High School of Commerce - Annual Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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home. It was a solemn conclave that followed her to the attic of her home. There in the very room where so many happy events had taken place their long pent-up feelings gave way, and each girl became a child again and wept bitter tears of real sorrow. Isabel cried with them, the girls gathered around her as if to hide her from some unseen hand which was to snatch her from them. At length Isabel explained that she was going South in compliance with her father's wish, that he thought it best for her and that she could offer no objections to it. Isabel dispelled cloudy faces for the time, by exclaiming in her impetuous way, Oh! girls I want you to help me pack my trunk, and make preparations to go to the train with me and-and-and Oh! just stay here with me. Two months later, running down a hot sandy road in Maryland, with her face flushed and her hair flying, Isabel was brought to a sudden stop. From among the trees growing along the roadside, appeared her cousin. His eye took in at a glance her ruffled appearance, and he surmised that she had been doing something which wasnlt for everybody to see. Well, Isabel, are you out for your morning walk? he said pleasantly trying hard to seem unconcerned. No Bob, I've changed the program this morning and taken a good run instead, answered Isabel assuming indifference. Bob frowned, for he had reprimanded her before on account of her run- ning. Then Isabel launched into an argument with him as to the propriety of the matter. She argued that as she was pining for a run and thought no one would see her it was all right. By calling all her persuasive powers to her aid and by laying a wager with him, she Finally induced him to join her in a dash of about fifty yards. Isabel let him win as she afterwards said to keep him in a good humor. All that day Isabel was as happy as a lark and even Bob came down from his lofty pedestal and joined her in humming some tuneful airs which was so unnatural in him that it caused his father to remark that it seemed Isabel was making Bob a year younger every day. From constant association with these quiet southerners, Isabel lost very gradually her old gypsy spirit. She was still a girl, dignity hadn't found its way into her actions but the alertness with which she caught up every chance for the performance of some mischievous prank was dulled. So on through the long, hot summer Isabel's reformation and her quiet cousin's rejuvenation took place. He was instrumental in her success and she in his. At last, toward the end of September, the mail carried the good news to a score of home friends that Isabel was coming home to them after an absence of five months. Toward the close of a beautiful autumnal afternoon a train rolled into N13

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Never again could he End the boots comfortable. He sent them to his Northern home, and out of honor to the poor black boy had them placed in a glass case, where they are shown as a memorial to Tobe. JULIUS SMITH, 1911. .22 41911119 a Girl SABEL was only a girl. Oh! what a world of meaning in the word girl She had grown from childhood into girlhood and there she stopped. At sixteen, she was far from the settled ways of a young lady, and yet she wasn't childish. To express it in her own words, I'll be a girl till I'm twenty, then I'll settle down and be proper. Where is Isabel? inquired Margaret as the girls met at the close of school one afternoon. I think she is still in the building, answered Nell and girls Isabel has seemed unusually quiet today. Pshaw, Nell! Isabel quiet? She is never quietg you have a wonderful imagination or some great hallucination of the mind, child, was the quick retort of Margaret. It is queer, continued Margaret, how she can be so happy and light hearted all the time and besides that we are always happier when she is among us. Let's christen her, 'Gloom Dispellerf I wonder if she will ever grow more dignified and ladylike. It seems odd to see a girl of her age so wild, remarked Alice. I wish she would act older, answered Nell, although don't forget that we all agreed the other day that we would like to change places with Isabel if we possibly could now and be as wild as a fawn and bright as a sunbeamf, Yes, there isn't a doubt about her wildness, yet she is loved all the more for it, where we wouldn't be adapted to it and perhaps would be despised. But here she comes and just see her come down those steps three at a time. It is a mystery to me why there is a whole bone in her body. Isabel broke into the group and breathlessly exclaimed, Girls I've been trying to keep this all day and I hate to tell you now and Oh! how I hate that place. What place? What are you going to tell us ? chorused the astonished girls. 'Tm going away, to be gone a long time, I don't know exactly how long, it is enough to know one is surely going without thinking about staying. Every face seemed overcast with a thunder cloud, one threatening rain at every minute too. Isabel broke the awkward silence by asking the girls to accompany her 102

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the depot and before it had really come to a standstill, Isabel had alighted and was making her way toward the group of eager faces waiting inside the gates. After the royal welcome, each girl was very anxious to pass comment on her appearance. You have grown about an inch taller and, why you are dressing your hair differently, exclaimed Margaret, and I wish you would take off your hat till I get a real good look at you. Amidst a bubbling of voices, during which each one wanted to tell every- thing that had happened since she had gone, Isabel Finally started her friends toward her home. It was fully two weeks before the girls saw enough of Isabel. Then a change could be perceived in their manner toward her. The girls with the exception of the traveler were at Margaret's house. Some one asked for Isabel, whereupon Nell answered that Isabel had a severe headache and was unable to attend the gathering. Margaret after awhile very cautiously asked the girls if they thought Isabel was changed in any way. Well I think she is, answered Grace. It was only yesterday that a fire engine passed while Isabel and I were talking, and she merely looked at it, and you girls all know she used to chase a fire engine! After much discussion, and relating of incidents to prove the opinion that Isabel was changed, they finally agreed that they didn't like this new girl as well as the old. Poor little Nell was undecided as to whether Isabel was changed or not, so she thought she would seek an interview with her when nobody was around to interrupt. Then she could decide quite independently. Isabel's father issued invitations for a large party in honor of his daugh- ter's return. Of course the party was the sole topic of conversation among the girls. They still talked about Isabel's new ways. Even the most quiet ones frowned at the new girl and were loud in lamenting the loss of their wild madcap of Five months ago. The night of the party came and the girls were all in attendance. Isabel was the center of attraction. Instead of jumping like a cricket and having everybody in convulsions, as of old, she was standing among the crowd and relating in a most interesting way some of her experiences. At the conclusion, the girls smiled significantly at one another and sepa- rated into twos and threes. Little Nell now saw her chance and slipped into a side room. As Isabel passed the open door Nell called her. Do you want me Nellie? Yes, Bell dear. just come in here for a few moments please, that is if you can be spared. Ah! Nell, I am not in demand so much any more, but let us sit down here near the window where the cool breeze may fan us. ' Isabel sat down and Nell crouched on a footstool at her feet. Nell knew 104