Central High School - Caldron Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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Uhr Glalhrnn a closed skating rink. I like to walk, I hate those shut-i11 street cars. lt's the absolute freedom of the place that makes me love it sol Oh, but in a city you can have much more fun, protested Jim. Never mind your side of the question until tomorrow. 'l'ell me about your home then, and with a merry twinkle in her eyes which Jim could not account t'or, she swung her- self over the wall and disappeared. 'llhe next day bright and early Jim was wheeled into the garden. Ile waited at first patiently, then im- patientyl for the shrill whistle which he was sure would announce his ex- pected visitor. Finally he spied a figure walking slowly toward the gate of Rest Haven. Strange, thought Jim, t.hat liess seemed so pensive. And yet stranger it seemed to him when she at last reached the garden to see the basket ot' delicious looking cookies she carried on one arm, tbooks were piled under the other onej, for Bess didn 't impress one as the domestic kind of girl. As his visitor did not speak, Jim concluded that she was waiting for his greeting. Morning, he said. flood morning, she answered, in oh the meekest voice imaginable, has your leg troubled you much? No, re- plied Jim, it's much better. I baked this morning, do you like cookies! I brought some over. Jim promptly selected the largest one i11 sight. took a bite and reached for the basket. No, he said, most ungramat- ically, I love them. lless smiled and handed him the books. 'tI'm so interested in music ?l.l1il art that I thought perhaps you'd care to read some books on these subjects. Jim was amazed. Why should a tom-boyish good sport of a girl waste her time on such nonsense. lIm, yes, I would like to look them over, Hess. lieth, if you please, answered the girl. Queer, reflected her host, he hadn't noticed that she lisped until now. Sure l know you're name 's Bess. 'tliut it isn't, it's lieth. said the girl on the verge of tears. All right, lieth, if you wish, lieth you shall be. Iiy the way, how's fishing down there in your gl!! by the woods. Oh, I never fish, laughed the girl. I, loathe wiggly worms Hllll besides ones pond those hands smell all fishy after one's been angling. I Wish I could take you out, l'd make you like it,', asserted I must go IIOWV, I've 11ot finished Jim. my practicing and I have a view of the woods sketched ready to paint. If I can l'll come son again. Hope you en- joy the books -and with a demure good-bye, lieth walked down the path, opened the gate and vanished from sight down the road. Jim looked at the books. One was How to listen to Music, another was Decoration in the Home, and yet another, Life of Michael Angelo. 'tAnd I thought she was a good substitute for the fellows at home! was Jim's only comment. Next morning he was forced to stay in the house as it rained torrents. Of course she won 't venture out on a day like this, it might muss her dress, thot the lonely boy. He was just observing bow shadaw effects should be made on canvas, from one of Beth 's books, when a shouted Hallo there! roused him. At the door of his room stood a dripping figure, with hands thrust out of sight. Guess what I brought you, questioned lieth, Cfor it was none otherj. Oh, another book on the var- ious arts, or perhaps an embroidered pi11 cushion,!' guessed Jim, but the girl shook her Wet brown curls at each phrase. Nope, you 're not even Warm. What do most people do rainy days, sit at home and make pi11 cushions? No, siree! They bring sick people things like this! And she held up a string of shining brook trout. Did you catch them I? a.sked Jim. None other, said the girl. HI dote on it, but. l'm off for home now, have to do some practicing. f'au't tell you how I hate it. So long! And with that she was gone, leaving Jim the proud possessor of some thirty trout . Next day the su11 sl1o11e bright and clear, and Jim was again moved into the garden. Very soon he spied the 11ow familiar figure of 'tBeth coming down the road. This time she carried an easel and other painting material.

