Liberty High School - Lion Yearbook (Brentwood, CA)

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A LUCKY CHAPERON liv Hl,AX't'lll'l Jlfl'lT'l', '15 A groan ol' deepest consternation broke from Lincoln as he let the last of his three letters flutter down into his plate of ham and eggs. His two companions paused in the perusal uf their mail with a simul- taneous. What's happened The worst, said Lincoln in a voice of gloom, That bunch of letters represents a combination of circumstances calculated to be the cause of any rnan's downfall. Isn't Miss Bernice coming? asked Philip and Howard in a breath. She is, said Lin-coln with a significant grimace, It's worse than that. lmpossible. choruised Philip and How- a1'd in tones of relief. Aunt Jerusha can't come, explained Lincoln. Her husband has contracted an untimely attack of gout and they are both tied up in Liverpoolf' 'fOh, is that alltl' said Philip turning to his delayed coffee. Alll iVhy, fellow, do you know what it means? There will be no chaperon to meet Miss Bernice and Miss Louise when they come, and it isn't just the thing. even in this advanced age, for two young ladies to stay in a shooting lodg'e in the heart of the llighlands alone with three young men, however well intentioned they may be, without a married female of some des- cription in sight. The worst is that they ma yarrive at any time. Miss Bernice writes me thus: 'Wie will be with you on the 4th or Sth, Pm not sure which. so do not trouble to meet ins: we can get a conveyance ot' some kind at iil2I!llll0l'0 Village. I suppose. As for myself. you will haYe to keep me a month for our house is sold and Aunt and Uncle have gone to London to start afresh. We are poor now, you know. I don't mind telling' people for it's fashion- on able in our circle, since that slump in the cotton ma1'ket. I have enough gowns to last me a month in Scotland and then l'm to become governess to Hrs. Roger's twin. It is possible that some of my friends may regard me as a has been. lf you think so I shall not blame you, it's the way of the world, only hint gently and l'll vanish.' Now what in thunder shall we do? appealed Lincoln. l'hilip's dark eyes were suspiciously moist. Ile brought his clenched fist down on the table with a thud that made the china dance and shiver. They've got to come, he said savage- ly. lf we made any excuse now Bernice- Bliss Bernice-miglit take it for the hint She speaks of, Poor girl, she's having a. hard time of it, for all her cheerfutlness. Fancy her a governess to those snobs. But what about a chaperon? Surely you don't propose- lloward's emotions had reached the point ol' explosion. lle jump-ed to his feet. a wildy excited young man. l'm going to scour the countryside with your consent. till l find a female of some kind to take the place ot' your Aunt Jerusha. There must be some women of some kind within twenty miles. A whole month. Heaven knows what might not happen- The rest of his agitated speech was cut off by the closing of the door behind him as he rushed into the hall after his hat and coat. llc thrust his head in a mo- ment to say: lf they should arrive before I return tell them l'm taking a drive with your Aunt Jerusha. l'Il bring home-some- thing. tlut in the blackness of a wet llighland night lloward stepped dripping and dis- consulate. with a great parcel in his arms -and alone. Where is the chaperon? asked Lin- coln and Philip anxiously. lloward dump- ed the parcel on the floor and kicked it over to Lincoln. There she is, he said. as he sank wearily into a chair before the fire. Lin- coln ripped the parcel open. displaying a

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Uhr Zllrrzhir Stung lgrrinh lily .XIJICLIIA WILIIICT, '17 The first bell rang' and all the students went into the assembly room. After the tirst fifteen minuite period Bertha and Fern went into the hall, and soon after- wards Grave and Della went also. These are about the only Freshies ol' the first study period. Have you got your English, yet Graee? asked Fern. No, I've been studying' Ilistory all morning. lYhat do we have? answered Graee. IYe have to write exereise 3211 Have you got yours written out, Fern? asked Bertha. Yes, for on-ee in my lite: but wzisn't it fieree though? Ubi girls. I got two whole examples in Algebra. Isn't that wondert'ul said Della. t'YVlio are the 'Basket Hall girls going' to play with to-ni,Q'ht? asked Graee. The Rio Visto team, answered Della. Fd like to god, Bertha: Where are they going' to stay all night? Fern: t'Some one said they were going' to stay at the Hotel and- The Professor just eame out of the as- sembly room and said, IIaving' 11 little tea party, girls? Girls: No sir, we ean't get this fifth probl em .' ' The Professor took the book and ex- plained the example. It's just like the aritlnnetie you had in the fifth grade, he added as he tuirned to leave. 66 Maybe it is. said Bertha, but, gee! 11's so lone' sinee I was in the fifth Q-mm, I have forgotten Wll'l'i'1 it is like. Hy this time the tirst study period was over and the Freshies from the sewing' room eanie into the hall. Say, Del, did you get youir Alg'elmra? asked Zelma. Some of it. Zelmat Hilo you think it's going' to rain, g'irls?v Girls: Yes, it's going- to pour down bef'ore night. Zelma: 'Uhl aren't you mean, I ean't go to the danee to-night it' it rains. Della: Are you going to mask? Zelma: No.', Graee: What dress are you going' to wear? Zelmaz Oh, it's a light blue trimmed with- The Ilrotessor looked out of the door. Well I think you grirls had better move your ehairs. You're too elose together and you ean't work Algebra. with party dresses. Della: fatter the l'rot'essor had letitl 'tGirls, ean you solve this riddle? 'What is that whieh oeeurs onee in a minute, twiee in a, moment and not onee in a thousand years? The Professor who had been standing at the door. said, IVell, it you want some- thing' to solve here's a niee problem in Al,Q'6b1'il.n Oh, my, this is hard enough, said Say- de. holding' up the Algebra book. 'tOh dear, there's the bell and I studied hard on the English all morning: and don't know it yetf' exelaimed Graee. The lessons are getting' harder and harder and I study all the time, but I ean't get them, said Fern, as all the Freshies went into the linglish room.

