Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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1922 THE AEGIS XY:-ll. l'll tell youg don't mind if I strike a raw spot. As a father you're an A number one failure. You let junior go his own sweet way except for the allowance, and you've increased that several times, haven't you, Mr. Blount ? VVell-yes Miss Christie, I have, but I've always felt that a boy shouldn't be wholly restricted as to money. Things have changed since I was a youngster and I realize it. Good times, theatres and dances cost more, junior has to have more than I had. I know how you feel. perfectly, Mr. Blount, but if you'll take my advice you'll cut off .lunior's allowance and tell him to go to work. It's rather a harsh step, but it'll bring him to his senses. I believe you're right Miss Christie, if he has any stuff at all in him, he will go to work and l believe, yes. I'll try itf' Dinner finished. there was another ride home and a heartfelt thanks from both. The next day Junior Blount's allowance ceased. -oz :lf wk :if ff wk 4: wk ws Junior Blount, as his father had said, never cared anything about the Trans- Oceanic, but when his supply of available cash was cut off, he haunted Ann's office and one day Ann found his rummaging through her desk, when she came in. She and Harvey were the only one's who had the combination of the big safe in the inner office and the combination was in her desk. Junior knew it, for his father had told him one day when he was going away, and .lunior's allowance was in the safe. Ann had all she could do to put down a rising fear in her heart, while Junior grinned rather sheepishly and said he was looking for some letter paper. She put down the fear that Harvey jfs son-Harvey J., who was so fine and honest-his son should possibly stoop to thievery. Five days later, when she opened the safe to put some records in it, she noticed one of the cash drawers open and a bundle of notes, five hundred dollars in all, that she had placed there herself the day before, was gone. The realization stunned her and the awful fear again surged through her heart. She suddenly resolved that Harvey J. must not know, then put on her hat and fled quickly to sign the withdrawal slip that meant five hundred dollars less in the savings deposit of Miss Ann Christie. Ann fairly flew back to the office and tenderly unwrapped the notesg then put them in the cash drawer that had been riHed. She refiected-well, she didn't need the moneyg anyhow, she 'had earned it in Harvey jfs office, and he must not know. She sat down at her desk and slowly inhaled the odor of the heavy scented roses in the bowl, for Spring and daffodils had given way to June and roses. She was terribly conscious of the lump in her throat-Junior-Junior Blount, a thief l She started when Harvey il. came in, looking at her in a surprised way as he said, junior left for South America this morning, Miss Christie. Ann stiffened, the conclusion was utterly forced home on her, 'Tm very glad you came out all right with junior, Mr. Blount. Thank you, Miss Christie, my thanks are due to you -and Ann Christie's conscience kept saying, VVhy don't you tell him ? Page 28 I

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- i A THE AEGIS gy 1922 VVell, I think it'll be best to go to Lord's. They're quiet and exclusive and they make a specialty of chicken pie. You like chicken pie, I believe, Miss Christie? and your business clothes will be quite all right. Very well. Mr. Blount, I love chicken pie, Ann's eyes twinkled, You can call for me at eight and here's your report, Mr. Blount, and she handed him the carefully typed sheets. Thank you, Miss Christie, l'll be there at eight and thank you againli' Harvey J. bowed himself out of his little secretaryis office. Harvey tl. was at the door, promptly at eight, hat in hand, and he escorted her down the steps and into the waiting roadster, which. contrary to the usual policy of older men, he drove himself. They rolled swiftly and noiselessly down the long avenues, surrounded by twinkling lights. The keen night air speedily whipped Ann's face to a delicate, Hushed pink and her brown eyes sparkled and danced like two fringed topazes. They stopped before the wide doors of Lord's, which was situated in what had been the city's most exclusive district. Harvey J. gravely, assisted Ann out of the machine and into the restaurant, where they checked their wraps. The waiter led them to a quiet. rose-lighted table and Harvey ordered, as he had always, and over the demi-tasse he finally came to the point. , Ann, I want to talk to you about Junior. I've been worried about him for two months. He doesn't seem to care anything for shipping-I've brought him to the office several times and he loiters around and then goes home, but that doesn't bother me as much as that affair with that fresh Peyton