Park City High School - Kalendar Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

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plained why she had come alone, her plan to take Tom's place and expressed her apprehensions on the subject. Uncle Markie looked at her with admiration. You are a brick, he ejaculated. Bat Uncle Markie, said Joyce, I will have to have my hair cut. Not on your life, girlie. I have a plan. llWhat?77 Why, I had an English soldier suit made for Tom and you shall have it. You can put your hair into the cap. HUncle Markie, I'm going to practice every minute now. Isn't it a shame that some of the children who Were to take parts have typhoid? You had better rest some. You 'll be sick yourself. After all is over, not until then. At last the night came and Uncle Markie had a cab called to take Joyce to Madison Square Garden. No one noticed the cloaked figure go into the side entrance. Joyce waited patiently while one after another of the boys and girls went forward to speak. Soon it would be her turn. How her heart thumped- Woiild it burst? . There was one in the audience who had a guilty conscience. Tom had come up with Jack Bradley. Had the people crossed out his name? H'e was soon to find out. The curtain was down and the band was playing. Suddenly the curtain rose. There stood an English soilder. Jack nudged Tom and pointed to the programs which had been put upon each side of the stage. The boards bore in large letters: Charge of the Light Brigade -Thomas Linden. Half a league, half a league, half a league onward, How the words rang! The house was hushed instantly. Tom gasped and looked at Jack and Jack looked at Tom. The soldier whip- ped out ra sword an-d waving it shouted: Flashed all their sabres bare, Flashed as they turned in air, Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wondered 3 Plunged in the battery smoke Right through the line they broke, Cassock and Russian Reel 'd from the sabre stroke Shattered and sunder'd, Then they came back, but not Not the six hundred. 51

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always lived. The two children had studied together under the supervision of Rev. Guy Heins, the pastor of the one small church in the town. Joyce had always wished that Tom might go abroad: here was his chance and if possible, she must make him go. About an hour ofter Joyce's departure she came 'cramping back. Tom looked up at her as she shook the snow from her coat, then she held up an envelope for him to see. . Look at this, she said, with a note of triumph. Who's it from? Aunt Elisabeth. And, Oh Tom! she has asked us to visit her for two weeks. We 'll be up there in time for the entertain- ment. I thought she was in California. No! no! and Uncle Markie is home again too. Won't it be fun to see New York? And Joyce jumped up and flung her arms about TOlII1,1S neck. , It was the night before the day to start. Joyce had her clothes laid about on chairs, tables and even her bed. Suddenly the bed-room door opened and Tom stood in the door-way. Joyce looked up, laughing from a pile of clothes 'on the floor. Sis announced Tom, I'm not going. Why, Tom! Now, don't argue sis, there's no use I've been talking about it to Jack Bradley and I've decided that its useless. I can't do it.', Hang Jack Bradley, sobbed Joyce, What does he know about it? Brer, you must. I'm not going to do it, and I'm not going to Aunt Elisa- beth 'sf' Joyce threw herself across the bed and sobbed as though her heart would break. Tom left the room and Joyce soon heard the front door slam. The little girl on the bed did not sob long for soon she sat up erect -and said aloud while her face grew determined. Tom Linden, if you don 't, I will. Your name is on that program and it can 't be changed now. Then Joyce got her book of poems and set to work. All night long the light burned. When Joyce locked her suit-case next morning Tom was nowhere about, so she gave her suit-case to the express man and went down fto the depot. All day fan-d all night the train rum- bled hong and it seemed to one 1-ititle passenger that the journey would never end, Uncle Markie was waiting at the ferry on the New Jersey side. On the way across the Hudson Joyce ex- 50

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Still the -clear voice rang on, not a break not a falter, and the last lines were best of all. When shall their glory fade? Oh the wild charge they made! All the world wonder'd. Honor the charge they made! Hfonor the Light Brigade, P Noble six-hundred! There was a deafening applause when the curtain went down. Nor would it stop. The dean of Columbia stepped up to Joyce. They are clapping you back, he said. Once more the curtain rose. Joyce stepped forward. Then that clear voice again filled the building. There was no wavering, straight through the poem the voice went on steadily. When Joyce reached the street her Uncle Markie was Waiting for her. After they were safe in the cab Joyce said faintly, ' ' I 'm so tired, Uncle Mark. On arriving at the house Aunt Elisa- beth helped Joyce out of the clothes. But she could not sleep, instead she tossed about until Aunt Elisabeth came into her room. Aunt Elisabeth did not stay long but went out hastily and Joyce heard the telephone bell ring. The next thing Joyce knew the doctor was bending over her, then she lost conscious- ness. Tom, thoroughly ashamed, went at length to beg Joyce 's 'pardon for the way he had acted. When he reached his Uncle 's house he heard that Joyce had been unconscious for three days. What is the matter? he asked. Typhoid, said his Uncle shortly. For three weeks Joyce 's life hung in a balance but at last the crisis came. Tom begged to be allowed to watch it through. The physician was doubtful. Without waiting for an answer Tom went into the sick room. He dropped on his knees beside the bed. Sister, he moaned, my little sister. Joyce smiled wanly. Don't, oh! don't leave me, little sister. Why, Brer, she said, I'm going to see you take your course abroad. And the crisis was over, the scales had dropped on the life side. Ada McAlpine, '10, 52