Lincoln High School - Cardinal Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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5 Q s - 4 e - T LE,R5ER s N f U VANITIES UNFAIR f tl 1 . IVIARJORIE PANGBORN M I Gizzard Washington, so titled because his pas- sionate affection for chicken had caused him to suffer the indignities of being a jail-bird, was angry with himself and with the world frepresent- ed by Clay Center.l In a streak of poker luck he had made a bet that he could be married at any time he chose. He had wondered at the eagerness with which his friend had taken the bet, but after days of secret questing, only black despair filled his heart. The looking glass had revealed the lack of beauty he had supposed was his. A hundred dollars was lots of money to lose for the sake of a wager. It would go such a long way in paying chicken fines, but it looked as if- I craves to knowah some knowledge which I 'speets yo to give me like a gen'men you ain't, broke in a drawling voice upon his thought . Washington's ebony jaw sagged in open-mouthed admiration as he surveyed the lemon-hued, vest- pocket edition of Venus before him. At yore dis- position, cream puff! he managed to shoot back at her, accompanied by a welcome to our city smile done in gold fillings. In return she displayed a set of non-false teeth that was the envy of all models for Pepsodent ads. Big boy, I wants to knowah whah Jedge Cum- min's lives and I craves the infoh now. Says which ? I'm nothin' else but his long lost relative late- ly of the Chawklate Cream Vanities of Noo Yawk. Sho'l yo must have heard of them. Elliel Danny! And there she was sobbing on his shoulder. Had his friend happened along just then, he would have endeavored to withdraw the bet. A few memories later, the two arrived at the seedy mansion of the Jedge. Danny's lower limbs were doing the Charles- ton from fear as he mentally measured the distance to the fence from where he stood and wondered if he could jump the enclosure in five minutes and sprint down the street to safety should her father make any hostile moves. By the next morning everyone received the in- formation by invisible telegraphy that Ellie's home- coming had been as cold as an Eskimo eating an ice cream cone in a refrigerator. But she was a block off the old chip and intended to stick to the last like a British bull dog on a piece of fly paper. When she met Gizzard that evening, she looked far from being the spark plug she was re- puted to be. Ah's feelin' like indigo, confided Ellie. Mah fawther disinterested meg ah'm almost homeless now. What say ? I ain't got no capital 'cept mah looks-but then, Danny, I ain't so bankrupt, is I? Gawsh, cain't yo see enthus'asm on my war town map? li Ah U-huh! Yo does appear kinda enthus'astic, but ain't so suah ev-thing's gwine to be all right. S'pose I make it all right ? Huhl Yo couldn't. Meanin' which, perzac'ly ? Yo millionaire idea is all air. Little old N00 Yawk for this gal 'less some hero does a rescue. Yore lookin' at him. Come how? lflfm he.Y, Washington was astounded at the cataract of laughter that greeted his ear drums at this juncture. He disliked the proposition of proving his state- ment to his doubting lady love, because it meant work. About the only way he could find to shine was to become a bootblack. His friend didn't know that he was courting death when he innocently nudged Danny and said Some chicken! His face came in contact with an enraged black avalanche which sent him sprawling into the gutter, dazedly Wondering why all the stars in the universe had chosen to fall on him. VVha fo yo disconvenience dat gen'men, Danny ? Ellie questioned when his wrath had abated long enough to enable him to think. Page 23

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- v . Z JQQE - A' LEDBER L years have we waited in vain for his coming!'! Nay, child! Speak not so. He will never re- turn. His withered hand shook slightly as he looked through a small packet of unimportant contracts, written in a hand which he could not read. They were placed in a small leather bag, in which many other such packets reposed. And now,', he murmered in the soft cadence of his Arab tongue, now we shall see who this last adventurer was. On Getting Off a Vrv1AN Who has not felt the joy of achievement in the accomplishment of a difficult task? Who has not gloried in the victory of a hard-fought battle? He knows how I feel after I alight from a crowded street car-jammed and packed to overflowing with people. Powell Street, bellows the conductor. Hur- riedly I collect my various packages, balance them on one arm while I ring the bell. Crash! There goes a. package to the floor. Good heavens! What a time and place to drop a package! I snatch it and begin my struggle to the door. You may believe that a football player has hard work breaking through the opponent's lineg but he has ten men to help him, while I, all alone, must go through a mob to the exit. With my books as