Butler High School - Tropaeum Yearbook (Butler, IN)

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An Automobile Episode. “Oh, we'll be alright, and you don’t need to worry about us,” re- plied Ruth Thornton bravely, to her friends that were cautiously ad- vising her. ‘‘Here, Don, jump up in the seat, and we will soon be speed- ing home at the rate of a century limited,” she continued, talking con- fidingly to a large Dane dog that looked up wistfully into her eyes. Ruth was the only child, and naturally had been petted and in- dulged so much, that at the age of eighteen her wishes were seldom crossed and never denied. She had left home early in the morning in her new auto, intending to spend the day with a friend who lived about fifteen miles away. Her father had been greatly opposed to her going alone, but after much coaxing and pouting he was compelled as usual to let her have her own way. Ruth had had such a good time that she had almost forgotten about going home, but the approaching darkness had warned her of the time, and with the dog beside her she was soon bounding along the highway at a fearful rate, regardless of the many lurches that the car gave. The dog looked proudly down the road, and every now and then he would lick his lips with his long red tongue, and look up at her inquisitively, as much as to say, “‘Aren’t we goin’ some?” They soon reached a lonesome country road about ten miles from home; no houses in sight, and the tall dark trees that stood on either ’ side made the appearance more gloomy. Sudddenly she noticed that the speed slackened, and after many jerks and lurches the car came to a standstill. vil “Well, what’s happened,” she exclaimed somewhat irritated, “I wonder if anytihng has broken.” She got out of the car, looked up and down the road to see if anyone was coming. Being assured that no one was in sight, she began to talk to Don. “What in the world will we do! I just wonder if---Oh, I know, she quickly added, maybe it needs cranking,’ and with this she immediate- ly preceeded to “crank” it’ which required no little effort. She got into the car again and threw back the lever, but no motion was made. “Goodness, probably I didn’t crank it enough,” she said somewhat illhumoredly, “‘I wonder if I have that book of ‘Rules and Regulations.’ ”’ The book was soon found, but her searching was all in vain, and throw- ing it down in disgust, she burst into a flood of tears. Poor Don! He looked first at his mistress, then at the machine, and with almost hu- man intelligence expressed his sympathy by many a piteous whine. “Oh, dear!’ sobbed Ruth, “if only I had let Jack come with me, we would have been home long ago, and now maybe we will have to stay here all night. Her revengeful spirit soon vanished when she thought of Jack, and how curtly she had refused his company that morning, in order to show her independence. In her desolation she became aware of the fact that she was wrong, and that it was folly for her to believe everything she had heard, especially when the author was a person who was very jealous of her. 30)

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EASTSIDE Hs LICRARY , “She'll probably give up in the morning, but I can’t bear to think of her going to bed without her dinner.” ‘He finally slept but not restfully and awoke the next morning out of sorts with himself and everyone else, particularly Sidney Trayman. Sidney also went to bed unhappy but thinking more of Jim than ever before. ; “TI don’t believe he loves me after all, but I never saw him look so strong as when he said I had to scrub those steps before I could eat. I believe I'll do it in the morning to Surprise him.”’ With this intention She slept. The next morning when she arose and went down stairs the first person she met was Jim McArthur. He was very much displeased with himself and every thing, as we have said, and consequently did not look very amiable. “Where are you going?” hedemanded. His very tone antag onized Sidney and with a toss of her head she replied, ‘To breakfast, of course,---have you any objection?” “Yes, Ihave. As I told you Sidney, no one is to eat until they have performed their duties. Unfortunately I have been chosen to ex- ecute this, and disagreeable as it is, I must say you'll have to serub those steps before breakfast.” Without replying, Sidney turned and walked off in the direction of the river, “O what a brute I’ve been,” starting after her and there checking himself. ‘‘No, I can’t give up so easily,-I’ll wait a little.” All day McArthur cursed himself for being six or seven different kinds of asses, and finally decided to go to her and ask pardon for his brutality, before dinner. . To his repeated knockings he got no reply, so he thought he must have “‘queered himself for good.” Sidney was as miserable as possible and stayed out of doors all day, So it was not strange that Jim received no reply to his overtures for peace. She was unhappy and hungry, about the worst state a girl can be in. “T suppose he’ll think I’m nothing but a stubborn child, so to-night Pll go and scrub those abominable steps.”’ That night about 12:30 a forlorn figure might have been seen steal- ing out of the big door with a pailful of water in one hand and several minute handkerchiefs in the other. “O dear! Why didn’t I give in before?” and salt water mingled with the water in the pail, She was alarmed to hear a step behind her, and upon turning she saw McArthur. She looked instinctively for a hiding place, but as none was near, she turned to meet him. He had been unable to sleep and had come out for a stroll in the moonlight. When he saw Sidney he was undecided what to do, but upon seeing her tear-stained face, he ex- claimed, “What a -brute’ P’ve been,” and then started toward her. Sympathy was more than Sidney could bear and breaking into tears again. She sobbed, “I’m (tears and sobs) so sorry (tears and ditto) and so hungry.”’ . In a moment---well it was kind of the moon to disapper behind: a cloud just then. Jannet Mason, ’10.° 29

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She was aroused from these thoughts by a noise, and looking up she saw some one coming on foot. Don, who had already assumed the position of guard, was growling fiercely, and keeping a close watch upon the approaching stranger. “Well, are you stranded?” called out a familiar voice, which Don recognized, and was soon jumping up and down in ecstacy. “O,is that you, Jack? What are you doing out here?” “Your parents are nearly frantic, so I came after you. I telephoned to your friends and they said you had left there at half past seven, and had taken this road. So I came to a place near here on a car, and as I could get no accommodations, I decided to start afoot and meet you. Have you had a break-down?” “O, no,” replied Ruth sighing, “‘I just wanted to fill the gasoline tank.” “Well, V'll help you” he replied kindly, and opening the tank he ex- claimed, ‘““Why how’s this? The tank is full already.”’ “It is? Well I wanted to---er---I wanted to---to light the lights.” “But the lamps are lit, for they were the first thing I saw when I came over the hill. I'll see if the machine is alright.” He soon found the part which was not working well, and in a few -minutes had everything ready. “Now Ruth,” he said, turning toward the girl, ‘‘before you start, I want to ask you a question. Do you always intend to treat me like you have been in the last few days? If my attentions are unbearable, I can soon leave and---” “But, Jack, you don’t intend to---” “Oh, no, of course I will help you home, for your father would be greatly frightened if I would leave you here all alone, and much dis- pleased with me if I should do so,” he replied, as he helped her into the car. Tor some time Ruth was silent, for she knew he meant every word he said. At last the silence became very embarrassing, and she ven- tured to make matters right by saying, ‘‘I guess it doesn’t pay to be- lieve everything you hear. I knew it was wrong in the beginning, but I wanted---”’ “Wanted to have your own way as usual,” he replied mischiev- ously. Mabelle Murch, 08. The Unlucky Mirror. “Oh, John, you can never guess what has happened! Oh, you could never guess, its just simply splendid, and so dear of Aunt Deborah!” Little Mrs. Gertrude Scott fairly danced with delight while her face shone with ecstacy. ‘‘The expressman brought it this morning,’ she rambled on, “its perfectly beautiful and I could scarcely wait till you came home so you could see it too.” 31