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E112 Clialhrnn Evan? It was five weeks before commence- ment when Jim suddenly possessed himself of a broken leg. It happened in a most unusual manner, so Jim per- sisted. Many a fellow had trimmed trees without having the ladder slip, precipitating both ladder and occupant in a muddled heap on the ground. Sad but true, the heap of which James R. Wardner, Jr., was a part did not sep- arate as readily as might be supposed. James was confused, he couldnlt get the connection between the upper branches of the tree, the ladder, him- self and the ground, in fact that was just the trouble, the connection had been a minus quantity, hence the curi- ously alarming pain in his left leg. It takes longer to relate how Jim was car- ried into the house than that event actually took, however James R. Wa.rcl- I18l', Jr. 's next thots were about those confoundedly stiff boards that encir- cled the very apparent center of all suffering. Instead of improving, the ache grew worse, Jim grew paler and his disposi- tion was on the verge of a most de- pressing change. After three weeks of misery, during which his mind wander- ed from a postponed graduation to splintered bones and from splintered bo11es to a postponed graduation, it was decided to move the sufferer to the country, where it was hoped that the fresh air and new, cheerful sur- roundings would aid the damaged limb and failing disposition. The farm house to which Jim was re- moved was a large, roomy abode, owned by an elderly, retired farmer and his pleasant wife. The garden and orchard were marvels of naturels miracles and man's handicraft. 'Twas no wonder that URest Haven was a most inviting spot. Even Jim ceased grumbling about his innumerable mis- fortunes when Mr. Elder wheeled his invalid chair into the quaint garden. Jim soon discovered that Mr. Elder and his wife intended to permit him to have an entirely solitary survey of the gar- den daily, as duties called them else- where. On the third day of his rather lonely enforced visit to Rest Haven Jim was astonished to hear a low whistle behind his chair. Having previously been told of the absence of all boys in the neighborhood, it was with no small amount of curiosity that he glanced around. There, perched on the low stone wall that surrounded this portion of thegarden, sat a merry, young girl, barely his own age, so Jim judged, swinging her legs as she gaily whistled, meanwhile cooly surveying him with her sparkling brown eyes. Suddenly she tossed her head of tangled curls and said, Usually boys do the introducing, I believe. 'tWell, yes, said Jim, I suppose so. I'1n James Warilner, Jr. Left out the R., didn 't you? Does that stand for Rufus, for you are red-headed you know. I'm Bess Lowell, live on the next farm, it's only a mile and a half when you cut across the woods. Thot you'd be lonesome, so l'm coming here whenever I can providing I don't utter- ly bore you. HYou'll not bore me, Jim reassured her, for already the tom- boyish girl with her frank, open face, and ability to be so easily at home, in- terested him. 'tLike to read? abrupt- ly asked Bess, I love exciting western stories where the bullets whiz thru every page. L'Same here, responded Jim, 'abut I left in such a hurry that I had no time to bring books along. VII lend you some perfectly great ones, enthusiastically answered his guest. I know the ki11d you 'll like. Thanks, I'm glad to have any kind of change. It's dull here compared with city life. Hml city life wouldnit appeal to me, I fear. l love the coun- try with its brooks' full of trout isome- timesj, and its great big openess. I like to know that when Ilm hungry there are some juicy, red strawberries on the vines below the orchard, just waiting to be picked. And when win- ter comes one can skate on the pond near the woods and not have to go in

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Uhr Glalhrnn Hollo, gaily shouted Jim. HGood- morning, answered the girl. How does the leg feel? Better, thanks. I brought my canvas to sketch this view of the quaint garden. You dont care, do you? UNO, indeed, itls fine to have some one to talk to. Bethi' was silent, and after placing the easel in proper position busily commenced to work. Not one word could Jim force from her, so absorbed was she in the picture. But as it was vastly interest- ing to watch the daubs of pai11t take form, Jim didn't object. Finally, at the most interesting part of the pro- ceeding,so Jim thot, she put her belong- ings together and with a faint good bye departed. Jim wondered at the meaning of the Sphinx-like creature. At last he solved the problem, she was a feminine Jekyl and Hyde, only on different lines. He could hardly wait for the mor- row, and arose early to be in readiness for the mysterious girl. At last she came, swinging a baseball bat as she ran down the road. Witli a leap she was over the low gate and in a Hash was on the ground near his chair. As he looked inquiringly at the bat, she laughed and when she recovered her breath, said, HThot you could throw me some fiys. l must practice batting or I'll lose my position on the team.', 'tGirl,s team? sneered Jim. I should say not. It's the champion team of the county and l'm the only girl on it. Witli that began a discussion of our national game and it was inter- rupted with a soft, Bess, mother wants you, startled them both. There, standing before Jim was an exact du- plicate of the girl by his side. Bess laughed-, Stupid, don't you see? We 're twins, shels Beth, I'm Bess, and the only way we're alike is in looks. You've been a perfect circus to fool, but now that Beth is spoiled the fun I spose youlll be angry and have nothing more to do with us. Nonsense, I wa11t to see the real Bess and the lisped Beth very ofte11,', replied Jim. Y. S. G. G. A FORTUNATE ACCIDENT. Cflontinued from Page 'Tj air, and the machine hit the ground with a great jolt that threw the doctor out of his seat, still holding his medi- cine case. The wheels of the landing chassis broke under the strain, and af- ter digging holes in the ground with the axles, the biplane turned complete- l yover, falling on Fred, who had re- tained his seat at the first jolt. The machine was demolished, and Fred was dug out of the wreckage unconscious. The doctor was not hurt at all, and af- ter Iinding that Fred was not seriously hurt, he turned his attentions to the i11- jured aviator. Braithwaite had 1'e- ceived internal injuries, which kept him in the hospital for several months. Everyone was glad then that Fred was able to operate an aeroplane, and after that 110 one attempted to curtail his aeronautic activities. He bore his honors modestly, and a close friendship sprang up between him and the flyer. After Fred finished his schooling, he was given a position in a large aero- plane factory through Braithwaite's influence, a11d he is today one of our bcst aeronautic engineers. F. W. H. S. '12,