Lancaster High School - Mirage Yearbook (Lancaster, OH)

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“Well, could you identify those girls, whom you over- heard in the hall?” Ollie flushed. She had been dreading this question. “I did not see anyone,” she answered with a faint smile. “I see, my dear, you do not wish to tell tales and I ap- preciate your position,” said her companion. “Well, we’ll say no more about it until Professor Seaberly has been consulted. Peggy, however, will have reasons to be grate- ful to you for helping her out of what otherwise might have proved a very awkward situation.” Miss Williams went at once to the girl and released her from the confinement she had imposed upon her the prev- ious night. She explained how Ollie had come to her res- cue and Peg, who had for once been thoroughly frightened, vowed that she would take the advice of a goody-good the next time. After breakfast was over, Ollie was called to the Pro- fessor’s study to relate all she knew of the ‘racket.’ Where- upon she told just what she had told to Miss Williams. When she was through, the authorities said that they must get down to individuals, if possible. “M iss Beverly, did you recognize the voices of those two girls whom you overheard in the hall last night?” “Truth compels me to say that I did,” Ollie replied. “Their names, if you please,” commanded the Professor briefly. “I beg that you will excuse me from naming them,” she pleaded. “It is your duty to expose them, Miss Beverly. The affair is of too serious a nature to allow sentiment to thwart discipline,” returned the gentleman. “Pardon me,” she said, “but I cannot feel it my duty— at least, until—” “That is to say that you will not comply with my re- quest,” interposed the Professor, his eyes beginning to blaze. “No, sir, I could not be disrespectful,” Ollie gently re- plied. “Please allow me to say that I would not have taken any hand in the matter whatever, but for the sake of saving Peggy Currly from being blamed for the whole trouble.” “You have no right to shield the guilty ones, and I shall hold you to your duty,” responded the Professor. “May I suggest that it is the duty of offenders to con- fess their own wrong-doing?” she questioned in a respect- ful tone. “I think Miss Beverly is right, Professor Seaberly,” Miss Williams remarked. An uncomfortable silence followed, and then the Pro- fessor at last curtly observed, “Very well, let it rest for the present; but if the offenders do not come promptly forward I shall expect you to tell all you know later.” Ollie bowed and slipped quietly from the room. Peggy followed her example and then went to the recre- ation room where she could meet her fellow culprits and decide what was to be done. “So Ollie thinks it would rob us of our moral responsi- bility if she should give us away!” remarked Rose Tuttle. “That’s a novel way of looking at it, isn’t it, girls, to es- cape the fate of a telltale?” “Puts us in a tight box, though,” said Carrie Archer. “All the same I think Ollie Beverly is O. K. and I am ready to make my best bow to her.” “Well, I believe myself she is rather a fine girl. But

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except to wait quietly in her place of concealment until the breeze blew over. So she shrank closer into her corner and stood motionless, hoping no one would think of looking there. It was a vain hope, however, for Miss Williams, having closely questioned various ones without gaining any satisfaction, asked the night watchman if he had seen any- body. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied, “I saw a shadow near the door over there.” Miss Williams then walked straight to the closet and opened the door, letting the light from her candle fall di- rectly upon Peggy’s white, frightened face and shrinking figure. “Oh! Miss Peggy Currly! So you are implicated in this disgraceful act!” the teacher sternly exclaimed. “What was your object and who were your accomplices, for of course you could not have carried it out alone,” she con- cluded sharply. “I am the only one,” stammered Peggy, almost overcome with fright. “Don’t tell me that! It is impossible that you conceive such a plot and execute it without help. But I think we shall defer further investigations until tomorrow. Peggy, go to vour room at once and stay there until I come for you.” Peg sped away without one backward glance. Miss Wil- liams then turned to the watchman and observed more calmly, “Mr. Johnson, it seems we were all more frightened than hurt. I am glad you were at hand to help reassure us.” “Ye were in a rather ticklish box, mum; fur, by the powers, it were like a pan-dom-i-num let loose,” he replied. 20 “But what shall we do with all the truck?” he added, glancing at the pile of tinware on the floor. “Oil, leave it there until morning and the maids will take care of it,” Miss Clark suggested. Then the teachers also went to their rooms. Peggy resolved after she had gone to her room that she would not tell on anyone else, knowing that if she did, they would all be expelled. So she decided to take all the blame and be the only one to receive punishment. The next morning Ollie arose at the first stroke of the rising bell, performed her small duties with what dispatch she could and then sought Miss Williams shortly before the breakfast hour. The teacher greeted her with a smile and inquired, “Were you nearly frightened out of your senses last night with the rest of us, Miss Beverly?” “Oh, no, but perhaps I might have been if I had been asleep. I know something about the affair, Miss Williams, and I have come to talk it over with you,” Ollie explained. “Oh,” and the woman looked both astonished and inter- ested. Ollie then proceeded to tell all that she knew about the matter, but without revealing the names of the ringleaders. “Well! this certainly docs put an entirely different aspect upon the affair,” Miss Williams replied after Ollie had concluded. “I am more than glad, too, because I am interested in Peggy in spite of her tendency to bubble over now and then. She certainly is guilty of disobedience, though.” “Yes,” assented Ollie, “but not quite so much as you thought she was.”

