Eastern High School - Echo Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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I2 THE EASTERN ECHO Dawn Second Prize Camilla Boone '26 C . l Ain , mm by . H I - l all fl. llllllwl l . ll Elnlmvillh l 1 In illlilirlf irmiiiigfii ,Z Q pl z. U. ta 67': 'f-.a1 -i-.?- I O'W long before dinner, Mrs. Fus- selbore, inquired pretty Alice Lane. About an hour, was they reply. W 'M ' Such a long time-you people on this island always delay in everything you do! I wish l had never come to this primitive place, but Mother thinks it's restful, so she had to comeg but l don't see why she had to drag me along! There's nothing to do but watch the sunsets and the fog. Oh, it's awful! Following this tirade, Alice whirled out of the room, sniffing disgustedly the salt aroma which arose from Captain Fusselbore's oil skins, thrown over the porch railing, ,leaving poor Mrs. Fusselbore gazing after her with a very troubled countenance. Mrs. Fusselbore kept a boarding house dur- ing the summer months, on Swans Island and, among her many boarders were Mrs. Benjamin Lane and her daughter, Alice. Alice Lane was an unusually lovely looking girl. She had gorgeous red hair which she gath- ered in a knot at the back of her neck, beau- tiful blue eyes, and a clear, transparent com- plexion. She had made her debut about two years previous to this time and, during those few months of continuous gaiety, her whole outlook on life had completely changedg for instance, in her mind, a man who did not make over ten thousand a year, was not worth while and, if he did not own a car or dress extrava- gantly, he was not worth looking at twice, so you see, what an entirely mistaken idea she had. Mrs. Lane came every summer to Swans lsland and boarded at Mrs. l7usselbore's ls- land Rest Cottage. It rested her shattered ne1rves, as she expressed it and gave her new strength. One' night, after dinner, while Alice and her mother sat reading before a roaring fire of driftwood, and the wind was whistling through the chimney pots, Captain Fusselbore entered. l-le was a splendid specimen of manhood, and with his great broad shoulders and deep chest, he reminded Mrs. Lane immediately of an old Viking. 'Tm going for the mail now, so if you want me to I'1l get yours, he said. No, thank you, Captain Fusselbore, I couldn't think of such a thing, said Alice coldly. It wouldn't be any trouble, Miss Alice, said the good-hearted Captain. No, thank you, l will go down myself and get it, Alice repeated. All right, but really, it woulcln't be any trouble, he said, leaving the room. Alice, said Mrs. Lane in a surprised tone, why didn't you let the Captain get our mail? You see, Mother, l'm expecting a check any day for that story I wrote, and one never knows when one may trust these uncouth peo- ple. They had been reading for some little time when the hall door opened and the wind blew in Captain Fusselbore. Some night, this, Geneva, he was heard to say, the worst nor'east:er we've had in ten years. Bother, muttered Alice, can't he keep still! Back in the kitchen, Mrs. Fusselbore was soon busily dosing her spouse with boneset tea and endearments. Ive just finished baking some lovely sugar cookies, so l'm going to give you some because you've been out in such a storm, she an-

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THE EASTERN ECHO ll Virginia hastily scanned the note. It was from Charles. lVlr. Oliver had been to see him and had forbidden his coming to the house. There was to be no communication as it could only bring grief and sorrow to all concerned. l-ler father was then on his way to town. Con- sequently there was the probability that the servants had not yet received instructions con- cerning the delivery of his letters, so this might reach her safely. After tonight the grounds would probably be guarded. Would she meet him this evening under the big elm by the gate for their last good-bye? Upon finishing the letter Virginia arose. 'So this was the course her father was taking? Well, she would meet Charles whether or no. Virginia knew her father too well to think that she could leave the house upon some petty ex- cuse. Suddenly she thought of a way out of her difficulties and she determined to attempt it. True courage and daring were needed to fulfill her plan, but these had always consti- tuted a large part of her character, they would not fail her now. Dick was away-she was almost the same height as he. Yes-she would attempt it, anything for Charles. The moon shone brightly on the delicate green of the grass and leaves. A warm spring breeze gently stirred them making a soft rust- ling sound. The stately mansion stood like a sentinel on the crest of the knoll around which spread some sixty acres that constituted the Oliver estate. Behind one of the massive col- umns of the veranda stood Robert Oliver with a rifle in his hand and a set look on his face. He constantly scanned the grounds from the house to the gate and once started perceptibly but leaned back as if he had ben deceived. Suddenly he became alert, and, his muscles grew taut. l'le crept down the steps and glided into the shadow of a bush. What was it he saw? Ah, there it was. The figure of a man in the shadow of an elm tree. Bang! the shot rang out in the death-like quietness with such a startling effect that even the trees seemed to quiver. He quickly ran to the crumpled figure on the mossy turf beneath the unsuspecting elm muttering to himself all the while: Didn't mean to shoot so highg just wanted to show him my word was law. l-le knelt beside the