Chinook High School - Breeze Yearbook (Chinook, MT)

Page 13 text:

THE CHINOOK BREEZE 11 Slljtf ©ih Jffolks’ Christmas Silas Jones sat on the manger, stroking Betsy’s black head and telling her, “Those kids o’ mine will be home two days after tomorrow.” His meditations were interrupted by a shrill voice calling him. He immediately went to the house for he seldom went against his wife’s wishes or contradicted her—not more than once in five years. And the five years were almost gone since Silas had told her John might go to school as long as he pleased. As he neared the house he saw Mira out feeding a very fat goose and an equally fat turkey, which were to be killed in one or two more days. Mira saw Silas coming and had a scolding ready for him. “Here y’come t’the house without an armful of wood and there ain’t a speck in the wood-box. If you ain’t the most unthinkin’ man I ever saw, I’ll eat my hat,” snapped Mira as Silas stepped on the porch. “Sure Mira, I’ll go an’ git y’ a big armful, if thet’s all what’s botherin’ y You should hev told me thet before.” “If thet ain’t like a man,” soliloquized Mira. “Alwus thinkin’ they’re not t’ blame. Silas! You lay thet wood right down on the step there and take off your over-shoes ’fore y’ dare walk in on thet floor I’ve been breakin’ my back scrubbin’.” While supper was being prepared, Silas read one of the yearly letters, saying all the children would be home for Christmas. His honest face glowed with pride when he read them. They (the children) were all such good child- ren.

Page 12 text:

THE CHINOOK BREEZE Must have a bunch of bucks and plunks, My helpmeet lets me know; My nephew needs some new silk socks— It gives poor me an awful shock To see the nickels go. Then I should send some gifts and things To my own relatives, by jinks, But simply do not dare. My brothers dear amount to naught And other presents must be bought, My darling wife declares. When Christmas morn at last is here, For others there is lots of cheer And every kind of stuff; But as I look up at the tree There’s just a loud bow tie for me— They wonder why I’m gruff. That’s just the way it always goes, As any men with families know— And it is rank abuse. They never send a thing to you, When gifts and things for them are due; It peeves me like the deuce. SHRIMP, C’18. (With apologies to Walt Mason.) Mabel Blackwood rushed into the geometry room breathless. “Oh, Mr. Provow, don't scold me for being late to school, because I’ve just had such a disappointment,” she said. “A horse fell down and they said they were going to send for a horse doctor, so I waited. And what do you think? It wasn’t a horse doctor at all: it was only a man!’’

Page 14 text:

12 THE CHINOOK BREEZE “Wei” he said as his wife hung up the dish-pan after supper was over and the dishes were washed, “I see the kids hev writ home sayin’ they was cornin’ as usual. I kin hardly wait till I see George. I’ll bet he looks fine in his uniform. He alwus was a nice lookin’ boy. And Sal’s girl, I kin mind when she was as cute a kid as y’ ever saw. My —” “Yes,” broke in Mira, “you ken alwus mind them times but y’ never ken mind all the work they made me. It’s alwus, ‘I’m so, so glad they’re comin! I want t’ see ’em!’ You never oncet think o’ the work that makes me, no never. I almost wish they wouldn’t come. I ain’t as young as I used t’ be and can’t work so hard, and those children are so thotless. They never think of my work. Yes, I wish they wouldn’t come.” “They wouldn’t come! Don’t want t’ see George in his uniform and Sal’s gal and hear how little Joy is gettin’ a-long teachin’ school and not see all th’ rest of ’em ? Y’ don’t mean it, Mira!” “Oh, I don’t? I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it, would I?” Mira’s voice, naturally shrill, grew shriller. Silas had doubted her word and she was terribly angry. “I do mean it,” she repeated several times. Silas’ gray head bent over the letters and letters and figures on the red tablecloth mixed. For half an hour he sat still, trying to think Mira did not mean what she had said. She was harsh sometimes and always scolded, but rarely ever meant anything by it. Yet this time he could not help thinking she did mean what she had said. The scornful, angry glances she cast his way made him think that she was more than just angry. Silas had forgotten the scornful glances she had given him five years ago. Finally he got up and went to bed. Mira picked up the letters and put them