Massachusetts College of Art and Design - Palette and Pen Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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The Final Touch “Getting handsomer not?” I long to go within to see accumulation of handsomeness. We continue to lend ears. “Cut out masses,” I hear said. “Her head and feet are entirely off. You must separate bone from flesh on long line. Cut off whole arm and push nose forward. Improved, isn’t it?” “Ancestral shadows,” roar I in whisper, “is this torture chamber?” “Life Room,” she gulp sardonically. I gallop madly to door six feet off down hall and am about to precipitate self thru when female’s voice floats forth in torrent. “Block it in ! Sharpen charcoal to wavering knife edge and cut out masses. Take that head off and start over again on other side. Block it out!” “If she teach horrors like that,” I expectorate with spine freeze up and down in turns. “How she come forth yet alive?” I listen exhuberantly for answer with eyes popped. Green one laugh. “Inmates too paralytic with fear.” She shudder convincingly. We enter big hall, I still glancing over backwards at murmurs. Man in front lectures with hands, face and self, as usual, to mob of three victims. Pieces of board in front have crazy color and crazy shape on. I shake head knowingly. “Come Sunnymong?” request man waving hands near chest? I advance, but advise that not my appelation. He take off small windows from bridge of nose and scratch head. Returns glass windows to face and looks at crazy piece of board. “Your gesture are wooden and your face a horror !” he hiss with chin pro- truding. I look in wrath at him. “It best face I got,” I vituperate proudly and stalk forth from room. We now meet sweet lady with grey hair. “That most unfortunate,” she soothe nicely. I feel better for just to see her and think place not perhaps so crazy as for- merly. Then other right honorable genial lady approaches, smiling at corner of mouth and eyes and wflth brisk step. I wish to tell her my suspicion trouble to once but feel retiring and cease. “She Whittier,” say Green One. “I think she look it,” I conciliate believingly. We stand on landing and thru door I see blue smocks around table eating and talking to lady. “They feed here?” I say askingly. “True,” reinform interpolater. “That is tea for Miss Cleaves, lecturer on superprevention.” I again feel school not quite right ’cause Japanese tea never dark red. W ' e journey again down dark hall by torture rooms and up metal stairs. Enter what I grasp for junk shop. Many ladies petticoat on wall behind red 20

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The Center of Vision “You extricate self in here?” request young Eve. I ruminate reflectingly but see row of heads hanging with no life. I receive more confirmation of wild sus- picion. I retreat upward followed by guide. I enter other room and again retreat backward in haste. Guide puzzled. “This bluebeard room, too ?” I demand with sheet-like facial coloring. Sweet face lady come forth assuringly. “You come to gaze on block head class?” she request to know with head on one side smilingly. I almost enter but feel for neck and wildly retire. When green smock catch up with me I have almost reached door of loud noise room. I get glimpse of within and allow self to be led away. I have one idea now within dome, and that exit from this crazy place ; but maiden lose my sense of direction for me and I follow after. We appear in beautifully decorated room with pictures all over. Eyeglassed young man step up with clasped hands. “What I do for you,” he request politely expressing talk somewhat thru nose. “We peek in school over,” fling back my interloper. “This way, please,” say young fellow. He pick up picture. “This one perfect stunner, this one corking in exquisite finish.” I nod un- knowingly what is meant. “This one I throw up on larger paper.” I receive shock as we send steps toward outside. “That harsh treatment.” I apologize blushingly to maiden. She look blank. We stop at other door and peer thru glass. “We m ust refuse to enter,” say Green One in stage whisper. “There is lec- ture by George in there.” I peek again twice. Artistic looking man talk earnestly with hands, face and self besides lips. I remember others in building do likewise and not amazed. Many persons of youth in Quaker like smocks and others sit hj-pnotically gazing. Peacock sit on box also with stony stare and much stuffed. “Do that man lure many poor stude every year like that ?” I make talk piti- fully. “Remarkably for sure,” she parley with no pity in least. “Honorable George frown on entries after lecture get under going,” she explain sorrowfully. “Alore good,” I snigger. “I desire not to cause crossness of no inmate in this asylum.” I report grandly and leave for door. As we direct shoes toward stairs I glance into room where pretty girl talks interestingly with others. “That is teacher of how to decorate exteriorly,” explain girl guide. “She beside ?” I mourn with cracked heart. “Impossible she affected also !” I go upstairs with heart left behind. We listen at door which is bolted. “Only way to get it, isn’t it ?” say manly bass voice with hesitation now and then. 19

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The Center of Vision pepper and glass jugs. Again are victims talked at by gesticulating overseer. “IMake punishment fit wrong-doing,” he sing-song. He pull girl smock near ofi ' and finally get her ten feet from canvas. “Paint it from here,” he exasperate. “Don’t eat group with nose. What breakfast food you eat huh ?” he request another. I decide that too intimate topic of conversing and frown reproving. “Turn a handspring,” he rage “Drink a water. Out damn spot.” (I close ears shockingly and edge toward door.) “Why make Homer look like Ash can!” he glare. He tear what hair he capture on head and stamp round looking heavenward. I decide that nearer roof we get, worse they are. “Go get another eye ! take the air !” he bellow. I decide cool air is outside and rush to take same. Green guide grab coat tails and haul my person back. “This is Miss Flint room.” I take good look and shriek at sight of bodies standing without head on neck. I realize in wave that this is body store-room for heads in first floor work room. I tear away leave coat tails behind. With rush- ing down three flight of stairway and trips down other rest of them, I land on ground floor ; and under that I dash thru dark holes and bump on green boxes set upright with clanging, I fly half way in other underground torture chamber. Harmless looking man is pounding life out of unseen object. “I receive idea,” I hear him expatiate but rush back imagining all things. I find hall of entrance and see outer lightness, when pleasent but firm face confronts me standing. “How you wander in this place without knowing me ?” she question drasticly. “I know sufficient and wish to e.xit hastily,” I inform histonically. She gaze with no words thinkingly for instant. “No outsider wanders thru building unattached,” she informingly snuggest. “Outsider desiring life wouldn’t I” I ejaculate pertly and dash past out door. Sound of gong gives new impetus to my body and I land up sideway on pavement. After counting stars I rise and meander curvingly down street. L ntil now my fingertips contain to much shiver to use pen. Recently I be- come less like shimmy expert and think more straight. I have decision that your school is dippy place within four walls. IMy suspicion are based on evidence of circumstantiality and with all honorable respect to school I deduct that school may be harmless but not quite right inside skull. Hoping your are same, I decide to remain, Stude Dakta. Mr. Andrew to Students — Until the examination begins, I should advise you all to go off somewhere in a corner and look over your anatomy. 21