Eleanor McMain High School - Echoes Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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had seen what an attractive young person the voice belonged to. Pardon me , he said politely, but aren't you-, I mean, do you-. Maureen glanced withering- ly at him and interrupted in her coldest toneg Pardon me, but I am not in the habit of speaking to strangers. Wait a minute, we aren't stran- gers, that is, if you-. And having finished her soda, Maureen rose quickly, glanced at her wrist watch, then turned to the young man. Pm sorry, but I have never laid eyes on you in my life , and, with that, she spun on her heel and marched out. As she left, the brown-haired young man got to his feet, mum- bling, Say, I'm sorry, but- , all to no avail for the girl was already swallowed up in the crowd outside. Oh, well, he argued as he went back to finish his soda, I could have sworn she was kin to O'Reillyg-- those eyes, why they're exactly like his . . . I7 ' 4 4 if It was not until Paula and she were on their way home that she thought again -of the incident. It was about five-thirty when Maureen stepped from the bus to walk the remaining half block home. She had gone only a few steps when she noticed a strange coupe on the drive. Now, who could that be? she thought as she closed the garden gate and came up the walk to the porch. As she entered the hall, her father was saying, There she is now. Oh, Maureen come into the living roomg there's someone I want you to meet. The girl went in, knowing that her Dad's friends were usually middle- aged lawyers who could talk about the most uninteresting things. Mau- reen scarcely heard her father make the introductions, for, after one look at the taller of the two men, she collapsed into a chair, breathless with laughter. The strange, yet familiar young man gazed smilingly down into Mau- reen's eyes, his own sparking with amazement. As she came back to earth again, she heard her father say: You see, dear, Mr. Keith Hud- son has been transferred to our town, I hope you will take care of young Hudson and see that he meets your friends and has a good time. And Keith, I hope you and my daugh- ter will get along-You know, with a wink at Maureen, great grand- mother O'Reilly had quite a temper and I don't believe this generation has outgrown it yet. Almost four minutes later Mau- reen and Keith were seen crossing the fresh green lawn, hand in hand. Where do you two think you're headed for? asked Maureen's Dad from the doorway. As they approached the coupe, Keith answered, Just to get a soda, sir , and then, turning to Maureen with a twinkle in his eye, he grinned, And a chocolate one at that! Blind Date Robin Ahrens, C'42D MOONLIGHT, deep, almost haunt- ing in its beautiful silence, shone through the balcony windows, pat- terning shadows on the floor about two silhouetted figures, bathing them in celestial radiance. Hair shining with splendor, eyes with dew, one raised a starry face, so apart of the -mystery about her, whispering, I long to kill myself for you, to sacri- fice myself, to pour myself out at your feet! Passionately, she cried, I didn't want to love you like this. I felt afraid. But my heart was like a tight little bud of a flower at the first touch of the hot sun. Its petals relaxed and fell apart. Now they are open, Paolo, and dropping, and you may crush me, if you like. You may mush mel May crush me! the other prompt- ed laughingly. Slew slay, plush me-cray mush me-aw . . . ! Her hair shining no longer, but unartistically pinned up with disillusioning hair curlers, she wailed, Oh, Janie, what am I going to do? It's hopeless! I'll never make Twenl y-six the class play. I can't learn these lines! And I've just got to make a good impression! Don't make so much noise or you'll wake everyone, Jane caution- ed patiently. Now, here's your cue: 'Tell me'. I'.m certainly glad I don't want a part. It's too much work! You don't have to be in it to shine, Jane, Pat moaned disconso- lantly. You'll probably be voted the best all around and the prettiest in the class, but I won't get anything if I'm not in the play. I want every- one to know I'm graduating. I want the girls ten years from now to say, 'Oh, yes. I remember her. She graduated with me, starred in our class play. But, Pat, you have the prettiest eyes in the class. I've heard many people say . . . Who for instance? she demand- ed. Well, I don't know. People . . . You've heard no such thing, Jane Martin, and you'll never hear of it either, because . . . She broke off. Oh, Janie, what's the use of having beautiful eyes when nobody can see them through these horrid old thick glasses, she sobbed. That's why no- body wants to take me to the prom. No boy likes a