Eastern High School - Echo Yearbook (Baltimore, MD)

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usan,s Chatter EAR GLORIA, Through Which Gloria Finds Mercy, yesg whatever have I've most unpleasant Herself you been doing, Susan ? news to tell you. I was VVell, ma sent some milk to married to Sylvia this morning. By Agnes Hofstetter, '33 Mrs. Bell's baby, and that walk's I tried to stop your plans yester- day and to tell you, but I,11'l a coward and I couldn't. Please think the best of me you can. BOB. Gloria read the yellow telegram for the sixth time. Then with the same expressionless stare, she gazed from the arbor, across the beautiful sunken garden and over the verdant slopes be- low, and tore the message, piece by piece, into tiny shreds which the faint breeze caught up and whirled into a flurry circle in the air and then let gracefully float back to the earth a few feet from where they had been removed. The girl wished she could cry to feel better, but the tears would not come. She could not feel sorry for herself. She had been a fool! That was all! She be- lieved life held nothing for her now. It had held only one thing before-and now-he, too, was gone. I-Ier life would go on the same as before- parties, dances, luxuries-selfishness. Never anything to do on her own initiative. No need for that! All her time was taken up by the many friends-no, not friends-people-she knewg now more time could be given to them. All the hours Bob was accustomed to spend with her could now be spent with these idle acquaintances of hers. Jelly-fishes, she muttered aloud. ,lust then 1: figure shot through the arbor-a much different one from the girl already there. This was a small child-about seven-a busy body, everyone announced, after taking one look at her. The pointed nose, freckled skin, blue searching eyes, and brown wavy hair jerked back so tightly by two red ribbons that only an occasional loose whisp revealed the wave, suggested the name- busy body. lim sorry, Miss Gloria, apologized the child, seeming anything but apologetic. In fact, the searching eyes seemed disappointed as they glanced about and discovered only Miss Gloria. That's all right, Susan. I need company. VVon't you sit down ?i' Yes, indeed, I will. Believe me, I've been doing plenty this morning, and Iim tired to death, although Mrs. Mallory says a child of my age, who hasn't anything to do but stay out of her mother's way in the kitchen, oughtn't ever to wear out. But my const-my consti-but my strength can't last forever. A person's got to have some rest sometime-don't they, Miss Gloria ? -..qgf 9 not a joke. Then I jumped rope with Sally and Lucille, and on my way home I stopped in to see Peter, and helped his ma hang out the wash-and then I had to run home to be here in time for lunch. Gnly shortage of breath made the skinny child pause. VVhoever are Sally and Lucille and Peter, Susan P inquired Gloria. Sally is Mrs. Bell's youngest daughter, the only one who's not working at the mills, and Lou Bromley is the girl next door-only she's livin' with Sally now, 'cause her brother's got the scar- let fever and she can't go back till he dies. Dies! exclaimed Gloria. Y es, they can't do anything for him. The doctor won't come anymore without being paid, and they don't have money for medicine, either. Ma gives me a dollar to take to Mrs. Bromley every week after your pa pays her. But Bobby woiildn't die if Larry'd come back. VV ho is Larry, Susan ? Oh, you'd love Larry. Everybody does. He's so kind. He used to come down to Shipton Mills every day or so to see that everybody was all right there, but he hasn't been around for a long time. He'd get a doctor for Bobby, if he was still comin' there. I-Ie prac-practically knows you, Miss Gloria. VVhy, how's that. Oh, well, now and then I talk a little bit. I don't talk very much-although Mrs. Mallory says she's never seen a bigger chatterbox. But now and then I tell her about you, Miss Gloria, and about all the parties you go to, and the pretty dresses you wear-although, if you don't mind my saying so, I don't think that gray and red suit looks so good on you. I was awfully disappointed yesterday when I saw you wearin' it, walking out to this garden with Mr. Bob. 'VVho is Peter ? Gloria broke in almost fiercely. Peter?-Oh, Peter's my boy friend, she stated in an excited whisper. So you have one of those, too, Susan, mused the older girl. I wouldn't bother with him if I were you. I-Ie'll only grow up and go away and leave you. Not my Peter, said Susan in a know-it-all voice. I-Ie won't 'cause we're engaged, she said in a profound whisper. 'Tll show you some- thing if you promise not to tell. Promise, said Gloria. PII E+..-

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Designed by MILDRED HARKER, '33 Printed from Linoleum Block Take Off

