Lafayette Junior High School - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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MRS. GUMMIDGE , Mrs. Gummidge was a character in Dickens' story of David Copperfield. She was a widow and thought that she was the worst off person in the world. She was continually saying, Oh, I am a lone lorn creature, and everything goes contrary with me. She thought no one cared for her and that she was in every- one's way. If she was cooking potatoes and they burned, al- though the whole family had to eat them, Mrs. Gummidge would sigh, shake her head, and whine, But I feel it more than anyone else. No matter how much bad luck someone else had Mrs. Gummidge would always say that her troubles were worst. She often made herself more unpleasant than was necessary by such fretting and expressions and often she made others uncomfortable with her whining, which was some- times very disagreeable. Mrs. Gummidge lived with Mr. Peggotty, his adopted daughter, little Emily, and his adopted son, Ham, in a boat house by the sea in Yarmouth. The boat from which the house was made was turned up- side town and it had little rooms and a place to cook. Mrs. Gummidge had a very nice little room for herself. It was not until a real tragedy happened to little Emily that Mrs. Gummidge first realized that she was not the worst off in the world. Emily met a rich handsome young man called Steerforth. He had all the opportunities he needed to become a successful person in life but he would not use these opportunities and by being selfish and no account he not only made himself suffer but also the innocent little Emily who ran away with him. There was a terrible shipwreck on the shores of Yar- mouth. Many were drowned and the dear little boat house was wrecked and scattered in the sand. Steerforth's body was washed ashore among the ruins of the home he had wronged. Mrs. Gummidge became a changed woman because she found out that her troubles were not the hardest to bear. She was also very happy indeed because Mr. Peggotty said she could go to Australia with he and little Emily. -Aszerlea Pipkin, A9.

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A STORM AT SEA One morning Dorothy and I thought we would take a trip. But how shall we travel ? said I. There are so many ways of traveling from one place to another. There is the train, auto- mobile, bus, the giant of the air, and the big ocean steamer. Oh! I have it, said Dorothy, let us go on the big ocean steamer. That's a good idea. VVe haven't ever been on a ship either. That will be a good experience for us as well as a thrill. After necessary preparations, we are ready to board the ship, with many other passengers. VVe are now on the ship looking from one place to another, and asking hundreds of questions which no one could answer. For instance, Sailor, where do the waves come from and where do they go ?!' Wfe would stand for hours looking at the sea gulls and the rushing waves crashing against the ship. Soon night comes. Everyone is asleep in his cozy bed. The thunder begins to make a loud noise, and lightning flashes in every crack of the cabin, even through the key hole. The wind begins to blow harder and harder. The rain beats upon the roof of the ship like drops of stone. In a few minutes we hear someone yell, A storm! Later there are many such cries. The storm has turned the ship out of its course. It is dark, wet, and the cold breeze chills you through and through. Everyone begins to get out of bed, putting on rain coats and scrambling for the life savers. The waves are so high and rough they are coming into the ship. VVhat shall we do? everyone screams. VVe are lost. XV e are lost! The shouts come from every direction. But see far into a distance, what is that? A light! A light! All the time our ship is slowly sinking. The lights we see in the distance are growing closer and closer. The water is now up to our knees. What shall we do? VVe are all still watching the light. It is growing closer and closer. Hurrah! Hurrah! It is a giant ship stronger than ours. We are saved! VVe are saved, everyone cries. Everyone begins piling on the other ship. just as Dorothy and I, always last but not least, step from the lost ship, it sinks deep, deep into the sea. -Irene lViIson, A9.

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L in URIAH HEEP In my opinion, Uriah Heep is the ugliest man I have ever heard of. His appearance alone made you shudder, and when you penetrated his character you thoroughly detested him. Some-- times I felt, and I think everyone felt the same way, like choking that Uriah. ' Uriah was a tall, thin, bony man with red hair, no eyebrows to boast of. and, of course, no eyelashes. His hand felt, when clasped, like a cold fish in the dark. He was always rubbing his hands as if trying to get rid of the clamminess, but he couldn't succeed. The word, 'umb1e, was Urial1's favorite expression. No matter what he did he was 'umble. XVell, humble or not humble, Uriah Heep was a low-down, one hundred per cent crook. The two chief ambitions of his life were to become a partner of Mr. Wficklield and to marry Agnes. One of these ambitions came true, but, thank goodness, the other didn't, for Agnes thor- oughly detested him. Uriah got control of Mr. NVickF1eld's affairs by making him sign papers whenhe was under the influence of wine. Things became worse and worse until out of the clear blue sky' came Mr. Micawber's wonderful detective ability. Traddles and Mr. Mi- cawber completely cornered Uriah, who was sent to prison, to the joy of everybody concerned. 3U11llJlCl16SS,' must have been a good refuge of distress for when David was visiting a prison he met Uriah in there and still Uriah was claiming to be humble. It was a fixed scheme between himself and Littimer, another crook, but I hope Uriah Heep stayed in prison for the rest of his life. -Ethel l'V'l'll5f01.7'1, 519. 0 4' haw' 4 . X 'r Q1 ' '. 45 Q A