a battering ram and my el- bows as spears, I push my way onward. VVith I-lermos' eyes fastened on the folded pa- per, the old man opened it, glanced over the un- intelligible words, and dropped his gaze to the name at the foot of the document. Slowly, with the white weight of his robes trail- ing at his heels, the father of Ahmed Ben Hassen emerged from the tent. The hot sun was climb- ing higher into the sweltering heavens. The desert bandit's eyes sought the hazy horizon, where twenty miles distant, lay a crumpled white form. He will-never-return--. Crowded Street Car CHARTER Umph! My history book punches an old fat gentleman in the chest. Owl My elbow pokes a young man in the ribs. Ouch! I step on someone's toe. I am sure it was on his corn. Hurrah! The vestibule is in sight!! I grit my teeth and clench my fists fmentallyf you under- stand.D I catch my breath and begin anew my struggle. Hurrah! The door is in sight! With my strength renewed, I resume the battle. Slashing right and left with my books, I gain the door. An- other push-I am on the sidewalk. I heave a sigh of relief-the relief that comes from the knowledge of a task well done. I look at myself-hat on one ear-books bent at the cor- ners-coat twisted half off-bow untied. But where's my free-for-all letter? Frost Flowers KENNETH COLLINS Now I, I fashion frost flowers In the amber night moon's beams. I love to fashion frost flowers Into delicate drifts of dreams. But oh! when the golden dryad Of day looks up from bed, My flowers fade into soft white mist And vanish overhead. Page 22

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'Q , , 'L' LE.l2BER, . Nemmin' why. He stahted somethin' he didn't finish, said Danny with utter truthfulness and with a peek at the future. I sho ain't no evil tiding's gal. Yo never gave that gen'men a chance. No, ain't yo? He disregarded the last re- mark as insignificant. In fack, onless yo proves yo good 'tentions, I will- and she made a gesture in air that he knew meant his abrupt finish unless he strengthened her wavering affections. Purloining chickens was his only art. With a portion of his savings withdrawn from the bank, he bought a ranch on the outskirts of town, considerably out so to speak. A week he passed at a mysterious work. People complained of the losses they were suffering. As Ellie's heart attack decreased, his grew.more violent with determination. Although his inky fea- tures seemed as composed as the river Styx, he felt like a shrinking violet in her presence. g I Don't reckon yo is cravin' to inspec' mah ranch today, Ellie ? he said pleadingly. She had intended to snub him when she saw that he was going to speak to her, but at his words she looked interested. Yo learnt me a lesson, Danny. I mean to be yore best frien' from herever after. Meanin' what? I'll go! As they sped along in a hired machine, Danny glibly lied that his car awaited repairs at the garage, but Ellie seemed to be contented as she snuggled down beside him. They came to a stop at a sleepy little farmhouse which bore no sign of activity ex- cept that of the greatest variety of chickens in as- sorted shades. Ellie could not conceal her surprise. Wheah's the population? , VVhat yo mean ? Hired help. Oh they. Picnicin'. I allus lets them picnic on Sundays, prevaricated Danny without realizing that it was only Saturday. Gizzard,' was in a state of mental agony. He lacked the courage to tell the old, old lie and Ellie gave him no opportunity to do so, for she insisted upon leaving immediately for home. People were astonished to find that all of their fowls had returned to their nest apparently cleansed of the affliction of wanderlust. Into Danny's appreciative ear Ellie bewailed the fact that she had no funds. Why, cream puff, sho I can help yo. Didn't yo knowah I sold mah fahm las, week?,' Oh, Illl be so ,bliged if yo will. Such usual words were disappointing, but he reached into the recesses of his pocket and pain- fully extracted a roll of bills which he hadwrapped around a handkerchief to increase the size of the roll. The slip that cost him his pocketbook was, How much yo want, Ellie?', Five hun'ded dollahs is what I rightly need. Yo reckon yo could 'ford it ontil I gets back mah posi- tion F He sighed to himself. He had been saving his six hundred dollars for a rainy day, and this cloud- burst was more than he could comprehend. The next day Ellie was accompanied to the sta- tion by a bouquet of American Beauty roses and by Washington, still fervid. A wisp of lavender hand- kerchief fluttered a moment to the disillusioned Danny standing on the platform. The puff-puff of the train as it started on its long journey to New York caused a lump of self-pity to rise in the throat of the dusky Romeo. H He pulled out his wallet. It contained what was left of his savings. One hundred dollars was just enough to pay the bet. Of the two' aches, Danny didn't know which hurt the mostg his broken heart or his broken pocketbook. Page 24