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ri -r-asf Th.-EEASTERN ECI-IOl3e-PM 14 Then the searching eyes glanced around the garden and, seeming satisiied, the small hand went to the neck of her dress and after some tugging exposed a piece of cotton underwear. She cau- tiously unpinned something on it, and held it ad- miringly before Gloria. This is my engagement ring, she announced. Gloria could hardly hide a smile as she tried to look astonished at the loose-leaf ring the child held so possessively before her. And besides, she continued, putting the ring on her finger and proudly admiring it, Peter can't run away from me--Peter's crippled. This was said not without self-satisfaction and pride. Crippled, Susan P Yes, he fell out of an apple tree one day. The doctor said he could walk again if he spent a month or two at the sanatorium. Mrs. Mallory is taking in wash now so's she can get the money to send him, but she declares she's afraid it's a hopeless job. VVhere do all your friends live, Susan ? Peter lives on a farm a couple miles down the road. The rest live at Shipton Mills. VVould you like to see them some time F Yes, I would, I'll tell you what. VVe'll go tomorrow. I'll have your mother pack us a lunch, and we'll eat it at Peter's house, and then go to Shipton Mills afterwards. Shall we ? Goody, goody! exclaimed Susan, hopping up and down. Then she suddenly became sober. But Ma said the butler told her that your maid said that you were expecting to Hy to New York tomorrow, and Mr. Bob looked like he meant it yesterday when he asked you-ah-ah-oh! Susan, where were you yesterday afternoon ? VVell, you see, Miss Gloria, the child stam- mered, I love to play with my kitten, Chubby, after lunch, and he sorta likes to sleep on top the arbor after eating. Susan, exclaimed Gloria, wondering what all she did know, you just forget everything you heard, and promise me that you'll not tell a soul and that you'1l never do that again. Cross my heart and hope to eat toadstools if I tell a soul,-although I did tell Peter, she added truthfully. VVell, now, don't tell anyone else. I'm just ashamed of you. But let's go to the house and tell your mother about the lunch. at wr in 1 Peter, Peterf' sang out a happy voice as a little girl in a starched blue gingham dress skipped down the walk. Peter, come here. 'Tm coming, Susan,', shouted another voice as a boy about Susan's age hopped on his crutches around the house. At the sight of the girl in blue he stopped. g You're Gloria, he said to the little girl's com- panion. Gosh, I didn't believe you were that pretty. Gloria smiled at the little boy. Good morning, Peter, she said. We've come to have lunch with you. Hey, ma, ma! shouted the boy, as he tried quickly to get to the back porch of his house ahead of Susan. She's brought company to see you,-Miss Gloria. 'Tm glad to know ye, said Mrs. Mallory cheer- fully, as she came out the back door, wiping her hands on her apron. Her chubby hard-worked hand pressed the soft white one of the girl. Susan talks so much about you. Susan and I thought that ma.ybe we could have a picnic here today, if you didn't mind. No, indeed, glad to have you. Sue, run in the house and see what time it is. The little hand's on twelve and the big one's on four, shouted Susan, jumping excitedly down the steps. Let's eat. wr fr if While the two older people chatted, Susan and Peter rushed through their lunch. Having eaten more sandwiches than Gloria thought it was pos- sible for children to consume, they each took two cup cakes and, Susan carrying Peter's, they scam- pered off to the garden to feed the crumbs to the ants and watch them as they toiled, carrying their monstrous loads to the depths of their homes and then crawling back again to see if there would be forthcoming any more contributions to their supper. VV hen their interest was beginning to lag, the two heard the voice of Mrs. Mallory calling to them. They sauntered back to iind that Gloria was ready to leave. Peter, looking at his mother, knew that something had happened in his absence. He had never seen her looking so happy, and yet she seemed as though she were about to cry. Peter wondered what could be wrong. When they had wavecla final good-bye, he saw two tears trickle down her cheek, she quickly wiped them away with her apron. Then she grabbed the wonder- ing boy in her arms and sobbed, Peter, my boy, you're going to walk again, after all ! . 4: wk wx Goodness, Susan, aren't we ever going to get there P t We're almost there now. Look, there's Sally coming up the street. Yoo-hoo, Sally. Oh, Sue, Sally screamed, running up the street,- somethin' awfulis happened. Shesud- denly became aware of Gloria. This is Gloria, Sally. What's the matter P interrupted Susan. 'Tm glad to know ya, ma'am. Oh, Sue, Bobby died last night, and Lou went over to her house --.sf 10 ya--