Hathaway Brown School - Specularia Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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to the Club and the maid was out in the kitchen, so I hurried on my collar which I had taken off for comfort in studying, slipped down, and lighted the gas. I opened the door cautiously, but soon it came open of its own accord, and a lady of about sixty bounced into the hall, exclaiming: Well, it is just about time, for I have almost caught my death of cold. A You may well imagine that I was a little scared, but I managed to murmur, Ilm sorry. , , Is your ma home ? she asked presently, having looked me over from top to toe. No, I answered, my father and mother have gone awayf' She didnlt seem to care very much, however, but walked calmly into the sitting room. She was quite tall and very oddly dressed, entirely in black. Her skirt was up to her shoe tops, and was very scant. The waist was short and the sleeves were almost to her elbow. She had on alittle black bonnet covered with a thick veil, and large cotton gloves. Well, dearie, she said at length, I hope they won't be long. I echoed her hope, but did not answer. I suppose you would like to know my name, and what I am doing here, she Said. Yes, I replied, with as much courage as I could muster. Well, dearie, she began, I am your father's aunt from the country, his aunt- aunt -she stopped, thinking perhaps I would supply the nameg but I remained silent. ' Betsy, she finished, but not as though she was certain of it. , Betsy, I exclaimed, for although I had heard my farther speak of his Aunt Bell and Mary and his other numerous aunts, he had never mentioned Betsey. My dearie, I don't suppose your father has ever spoken of me, as I ran away from home when I was sixteen and have never seen himf, . She seemed contented after this, but I doubted the story, and although I said noth- ing, I went to the book-case and took out our family birthday book in which I knew if there ever were an Aunt Betsy, her name would be recorded. She tried to dissuade me from opening it, but I opened it and read aloud, , Elizabeth Presley, daughter of John and Mary, born April, 1815, and died 1895. She became a trifle confused, and stood up, saying she wouldn't wait for Ma and Pa. She turned to go, but in getting up from the chair, her dress caught on the rocker and almost came off. It was off enough for me to see that she had a plaid skirt on underneath, and all at once it dawned on me that it was a trick. Stop!', I cried, and I grabbed Aunt Betsy by the wrist. Before she was aware of my intention Ihad pulled off her veil, and found the laughing face of one of my girl friends. EDITH PRESLEY, 19oo. fi!-'1 El GbilD'6 Story. It was a cold night in January, and every- one who was compelled to be out, hurried to his destination with great zeal. The streets were dark and cheerless, and the usual crowd about the bright display windows was nowhere to be seen. Only one little waif wandered about aimlessly, as though his only object in life were to watch the passers-by and to wish that he, too, had been blessed with happiness. Suddenly a gust of wind carried the boy's hat across the street and as he ran to get 29

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in this world for making money. I heard Mr. Browne say, when he bought 1119, that it is extremely seldom one is fortunate enough to iind a chair like me. A HUD 111 Michigan make very cheap imitH'CiO11S, and then sends them all over the world as be- longing to the real Renaissance family. But surely it is wrong to tell such untruths, Mr. Renaissance, commented the parasol. It is business, my dear, it is businessg and to some people business is an excuse for almost anything, was the answer. My dear Parie, won't you tell me if my hair is still so much in the style? You see, on account of my delicate complexion and my fragility, I am not able to see anything ofthe world, except that part that comes to me, said a complacent looking statuette. Indeed, began the parasol,-when the door opened, and Mrs. Harris and Mrs. Browne, entering, interrupted this most int resting conversation. . BERTHA E. NARTEN, rgoo. 5 II. A few years ago we staid out in the country for the summer. The place was near Lorain, and our cottage was on the lake shore. Wexv ere strangers to every- body, in fact, I had not met a soul since I had been out there. W'e had been there about a week, and I was just taking a nice nap one afternoon when the maid brought up a card with the name, Miss Adelaide Henrietta Smith, on it. I was anxious to see my caller, so I hastily dressed and went down stairs. As I entered the room I heard a great rnstle, and Miss Adelaide, gorgeously dressed and holding a lorgnette to her eyes, swept up to me, saying 1 This is Miss Lancaster, I believe. I am glad to have the pleasure of finding you at home, though I didn't expect to see you, since I thought I saw you or some one else I supposed was you driving down to the l 28 station. But I am glad to find you here. Have you any brothers, Miss Lancaster P I