girl with four eyes. Oh, I wish we weren't even having one! You stop that! Jane cried. Of course, you're glad we're having it. Besides, isn't my cousin going to take you? You'll have him in your clutches the minute he sees you. It's no use, Janie. You can't lead a boy into something like that with- out warning him, and as soon as you tell him I wear glasses, he'll get the impression I'm an old maidish prim, and he'll wiggle out of taking me, Pat said hopelessly. And I do look like an old maid, too. If he's as good looking as you say he is, he wouldn't even bother . . . Oh, he's good looking all right, Jane said thoughtfully, if he hasn't changed in a year. He'll be glad to take you, because he doesn't know anyone else down here. And then, Pat, why wear your glasses at all? But-but I can't see without them, Pat said bewilderedly. You can see up close, and that's fContinued on page 341 E-C-H-O-E-S

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Shirley Mae Vaetlm Ifditnr's Note: Wfell, girls, this marks the last time I shall he Coming to you u-ilb stories by our students. It has been iz great plmszne and privilege to work with the tearhers and members uf the Staff, and I want to thunk the persons who lmrc' made it possible for me to bvronle one of thc u'orkc'rs. I hare deeply afvprefiated your ro- nflrrutirnz during the pus! year. Al- though I am leaving, I sincerely hope you will Umtinue the good :fork und bring lo my sufressor some real Mu- .llt1i11 nmlcriul. I iran! to irish her, ll'I1ll!'l'L'l' she may be, the best of llltfk in her lmsiliou as literary editor. llfell, enough of this-let's get to the stories. Here they are, girls, amz' I hope you will enjoy reading them as muah as I have enjoyed rollefting them for you. S..lI.V. A Chocolate Soda, Please Carolyn Earl, '42 UWELL, that's that, said Mau- reen as she hung up the re- ceiver and replaced the phone on her table. Why, on Saturday of all days, did Paula Ford have to ask me to luncheon? After all, Saturday was the nicest morning to sleep late. She yawned, stretched luxuriously and glanced at the noisy little clock on her dresser. Oh, ten thirty, she cried, struggling into her robe, crawling under the bed for her other slipper, and trying to open the bed- E-C-H-O'-lj-S Just a chocolate soda, please room window all at the same time. She gave a sudden, despairing cry as she remembered the sad fate of her last good pair of stockings and real- ized that her blue dress needed press- ing. Mother, oh Mother she called from the head of the stairs. What is it, dear? this lady answered from the kitchen from which direction came the delicious odor of hot biscuits. Paula just 'phonedj' said Mau- reen, pattering down the stairs and coming into the kitchen to sample the biscuits. She wants me to meet her in town at eleven-thirty to shop and have lunch, went on Maureen as she perched on the tabletop and swung her feet. My hose look as if they've been through the warg be- sides my blue dress is dreadfully mussed and,-look what time it is! Can Dad drive me down, or has he already gone to the office? Yes, dear, he has already left with the car, but I will press your dress, and you may borrow my new chiffon hose. I'll have a bite of breakfast ready when you are dressed. Oh, Mums, you are a darling, responded her daughter as she turned and flew upstairs again. Half an hour later she was readyg her long black hair falling in soft waves around her face, the blue dress and accessories an exact dupli- Cut by Carolyn Earl cation of the color of her soft, dark fringed eyes. It was not until ten minutes after she had left, that her mother realized that she had forgotten to tell Mau- reen that her Daddy was bringing some out-of-town friends to dinner. Maureen, catching the bus at the corner, arrived in town fifteen minutes before she was to meet Paula. Passing by the soda fountain in Rogers' Department Store, she saw one of the new chocolate sodas being mixed. Having time to spare, she sat down at the fountain and ordered one, feeling guilty, knowing that every penny should be saved for the tiny radio she had planned on buying. After one sip, however, she decided it was just about the best soda she had ever had. It tasted differ- ent somehow-and now she knew why Beth and the gang had all raved about Rogers' chocolate sodas. She had just settled down to en- joy it when, from the corner of her eye, she saw some one sit beside her. She paid no heed until she heard a very charming masculine voice say, One of those new super- chocolate sodas, please. Well, after that she just had to learn to whom such a nice voice belonged. So cautiously, from under her soft wide- brimmed hat she peeped out, only to realize that he had been looking at her. She dropped her eyes, but she Twenty-fiz'c

