Northern Arizona State Teachers College - La Cuesta Yearbook (Flagstaff, AZ)

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Ora and Mary were room-mates, and had been chums for three years now. As Juniors and Seniors in high school they had hved just across the hall from each other, and they and each of their room-mates had been close fi ' iends. When they had graduated from high school Mary and Ora were the only ones of the four who came back to go to Normal. In high school they had been a lively, almost mischievous crowd of girls, but the matron had been very fond of them as they were of her, hence their conduct had never terminated in anything serious despite the great number of misdemeanors they were guilty of. But under the new regime things hadn ' t gone so smoothly. The matron considered she was dealing with Nor- mal students, but Ora and Mary were still just high school girls in their actions. First, they had had a celebration in their room because they all had dates for the opening dance of the season, and someone had spilled cocoa on the bed. This of course was discovered by the matron, who reprimanded them. Later on they had forgotten the affair and were mak- ing fudge on the hot jjlate during study hour. After two or three times they blew out the fuse and were discovered again. This time the campus for a week had broken them of the habit though they still had their appetite for fudge. Ora was more thoughtful and less impulsive than Mary, this preventing several catastrophes that would have befallen them if Mary ' s impulsiveness had not been curbed. But lately Mary had become so fond of the boys that she had become careless. Twice she had come home so late that the dormitory was locked and lights out. Then too, the matron had con- tinually reprimanded her for being so noisy, for leaving her things weeks at a time in the laundry, and for her conduct in general. Antagonism had seemed to grow between them. The last time the matron had spoken to her for being late and taken away a free night she had felt rebellious and hateful about it, and remarked to Ora about it, There ' s more than one way of getting into this place: next time I bet I don ' t disturb her. And now apparently that was what she had done and the offense would of course be considered more seriously. Despite Mary ' s impulsiveness and carelessness she was a loveable girl, there being no one on the campus who was loved more. With the girls and boys she was a favorite and some- how managed to win the affections of the teachers, though she didn ' t concern herself very much about lessons. To Ora she was everything, and she would sooner have taken the blame for everything Mary did than lose her. She could hard- ly stand to think of being in school without Mary. There was no one else she wanted as a room-mate, and to be alone would make her miss her more than ever. She also thought of the disgrace it meant to Mary. She knew her well enough to un- derstand that she was sensitive underneath all her vivacity; though her defiance would make her pretend otherwise, being expelled would hurt her keenly. She was thinking about all these things as she went to her breakfast. The girls were all at her table waiting for her. They had heard the rumor and knew from Ora ' s face that it must all be true. Of course the escapade was the topic of con-

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Tlie Domltory Reprobate Hv LA ()N IIOVT S she entered the matron ' s room, Ora noticed a flower pot containing some beautiful, full blown daffodils. They caused her to banish completely the idea of taking the blame for the escapade that had occurred the night before. To her, they were heralds of the wami spring days replacing the blu-ster and rain that February had finally taken away. For a few moments, as she looked out of the window at the blue green lawn, at the straightening blades, she enjoyed and an- ticipated the hikes they had planned for the season. As Ora turned from the window the matron was looking searchingly at her, Ora almost felt the matron had read her thoughts. Miss Williams offered a chair to Ora and then sitting down at her desk in her dignified, matronly way opened the interview. I suppose you know why I called you in this morning. I want you to tell me what you know about last night. Ora hesitated for just a moment; she almost wished she could say that she had been in to it. But she decided the truth would serve just as well. Really, Miss Williams, I don ' t know anything about it. Only a few moments ago Iva showed me where the screen had been taken off. What time did you come in? It was only ten-thirty when Iva, Ruth, Fay and I got home. You don ' t mention Mary. No, Mary wasn ' t with us. Was she already here? No, she came in after I was in bed. No ma ' am, I didn ' t look at my watch and she didn ' t tell me how she got in. Then there is no doubt in my mind that she was the one who came in through the laundry window. I ' m sorry, it means she will have to leave. I ' ll see Dr. Morris this morning before I say anything to her. You can go now. Ora left the room thoughtfully and went toward her room, her heart as heavy as lead. Mary was still sleeping soundly, and Ora didn ' t have the heart to waken her. She felt almost as if she had been untrue to Mary instead of having told the truth as she knew it. She took her books and slip]K ' d out of the rcK)m without disturbing Mary.

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versation during the meal and one of the girls said that she had seen from her window two people trying to get a screen off a window at the opposite hall, but whoever it was had ap- parently given it up or gone to a window that she could not see. Ora decided from this that Mary ' s friend had been an accomplice and funiished the key that let her into the main hall from the laundry. The night before Zoe and the girls who had been to a show came in just as it was time to close the doors and she had gone to her room and found that Mary was not there. She knew that she would be locked out. Ora went to bed but kept keenly alert for someone to ring the door bell but no one did. Then after she felt she could endure the suspense no longer she had slipped on her kimono and slippers and gone down the hall. Just as she reached the top of the staii-s she heard someone coming up from the laundry. It was easy to tell that it was stocking feet, and in just a few moments she was facing the adventurous looking Mary with her coat over her arm, her shoes in one hand and her hat in the other. Mary greeted her, Hello, kid, gee this is thrilling. Ora only mumbled something about she supposed it would be and went ahead of her reprobate room-mate to their room. Mary stopped at the window for a moment as if she ere listening for someone and then pointed to two figures going toward the boys ' domiitory. Now how do you suppose they are going to get in there? Ora ' s only reply was, Well I don ' t care whether they get in there or not. Mary retorted, Well, you ' re sure on a grouch, I had some- thing real thrilling to tell you, but it can just wait till you ' re in a better mood. You ' ll know all about it tomorrow anyway, but if you ' d treat your old side kick half way white you could know all about it tonight. Now don ' t start coaxing or I ' ll shut up like a clam. They both lay in bed for a long while. Each knew the other was awake. Ora was conscious that Mary buried her head in the pillow occasionally as if to smother a laugh, and appeared to tingle with something that was pleasing her immensely ; how she could enjoy the adventure so much without sensing the predicament she had placed herself in was more than Ora could solve. She was almost disgusted with her taking such a delight in doing forbidden things. At last Mary broke the silence with, Honest, kid, if you coax me a little bit I ' ll tell you all about it. Ora was exas- perated. You ' ll keep it to yourself a long time if you wait till I ask you about it. She heard Mary giggle a little, and then she turned over, and said: Pepsin gum aids digestion, or have you just got the gout? Nothing more was said, and after a while both girls fell asleep. Ora was awakened by the six o ' clock bell. She got up and was ready to go to breakfast without disturbing Mary. E i K h t y - O n ?