never tell. Oh, ain't this fun F' W At the end of their first r.ide, they had little difficulty in making out the sign. Dr. Victor-Dentist--VValk In. As they cautiously opened the door, a well dressed woman hurried out. The room was empty. flosey, look here at this big soft chair. Oh there's another for you. Oh ainlt this grand P , Another door opened softly. It was Katherine. X'Vl1y kids, I-are-did-H ,Iosey's tiny hand was carefully protecting her painful tooth. Katie -explained Rosey. A-a-a Josey has got an awful-a tooth ache. Do you suppose Dr. Victor 'ud-a-pull it for a me? I mean her. lt hurts her just aw- ful. XVhy Josey. I'm so sorry. Come here, hon-ey. Doc Yic ain't left yet for lunch. I'll ask him about you. Been hurtin' you long, Josey ? All nightf, ejaculated Rosey. Dr. Yictor's kind heart went out to the little twins. Poor little things, he thought, f'Let's see it. After a careful exmination of the tooth, the doctor could find no cause for her pain. Josey played the role splendidly. Real tears rolled down her cheeks, as she insisted that the tooth be pulled. Sympathetic Katherine held her hand, and per- suaded the doctor to pull it, for that would surely stop the pain. Meanwhile Rosey made a careful examination of the office, at last Ending a small piece of gold on an enamel tray. She carefully slipped it away in her pocket, as Katy helped Josey from the dentist chair. f'Did it hurt you much josey ? Rosey asked tenderly. Page Twenty-Five

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1920 The Aegis But Rosey, answered Josey in the same low tone. VVe ain't got a cent to our names, and why it 'ud take forty cents to git us in. We never could git that much. .Iosey, came a harsh voice from the adjoining room. You girls take this washing over to Mrs. Bergers. She's goin' out a town, and wants it tonight. Now hustle up. Don't ya kids be gone more 'en ten minutes. Then ya get home, and git to bed. XVhat a relief to get out into the cool fresh air. But it was most too cool. The wind blew chillingly across their faces. Iosey, Rosey clutched her sister's arm. l'm goin' to see that picture. NVQ just got to go. Think hard how, josey-an-an pray. A-oh there's Katherine. So deep were they in thought that they had not noticed the tigure which passed them. She turned and recognized them. I-Iellow kids, where you going? I was just coming up to your place. Katherine was a cousin of the twins, and she was the only person with whom their mother allowed them to be. Oh Katie, Josey fairly screamed. 4'Gee, I'm glad to see you. Come on, Mom's so cross you better come with us. VVe'1'e goin' over with Bergers' wash- mg: All right kids. Guess I will. I'm kinda tired, been stuffed up myself.- VVas awful busy at the office today. Seemed like the most people had the tooth ache, and I didn't git to sit down once hardly. Katie, said Josey, almost as in a whisper. Tell us more about the picture shows. Been anyways soon P Yea, laughed Katie. VVent to see Mary Pickford last night in Daddy Longlegs. Real good too. 'tTell us about it, questioned Rosey. No, said josey sternly. I don't want to just hear about it. Katie tell us about the nice ladies that come to your office. Did you see any purty clothes to- dav ? A'Clothes, gee yes, and diamond rings that sparkle like everything. VVhat do they have done to their teeth P Josey asked innocently. Have 'em pulled or have 'em crownedf Don't it hurt to have 'em pulled ? Sure it does. What do they crown 'em with P Oh, gold. Gee, gold? Oh wouldn't you like to have a mouth full of gold? just think of it, Josey, real gold carrying it around in your mouth. Sure ya could, Katie explained. K'You could have it melted up. lt's worth lots of money. You kids just ought to come up to the ofiice sometime. If ya ever git the toothache, come up. l know Doc Yictor, and 'ud fix you up. He sure is a peach, and l'd tell him who you was. That night when the twins were quietly tucked in their bed, Iosey whispered to her sister. ' Rosey, we're going to that show. Vtle really are. Hut how ? Rosey whispered back in pure astonishment. Tomorrow is Pcme Twenty-fo ur

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1920 The Aegis .-X-yes. l should say it did-but-'T And she whispered, but, did ya git the gold? Oh Rosey, just think we can see the picture show. Yes, answered Rosey timidly to the pawn dealer. We want some money instead of this piece of gold. How much will you give us ? No sooner said, when Rosey felt a severe pinch on her arm. Turning she be- held josey, holding her jaw, her face as white as a ghost. On the other side of josey, was a large brass buttoned policeman. A-a-.Iosey-let's-let's-keep it- The two groped for each other's hands. Where did you get that piece of gold? The stern voice moved closer. l.et's see it. Rosey felt faint. She could hardly stand. W'hat could she say. .Iosey be- gan to cry. Oh, why had she had her tooth pulled. It hurt her so. And the gold. They were caught. It was such a new thing for such young little girls. josey, so completely worked up from her operation, could no longer keep the secert. We-we-a-got-it from Dr. Yictor's office. VVe wanted to go to the movie show so bad. Please don't send us away, she begged, Please don't, Mr. Police- man. His voice was less stern. COINS on with me, l'll see what l can do. Ilefore the juvenile court, josey between sobs, told her story. And we wanted to see a picture show so bad. Rosey and me, and Mom made us give her all our money. VVe don't dare to keep a penny. And, we ain't never been nowheres except the factory-we wanted to see Mary Pickford so bad. We never been there in our lives, and we're most twelve years old. It's a pitiful case, said the judge sometime later. I'll see that these poor children have part of the pay envelopes. It's their mother's fault. They're inno- cent themselves. And I'll have my daughter see that they see Mary Pickford to- morrow. Straight to the Heart EUGENIA HERMAN Third Place, Short Story Club Contest Mrs. Mcllride removed her reading glasses, wiped them, and put them in place for the second time. She was going to be certain that the letter in her hand was read correctly. If she could only read between the lines, she was sure of an ex- planation in this letter from the Peerless Clothing Company: but it was a little deep, for all she saw before her was: 4 white cotton poplin dresses--- -... 325.00 10 yards white lndian head ---- -- 8.00 1 1-2 yards India linen -.----. -- .25 3533.25 Page Twenty-si.v