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collection ot' women's clothes. He picked up ii wrapper of hright crimson -cashmere with trimmings of coarse 'black lace. Is this the best you could do? he ask- ed with a queer smile. 'tlt is, said Howard. Pye interviewed every woman within a radius of ten miles. l've ot't'ered small fortunes and told the most heart-weakening lies, hut not one of them would come to the 'Cove-they say it's haunted. l've begged, borrowed and stolen those dudsf' She seems rather limp. said Philip inspecting the wrapper, As it' she needed stuffing. ,Have we the material? We have,', said Howard, with a drama- tic wave of the hand that included the three of them. Oh, I say-it's a would hardly accommodate the three of us. observed Philip. Well draw for it, said Howard, You 'fellows get some slips ot' paper. Lincoln and Philip went into and soon returned with three slips of pa- per in a hat. The one who draws the paper with the cross marked on it takes the handle and becomes Aunt Jerusha. Aunt Jerusha will only he visible to the naked eye of the ladies occasionally, and at a good safe distance . In the meantime she will he sut- fering from some feminine complaint which keeps her confined to her room most of tlie time. Lo'ckjaw, suggested Philip, Then she won't 'he expected to talk. No woman ever had that, objected good size, but it the den adjoining, Lincoln. t'Housemaid's knee, said Howard, 'ta man can't possible have that. That will do fine, said Lincoln. Here boys. take youir draw. Lincoln held out his hat and the three gravely drew out the slips of paper. lloward was the first to hold his out. There was a tiny cross on it. He groaned, Hlleavensl What luck, to travel ten miles for those instrrrnents ot' torture, and then have to wear them, shave twice a day. Boys. see that a good supply ot' cigars are sent to my room, and dont forget the port: it's a sure cure for honsemaid's knee. ln less than halt' an hour the rattle ot' wheels came through the din of the storm. and Lincoln and Philip opened the door and let the light flood out into the night, show- ing one solitary figure, drenched and shivering. with a sweet, tired face that wore a. smile in defiance of wind and weather. - You're-you're not alone? gasped Lincoln, hy way of greeting. Miss 'Bernice slipped out of her dripping uilster, and shook the rain from her hat. All alone except for the driver. who haS gone to heg shelter from your man. Miss Louise could not come. Her mother-U Lincoln heard no more. He retired into a dark corner to say things to himself. To have two unchaperoned ladies under his rood seemed-had-very had, hut to have one. alone, on a night into which it would he cruel to turn gi dog for half an hour, was ot' that variety ot' hadness which t'orhids audible mention. I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Lincoln's aunt, said Bernice to Philip. who was doing his hest for her comfort. 'tl hope she is well. Well-er-no. stannnered Philip. Perhaps to-morrow-she is Suffering f1'0II1'-LJ, Philip looked wildy around for Lincoln to help him out. Ilonsen1aid's knee, said Lincoln, with desperate promptness. Oh, commented Bernice in a startled voice, then the corners of her mouth sank into two pretty dimples. and her eyes puckered in a very unsynipathetic way. Aunt Jerusha hegs that you will ex- cuse her this evening, said Lincoln. The weather has a had effect on her ailment. A queer little gurgling laugh hroke from Miss Bernice's pretty lips, as she turned her head to the tire, and Howard, in the next room, struggling with the red wrap- per. in case he would he nee-ded, gave a sigh of relief that hurst oft' a hutton. as the reprieve reached his ears: his opinion as to who was getting the worst ot it was changing. U U O Ulf' the weather clears we'll send her honie to-morrow. said Lincoln. gloovnily, as, Miss Bernice, having retired, the three stricken conspirators sat in lloward'-: room, viewing the situation. Howard. with a queer little hlack cap,