Cumnock School - Chronicle Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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L I T E R A T U R E 4' was about to do, she felt was one of the hardest things she had ever done. Walking over beside Sophie's chair, she almost whispered: I feel terribly wretched, Sophie. I haven't been very fair. You see all the time I have been praying you would botch the whole business. I-I am Sorry. I wouIdn't blame you in the least if you never forgave us for the nasty way we've acted, but I am going to ask anyway, if you will forgive us. You did do wonderfully, Sophie. You know, I was just wondering if maybe during vacation you might care to come up to my home with me. We have a grand time up there with sleighs and everything. Now, of course, you think it over. I'd love to have you if you would care about it. jessica put her hand on Sophie's arm. She rested it there for a minute, then she smiled and left the room. Sophie did not even stop to analyze her feelings. She couldn't. They were too jumbled. Was it a dream, or had jessica really and truly asked her to spend Christmas with her? She felt a new happiness. This whole wonder- ful joy must be her Christmas present from God! PORCELAIN AND SILVER james Ray The lad walked down the silver lane, tiptoeing on the crystal squares. He looked upon a pool and beheld his silver figure mirrored there, The air was still, save for a rustling of the ivory leaves, and the great ruby tulips stood tall and stately, tossing in the breeze. The turf was emerald that he trod upon, and every footstep worked its way into its curving greens to languish there, too soon forgotten, too soon waylaid. He sang, and his voice reechoed from the ebony trunks of ivory shades, he cried, and the crystal boughs of the hyacinth tree tinkled softly, ever quavering. He sat beside a cold little stream running upon porphyry rocks, and there he watched her making dia- monds, sparkling, tremulous, glittering, hesitant. While there he dreamed aloud of love . . . Alas, he said, what hope have I, a pale poor shimmering silver boy, to make my love adore me? How common are my silver arms, my silver lips, my silver hair! And he sang of his passion sadly in a silver voice which was clearer than the little stream making diamonds. After a little the brook looked at him, and seeing his eyes so filled with tears that they re- 91

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'LITERATUVR E the others, for her pleasure in her own achievements was so wonderful that the withdrawal of the others had been unnoticed by her. Suddenly she thought that Miss Bates might not like them! jessica would have had more ribbon or maybe less paper. Well she had tried. The baskets were ready. ... .U J. J. J. J. When the three o'clock bell had sounded. Sophie's heart hammered with excitement. There was to be a meeting of all of the girls. A notice on the bulletin board announced that Miss Bates would meet all of the girls right after three o'clock in the sitting room. Gathering her' books, Sophie left the study hall and walked slowly towards the girls' dormitory. l-ler baskets- could it be that something about them had displeased Miss Bates? She would soon know. When Sophie entered the room, she could tell by the number present that she was late. She sat down in a vacant chair near the window. Clearing her throat, Miss Bates addressed the group of girls: Girls the baskets have been called for and taken away. l am very sor- ry that some of you have taken the attitude which you have about these bas- ketsg l feel a lack of cooperation on your part. One person has had to do almost all of the work. lt was unfair of you to leave the whole thing to Sophie. Suddenly Sophie knew she had been right. There was something wrong with the baskets. Oh, why had she tried to handle this task? These thoughts of Sophie's were broken into by Miss Bates' voice addressing her: Sophie, l want to commend you for your work. The baskets are lovely. ln fact, they are the finest contribution Fair View School has ever made. But that is where I want to make a correction in your minds, girls. lt's not Fair View School's contribution to the poor, but Sophie's. You have done this excellently, Sophie, and I want to thank you. l certainly do appreciate your effortsf, Having delivered her message, part of which Sophie didn't understand- that about the other girls. Miss Bates smiled at Sophie, glanced coldly at the other girls, and left the room. Not having the courage to face Sophie, feeling horribly ashamed of their prank, the girls quietly slipped from the room. jessica remained. What she 90

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' L l T E R A T U R E sembled two silver pools, she murmuringly said: Why do you cry, O beau- tiful boy? suppressing a gentle smile with her foam-set handkerchief. l cry because my song is not clear. I weep because my love will have none of me. l am alone, l am helpless, and each sapphire flower weeps with me. This was his answer. Describe her to me, said the little stream, casting misty nets into the air to catch some sunlight for her diamonds. She is lovely beyond all else, he began with a sigh. Her hair is moonlight captured in amber chains. Her eyes are blue as the dragon flies who hover over the lotus ponds in China. Her lips are red as yonder coral waving at your feet, and her arms are as graceful as the ivories of the Sultan. But she is porcelain and l am silver. She is wooed by a handsome prince, and l am only a silver boy.' '... The stream wept a little, for she was a woman and knew. Then she slipped on, and left him sitting on the emerald turf. ln an hour she came to secluded glade where ruby and emerald cast red-green shadows in the sun. And there by her path sat a porcelain maiden, as beautiful as the nymphs that dwell in the sea. The little stream recognized her, and danced up quietly, busily making diamonds to shine in her hair. The maiden was writing love poetry in a silver book, and singing softly to herself. But she was not gay, for her coral lips trembled unhappily. The little stream said, What is the matter, my lovely one? and looked at her kindly. The maiden answered and her voice was as clear as Zephyr blowing on his silver flute. I am sad because my words are not clear. l sigh because my love will have none of me. l am alone, l am helpless, and each sapphire flower weeps with me. This was her reply. Describe him to me, said the little stream, brushing away a tear. 'KHe is handsome beyond all else, the porcelain maiden began with a sob. He is silver as the moonbeam, and for that reason do l wander here at night. His lips, his hair, his arms, are silver. How could I help but love him? And she fled weeping from her place. After she had gone the little brook sat silent for a time, sadly thinking, absent-mindedly making diamonds. Then she began to retrace her jeweled path, first slowly, then more quickly. ln an hour she was once more beside the silver boy, who sat with his silver head in his hands, and with his silver curls around his fingers. 92