Columbus School for Girls - Topknot Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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TOP-KNOT, 1928 After Anne and Jim had left for the club, Lael devoted herself once more to the Collected Poems. Ah, the sadness, the exquisite beauty of those lines which he ha-d written, perhaps, to Anne and which Anne could never appreciate! It occurred to Lael that it must be sad for Jim to know that Anne did not understand, did not even feel that Warm emotion which he so vividly described in his The One Before the Last. Lael must show him that she understood, that her very soul cried out for beauty, that her whole being was awed by the very stupendousness of life. But how could she tell him? People in books always read poetry out under the trees in the spring but it Wouldn't be proper to read somebody else's poetry to a poet. She couldn't just tell him when Anne was there. Anne would laugh, and he would too-just because Anne did. Oh dear! Life was so perplexing! If only mother wouldn't make her go to church, she could drive him around town and show him the new clubhouse that was being built. Mother thought it would be very nice for Lael to entertain Jim. A few of Anne's protegees who lived down by the tracks were going to be confirmed and Anne must go to church. When her plan had progressed so far unhindered, Lael became a little nervous. Perhaps, after all, she was a little young for him. But no, people always said she was old for her age. She would risk it. When at last Lael had her hand on the wheel, her confidence was restored to her. Jim was awfully jolly, much like other men, and not at all as she had imagined a poet would be. But somehow Lael could not make herself speak of the spiritual and beautiful as she had planned. It would seem so sort of peculiar to reply to Jimis approval of the new clubhouse With a sweeping generalization on the meaning of life! It's great country up here, isn't it? Do you have a lot of shooting? Lael was amazed. How could he be so casual about killing living things? You don't shoot, do you T' she asked earnestly. I don't see how anyone can. lt's horrible even to think of. She shuddered softly and wondered if she hadn't missed a golden opportunity. Jim was disturbingly sympathetic. I used to feel that way about it, but a man has to shoot. And after all, animals are only a very small part of the World. 5 -.-1'

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COLUMBUS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS LOVE'S YOUNG DREAM Prize Story, 1928 AEL'S eyes closed in a rapturous flood of emotion. Here, indeed, in the soul of this young post-war poet, was all that was beautiful and heartrending. To think that her own sister, whom, it seemed, she had never properly appreciated before, knew him, and that he was coming to see her! Lael wondered how Anne could be so very casual about himg how, when plied with a multitude of eager questions, she could say in that politely indiierent tone,-yes, that she had met him in Paris-yes, he did have occasional spurts of poetry, but nothing much. Lael picked up again the thin, dark green volume of the Collected Poems of James Littleton. And Anne was so cool, so unmoved by this genius! CFor, of course, anyone who had poems printed was a genius.l Perhaps he had written some of these lines to her. The sonnet about all the old loves fading away in the glories of A-'s raven tresses sounded as if it had been written to someone. Lael's heart swelled in anticipation of the day when her sentimental head should be apostrophized in verse. Much to Anne's astonishment, Lael insisted upon driving her to the station to meet the honorable James Littleton. But, as Lael had clearly proved, Anne could have a much pleasanter time if she didn't have the responsibility of the car-on Saturday afternoon especially. The train was met. Lael was duly introduced as my little sister , smiled at, and speedily forgotten. It was evident to her, as she looked on in the carefully adjusted mirror, that Jim was very much absorbed. She heard Anne ask, in her most appealing voice, how he'd like some golf before dinner, and Jim's reply that he didn't shoot much of a game but was awfully keen on it. Lael admitted to herself that golf was a good game, but she couldn't picture a poet, a man with a soul, becoming so earthly. At the ninth hole perspiration would be trickling indiscreetly over his noble browg and at the eighteenth, being a man in spite of his soul. he would doubtless indulge in a little profanity. Beyond these gruesome details, Lael would not let her imagination wander. Unconsciously fearful lest some of the glamor might be lost, she determinedly lost herself in a maze of vague conjectures about the spirit of poetry and practically everything at all related to the mystic cult of verse. 4

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COLUMBUS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS Lael felt deeply gratified. Here was her cue for her remark about the stupendousness of life! The world is so big, she said, making her voice soft and appealing, one feels very small and inconsequential. With great effort she repressed a desire to add n'est-ce pas? to her sentence, and then con- tinued, One's little worries and desires seem so trivial. A wave of self-consciousness surged over her and she pressed her foot on the accelerator. You mustn't think that, Jim said, with a misleading seriousness. The things themselves don't mean anything, but it's their relation, their use to you. I sometimes wonder, Lael replied, a little encouraged by Jim's responsiveness, if there can be a God. He must be very cruel. You are-! Lael had a vague suspicion that he was going to say lKy0ung,.77 You are a little cynic. But time changes all things. When you have lived a little longer and seen a little more- He needn't be so condescending! Lael did wish he hadn't said a little cynic. It seemed rather fiippant. Perhaps he was trying to come down to her level! They were almost back. Lael drank in the fresh, fragrant air. It was indeed spring! There's something about this kind of day- said Jim. Lael nodded and smiled at him with evident sympathy. He must realize now that she understood. At last they were at home and Anne was coming out to meet them. It's been great, he said, and I don't know when I've been so uplifted. Lael glanced up at him quickly but he seemed quite serious. So the wanderers have returned. Anne took Jim's arm and fairly snatched him away. Jim smiled goodby at Lael. While she was locking the car, she heard him say: Your little sister's darned sweet-very naive and serious. We had quite an elevating conversation about life and God and all sorts of tre- mendous things. Awfully amusing, but I'm quite exhausted. Lael ran into the house. PATRICIA STEWART, '28 6