Mountain View Union High School - Blue and Gray Yearbook (Mountain View, CA)

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22 Bl.ri ' ; AND CRAY ■ ' . (i v you look lu-rc. dciiiaiRk ' d llic editor, impatiently. You ' re intending to make cartooning your career, aren ' t you? Certainly. And I ' m to l)e thorough; no haphazardnes.s. A cartoonist must l)c good. Ah. that ' s e. actly the point. Wiuit would you thiid of a cai ' - peiitel- who spent the hest pai ' t of tlii ' day in drawing | laiis when iu ' couldn ' t skillfully use his tools ' I ' d say he was an idiot. Exactly. And that ' s exactly the impression you ' ve made upon nu ' . Here you are planning a career before you know the first lessons in Life. You ' ve an excellent education hut no experience, not the least sense of ordinaiy judgment. Your meaning is vague, Sir. Well. I can ' t make it any jiiainer unless you say that you don ' t really know Life as it is. Your mind is narrow. You ' ve tiiought of nothing hut what concerned your personally. What you need is to broaden your knowledge, to know a little of every- thing. Your drawings show your lack of knowledge of human na- ture. They ' re mechanical, they do not reflect the work of one who l)uts his soul into it; they even advertise your lack of nnderstaml- ing. What you need is a knowledge of human nature. You sliould know people, people in every walk of life; get their ideas, their views ; know their desires, pleasures, emotions ; make acquaintances and, above all, cultivate that self-magnetism which captivates the friendship of those who know life as it is, who ' ve felt its knocks and ac((uired their knowledge thi ' ough bitter or sweet experience. Learn of the woi ' ld and in so doing learn of its people, — the farmer, doctor, drummer, pugilist, school teacher; learn their views. I5e a good listener and they ' ll reveal their inner selves to you. To and they ' ll love you. Encourage them to talk — listen to their tales of woe — you ' re the gainer. I always did make acquaintances easily, protested the artist. Certainly at college. But look at this stout Dutchman puf- fing and panting along. How would vou start a conversation with him? Why T — T wouldn ' t want to talk with him; liut if necessary 1 should speak of — of the Aveather and — eventually offer him a cigar. Ah ! T knew it. You don ' t understand people. Whoever heard of a Dutchman smoking anything liut a pipe. Now here is an excel- lent chance to begin. Start a conversation with any one who is dif- ferent from vou. You ' ll never be a popular cartoonist unless vou do. T was (|uite popular at college. Yes — where every one knew vou ]iersonally. You were an athlete, reminded the assistant. Athletes are always jiojiular. And what resjiect do you expect to gain from the world at large .iust because you are athletic? demanded the editor. Do you think mere endurance in a mile race will gain popu- larity? Why, man. a jackass has endurance. Ts a .jackass to be re- spected? No — but his heels are. not his personality. By Jove, Martin, T believe you are right. 1 know I ' m right. Begin now. It ' s half a man ' s education

