Cloverdale Union High School - Spectator Yearbook (Cloverdale, CA)

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with their boy friends in this useful enterprise had given them a thousand times more pleasure than they had ever found at the dances and parties. It had given them a chance, also, to find out who were the really manly and worthy fellows. This hard but wholesome work had really been a blessing in disguise. Flora. PATSY WINKLES. “When is mother coming home?” asked Patsy one morning as she rushed into the library where her father sat reading. “I hope soon. We may get a letter today,” said Daddy. “Daddy, do you know that tomorrow I will be nine years old, and mother told me I should have a lovely present, and now she is not here to give it to me?” Tears began to fill her eyes, but her father, lifting her upon his knee, said: “This is not like my Patsy Winkles. What is mother going to give you? “Oh! 1 have no idea what it was going to be, said Patsy. You know she always gets something to surprise me. Last year it was this ring and the year before my necklace. I cannot think what it will be this year. James Crowe was a wealthy and prominent mining man of Denver, where he lived in a magnificent home with his wife and only child, a daughter, named Patricia. She was so named because she was born on St. Patrick s day, but they always called her Patsy for short. She was a beautiful, fair-haired, blue-eyed, light-hearted child. When anything greatly pleased her she had such a merry twinkle in her eyes that one day a friend, who was calling, christened her Patsy Winkles, and by that name she was known for miles around. Patsy ' s mother had been away for some time visiting her sister, who was very ill. When the postman came that afternoon he brought a neatly addressed letter, written in her mother’s handwriting, directed to Miss Patsy Crowe. How eagerly she tore open the envelope to see if her present was within! But it contained only a short letter, saying that she would be at home on the next day’s train and would bring her, as a birthday present, little Rosalie. She flew to her father as fast as her little legs could carry her, exclaim¬ ing, “Daddy, daddy, mother is coming home tomorrow and says she has my present, Rosalie, with her. What do you suppose it is? I 11 bet it is a doll. “Well, Patsy, you will have to wait and see. You may go with me to the train and find out.’ When the train came, very much to Patsy’s surprise she saw her mother, not carrying a bundle, but leading a little girl of about six years with black curls hanging over her shoulders, black eyes that shone like stars, and smiles that made sunshine all around her. Her mother had died and Mrs. Crowe had taken her to live with them. “Here, Patsy, is your birthday present, Rosalie. A look of disappointment flashed over Patsy s face. She did not think a girl was a good birthday present. Rosalie had such a pleasant smile that Patsy made up with her, and said, “Oh mother! 1 thought Rosalie was a doll, but it is a girl instead.” “Yes, Patsy, I thought you would rather have a real girl than a doll for your birthday. I want you to be the best of friends forever.” Patsy took Rosalie’s hand and helped her into their auto. They soon grew quite friendly. Patsy and Rosalie were the very best of chums ever after, and Patsy was ?ure she had much more fun with a real girl than she would have had with a doll. M. F. H. 27