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The Little Hussy Betty Terroy, '42 AMES O'BRIEN, sergeant in the Medical Corps, stood and glared at the retreating figure of a Red Cross nurse, and, as she disappeared into a ward, he addressed the air bitingly in language that would have amazed Colonel Andersen-and the Colonel had been in the army twenty years and was an old hand at using biting language himself. Every hair on O'Brien's head seemed charged with rage and was standing on end, -even his mustache, which was two weeks' old and beginning to look vaguely like a worn-out tooth brush, bristled indignantly. Well, here it was the eighth month he'd known this-this hussy! Eight months and he hadn't gotten any- where with her! Him! James O'Brien! What did Casanova have he didn't have? Nothing! Nothing at all! Yet this little hussy wouldn't-- Ohl Hang! O'Brien was walking slowly down the hall and unconsciously he spoke in a high squeaky voice and wiggled his hips, No, I'm so sorry, but I already have a date for the Military Ball. l'm going with Colonel Ander- sen! A doctor and three nurses watched with amusement and finally burst into laughter as O'Brien uttered an emphatic, Ugh! , in his own voice. He strode back to the barracks viciously kicking the stones in the path till he heard an enraged roar and looked up to see the Colonel, hopping about on one foot, holding his right ankle in his left hand and giving sizzled evidence of his twenty O'Brien saluted years in the army. hastily and hurried on. Well, that him with the definitely queered Colonel, but shoot the colonel, he never had liked the old buzzard and he was going to get even with that uppity Carrie Wellington if it killed him. That evening at eight he entered the ballroom and was somewhat awed when he saw Carrie dance with Colonel Andersen and then Private Holome, then Corporal Tracy and then Colonel Andersen cut in. Really she should be ashamed flirting with all those men. He cut in. Hello, Carrie. E-C-H-0-E-S Good evening, Sergeant O'Brien. Gosh! She was icy, but he'd fix that. He hadn't seen a woman yet who wouldn't melt when he kissed her. Come on out on the terrace, Carrie. Oh! But-well, all right ser- geantf' He seated himself beside her in the moonlight and started in. He told her all about her beautiful red hair but all she said was that she knew it by this time, Colonel Ander- Cut by Mary Mac uowan O'Brien was walking slowly down the hall Home Connie Fleming Home is a place which is jolly and gay, A place to live in day hy day. It is a haven of comfort and rest The dweller, of course, will think it the best. Love and happiness will linger and slay Till the house is weatherbealen and gray. Many people will visit and say, Pd love to come here and live if I may. sen, Private Holome and Corporal Tracy had all volunteered that in- formation. He tried her eyes and hands and was just going to kiss her when Colonel Andersen came out and asked for his dance. He looked daggers at O'Brien and then limped off with Carrie. O'Brien couldn't figure it out. He tried so hard and still she didn't even look interested, and she'd left him to dance with a man old enough to be her father! Suddenly he felt sick, I must have heart trouble, hc decided. He couldn't sleep that night. He counted the legs he had amputated, the shrapnel wounds he had treated, finally the doors of the wards. At last he dozed. Next morning he put on his white coat and rubber gloves and went in- to the operating room. There was that Carrie Wellington handing him his instruments. Gosh! She was cute! But she mustn't have a heart or surely he, James O'Brien, would have found it! At that moment the air raid siren shrilled but work went on in the operating room. The bombs screamed all about the hospital, anti-aircraft barked and the bombing planes darted across the sky like mosquitos, -the kind you'd like to swat but can't. Suddenly the lights went out as a huge explosion shook the build- ing, throwing the doctors and nurses to the floor. After a moment's darkness, light flooded the room. There on the floor lay James O'Brien, Romeo of the 123rd Medical Corp, blood well- ing swiftly from a cut on his head. Carrie's eyes widened. 0h! she screamed, Oh! Jimmy! Kneeling beside him, she stroked his hair and cried until she raised a perfect fog. She was so busy being feminine she didn't hear him mut- ter, She loves me not, she loves me -I hope. All that she knew was that when she returned with some bandages, he had vanished. That night she was on late duty. At eleven she was walking to the nurses' quarters when a six-foot figure loomed up, grabbed her and roared into her ear, Kiss me, you little hussy, kiss me! What else could she do? Twenty-seem