Bradley University - Anaga Yearbook (Peoria, IL)

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lgeiffifwr Muni ann-Tue urnesi Rebel S soon as the first rays of morning light chased away the last lingering darkness of the night, Mary Ann Daniels sat up in bed. How long the night seems when one knows the morrow will be more than just an ordinary day! Moreover, Mary Ann conldn't sleep very much for her hair was rolled up tightly in tins, and she had been obliged to sleep on her face most of the night. You see, Mary Ann's brown hair was decidedly straight and she didn't mind sleeping on her face, for she knew that in the morning she would have nine shining curls. VVith a bound she jumped out of bed, ran qnickly across the floor and peered anxiously into the mirror. No, it had failed! Upon her nose the line of freckles still remained. That buttermilk hadn't fazed them. Somehow she wished she had obeyed her Aunt Sue and worn her bonnet-but bonnets were such a nuisance, always flying off and getting lost. She was aroused from her reverie by Aunt Sue's calling, so she fell quickly to dressing. Today was a great day in Mary Annls life. She had been selected to represent District School Number Q52 in declamation at the annual county meet of schools. For weeks and weeks she had gone to bed with the words of I-lis Last Class Supper upon her lips, and awoke every morning repeating them. Her school teacher had trained her thoroughly and was quite confident of her obtaining some honor at any rate. Aunt Sue and Mary Ann would leave on the eight o'clock train for Merville where the meet was to be held. As Mary Ann came downstairs and looked about, it seemed to her that everyone was in a hurry. Aunt Sue was lifting tempting pies from the oven, and Mother was packing delicious sandwiches in the basket for their lunch. At last when the little clock on the kitchen shelf chimed seven, Mary Ann with her tight curls and starched skirts and Aunt Sue with her best silk dress, were ready to depart. Sain, the hired man stood outside waiting to take them to the station in the buggy QAunt Sue abhorrcd automobilesj. With many good-byes from Mother, Father and brother -lack, they drove down the little lane, where all the trees were fragrant with blossoms and where robins and orioles were singing their sweetest songs, past the cross-roads and reached the little station twenty minutes before train time. The distance to Merville is about twenty miles, so the travelers did not have a very tiresome ride. Aunt Sue dozed off into a peaceful little nap, but Mary Ann was widely awake. As they sped past the green meadows and over little bridges, she was repeating to herself the opening paragraph of her piece. The Last Class Supperv was the story of an old professor who had outlived all of his school mates. His class had agreed that the class supper should be held as long as one member survived, so this professor sat through the long feast alone, imagining his fellow comrades were with him. Several of the words were long and difficult for Mary Ann, and she had had a hard task trying to pronounce them- As they neared Merville, Aunt Sue awoke as placidly as she had fallen asleep and was ready as soon as Mary Ann. Merville was gaily decorated in honor of the occasion. The stores and homes were decked with the school colors, and everything seemed to assume a festive air. By the time they reached the opera house where the contest was to be held, it was nine o'elock and nine-thirty the contest commenced. Aunt Sue joined the throng that was passing into the opera house, while Mary Ann after some investigation having learned that all contestants should pass in the side-door, entered and joined a group of boys and girls as anxious as herself. After smoothing her curls, she sat down to await her turn. From the program she learned that The Last Class Supper was the last number. How long the morning seemed. Excited boys and girls went on the stage and came off-some with triumphant smiles and others with saddened faces. At last Mary Ann Continued nn p. 211 30

