Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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The Missile 3 she had finished and the next term would find her a stu- dent at some college. Then there would be nothing to enjoy. “If I could only fall in love with some other girl when Sue went away, things wouldn’t be so dull, but never, never could I love another girl as I love her.” Poor Tim, he never al lowed himself to be overcome by his sentiments and strolled along singing gaily, “Her eyes are so blue, Her cheeks so pink, Oh ! How I love Sue You never could think.” The three months passed. Tim, having recovered from his pensive outlook, enjoyed them thoroughly. The time came for Sue to leave, but Tim didn’t let her leave with- out hinting of his sentiments regarding her, not without encouragement on her part. School opened once more with Tim in his last year. He heard from Sue often and loved her as well as ever until — it must be confessed — Roberta Roberts, a pretty orphan girl, came to the school. Oh, he really didn’t love Bert, just liked her; that was why he always walked home with her. She was truly a nice sort of person to talk to. Mr. Rock had liked her when he first saw her. “I never could love her as I do Sue, but really I was silly to say what I did before she left, wasn’t I, Mr. Rock ?” “No, Tim, for my part I love Bert better than I do Sue, but I know you will always love Sue.” But Mr. Rock was not right, for now as commencement time came on again he realized that he would — he be- lieved he would — hate to part with Bert more than he had hated to part with Sue. Was this the right way to treat Sue ? Tim was afraid it wasn’t. And after all did

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2 ' The Missile Jlofap for ®ton. W hen you read a story, do you like to know some- thing of the former life of the hero, something of his character and sentiments before the story began ? Tim’s story is a strange one. He could not remember when he did not live with Mr. Rock, so all that he knew of his past life w r as told him by his old guardian. This story made him feel lonelier each time he heard it. Four- teen years ago, with his parents and his sister, two years younger than himself, he had set sail for America after a trip to Italy for his father’s health. When the ship was about half way across the Atlantic, a terrific storm had arisen and the vessel had sunk. Only two passengers were known to have been saved and these two were picked up by a passing boat. One of them was Mr. Rock and the other was Tim. After sharing so much danger and so much good fortune together Mr. Rock, the owner of mil- lions, would not part with Tim, but had kept and cared for him since then. It had once been reported that one other passenger had been saved, but Mr. Rock never be- lieved this story, perhaps because he wished the story to have no characters other than himself and Tim. Mr. Rock, very proud of his adopted son and companion, en- joyed repeating this story occasionally. On this invigorating summer morning Tim was feeling gloomy when he had every reason to be glad, for the Rockville High School had closed for the session and he would have three months of leisure. But what did he care about that? He would have preferred that the session remained to be gone over. Why? Because then Sue would have one more year at school, and as it was

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4 The Missile Bert care anything for him? No, he didn’t think she did, except as a friend; that’s what worried him. “Well, it’s almost time for Sue to come home. Per- haps when I see the dear girl again I will not be bother- ed with the foolish passion for Bert. I believe I love Bert, but I know I love Sue. Mr. Rock still seems to be trying to influence me in Bert’s favor, but if he troubles me much more with his praises of Bert, I’ll tell him I think he is trying to make her love him instead of me.” Thursday, June 26. Sue has come, and has invited Bert, because she is Tim’s friend, to come with Tim to welcome her home. Tim feels nervous as he prepares to go. What will happen when he sees them together ? The evening passed gloriously, but Tim was uncom- fortable. If he could only tell Sue of his love for Bert he would feel better, for he knew she would be good enough to sacrifice her wishes for his. “Shucks, if she does that, it will only make me love her more, so — ” “Excuse me, my d ear Bert, but really I must admire that quaint trinket you are wearing around your neck.” Sue had fortunately interrupted Tim’s sober thoughts by addressing the words to Bert, to which Bert replied: “My locket has a queer story, shall I tell it? I have never felt that is was true. They say my father and mother were lost in a ship wreck returning from Italy. I have been told that I had a brother who was saved, but I fear this is not true, and can only wish it were. I have a picture supposed to be that of my brother and me inside of my locket.” She opened it, Tim gasped, and Sue exclaimed, “How thrilling !”