Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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8 THE MISSILE. IHE MISSION OF FLOWERS. AVE you ever noticed how some people al- I [ ways ascribe a profit-making or selfish mo- 1 I live to every action? Well, old Mr. Ed- wards was just that sort of man. Tell him anything that any one had done, and he would give a short, unpleasant laugh and say, “Yes, and she got so-and-so for it;” or “Surely any one would if he got paid enough.” Such was his philosophy of life. Long years of confinement to a rolling-chair had made him a cynic. He believed that no one ever had any ob- ject in view but his own advancement; and as for doing anything out of pure love of doing it, — why, the idea ! He had never heard of nor seen such a thing. So when the society was formed to clean up the town, and get each citizen to beautify his own grounds, and Barbara Crewe undertook to see Mr. Edwards about his yard, she realized she had undertaken no easy job. How- ever, she had taken a fancy to old Jim Edwards — why, she first became acquainted with him in her childhood; and he, in turn, had liked her and had made her his fa- vorite; so she trusted to a certain amount of freedom she might take with him with impunity. When she reached the old, rambling house in its refuse- scattered yard, she ran quickly up the steps and knocked on the door. Juggins, the only servant the old man would have, answered the knock after he had ambled up the steps from the basement, and Barbara was asked into Mr. Edwards’s room. He seemed pleased to see her, to tell the truth, and looked far more pleasant than usual. But

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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.

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THE MISSILE. d when he was told of the plan to beautify the city, he im- mediately raised some objections. Then, “See here, Bobby, why don’t you do it yourself, if you’re so anxious about it? I’ll give ten dollars. Let’s see how much you can do with it.” So the next day saw a man in the yard cleaning up. Later, Barbara had flower beds marked off and the whole yard prepared for the reception of the seeds. She plant- ed seeds in all the beds and plants in a few. There were all manner of sweet, old-fashioned flowers — pinks, sweet Williams, bleeding hearts, phlox, heliotrope, mignonette, and columbines were put near posts, and some quick- growing vines in a trellis before the porch. All through the growing months the flowers were tended faithfully. But not once did the girl outside see the old face inside watching her, with Juggins near by instantly to remove him if Barbara looked up. By summer the place was a mass of bloom and beauty. The grass-plots were fresh and green and well mowed, and the flowers were in bloom. The place reminded him of a time when he was young and handsome and well, and he had had a companion in the old house, — the girl, his wife, who had died so youngi He felt very much softened and saddened by his memories, and welcomed a step in the hall which he recognized as Barbara’s. They talked for a while; then, after a short silence, Mr, Edwards said: “Barbara, you said last winter that it would do me good to have flowers around. You were right. And more, they have shown me something I never re- member seeing before, — some one trying to help some one else, without helping herself one bit in doing it: and — ’’ “But it did help me, Mr. Edwards !” exclaimed the girl.