Franklin High School - Voice Yearbook (Franklin, ME)

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18 THE VOICE have been there three years and, as I am twenty-three and was my own boss over there, I feel that I am perfectly able to take care of myself. Father is grouchy and ve.y domineering. I think that I could have borne it if he had been pleas- ant, but he wasn't. I have promised to marry a, fellow I have known all my life. He is very wealthy, three years my junior and can be easily ruled. He thinks that he loves meg and by marrying him, I shall escape my father's domineering spirit and shall be able to do as I please, My father is opposed to my marriage with Percival. We are going to meet here to- morrow and be married at once. I told father today, and be forbade me to even leave my room. He said that he would give the servants orders to keep me there. I went to my room and got my bag, which I had packed before I told father. Then I ran down the servants' stairs and out their entrance. Fate was against me, beca.use father saw me when he was giving the servants orders. He started in pursuit, and I Went into a de- partment store, eluding him by going out the bacl: entrance. And .so here I am. Great Scott! ex-claimed Rufus. Did you :ay your father was looking for you? Why, that must have been he here shortly after you arrived. He seemed very curt and looked at the register as if he would cat it up. June turned pale as she heard these wo1:'s. Father must have heard Percival and I talking about my staying here. As she and Rufus were getting up from the table, the door opened and admitted Mr. Lovelace. June whispered, That's my father. Are you married? Rufus replied negatively, and then Mr. Lovelace spoke: Well, young lady, what do you mean by disobeying my orders Come home at once. 'fFather, you always said that a woman's place is with her husbandg so I shall stay with mine. May I present Rufus Grindle, your new son? Mr. Lovelace gasped in surprise, but quickly recovered himself and heartily congratulated them both, saying, I only tried to keep Portia from marrying that young infant because I knew they would not be happy. Portia? said Rufus, I thought her name was June. I only took that name, said June, in hopes that father would not find me. My real name is Portia Bruce. I comprehend that you do not need any assistance to plan a honeymoon, so I will go to my office, said Mr. Bruce, with mock solemnity as he left them. As the door closed behind him, Rufus crushed Portia's hat on her head, grabbed her aim, and said, We have just time to reach the license bureau before it closesg and, if you won't go, you'l1 find that I shall be more domineering than your father. Are you going? He was pushing her ahead of him all the timeg and what could a poor girl do against a led-headed, blue-eyed, football giant, two years her senior? -Hazel Wilbur, '38, NEW-FOUND HAPPINESS IT has been said that gossip does more harm than a war. In New England this is very true, dating back to the Puritans. If a person does something uncommon, there is always someone to start a story about it. Sometimes this causes sensi- tive people to seclude themselves and seem very odd. Such a person was Ellen Pratt who, at thirty-five, was considered a queer old

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'Frm Voice 17 language. But lt wasn't only a song, but a cry for help, and in order to attract our neighbors attention, she had to keep me screaming. Now that my mothen ls dead and I have a little girl five years old, it brings back the memory of that bleak, cold, wintry day with the experience that will never escape my mind. -Harriett Edmunds, '39. WHERE THERE'S A WILL - Rufus Grind1e's chair came down with a bang as an imperious voice cut into his reverie demanding, I must have a. room at once. Darn! Someone would have to come as he was getting to the most interesting pa1t of his book. He looked up and saw an attractive young woman with black eyes, black wavy hair, delicate black brows, and a very determined chin. Well, what are you staring at? she asked. Haven't you ever seen a woman before? Rufus murmured an apology and rang for a bellboy. Girls usually paid some attention to himg but this one was different, she treated him as if he were merely a servant. She sure is at- tractive, said Rufus to himself. The bellboy arrived, picked up her bag and waited for her to follow him from the room. She thought a moment, and then signed her name on the reg- ister. After haughtily asking Rufus about the meals, she commanded the bellboy to show her to her room. After she left, Rufus stood gazing after her in mute admiration. The book, that he had so hated to leave, was entirely for- gotten. Why was she so nervous? said Rufus to himself. What was her great rush? H-m, now, lets see, didn't she say something about a man following her? Yes! I know she did. Well, he won't get her unless she is willing to go with him. Not if Rufus Grindle can help it. Suddenly he pulled the register towa.rd him and looked at her name- June Lowlace, a name belying the character of its owner, and written in a clear firm hand that disputed the feminine delicacy of the name. He was rudely awakened from this pleasant reverie by a harsh voice demand- ing, Let me look at that register. He murmured an apology and looked up at the owner of the voice. He gazed at the man a moment and gave a start of sur- prise. Why, thought Rufus, he must surely be June's father. Yes, his eyes, brows, and chin are identical. Suddenly Rufus remembered himself and asked, Would you like a room, sir? No, I wouldn't. If I had I would have told you so in the first place, was the curt reply. The man then turned and left as abruptly as he had come. Rufus dropped into his chair wondering what it was all about. He was still won- party of dering a.n hour later when a tourists arrived demanding his attention. June did not go into the dining room for her supper until after everyone else had left, and, wonder of wonders, she asked Rufus to join her. His heart was in his eyes as he joyously answered, I shall be delighted to join you as soon as the other clerk comes on duty. Just then the other clerk arrived, and Rufus and June went into the dining room together. Suppose you tell me your story, said Rufus, as they seated themselves. I believe that I can trust you, June re- plied, and so I'll tell you. A month ago I came home from a tour in Europe. I