youngster over some silly little giggling fool. He's been no good since it occurred and he's gotten into a fast bunch that will never do anything but make him worse. XVhy, think of it, Miss Christie, he hasn't reached home once, not once, in the past month before three in the morning and I heard him tell the butler that he had been at a hip tea party till the wee, twinkie hoursf, those are his exact words. He's over-spent his allow- ance by half this last month and I'm helpless. I know shipping but I don't know boys, I'll admit it-Miss Christie, Iim stumped. Ann Christie quietly smiled to herself. Harvey probably never thought of the fact that she, in all her forty years, had not had as much contact with boys as he had, but Ann was ready. VVell, Mr. Blount, boys aren't exactly a typist's long suit, office boys especially, but they're far more interesting than any type- writer on the market because. in my mind, every man is a boy, with just a little more of life's struggle and knocks and merciless antagonism printed on him, with the self-confidence a little more taken out of him and his forehead a little more creased with little worry wrinkles, but every man's a great, big boy and if you give him the chance. heill prove it. Concerning Junior personally, if you're worry- ing about his companions, lid go out with him more. By the way, Mr. Blount, do you ever go out with Junior Ann Christie's eyes fastened directly on Harvey ,Vs and he reddenned. XVell, no. Miss Christie. He and I don't care for the same sort of entertain- ment. I never have cared tor anything concerned with musical shows and lim afraid Junior hasn't inherited my taste for the drama., There, Mr. Blount, is the reason why Junior is worrying you. IVhat reason, Miss Christie F Page 27

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THE AFZGIS' 1932 Vyihen she came out of her abstraction llarvey had retreated into his pri- vate oliiee. Ann was glad. glad in her heart that she had spared him pain, she eould get along without the money. A few days later when Harvey was going over the deposits in the safe, he suddenly stopped and walked into Miss Christie's room with a bundle of bank notes in his hand. XVhere did these come from, Miss Christie 7' .Xnn gulped, then steeled herself and answered, That live hundred bundle? XYhy Nr. lilount, that's the check you had cashed on the Consolidated for your services to them. llarvey bl. looked at her keenly, then said quietly, No, Miss Christie. I don't believe it is, because l gave that tive hundred to Junior for his trip. lfe's going to Work with an engineering lirm and wrote them a few days ago on our letter- headf' Then it dawned on Ann. ,lunior really had wanted letter paper. She lost all composure, Then junior didn't,-he wasnt - she gasped. llarvey rl. winced at the thought and reddened, No, Miss Christie, hardly. l don't believe blunior would go that far. Thank you for your kindness, and he laid the notes on her desk. Ann Cln'istie's heart was wrenched. she had hurt him more by trying to spare him. Forgive me. Mr. lilount, I didn't mean to hurt you. but when 1 found the notes gone and you told me 'lunior was gone too,fC Jh, why did l think it. it seems so simple now and clear. For the first time in fifteen years, Ann cried, publicly. llarvey .I. tried to comfort her and when the spell was over, llarvey ul. again asked her to have dinner with him. :X fter it was over and they had left their table, they drove ofi, not home, but out onto the shimmering white strip of roadway. silvered with moonlight and underneath a towering Wayside elm, llarvey -I. stopped the car. Looking into her eyes, he said, Ann, dear, l've been blind a long. long time, but I never let my- self realize. Do you thing that you could live with an old grouch like me? Well go to South .Xmerica on our honeymoong hlunior and l need you. Ann was speechless and her heart tluttered audibly---to marry him, help take care of .ll1lll0l'f.'Xl1ll glanced at him shyly and with a twinkle in her brown eyes. she said, l'm ready for dictation, Klr. Blount! and when the old, old story had been re-told, they mentally atiixed their signatures. Then, two hours later when a sleepy old country parson was routed out of his bed to perform the ceremony for a starry eyed young woman, and a handsome, dignified, looking gentleman, the girl in a blue suit, with honeysuckle in her hair and all she could carry of it in her arms, the man in business clothes, he thought to himself the old, old phrase, the older they get. the harder they fall, but ,Xnn and llarvey bl. didn't mind him for they had found a new land of promise. 'llhev wandered out into the calm country side, surrounded by the fragrance of wisteria and honeysuckle, Ann and llarvey bl.. arm in arm and she quietly whispered, Harvey, dear, we're now Blount K Christie, Incorporated, aren't we? litljlt' 29