didn't see anything remarkable about myself 5 and I wondered if I were more peculiar looking than other people, for she held her lorgnette to her eyes all the time. I was as cool as a cucumber and answered : Yes, I have two brothers, but they are not coming out until we get all settled. They are anxious to come, and think this place is just right. They have planned to go camping, and fishing, and goodness knows what not. Oh! I am so glad that there will be some nice young men around. There isn't one I would associate with here. I wouldn't even think of doing it. I met a lovely man in Cleveland, Mr. Quay was his name. Such a charming fellow! I declare it was love at first sight on my part. He told Miss Devonshire, my friend whom I visit, that I was a stunner. I tell you what, he knows a good thing when he sees it I How old are your brothers, if I may ask? Oh, do excuse me I I didn't mean that. Oh, that's all' right. Ned is just ten years old, and Jack, seven. Such interest- ing boys, if I do say so. Miss Smith was not so talkative after this, and didn't stay very long, for a strong odor of onions came from the kitchen. I was very conscious of the fact, but it was not to be helped, for in a summer cottage those things must be borne. In fact I was quite glad, for, after making a few excuses, Miss Adelaide Henrietta Smith walked with great dignity out of the house. I watched her until she was out of sight and joyfully went to tinish my nap, proud of my own and the onions' success. RUTH HENDERSON, 1 goo. if III. One Wednesday night about three weeks ago, I was quietly studying in my room when I was startled by two knocks on the front door. Mamma and Papa had gone

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it, a carriage came rumbling along. The driver was nodding in hiS Seat, and the horses, regardless of everything and every- body, rushed along on their course at break- neck speed. S A little girl on the other side of the street shouted to the boy to wait until the carriage had passed, but alas, it was too late! he had already been trodden down, and the horses, frightened by his cries, plunged forward and threw the coachman from his seat. In another moment a finely dressed woman jumped from the carriage and landed safely on the pavement, though she was somewhat dazed by the sudden confusion. She looked bac-k and saw such a pitiful sight. The happenings of years flashed through her mind as she stood over the motherless child. How well she remembered when she, too, had been a mother, now she lived only to remember the happy past. ' He heart went out to the child, as if he were her own. She picked him up and folded him in her arms, paying no attention to the dirty, soiled clothes or to the little drops of blood oozing from the Wound on his head. No, she was too happy to think of such things, for she had saved the child from the life of an outcast, and had again felt the love of a mother. MYRTLE E- WEIDEMAN, '99. C541 Che ilbklllllfeb 'li3Ol166. 0nceI passed a Sllllllllel' in a small vil- lage in one of the southern states One day when I was driving with the friend whom I was visiting, I noticed a fine, large house set so far back from the road, and so iuclosed by hedges of evergreen that the real size could hardly be ascertained. Nat- urally I was curious about it, for it was far from any habitation, and there were few dwellings so large and imposing in that part of the country. I could see also by the dense growth of underbrush that it was without occupants. What is this place, Laura ? I inquired of my friend. It looks very much as though there was some story connected with it-something ghostly. That is just what the people about here say, she replied. Several years ago the place was inhabited by an old man and his daughter: story after story was told about them, but I think there was no ground for any of them. Country people have lively imaginations, you know. However that may be, these two lived here, apparently enjoying life, for two years, when one morn- ing the whole village was startled by the news that the old man had been found dead in his bed. The people said he had been poisoned by some one desiring his moneyg no one could be accused of it, so they invented a murderer. The daughter went away, and from that day to this, it has never been occupied except for a few days. The people who rented the house had been there only two days when the butcher's boy brought the news that ghosts had been seen in the house g also that strange sounds had been heard like the groaning of a per- son in dreadful agony, then a whistling, scurrying noise. Soon everyone believed that the house was inhabited by a ghostg and they said it was only on very windy nights that the ghost was in evidenceg and they remembered that it was on such a night that the old man died. Needless to say, no one has ever been induced to sleep there, and so it stands. As I listened to this story, I made up my mind that this was a particularly supersti- tious neighborhood, but I could not account for the strange, groaning sounds which Laura 30