life- less form and, grasping it by the shoulders, turned it over. Emitting a cry of horror he fell back, Robert Oliver had looked into the face of his daughter, Virginia. Several days later a solemn procession wend ed its way in and out among the trees until' it came to a halt under an elm tree. Here was laid to rest the body of Virginia Oliver, her soul at peace. Her father, a broken man, disappeared shortly after leaving his son instructions to sell the estate. r For many years Robert Oliver roamed in foreign countries. Repentance and remorse filled his heart, his mind was never at rest, un- lil at last a minister of God succeeded in bring- ing comfort to his sorrow-torn soul. l-lis return to America was inevitable. lm- mediately on arriving in Baltimore he turned his weary careworn face toward the old home, around which a city had now sprung up. At last he reached his destination. A look of horror crept into his eyes but this was quick- ly blotted out by reverence. His home, his es- tate, was now the last resting place of many mortals gone into the world beyond. An old white-haired man bared his head and prayed that he, too, might someday lie be- neath the elm. It all came back to me so clearly. The sun- light sifted through the leaves as l followed the path. My steps resounded on the stones and l remember now that l unconsciously walked on tip-toe as if afraid to disturb the peaceful slumberers. l came to the other side of the Oliver lot where a stately elm, very old, spread its protecting arms above two white headstones, side by side. Q JUNIORS J U olly, athletic, and studious, indeed, ndaunted by fearg Virtue's our creed. N ever complaining, we're always gaining l n wisdom, intelligence, and all else remaining. O rganized well under Miss Dancly's lead R eacly to obey and each word of hers he-eclg S o, all we Juniors strive and succeed. Fannye Berenholtz, ' 2 4.

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THE EASTERN ECHO I3 nounced, drawing forth from the oven the beautiful crisp dainties. ul think, observed the Captain, with his mouth full of cookies, that Miss Alice must think that her mail is too heavy for me to carry, because she wouldn't let me get it for her tonight. No such thing, she clon't think that at all! ejaculated Mrs. Fusselbore. Why, what do you know about it, Gene- va? I was listening outside the door and after you had gone, Mrs. Lane asked Miss Alice why she didn't let you get their mail and that cranky girl said in her sharp tone: 'Mother, l'm expecting a check and one never knows when one can trust these uncouth people.' Uncouthl Of all things! She is the cross- est girl l've ever known-she don't do any- thing but fuss. l-lush, hush, Geneva, that ain't charitable, said the Captain. Oh, Emery, you always were so good and kind, but when l hear a chit like that talk about my husband, l can't help getting angry! Of course you can't, but she is only a child, remember. Now, let's go to bed. l'm powerful tired. l'm so bored, l don't know what to do, announced Alice at the lunch table the next day. We'll, dear, why don't you take a walk-it would do you good, observed Mrs. Lane. All right, that's a good idea, replied Alice, rising as she spoke and putting on a raincoat. It was still blowing a little outside and, as Alice walked along, carelessly kicking the sea lavendar, she noticed a quantity of sea cucum- bers, sea urchins, and clriftwood cast up by the sea, on the beach. All at once she saw something that resem- bled a life preserver lying amid the debris. Upon examination, she found it was a life preserver and on it were printed these words. Merlyn-Private Yacht of James Rawlings of New York. She mused a long time, look- ing over the great expanse of water. l wonder what poor soul had this on last night. l-le evidently perished. Oh, how true are the words of Media, 'Life is short, though life is sweet, and even men of brass and fire must die.' As she went on, she saw a dory drawn upon the beach: being a strong athletic girl, she soon had launched the boat, and was lazily drifting along, neither knowing nor caring where she went. In her abstraction she had not noticed how the sea had changed. The sun had gone, the wind increased, and the waves grew higher and higher, becoming angry dark bluish green. With a start Alice came to her senses realiz- ing she Was a great distance from land, she quickly seized the oars and tried to row with all her strength, for the shore. Her mind froze in frenzied terror Ffor she realized that the wind and tide had turned and were rapidly carrying her out to sea. Finding that her strength was waning, a dull despair seized her, but through all her misery a hideous panorama of her life passed before her. Short though it was, it revealed to her her character in a light in which she had never seen herself before. , Q I N ai fr iff ' WI It 1 'A l ,il 5 ,fp 65,3 3 X W I X-' ui' V li ill I ? 4 A X .f- f L ' ,xs- M1 7 Vi A, 6 l A if ,fell 9 A , She saw a selfish, heartless, unsympathetic and even cruel creature-no love, no kindness, no warmth of feeling in her make-up. She wondered how her mother and her friends had endured her. Then, through her tortured brain flashed the question, How could l har- bor such unkind thoughts about the whole- souled people of this island, especially Cap- tain Fusselbore, who has been most kind to me? ln the midst of her agony, she seemed to hear, far away in the distance, the warning note of a bell-buoy. To her overwrought spirit, it seemed to say, Your hour has come! Your hour has come! She tried to pray, but the only thing she 4