Manchester High School - Somanhis Yearbook (Manchester, CT)

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8 SOMANI-IIS -speak so tactlessly. Anyone could see the fellow was broke. Too bad! Jeffry left him and returned to his room where he sat down to write a letter to his sis- ter of whom he was very fond, but this did not absorb him and his mind went back to With- ers. Vaguely he remembered that Withers liv- ed in Williamsburg or something like that - not far from the Morton's summer home. A few minutes later Jeffry was bounding in- to the railroad station and demanding a round- trip ticket to the town where he had spent many summer days, ten miles from Williams- burg. Returning to the college he found Bob and during a rather stilted conservation he casually dropped the railroad ticket in front of him. Bob smiled as he picked it up. See you're going home after all. I don't blame you much , he said wistfully as he held out the ticket to Jelfry. No, I've been looking for somebody to give this to, since I found out I couldn't go home yesterday morning. Now if you were only go- lng home perhaps you could use it. As it is, lust throw it in the waste-paper basket for me, will you? D l if Q it As the train left the station, Jeffry stood on the platform and waved good-bye to Bob and chuckled to himself over the way Withers had changed hi mind so quickly and nnally allowed himself to be persuaded to use the ticket. At the Christmas dinner next day the dean beamed at Jeffry: Merry Christmas, .Teffry? Merrle t Christmas ever, sir, was the smil- ing reply. GREEN SHOOTS By Edna Kennedy, '31 Mary Roger preferred work to ldleness. That was the essential difference between her and those others. They were content to stay in the living room of the Home for me Aged and rock their lives away, reading or sewing. But after the meals were over, Mary went to the bright kitchen, a big room wtlh a stove that occupied one side. The kitchen was too large to be comfortable, and Mary often com- pared it to a small kitchen with snowy white curtains and shining pans, presided over by a neat woman who gloried in performing the domestic tasks that her home and family of- fered. p Mary always peeled the potatoes. She liked to do household tasks. As she sat there in her accustomed seat by the large table, she was often given to philosophlzing. Potatoes for ln- stance-their skins were withered, but there were always green shoots coming out. Looking at the potatoes Mary thought-if a potato dies and comes to life, so can everything else that dies come to life. And that was the thought that kept coming to her mind the day before Christmas. But this was no age for miracles. All the character of the former woman had fad- ed into something utterly incoherent-some thing that she had forgotten and was afraid to recall, lest recalling, she should have to stop and inquire the stranger's name. Her soul had become stagnant in this almshouse. Although night after night she lay awake thinking of the Mary Pa used to love. the Mary Johnny had cried for, and the Mary he had held in his arms when he left for the war, yet she knew that this Mary was dylng-al- lowing herself to dle without any effort to re- scue herself from the oblivion into which she was sinking. And then suddenly she made a supreme resolution. She'd come back to life! If withered, old potatoes could do it, why couldn't withered, old Mary Roger? She would go to see Ann. There was always life there. Ann, a slim, fairly attractive girl of eigh- teen, was washing the dishes ln Mrs. Lowell's kitchen when she casually looked through the window above the sink. Why! Who is lt coming up the path but Mary Roger! she thought as she went to open the door. Ann had always known Mary Roger, and-for the past year at least - had looked upon her as a pathetic creature who had had more than her share of the unfavorable vlcls- situdes of fortune. Now, as she put away her coat and hat, she wondered what the occasion of Mary's latest visit was. l Mary looked about the room. It somehow cheered and consoled her, it was one of the few things that did any more. It was good to be in a small kitchen again, even if but for a few moments-a kitchen where one could sew, darn, and plan the meals, and feel that there was something to look forward to with the be- ginning ot each new day. Having a kitchen like this would be t.he next best thing to hav- ing Johnny and Pa back again. We often wonder how you are getting on, Ann remarked, You're better oi! at the Home r gg I