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A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. T es ’ m °ther, I must finish this row,” said a cheery voice from under a big pink sunbonnet, then I will do your errand as I go to the store for a hoe. I forgot to tell the boys to get it for me.” She soon finished transplanting a long row of lettuce, and skipped gaily down the street on her errand. was now late in the spring. Commencement was drawing near, i! j °y s wer f joining the Boy Scouts and Agricultural Clubs, but the girls had thought little of their share in helping the nation in its peril. Most of them were planning visits with relatives or trips to San Francisco and Berke- e y- There were a few exceptions to this, among them one in particular. She had declined all invitations to spend the summer away from home. She bought few new clothes this spring and did not take part in many of the festivities. The girls all noticed this, and wondered what could be the trouble. One afternoon she surprised them by calling a meeting. They were all very curious to know what she wanted, so all flocked to the appointed place directly after school. 1 have asked you to meet here this afternoon to see how many of you would like to join an Agriculture Club,” she said. “I thought we might be able to help in this time of need.” Only three girls joined with her, but these four worked diligently. They called another meeting soon and six joined, so they now had a club of ten. They each had three kinds of vegetables to grow, so among them they raised lettuce, beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, peas, radishes and onions. Our little friend with the pink sunbonnet, who was the leader of the club, was to raise lettuce, beans and peas. Here, mother, is your package. See my new hoe, that is to chop out those old rebellious weeds; and, mother, I got two packages of late peas, so will have my hands full. Saying this, she ran to the garden and hoed away for two hours. She and her friends worked faithfully. At last summer came and their crops were bearing abundantly. Now came the time for canning. At first the mothers helped in this but the girls soon learned the trick, so they could do it alone. They found that they had so much produce to take care of that they held another meeting and called for volunteer assistants. No fruit or berries had been raised by either the boys or the girls’ club, but lettuce and a few other vegetables that could not be canned were turned into the stores in exchange for strawberries and such things. The boys ' Agricultural Club brought in vegetables. The girls canned one hundred quarts each, making about five thousand five hundred quarts in all. When harvest was over a new plan was hit upon. Each was to keep fifty quarts of canned vegetables and fruit for home use, but the remainder was to be sold at a bazaar. All were delighted and entered into the prepa- rations with enthusiasm. F F t , Th ! !ffi aar tU l ne L ° Ut t0 be a great success - The y cleared over one thousand dollars which was turned in to the leader of the club, and then given to the Red Cross Society. In addition to all this their credit account showed a few more items: broken finger nails and calloused hands, to be sure, but—“Beautiful hands are they that do deeds that are noble, good and true.” And, furthermore they now needed no powder or rouge, because the sunshine, fresh air and outdoor work had given them rosy cheeks. They also had clearer brains, brighter eyes and nerves that were more sound, all from constant work and sunshine. 1 hey had been so enthusiastic over their work that they had no time to worry; and so they had really grown very beautiful. Their association 26

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GRANDMOTHER’S MACHINE AND GWENDOLEN’S. “Anon from the belfry Softly the Angelus sounded, and over the roofs of the village Columns of pale blue smoke, like clouds of incense ascending, Rose from a hundred hearths, the homes of peace and contentment ” One of these homes was a large red brick house surrounded by firs and hemiocKS which shaded its spacious verandas. To the west were large fields of flax and to the south were orchards and cornfields. Here lived Dr. McFar¬ land, a wealthy country physician, with his wife and seven children. Alice, the eldest, was just sixteen when she returned from the boarding school, which in these days was called an academy. The following year she re¬ ceived her certificate, and taught school in a nearby village. One winter her friend Susie came to visit at the McFarland home. She was very fond of Edward Templeton, the son of a Methodist minister. His father was an old friend of the McFarlands, and often brought his family there to spend an evening. Alice was always a shy little creature, and would often go up to her own room when they had company. Susie had a delightful visit. She spent her time in visiting school with Alice, and going sleigh riding and ice skating. Every Friday night, in a vil¬ lage about ten miles away, they had singing school. This was the chief amusement of the time and every one attended. One night Alice and Susie went to singing school in the McFarland sleigh. Susie had dressed very carefully that evening, as she knew Edward would be there; but Alice never let such things enter her head. What was Susies chagrin when she had to go home in the family sleigh with Alice’s brother, while Alice went home with Edward. After this they were often together making it a point to see each other at church and at the singing school In the spring of 1863 they were married and lived at her old home for a few years. One day when Alice was sitting by the open window sewing on a pair of white linen trousers for her husband (for in those days men always wore white), she sighed: Oh, if I only had a machine, how much work it would save me. bhe worked on. A few days later when her husband came in from town he carried a large box. “What is this?” she asked. “I did not order any large package from the store. But he only smiled and commenced taking the nails out of the box for her. Then he said, Now lift up the cover and see.” She did so, and to her surprise found a sewing machine. The kind that we have now with electric motors? Oh, no! , L B a very S , ma11 machine - whic h she set on the table and worked by hand. Of course this was a great deal of work, and her arm became very tired, but how much more quickly she made the clothes. She was generous and very often the neighbors came in to use it. Gwendolen Brookwell lived in a handsome home on West Street In fact, it was the most beautiful home in the little town. It was surrounded by large oak trees, and in the front there were spacious green lawns. At the east side of the house was a tennis court, where many of the young folks gathered every afternoon after school. The interior of the house was very luxuriously furnished On the upper floor was a large hall with polished Hoors. Often Gwendolen s friends would dr op in for a dance. 28