Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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30 THE SENIOR MAGNET ■ — - » cAn Exception Rose Lewis I am sorry, but Mr. Smith is busy and cannot possibly see you,” greeted me in dulcet tones as I entered the office of my friend Reginald Aloysius Smith. For fully a minute I gazed at the apparition before me in amazement. Was it a man or a woman? Whereupon I discovered a slight mustache and I was inclined to decide in favor of the masculine side. Never had I seen such an effeminate man. Hair which looked as if it had been marcelled, powdered nose, manicured nails, and a slave bracelet were taken account of before it dawned on me that this must be my friend Reggie’s newest office girl—boy, I mean. Here’s my card. I know Mr. Smith will see me.” We had been roommates at college and had remained firm friends ever since, in spite of Reggie’s eccentric ways. Those ways had not affected his business career. He had risen to prominence in the real-estate world in spite of a (long-standing and incurable hatred for women. Before I had finished meditating upon his choice of a new secretary, I was interrupted by Reggie himself, who appeared and invited me in. Well,” I asked after I was settled in a chair before his desk, where in the world did you find that?” That? Oh, my new secretary? I simply couldn’t stand a woman around any more, so I sent to the employment bureau and that’s what they sent me,” answered Reggie. Heavens above ! I would a lot rather have a woman who is a woman than that 'guess what I am?’ ” I retorted. He’ll ruin your business, man !” Well, he’s still not as bad as a woman, Dan. You don’t know them as well as I do,” contended Reggie. You!” I snapped back, why you were never out with a woman, except your mother, in all your life, and you know it.” Which only goes to prove that I know my women,” smiled Reginald. I’m not going to give any woman a chance to exert herself trying to hook me, no sir! Why man, you don’t know how fortunate you are that that little gold-digger you liked married another man instead of you.” Listen, Smith, you can’t—” B-r-r-r ! B-r-r-r ! Pardon me, please, while I answer the phone.” Hello! Yes, this is Mr. Smith . . . Yes, I remember you, Miss Blaine.” Reggie slumped down in his chair and regarded me with the air of a martyr. The next few minutes were occupied by the unseen Miss Blaine at the other end of the wire; then Reggie suddenly straightened in his chair and with the look of a person in a spasm shouted, What?” Looking at his face, I truly felt that he might burst a blood vessel at any moment.

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CLASS OF JANUARY, 1932 29 Soon afterwards, Ted secured a position as a bank cashier, and was bidding fair to rise, due mainly, of course, to his smile. Again Fortune lured him on, and again she slipped away from him. A supposed friend of several years’ standing framed him, because of jealousy. Ted came home and told me about it. He smiled still, and it angered me. Ted,” I exclaimed, how can you smile when your deepest feelings are outraged?” He looked at me for a moment, then answered slowly: I’ll smile no matter what happens. I’ve been brought up on smiles, and now it’s too late to change my mode of attacking the world.” And all the time his fingers were straining to be at the throat of the Judas who had betrayed him and black despair raged in his heart. You’d better come with me,” I told him, and walk off some of that surplus feeling.” We walked for an hour or more. Once we stopped at a trick store for cigarettes. There happened to be a revolver lying on the showcase. Ted took one look at the gun, and his whole body stiffened with a jerk. His eyes stared fixedly. With deep anxiety I watched him. His hands crept slowly towards the gun, oh, so slowly, as though they were trying to reach their goal without wakening their master. But a smile suddenly spread over his countenance and the hands went back to their respective pockets. And so his life went on. Success after success seemed almost within his grasp, then suddenly faded away and left bitter disappointment and anguish— and a smile. At the age of forty-two, Ted was broken in body and spirit; once straight rhoulders were stooped and sagging, and his fingers constantly played around his lips. His poor heart was burned and withered by the heat of the anger, the resentment, the depair which had been pent up in his heart, but his lips still curved in a semblance of a smile. Finally Ted died—with a smile. I bent over to hear his dying words; they were: 'Laugh, and the world laughs with you.’ I’ve smiled all my life, Bill, but if I had it to do over again-----who knows? Perhaps I would rage every once in a while.” And as he fell back into his last untroubled sleep, these words again stumbled from his lips: 'Laugh, and the world laughs with you.’ A sort of fury possessed me. Laugh, indeed,” thought I, when the very soul within you is crying out in anguish against injustice and disappointment. Laugh, laugh, laugh ! and let the world laugh with you. Then turn your back and listen to the world laugh at you. Why should the world laugh with you? Will that help you any? Does a successful life come from the hypocritical smile worn to please the world, or from deep courage and peace within a man’s heart? Do the millions of smiles in the world today make up for the millions of despairing hearts underneath these smiles or atone for the sins which in so many cases have caused that despair? Laugh, clown, laugh,” the world says. It is right? I think not.

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CLASS OF JANUARY, 1932 31 What? Me! Why-why—it’s preposterous! I won’t do it. No thank you, Miss Blaine, I simply won't do it!” roared Mr. Smith, bringing his fist down on the desk with a bang. If that isn’t just like a bunch of women!” Absolutely purple with rage, he let the receiver fall weakly back onto the hook. Reggie, what is the matter?” Matter? Matter? I’ll tell you what’s the matter,” thundered Reggie so loud that the secretary opened the door. Did you want something, sir?” Get out and stay out!” answered Reggie in no gentle tones. Then, as the abashed secretary withdrew, Dan, you were right. I’ll fire that fellow. He’s got more curiosity than a woman, even.” Come! Come! Don’t let it upset you like that. Be calm—” Calm! Calm! When that insufferable Miss Blaine—could she possibly have thought I would speak at her old Women’s Club— Knowing that Miss Blaine had committed the unpardonable sin in Reggie’s eyes, I attempted to soothe him. Reggie, forget it by coming out to my new lodge this week-end. We’ll have no one as company except the dogs.” Now if Mr. Reginald A. Smith had a strong hatred for women, he had an almost equally strong liking for hunting; and as I had expected, at my words his wrath slowly evaporated into an enthusiastic smile. I’m ready. Let’s go.” However, he was not entirely appeased. On his way to the elevator, Reggie paused long enough to inform the secretary that his services were no longer needed; and with that done, we started. Everything went smoothly for some miles; then I was almost hit by another car. Ah! Just as I thought, a woman driver. That was just like a woman!” Judging by the expression on Reggie’s face, I gathered that he was still thinking about the unrivaled audacity of the abhorred Miss Blaine. I determined to make him forget. Aloysius, they tell me there are plenty of deer near the lodge. I bet I get the first one.” There were two reasons for that. The only thing Reggie hated worse than women was his name. Second, the only thing he liked better than hunting was a wager. He always took my challenges, regardless of what they might be. I’ve got the week-end to prove that,” he replied with the air of having already beaten me. Without any further molestation from the women, we arrived safe at the lodge. Reggie beamed as he viewed my new domain. It’s plain to be seen that no woman has been meddling in this place. That’s what I like. To show you that I don’t need a wife, I’ll cook the first meal.” It’s all right with me, but did you bring along any good remedies for indigestion?” I teased. Then fo'llowed two days, perfect except for one thing—we didn’t get any deer. Only once did we even see any, and our last night had come. As Reggie sat in front of the fire cleaning his gun he declared stubbornly, I’ll get a