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what are we going to do about this affair?” inquired Rose. “Oh, let’s fight it out,” cried a shrill voice from a corner. “That means let Ollie fight it out,” replied Carrie. “No, girls, it will not mean that,” said a gentle voice in the doorway. All eyes were turned that way and to their surprise, they found Ollie Beverly standing there. “I have a plan which will get every one of you out of this awful racket you have made. Here, give me a pencil, somebody; I broke the point of mine,” she said, as she moved her chair to a table and drew a blank sheet of paper toward her. Half a dozen were handed to her, and selecting one, she continued, “This is going to be a voluntary surrender.” She wrote rapidly for a few minutes, while her fellow stu- dents regarded her in a curious silence. “Hear now,” she finally commanded, as she threw down her pencil, and, lifting her paper with an impressive flour- ish, read: “To the Commander-in-Chief at Ilillton’s: “News of certain matters, pending at headquarters, just reported by scout. Therefore, this is to certify that the undersigned confess that they led the attack on West wing on the night of May 20th. In view of demands of honor, and of the sentence threatening the valiant soldier at present held as hostage, we hereby make confession and make unconditional surrender to- gether with all ammunition of war; and also hereby beg to be exonerated from blame for insubordination.” “How will that do, my brave company of Sophomores?” she cried. “I am afraid it is not quite up to the standard, but I think it will answer the purpose.” “Oh, isn’t that just great?” cried all the girls. “Where shall I put my name, Ollie? For you know I was the leader.” Ollie showed her and directly she put down: “Caroline Webster Archer, Captain of Company S. Hillton Volunteers, U. S. A.” “Oh, hand it here,” cried Rose. The paper was passed to her and in a clear, bold hand she wrote: “The captain cannot be allowed to go to the front alone. Signed: “ROSE TUTTLE, First Lieutenant, “Co. S. H. V., U. S. A.” This was the ‘bugle call’ that roused them all, and in less time than it takes to record it, the name of every other Sophomore was signed beneath. Then Carrie folded it carefully and ran to the Profess- or’s study. “Professor Seaberly, I have been commission- ed to hand you this communication,” she said bravely. “Very well, 1 will give it my earnest attention,” he re- turned. “Thank you, sir,” and with a nervous bow she left. The Professor waited until the door was closed after her, then unfolded the paper and began to read. But his face grew stern and his brow heavily overcast as his glance hastily swept the page. After reading it through and not- ing every signature, he began it again. This time a gleam of amusement crept into his eyes. “The little mischief is game. But I bet Miss Beverly had a hand in this. Really I begin to think she is a power for good in this school. Anyway, the matter shall drop here.” The following day Professor Seaberly gravely announc- ed that he would see the Sophomore class at four-thirty that afternoon in the recreation room. 2