Girls High School - Yearbook (Reading, PA)

Page 9 text:

P Ilkmrnltg Miss Beltenman Miss Sander Miss Johnston Miss MOSSCI' Miss Dobbin Miss Lawsoh Miss Tyson Miss Neuhausei' 5 Miss Griswold

Page 8 text:

EP Ilktrultg Miss Carey Miss Swartz Miss Simpson Miss Heckman Miss Medlar Miss Fulton Miss Traxel Miss Holl

Page 10 text:

His Masterpiece HE old grandfather's clock slowly chim-ed the half hour, the sound reverberating through the silence again and again. VVith a sigh the governor pushed aside the papers which littered his mahog- any desk. As he did so, his eye caught sight of the list of peti- tioners for pardon, and almost involuntarily his hand sought his private drawer. and he drew forth a miniature. For a long time he gazed steadily at the face of the girl. An art critic would have delighted in the beautiful madonna face so exquisitely portrayed. It Was, however, the expression of complete happiness and newly-awakened love which appealed to the silent figure crouched in the big chair, and called up the unforgetable memories of th-e past. As the governor studied the portrait, the magnificently furnished library, the embodiment of luxury and ease, faded away, and in its stead appeared the humble home of his birth. As far back as he could recollect his early life had been a repetition of the old story of a useless struggle with poverty. His father, a remarkably talented man, succumbed to the hereditary curse of drink. The little dark-eyed mother, after bravely fighting her best to have a home for her only child, one night left them forever. He had always been glad of that. Matters grew still worse. Finally one night, mad with drink, his father provoked a broil in a saloon, and met his own death in the ensuing fight. Although barely twelve years old, he suffered keenly from the public disgrace, and shunned the main streets. It seemed to him as though every living creature looked at him with pity, as the son of so worthless a father. The country doctor, a courtly gentleman of the old school, offered him a home. While living here, he was sent to school. lt was in the little old- fashioned school house that he first saw the laughing face of a tiny maiden who even then weaned her way into his boyish affections. A certain pride made him carefully brush his shabby clothes for he knew that the daintily- dressed daughter of the wealthy colonel would never notice a dirty drunkard's son. Fate, one day. brought about a meeting. Then for many, many days, he carried her books to school, and worked out the arithmetical problems which made the brown head ache. Time passed almost without their knowing it. She had completely gained the boy's heart. and in return had given him her love. However, he realized that it would be folly to ask the girl to be his wife until he could offer her something more than love. His ambition had always been to be a painter-to paint pictures that would set the world on fire. The little Southern town could offer no advantages, so one day he left for Boston, re- solving that in some way, he would gain the much desirtfl instruction. 9