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1.4 MERRY CHRISTMAS By DOF0thy Fraser. '31 The December sun sifted in through the bright red and green cretonne curtains and left its reflection in Christmas colors on the cover- let of a mahogany bed. A brown head emerg- ed from beneath the pillow as the occupant of the hed, with a vicious swing, sent the cushion flying towards a branch of evergreen which stood glittering with tinsel and adorned with its traditional holiday colors. A faint tingling of silver bells, and it lay in ruined splendon amid a pile of feathers. The boy placed both his arms beneath his head and lazily watched flecks of dust float up the shaft of golden sun- light and disappear in the shadows until he caught sight of the pattern in red and green on the spread. A deep sigh escaped as he closed his eyes to shut out the visions which were arising before him, but the colors res mained and reminded him so palnfuly of other previous December 24ths. Rising, he stood be- fore the mirror and with a terrible feeling of disgust watched his chin tremble. So he couldn't take it on the chin after all. It was an heroic situation though-his smile was somewhat forced-the true book hero would have been deserted by his parents and his sister and left practically alone in college for the holidays just as he had beeng but for the book hero something would surely break- for Jeffrey Morton nothing could possibly happen. The bright cheerfulness of his study annoy- ed him. Although he had contributed much to its furnishing and his mother and sister had sent expensive rugs and a handsome desk to complete the room, lt was his room-mate's sis- ter who had chosen the pictures and selected the best books and finally created the atmos- phere of comfort. It was a room so unlike any of the rooms in his own houseg in Jeffrey's mind it didn't suffer by the contrast, but after all Christmas isn't Christmas alone and away from home. He decided to console himself by opening the two well-hlled boxes which stood brilliant with artificial holly and red ribbons in the center of the room. He discovered a letter from his father-a rather commonplace type- written letter dictated to his secretary. He would have thought a little more affection' ap- propriate, but perhaps Dad expected the gen- erous check to make up for any lack of sen- timent. The letter had changed Jeffrey's mind and the boxes were left untouched. He hur- ried out to the campus to cash the check and to see if fresh air would remove the stinging sensation in his nose and cool his burning eyes. As he was returning to his dormitory he suddenly came face to face with one of his fellow students who was quite evidently try- ing to avoid meeting him. Bob Withers was decidedly not in Jeffry's set, indeed-he was a grind , but since each knew the other to be the only student in the college besides himself, it seemed natural that they should continue their walk together. To open the conservation Jeffry asked, What are you doing here, Bob? He wished he hadn't when Withers said somewhat unnaturally, Had to miss the holi- days this time. They had a common interest, however, so Jetfry continued. Folks walk out on you, too? Well, non, that is-I-er-Well., they were ex- pecting me rather, but I sorta' needed a re- view for the advanced math exam and this is the best time to get it, I guess, came the faltering reply. At that Jeffry hated himself. How could he, a Morton-one of the Mortons

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S-OMANHIS 9 since you have no family. You've been there nearly a year now, haven't you? ' Mary remembered. A year ago . . . that was when the real Mary Roger had died-when she received the yellow paper that said Johnny was dead, a statement that she could never quite bring herself to believe, and when Pa died just a short time later of heart trouble. It was a tremendous task, trying to forget. but after all one couldn't come to life if one were to keep constantly before oneself the memor- ies of one's former life. How old are you, Mary? Ann asked, as she continued washing the dishes. I'll be sixty-ive in September, Mary an- swered. Ann laughed as she remarked, Why, that is old! .Mary hardly heard what Ann was saying. She always felt so strange at LoWell's. Some- thing seemed to take place inside her that she wasn't exactly sure whether she liked or not. I 'heard you were going to get married, Ann. She must say something or Ann would ask her whether-she were ill. I'll say I am, Ann answered proudly. It's only a week now. Billy and I have been en- gaged for almost two years. I think he is the nicest boy in Franklin. Honestly, Mary Roger, what do you think of him? Why, I think he's a very acceptable young man. But who is going to stay here when you're gone? The girl stopped washing the dishes and went nearer to Mary's chair. Now listen, Mary, she said in a hushed voice, don't tell this to a soul. I don't think anyone is going to stay here. Why! Mary exclaimed. You don't mean that Doctor Lowell has lost his money and Mrs. Lowell is going to do her own work? No! Ann replied. Don't you ever breathe this, but Mrs. Lowell and the doctor are go- ing to separate. Why! You don't mean it. They went to- gether for years and almost broke their hearts at one time because the doctor didn't have enough money to start a business. It can't be true that they are going to separate! . I wouldn't tell it to anyone unless I was sure, Ann said. They've been quarreling for several weeks now, and they hardly ever speak to each other pleasantly. Of course, they try to be good-natured when I'm around. The tears began to roll down Mary's cheeks. So this was how it was all going to end. I-Ier, eyes wandered around the cozy little kitchen where she had come to bring her soul to be nourished, but the kitchen was also to be lost to her. Mary thought it was time for her to be go- ing, so Ann helped her into her coat. U O U Doctor Lowell was interrupted in his daily perusal of the market by Ann's cries. Mrs. Lowell came rushing out of the other bed- room. What was that, Henry? Ann yelling about something. I'll have to see what it is. He opened the door and hurried down the stairs, with Mrs. Lowell in close pursuit..Ann was on the front steps, trying to support the unconscious body of Mary Roger. Ma.ry's face was white, and a bloody gash stood out on her forhead. Ann was crying and muttering something. . Oh, Doctor, Mary Roger fell down the front steps. I'm afraid she's hurt herself badly. Doctor Lowell knew Mary, because he had been her family doctor in former years. With the help of his wife and Ann, he was able to carry her to the upstairs guest room, where he dressed her wounds. I-Ie could not tell immediately just how serious the injuries Were. Mrs. Lowell helped to make Mary com- fortable and sat at the bedside through the night. l ' Mary began to mutter in' her delirium. Everything must die-potatoes and even love. Love dies quicker than anything else 3 the doctor and his wife for instance. They loved each other once better than all the world and now-.When I saw that a potato could come to life--I thought perhaps I could come here to live and work--and make my soul alive-. I wish the doctor and his wife could see 'that their life might still send out green shoots. ' It 'was Christmas morning when Mary awoke. Mrs. Lowell was bright' and happy. The doctor came in and put 'his arms' around Mrs. Lowell. . . if - Hurry and get well, he said. Billy has taken Ann away, and we thought that you would like to come here and keep house for us. ' 1 Do you think you would like it? Mrs. Lowell asked. ' , Like it? To work in a small kitchen again! To be with people who are happy! Why, here's my soul coming alive again!