Buffalo Seminary - Seminaria Yearbook (Buffalo, NY)

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18 SEMINARIA 1943 low disappear behind sullen, gray clouds, to be replaced by sudden flashes of Eghtning and by a delu e of rain which could not have struck the earth since Noah's time. With no tiought of reaching home, they dashed into the nearest entrance to the animal house. Rick, always the gentleman, waged a losing battle with the swiftfrising wind, but valiantly held the door for jerry. Once inside, they almost wished they had sprinted home. The animal house, already warm because of the day, was fast becoming sultry. Although the denizens of the jungle may have felt at home in the stuffy atmosphere, the dripping sightfseers, who every minute increased in numbers, became convinced that they would never be jungle explorers and Frank Buck's. The building, besides being permeated with the usual animal scents and the additional odor of wet clothing and people, was soon filled with the roaring of the caged beasts, as the lightning and thunder increased, stirring up whatever fighting spirit they had. Jerry, still clinging desperately to Rick's hand, lapsed again into a reverie almost disheartening now in its implica- tions. She was startled into reality by Rick's matterfofffact voice. With a plaintive look on his open face and a straightening of his broad shoulders, he inquired, Why d'you look so worried? You needn't be afraid because I can take care of you. See, l'm not scared even if the lions do roar and there is thunder and lightning. I'm brave enough to take care of both of us, and please stop worrying about Daddy, 'cause nothing can ever happen to him, Mommy. There in Rick's voice Jerry found the courage she needed to give her hope for the future. Then she stopped worrying about Daddy and began instead to wonder when her fourfyearfold might join the marines. Louisa HARPER, '43 0 COBWEBS Caught in the rays of the early morning sun The dewdrops glisten, Like many dancing opals, On the network of silvery, gossamer threads. JOAN WATERS, '44

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SEMINARIA 1943 17 I don't see how in the world you expect to be accepted. The marines're always handsome and strong, so that sort of lets you out. At this answer, Rick began a lecture on all his fine points-a lecture which became increasingly vehement as jerry became increasingly amused. Her merri' ment had grown from a smile to a giggle and was fast becoming a fullfgrown laugh, when Mr. O'Toole, passing through the park on his way to direct the sparse traffic at the comer, and walking with halffopened eyes to shut out the blazing sun, was brought to an abrupt stop by a collision with the two pref occupied arguers. jerry, diverted for the moment from thoughts of Sandy, was jokingly answering Rick's attempts to make her take back what she had said. She was so engrossed in the friendly quarrel that her shortfsighted eyes failed to recognize the friendly Irishman. Rick, however, immediately seized the police' man's hand, enlisting him on his side of the battle of words. With a twinkle in his eye and amusement in his voice, Thofnas O'Toole stayed long enough to help the young man defeat his unconvinced opponent. Then he hurried on, leaving a triumphant Rick and a merrily bewildered jerry. Soon, however, jerry's bewilderment changed a ain to worry about Sandy, since Rick, watching and commenting on the flight 0? a balloon escaped from some wailing youngster, failed to notice her absorption in things other than his conf versation. Her thoughts were ones she had had often during the past three weeks. Was Sandy safe and well? Was he wounded or perhaps missing in actionn? She would not let them go further in that direction. Had he received her package? her letters? Why didn't he write at least to his family? The news had been ominous. Perhaps he had been captured. But there again she stopped. Then suddenly she realized the unfairness of such thinking. She had resolved to conf centrate on Rick, yet there she was thinking heart and soul of Sandy. With a switch as sudden as the changing of a radio station, she again became aware of Rick, at the very instant he was noticing her preoccupation. But, since the balf loon's escape and Jerry's thoughts had filled only a few brief moments, since Rick almost immediately found a new topic of interest, they continued as though they had never been miles apart in thought. Rick's new interest was a huge brown and white dog, wagged by a bushy, plume'like tail. Since no particular breed dominated, the two decided that he was just dog. With his fpedigree decided upon-agreement for a change-they went on to pick a name or him, meanwhile shaking hands with him and lovingly scratching his ears. The fact that he was a strange dog never bothered themg in fact, it made the procedure more mysterious, since they went through the same ritual with every dog they happened to encounter, whether known or unknown. Rick suggested Wags, jerry countered with Wrinkles, he came back with Bruce, and she had just pronounced Robin, when WagsfWrinklesfBruce' Robin bounded off in answer to a whistle and shouts of Here, Dash. Laughing at themselves and the dog as he galloped awkwardly away, they would have proceeded on their wanderings, except that they felt that there was a new, oppressive heat in the air caused by something other than the sun, which they had ignored. They looked upward just in time to see the last bit of yellow

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SEMINARIA 1943 19 A Bnnus fur Banners LOWERfCLASS STORY Mrs. Lorey picked u The Chicago Evening News, read the article once more, and then looked out ofJ the window with eyes slightly squinted, as if she saw something that was invisible to others. She was an elderly woman with an inf tellectual air, and her plump figure was swathed in a dull blue silk dress that matched the blue of her eyes to perfection. The fingers that held the paper were long and graceful, but her nails were trimmed short, and there was something about the severity of the ashfcolored hair brushed back from her face which made her seem very businessflike. She tore herself from her reverie and again looked down at the Ladies' Page of the paper. In the left hand corner in stern black print was written A Bonus for 'Boners', and underneath was an explanation of the offer. This American paper offered a prize, a reward, a bonus, for people who were sporting enough and im- personal enough to offer up their mistakes on the altar of humor. The only stipula- tion was that the letters be written by their subscribers and mailed before mid' night that Saturday. It wasn't that Mrs. Lorey needed the money, or even wanted it for that matter, but the idea intrigued her. A Bonus for 'Boners' -Mrs. Lorey knew her subject. She took a wellfsharpened yellow pencil in her hand, looked down at the pale blue paper, let the pencil fall again, leaned back in her chair, and let her thoughts wander. Although it was many years ago, it seemed like yesterday, when Bill had kissed her at the Landons' party, and told her he wanted her to belong to him forever. She had been only twenty, and Bill hadn't had much money, so when they were married they had gone to live with Bill's mother and father in the large house on High Street. Mrs. Lorey hated the old house with the heavy old- fashioned fumiture, and all of the Lorey ancestors glaring down from their frames at her. She especially despised Aunt Eliza and Uncle Egbert Lorey who seemed to dominate the whole house from above the living room mantel. Uncle Egbert was a very meekflooking soul, and Mrs. Lorey fancied she heard Aunt Eliza sniff every time she entered the room. As years went on, Bill and jean were left sole pos' sessors of the home, but still Aunt Eliza and Uncle Egbert glared! Bill was now doing very well at the Chicago Bank and he had risen from a teller to vicefpresident in twelve years. jean had had two adorable children, Bonnie, a blonde child with her mother's eyes, and Bill, jr., who was the image of his father. Both youn sters were in school. jean and Bill had saved up enough money to send them to coiege, and now came the time for which jean had been waiting. One night when Bill was reading in the parlor, and she and Aunt Eliza had been exchanging unpleasantries for a half hour, she decided to bring up the question.