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THE VOICE 19 maidg but she was not as queer as people thought. She would have been friendly had people tried to be friends with her. Mothers had brought up their children to fear her. On the night when our story begins, Miss Pratt is seated by- the fireplace in her parlor with her six cats sleeping in various parts of the room. She is look- ing at an old family album, and her eyes have a far-away look as she dreams of days gone by. This dreamy look deepens as she gazes at the picture of a handsome young man with Wide brown eyes. Suddenly her happy dreams are inter- rupted by a wailing sound coming from the front of the house. At first Ellen thought it was only the wind in the pines, but after listening several minutes, she de- cided to investigate. As she opened the door, her surprise was unspeakable, for there on her front steps lay a bundle of pink blankets, from which came the wail- ing. After she recovered from her surprise, she picked up the bundle and carried it into the house. Carefully putting it on the sofa, she began to unwrap it and soon uncovered a baby boy about two months old, who looked at her with wide brown eyes. As Ellen looked at the baby. she wondered where she had seen those eyesg but she didn't wonder long, for soon the baby began to cry and Ellen had to quiet him by giving him some sugar and milk. After the baby was asleep Ellen laid him down and went to look over his clothes. As she was examining them, she found a note which read Please keep lit- tle Joe. As Ellen read the note, her won- derment grew even greaterg for all the time she had the feeling that there was something familiar about the little waif she had found. Taking the note, Ellen went over to look at the sleeping babyg and as she stood there, the brown eyes opened and looked up at her. Suddenly a change came over Ellen Pratt's face and her eyes filled with tears, for once more she was remembering that night ten years ago when she and Joe Grant had quarreled and parted forever. Well could she remember the day she had read of the marriage of Joe Grant and Nancy Brown. That was three years ago. She had not seen or heard of Joe since, but now before her lay his ln- fant son. There Was no mistake about that, for no one but Joe or his son could have such eyes. After making sure of the baby's identity, Ellen Went to her mirror to see if she had changed in the last ten years. The image she saw there was very much like the Ellen of ten years ago-the same soft, waving, golden hair and the same, blue eyes. After a few days, news spread through town that a baby had been left on Old Maid Pratt's doorstep. Soon Ellen was flooded with callers, telling her how to take care of the baby. Ellen decided that if they weren't willing to call on her be- fore, she wasn't going to be bothered with them nowg so she dldn't put herself out to be friendly. People were surprised to find Ellen Pratt a very pretty young woman and not what gossips had reported her to be. - c One evening after Ellen had had the baby about two weeks, a knock came at the door. Upon hearing it Ellen thought it probably was only more callersg but she went to answer it. There in the door stood a man about her own age, pitifully thin, holding his head down as though in shame. Ellen asked him to come in and rest. As he came into the room, she near-