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

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COLUMBUS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS That night she felt she would lie awake. Wasn't she the lady-of-the- house now? Hadn't she forgotten something? Something she ought to have done? She vaguely imagined she had. Finally she fell asleep. The next morning she awoke with a headache. It made her cross. The room was cold, the window still up. Why hadn't Dad put it down as he always did? A sudden thought struck her, caught her by the throat, choking her. Suppose Dad was sick, had even died, alone in the night? Struggling against the dreadful picture, she faltered anxiously into his room. How empty mother's bed seemed. He was only asleep, thank heavens, and rather apologetic for over-sleeping. It was a glorious morning, surprisingly beautiful for one following last night's drizzle. She gloried in the crisp air, the clear sunshine, and thought of daffodils. Ever since mother had left, the sense of importance had gradually enveloped her. Hadn't she been left in charge, and oh! wasn't it glorious to be in command? She ordered the food for the next day and instructed Jane concerning the evening dinner. She was rather worried about that dinner. She did hope the family wouldn't mind having the same things again. Her mind seemed to run in a per- petual groove of baked chicken and mashed potatoes. . On her way home from school she stopped her car before a bakery, and told Mary to get out and buy some cakes. Mary looked at her with her little crinkly smile and sat still. What do you say? Please, She didn't think it at all funny, Mary did, though. That night they made popcorn. There had been a card from mother. Wish you were here with us. She wondered whether mother really meant it, whether she didn't feel free and relieved, too. She didn't dare define her feelings by any more explicit words. But she knew, deep down in her heart, that mother meant it, and in the depths of her soul she loved her, loved her passionately, and wanted her. But she wouldn't admit this, pretending that it was childish, babyish. Mary was different. She was younger. Dad frankly missed mother, fell asleep every night at his paper, tinkered with the radio or furnace. One evening he even suggested a movie, an unheard of thing for school nights. Mother had been gone five days now. She had gone with the inten- tion of staying two weeks. In her daily letter she spoke of the climate, 12 ,

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TOP-KNOT, 1928 Why did you break the glass anyway? she scolded. It's the only one upstairs and you'll probably forget to bring another one up. And look at the blood on the iioor! Heaven's, !didn't you have enough sense to keep it off the rug, silly ? Then she caught sight of her sister. She wore the old, familiar, sullen look. Mary's face became a mask whenever she was scolded. Supper was over, a strangely silent meal, and Judy wandered to the piano. The chords were soothing. The flowers in that bowl, mother's flowers, were beautiful. Can it, Sis, I'm studying. Merciful heavens! No one seemed to know how she felt, what the music meant. . A rustling of paper in the sun room and she knew Dad had heard. Got your lessons yet? She pretended she didn't hear him. He probably meant Mary any- way. CYou always answered mother!J Dad showed that he, too, felt the strain. Did youlhear me, Judy? What, darling? She was falsely cheerful. I asked whether you had your lessons yet. In just a minute. Immediately! Another rustle of paper as if he were getting up to enforce his order. Judy grabbed her books and settled down in a big chair before the fire. Opening her book, she stared resentfully at the pages of Latin. The first sentence translated, a glow of accomplishment pervaded her and she attacked the next one almost eagerly. This one went more slowly, then she discovered that there were two full pages yet to do instead of the one she had fondly imagined. This discovery dampened her spirits and her thoughts wandered. Staring into the fire she became lost in rosy dreams. Rebelliously she recalled herself to her lessons. Without mother in the house she felt, somehow, more responsibility for them. An hour later she sauntered into the sun room. Dad was asleep, lying back wearily in his chair, the paper had slipped to the iioor. She couldn't start the radio now, with him asleep. How tired he looked! She re- membered tardily that she had not kissed him when he came home. He missed mother so! ll ll H 11 Fi'

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TOP-KNOT, 1928 her friends, and her parties. It was evident she was having a beautiful vacation. She surely deserved it, too. How she had stood things for sixteen years was more than Judy could imagine. Why, she was sick of everything already, the daily planning of meals, buying cheese and turnips, seeing that Jane stuck to her job and didn't shirk. Next morning Judy woke up with a cold. She felt heavy-eved. feverish, and altogether disagreeable. Her throat hurt her whenever she tried to swallow. Perhaps it was diphtheria. Didn't that start in this way? She wouldn't say anything about it, though. If she did, Dad would insist on taking her to the doctor, and she hated doctors. The cold made her feel tired and cross. Breakfast was a nightmare of trouble. Everything went wrong. Mary spilled cocoa on the table, a rivulet trickled down Judy's sleeve. This meant that she'd have to change. She was furious with Maryg her anger choked her. She felt herself flushing and hated herself for it. She wanted to shake Mary, to slap her-anything to hurt her. Upstairs she leaned against the window-pane, fumbling at her but- tons, her eyes filled with anger and self-pity. She heard the door open downstairs, but didn't pay any attention, so engrossed with herself was she. Judy! Mary called. Probably wanted her to do something else. Judy, there's a telegram. Wait a minute. She heard Mary rushing upstairs, taking them two at a time. In an instant she appeared, wildly waving a slip of paper. The sheet was blurred where Judy tried to read it through her tears. Finally she made it out. KITTY HAS SCARLET FEVER STOP JUST MISSED BEING QUARANTINED STOP HOME 'TOMORROW 3 :35 sro? Low: MOTHER The sun came out, and Judy smiled through her tears. GENEVIEVE WINANS, '29 13 i