Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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6 THE MISSILE. Hamilton was interrupted. A slim girlish figure stood up in the rear of the room. It was Jane Wilson. Staring through the window, then turning to the teacher, she spoke: “Mr. Hamilton is innocent, sir; I put the paper on his desk.” “Miss Wilson, no, you ” Hamilton was again interrupted, this time by the prin- cipal, who ordered Jane Wilson to his office. Everyone was amazed at the girl. To think that a girl like Jane Wilson would help Arthur Hamilton to cheat. It seemed impossible. She walked down the aisle, and casting a pleading look at Hamilton, closed the door. “Does he appreciate this?” she thought to herself. Something seemed to tell her, “Yes.” This was sufficient. The prin- cipal, enraged, seated her, and began his lecture regard- ing her act. In his room Hamilton was miserable, “The girl shall not stand for it. Even if I am a coward, there’s too much manliness in me to let a girl shelter my sin .” At this thought, without hesitation, he advanced from his desk and walked out of the room, “Do you realize the significance of your act?” the prin- cipal said to Jane Wilson, who was seated before him. “Do you know what you have done?” Jane Wilson did not speak. Every word seemed like the roar of a cannon, beating against her brain. At that moment the door opened, and Arthur Hamil- ton entered. Pale, his face drawn, he looked first at the girl and then at the principal. The words seemed to be forced, but he meant them from his heart. “Miss Wilson is innocent, sir; she did this to protect me, but there is too much of a gentleman’s spirit in me

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THE MISSILE. 5 and not cheat?” Did the thought cross his mind that every act weaves the threads of his future character ? Did he think that each evil deed finds its way to the Ruler of Heaven and casts a darker shadow upon his soul for- ever? Did he realize that “in manhood’s morning, when the shadows are still falling toward the west,” is when the foundation of character is laid ? Thoughts of his sin did come to him. If caught, he would be expelled in dis- grace; no one would recognize him; he would be scorned by all; his life would be a living death. He glanced around guiltily and met the drawn face of Jane Wilson, but quickly looked away, not being able to face her. Again he extended his hand toward the blue paper — again he hesitated. Then with a sudden grasp he seized it and drew it nearer. As a miser grasps his long-saved coin, he seized the rough notes and glanced around to see if any one was watching him. It was now too late. Mr, Huff, the teacher of history, was coming to his desk. “What have you in your hand, sir ?” he demanded in a stern voice. All eyes were upon Hamilton, expecting a crisis. He sank back into his seat, the pencil dropped from his hand, he could not answer. “What is that paper?” again demanded the teacher, now growing indignant. Upon seeing that Hamilton would not speak, he tore it from his hand and carefully examined its contents. His face darkened, and shaking his finger in rage, he ex- claimed: — “Is this your paper? Answer me; where did you get it?” €j »»

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THE MISSILE. 7 to allow this, and I beg you to dismiss Miss Wilson and punish me.” A smile curled on the principal’s lips. He looked at one and then the other. Drawing his hand across his forehead, he said; “Young man, you have had a lesson to-day from this young lady which will make you feel the despicableness of your sin far more than any punishment I can inflict. You have shown by your unwillingness to let her suffer for you that the instinct of manliness is in you. Believing that this will be a lesson for you, I am going to dismiss you without further punishment. Now you may both go.’’ Each heaved a sigh of relief, and each bowed stiffly. Slowly they left the office and disappeared around the corner of the hall. For some time they did not speak. Finally the young girl said in a soft voice; ‘‘Would you cheat again, Mr. Arthur?” “Never, Jane,” he answered, as a tear rolled down his cheek. Meyer Lavenstien, ’i6. It is not the breakers that cause a fellow to go broke at the seashore. Mr. Cobb recently married Miss Webb. He knew he had found the right one as soon as he spider. TOUCHING. Spinster — Why can’t women have trousers pockets into which to put their hands ?J Bachelor — They have — the married ones I mean.