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BLUE AXD GRAY 21 of genius. However, we expect far l)etter and more polished stoi ' ies from you in the near future and, to liasten the improvement, we enclose a ticket and a cheek which will cover expenses for an ex- tended ocean trip, which we are certain will greatly lu ' oaden your now excellent knowledge of fiction. We remain yours ever — both in business and in friendship. The Editors. P. y. We hope your next works will l)e romantic, the underly- ing theme being love . T. E. Twas dusk upon the walers. Cape l ' lanco s light house had just begun to twinkle, ])ithling farewell to the soutlibound vessel. All about the decks lounged the jiassengers on this sultry evening, an evening early in fall. Lovers strolled casually along with senti- mental gazes directed toward each other. Hilent, comfortiible look- ing gentlemen puffed contentedly at their pipes. An aged, grey- haired couple, smiles in placid silence. Yet among this peacefulness and piietude two men, one ith temples touched with gray, the other young and business-like, talked in earnest tones, unappreci- ative of the beauty of the scene. We 11 introduce your friend Arthur to Jane, suggested the elder, and we 11 see to it that (Jenevieve is so entertained that she won t hinder the develo|)ment of their acquaintance. ' The younger gentleiium assented with a noil. Hut first we must get Arthur in a eoi ' uer and have a serious talk Mith him. Tell him of — Oh, yes, 1 understand, ' interrui)ted the elder. Here he comes now. Leave the talking to me. A third party approached. He was of medium height, notice- ably broad. His first characteristic which would command the at- tention of the casual observer was the dreamy, far-away expression of his eyes and the sad drooping of his mouth. Yet his step was decisive, his walk athletic. Do you know, said he, there is nothing like an ocean trip to stimulate one s artistic sentiments. 1 have already at least a dozen ideas for both pictures and political cartoons. ' 1 certainly agi ' ee with you. Art, assented the younger num. What do you think, Mr. Martin? Well, to tell the truth, Arthur, I don t go much on this ' artistic sentiment business, although 1 do thoroughly believe that an ocean trip is exceedingly helpful to an artist and even more so to a per- son interested in literature. In fact I happen to know of a young lady accomi)anied by her sister who is making this trip in order that she may thoroughly fit herself for the world of fiction. 1 should like you to meet the ladies. They are personal fi ' iends of mine. Nix on that acquaintance business. I want solitude. Tve a purpose in mind and have no intention of wasting my time making lady acquaintances. ' You ' ll like em Art, ' assured the editoi ' . Ask 8aiiiurl. I don t think inui-ii of Sam s judgments on such iiialtcrs. Sam 11 fall for anything cute in iietticoats. They ' ere both snuirt girls, said the assistant. Xone of that liuttei ' fly life for me. I ' x ' e got a pur|iose and T can carry it out onlv in solitude.

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BLUE AND GRAY 23 can start you in hy introducing you to the ladies whom I men- tioned. They are probably in tiie l)all room; the music has liegun. Xow. tlien, a few pointers. Flattery, in a good many instances, is an excellent helj). To demonstrate I ' ll instruct you and Sam what to do. Xow Sam is ([uite handy as a talker, so I ' ll have him break the ice. The elder girl is the one with whom you should talk; she is an authoress — in a different line from you. She doesn ' t dance, yet she would blush with pleasure if she were asked. Sam, you ask her to dance after you inti ' oduce Arthni ' , just to show what flattery will do. Understand? We understand, and the trio left for the l)all room. The editor looked intei ' estcdiy on as the two younger men pro- ceeded toward the ladies. Gee! The younger one is a peach, exclaimed the artist in an undertone. Why in the dickens doesn ' t she write? Never mind the looks, mind the intellect. Ah! Good evening. Ladies. Good evening, Mr. JIartin, they smiled. I should like to acquaint you with a college friend, Mr. Arthur Collins. Collins, Misses Jane and Genevieve Hooper. The usual light just-after-acquaintance-remarks followed, such as concerning the weather, trip, and the delightfulness of — etc. The assistant glanced concernedly at his companion, who was making poor progress with conversation with Miss Jane. Miss Jane, said lie imploringly, may I enjoy one of the profoundest of pleasures — that of dancing with you ' ? ' ' To his unspeakable embarrassment and amazement slie nodded delightedly, rose and began tapping her foot in time with the rliytlniuc music. She took his arm and assurance that he felt faint ;ind dizzy in spite of his healthy robust youth. Filled with anger, disgn.st, and embarrassment he took her, as soon as he could courteously do so, to her seat. To his further humiliation his friend and Jliss Genevieve had gone to the deck. An hour later, tilled with I ' emorse, he left hei ' and went to his state room, which he and his uncle had shared together. I thot you said Jliss Jane di ln ' t dance, he accused his uncle. She didn ' t, when T saw her last. Then sarcastically, but Geniis learn quickly. ' Twas early the following moi-ning that the worried artist con- fronted the assistant editor. I thought your uncle said Miss Jane didn ' t dance? She didn ' t, but Geniis learn quickly. T thought you didn ' t dance. I ' ve heard you say it was a waste of time. I learned exceptionally (piickly. l y Jove! old iiuin, maybe — maybe I ' m a — Collins, you ' re an ass, a pei ' fect ass. I wanted you to talk with Miss Jane. But you said she was an authoress. That ' s too nearly like me because I, too, am interested in literature. I was following your uncle ' s advice and acquainting myself with the views —