Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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The Son of Ahimiel. T was a cold gray morning in November and all the world lay bleak and bare before the dying of the year. In spite of the cheerless day, a great crowd had gathered at a certain American city to see the steamer Loyd as she prepared for her outward voyage. A confused hum of voices, happy and sad, rising now and then to a maddening din, greeted the ear, and finally as the ship swung from her moorings, the noise lessened, the last farewells were shouted, and the busy throng made ready to return to the life of the great city. There was one in the crowd who lingered long, very long, who watched until a figure on the vessel ' s deck could not be seen, until the ship had become a mere speck, and then with a weary sigh, he turned and wended his way back into the heart of the city. And the figure on the deck, that of a fragile girl with brown eyes and a sweet sad mouth, watched as she stood beside a tall dignified man, until the last bit of land faded from her sight, and in her heart reiterated again and again, It is useless. I shall never forget. As for the man by her side, he smiled as American shores were no more seen, and repeated as if in triumph, A year of travel, and all will be well. A poor man, a man of humble family ! Never ! Even now he pictured to himself his daughter as she graced the ancestral halls of some proud lord. Money will do all things. But if she won ' t forget, — he mused, — time enough to think of that; for she will, she shall. But he forgot at that instant, that long ago when he was poor and unknown, the girl ' s mother had remembered. It was again a dark, cold morning in early spring. The clouds low- ered over Judean hills, and the chill winds gave little promise of birds and flowrers. Helen de Laine shivered as she looked out upon the dreary day.

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To Mr. H. L. Lang, to Mr. Arista Hoge, to Mr. H. D. Murray, and to Mr. Albert Shultz, who kindly offered prizes respedtively, for the best story, the best essay, the best poem, and the best drawing for the Bluestocking of 1903, the editors extend hearty thanks, also to the judges who made the decisions. The prize for the best story, The Son of Ahimiel, was awarded to Miss Mary Eppes Robertson ; for the best essay, The Children ' s Poet, to Miss Cornelia Morgan ; for the best poem, The Presence Invisible, to Miss Blanche Adair ; for the best drawing, the Poster frontispiece, to Miss Mary Virna Colby.

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To-day they left Jerusalem, city of the Most High. Two months they had remained ; she had grown to love some of the scenes around. She would not be sorry, however, to bid farewell to them, for she watched with a feverish restlessness the passing of the days. Each one brought her nearer to her native land and here — there was usually a pause, and with a last thought of that which followed the and, she descended to greet her father and his friends. Each of the party had some favorite spot he wished to visit in the short time remaining before they left the city, and Helen was no exception. Her plan was quite different from that of her father ; however, against his better judgment, she was permitted to set out accompanied by an old gentleman of the party, who agreed to rejoin the rest at a certain gate of the city. With her went the most trusted of the guides, an old Jew, who had been in their employment ever since their arrival. In spite of the day, Jerusalem was crowded, the narrow streets were filled with throngs of restless, hurrying humanity. In such a crowd it was easy to lose sight of one ' s friends, and Helen, absorbed in her own thoughts, did not notice much her surroundings. At every step the street grew narrower and more noisy, and with a start, she looked A ' i around her. Her companion was no where to be seen, only the guide was there, and the place was one of which she knew nothing. The old man assured her that it was of little use to go back. Near by was a small gate, not the appointed one ; but by a certain path outside the walls, the guide informed her, the other could be easily reached. The road was one seemingly little used, but the old man had been always faithful and she suspe 5 ed no harm. At every step it seemed to grow more lonely and after a short time no signs of travel were seen. A sudden fear seized upon the girl. We are leaving the city far behind, she exclaimed. Turn back at once ! There is nothing the matter, young lady, assured the old man. This is only a different vay. But the girl was not to be deceived. In vain she threatened, com- manded, then pleaded. The man kept obstinately on.