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the blaze of a hundred shining lights. How the music called, and how we answered, we just Hew over the glassyiloor,-back and forth, and round and round. But there is always an end, and the end of this came far sooner than I had ever expected. Unch my foot, O, stop please, my slipper, my slipper, I gasped. I tried to tell him something was the matter, but the music sang out too loud. I didn't know whether to laugh or ery, as I sped along on one foot. ' At last he sensed something had occurred, and stopped. I sank into a chair and pointed to a black object being kicked hither and thither by the dancers. He smiled and started in its trail as I sat there burning with embarrassment. At last he returned with a rather battered slipper and knelt to put it on. As he did so I caught sight Of COh, Girls, never was fate more cruelj a run in my stocking. VVell .1 put on that slipper, and kept my hot face and eyes down until the last dance. Then I hurried home and poured forth my troubles to my cooling pillow. -NINA Kisrrn, 1918, IIVOHI HIC BI Lliiii Thou City, which might like a garment wear The beauty of the morning pure and free, This day, alas, I may not worship thee ' All bright and glowing in tl1e smokeless air. Not now enwrapt in shimmering garments fair, Nor brilliantly alight thou greetest meg Now draped in cloudy veils of mystery, Refusing to reveal thy secrets rare. But tho' this dawning finds thee dull, forlorn, Thy beauties hid in canopy of gray: Perchance the challenge of tomorrow morn Borne on swift wings of new and glorious day May wake thee, of thy glory still unshorn, Revealing charms which this brief loss repay. -CLARA S. Tmns. When she had juzmvd il seemed like lhe z'c'a.riug of c'.1'q1u'.riIw llI1l.Yit'.-DOROTIIY Ckowmgk. 29

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COIACIGI ICI As HQSICSS T was about eight o'clock in the evening when Cordelia Gaylord sat down to try to pass some time by reading one of her favorite books. Her father and mother having been called away to the bed-side of a sick friend earlier in the evening, she was alone. Cordelia had hair that friends called auburn and enemies, rcdg and a tempera- ment that usually goes with that kind of hair. Now, some girls wou1dn't relish the prospect of being alone in a farm-house at-night, a mile away from the nearest neighbors,-but not so, Cordelia. She enjoyed the prospect of a quiet evening to read, and being alone gave her the opportuity of sympathizing much more with her heroine than she usually could. Many a day when she started to read, she would no sooner get to where Rosamond was dangling from a rope on the edge of a cliff, Eve lmndred feet high, and the villian was just going to cut the rope--when, 'Deel-ya, you'll have to wash them dishes now. I'm busy with this here ironin', and poor Rosamond would have to dangle until Cordelia finished her task. Iiut now, even tho the surroundings and the quietnde of the evening were perfect for enjoying her book, Cordelia could not get her mind on her reading. At last she grew exasperated with herself and said aloud, My goodness, a body'd think I was afraid, watching me fidget around here, but I do feel like something's going to happen tonight. Of course I'm silly, -and thus assuring herself how very foolish she was, she started to read again, this time a little more successfully. . 0 just as she succeeded in applying herself, a sharp knock startled her. Know' mg it could not be her father and mother home so soon, she did not immediately open the door, but went first to the window from which could be seen anyone standing by the door. As the moon was shining brightly, she could plainly see the person, who proved to be a man, about middle-age, of medium stature, and attired in a motoring outfit. She then noticed something which she had not seen before, a large touring-car. Seeing nothing wrong, she went to the door and opened it. The stranger politely lifted his cap and asked if a weary traveler could come in and rest a few moments. Why, certainly sir,-come right in, and make yourself at home. She then showed him the most comfortable chair in the room, and sat down opposite the man,-whom she now found to be a handsome, prosperous-looking individual. I suppose you would like to know who has intruded upon you in this unceremonious manner, said the guest. and I don't blame you in the least. Here is my card, -with which he handed Cordelia a card with this inscription, Ima Skinner, Dealer in Metals. lfe then told her why he was there at that time of night. Yon see, I'm traveling North, and was not informed of the bad roads around this beautiful country here, and so, about an hour ago, I struck the worst road I ever saw, in all my ten-years experience as a motorist. VVell, the car fit starts and stops noiselessly-most likely you didn't hear it, when I camel got stuck in about a foot of mud, I worked with it for a half hour, trying to pry it out with some boards, and had just about given up, when a farmer drove up with a team of horses. To make a long story short,-he pulled the auto out, and here I am,-without any supper. Cordelia, being a hospitable little body, immediately offered to make him a hot lunch, which offer he thankfully accepted, saying he would pay her well. f'tmtInui-fl on p. 215 31