Mineral Ridge High School - Ridge Yearbook (Mineral Ridge, OH)

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-.-I gg gg I my S, lima THE RIDGE MIRROR - - - iezsw THE SECRET Majel, Phillis, and Donald, children of a Los Angeles merchant, lVIr.Thomas Day, are spending the summer in Mexico with an old nurse, when they received word that their mother has been injured in an accident. The children return home at once. lVlrs. Day knowing that her condition is fatal. calls Donald, the oldest of the children to her. and reveals to him a great secret which he is not to tell until a certain time. When Donald is twenty-one he goes to New York on business. Three months later he receives a telegram to return, that his father has suddenly died. Donald returns home for his father's funeral, but has to return to New York immedi- ately on important business. leaving the girls alone. Six months later, the girls are surprised to receive a telegram signed Dad. telling them to leave at once for New York. Majel always ready for adventure, persuades Phyllis to go, and the girls leave for New York on the Latania. Oh, but life is delicious, sighed Majel as she sank down on the deep divan in the state-room that she and her sister Phyllis were to occupy during their journey east by steamer. Yes, remarked Phyllis dryly, life at present is wonderful. but I am worried about what we are going to get into when we reach New York. Remember these are not meant to be our tickets! Well as they are round-trip tickets, why should we worry, asked lilajel gayly9 I for one am going to bed. Want to come along? An hour later when lVIajel was sleeping, Phyllis sank down in an easy chair. Pulling a paper out of her handbag. she again read the telegram which she had received the day before. Aster Hotel, New York City. N. Y. July 8, 1927 Phyllis: Discharge servants, lock house, you and Majel take Latania tomorrow for New York. Will meet you on deck with good news. Sending tickets. Dad. That man is a wonderful Dad even though he doesn't belong to us, sighed Phyllis, but why worry, maybe to-morrow we shall be able to clear up the mystery. But the mystery was not cleared up the next day or the next. Meanwhile Majel and Phyllis made many friends on the steamer. The evenings were especially enjoyable to them as there was always dancing in the great ball-room. One .evening after all the people of the better class were gathered in the ball-room. a butler appeared in the door-way and announced, 'iThe Senora, and the Senoritaf' He departed and there appeared on the threshold the beautiful Senora and her daughter. The captain immediately came forward and greeted them, then led them away t.o his circle of friends. Majel and Phyllis being among them. After all were introduced, the Senora, going over to Majel, exclaimed. My dear I am sure that we are going to be friends, for I notice that you are also Spanish. Majel looked up in surprise and replied, You are mistaken Senora, I am not Spanish, my mother and father were both Americans. Fnlfly-five

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fy 1928 THE RIDGE MIRROR 192819 -j The Senora begged her pardon for the mistake and hastened away muttering to herself that the name and also the features were Spanish. Far into the night Majel pondered over this remark. What made her look like a Spaniard? Her father and her mother had had light hair and both were plain featured. She was thankful however that someone else looked like her, and that was Donald. They looked exactly alike and were often taken for Spaniards. After this the Senora and her daughter became fast friends of the girls, and evenings would often find the friends together in one or the other of their state-rooms. One evening after the Senora and Henrietta left the girls room Majel caught sight of a paper lying on the floor. Unfolding it she read: Aster Hotel, New York City, N. Y. July 8, 1927 Mother: Leave on the first steamer, the Latania. Will meet you with good news. Sending tickets. Dad. Majel, screamed Phyllis, bring that telegram here. Can't you see that it is from the same person ours was from? Look, isn't it? Just then a wild rush was heard outside and a porter thrust his head in the door-way saying, Statue of Liberty . Immediately both girls were among the cheering throng. The watchers stayed on deck during the trip from the Statue to the harbor, where half of the passengers departed and more arrived, followed by trunks and other baggage. I guess we are supposed to stay here and meet Dad, laughed Majel, I wonder what he will look like? Majel , cried Phyllis, I cannot stand this suspense, I am going to my room. You meet that man and have things explained before you dare come in. Majel reached the other side of the steamer just as the gangplank was being raised. Glancing around but not seeing anyone, she started for the state-room when she suddenly heard someone calling, turning she bumped into her brother Donald. Embracing him she cried, Don, how did you get here and where-- Just a minute dear, stay here until I find mother, and with that he left her. Majel sank down in the nearest chair in a daze and thought about the mysterious happenings of the day. Five minutes later she returned to the state-room and told Phyllis what she had learned. Suddenly a loud knock was heard at the door and opening it, Majel came face with Donald, the Senora and Henrietta. Donald noticing the puzzled look on the faces of both girls told them to sit down and he would tell them the secret which his mother had confided to him. Girls began Donald, I am glad that you received my telegram in time to meet the But, interrupted Majel, that telegram was signed Dad. Well of all things, exclamed Donald, is that what puzzled you? I suppose that the person who took the message, thought when I gave initails as D. A. D. it meant Dad. F i fly-s ix