Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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CFERULEA were gareenish yclIow, mostolike cat's eyes. Think of it, clear. greenish yellow. I don't think I have a grain of vanity in me; I'm homely. and big. and awkward. Maybe that's why I haven't any friends. I mean true friends. You tiun't know how hard it has been. little confidant o'mine, to go clear through my first ycar of high school without a single good friend. Ohl yca. lot: of girls have been nice to me. but they weren't the ones I cared for. and think of the disgrac: of itgua boy has never asked to take me a place. Not a single. solitary pIaCe! The Freshman party will come, and go. and I will not be there. for I won't go without a boy. and no boy will ask me. No one seems to dislike me particularly. but then. no one like: me particularly. I like to pretend it's because I wear such homely brown and gray dresses. but deep down in my heart of hearts I know ifs just because it is me-mhme. And that's why I tell you this, chum. clear. because you,re the only person that can understand. I wonder if you know what beautifuh golden hiil' you have. and what glorious blue ayes. and how truly adorahIe you are, from the crown of your head to the tips of your dainty. little feet. You have everything that I Iack. you are everything that I am not. and yet Fm not jealoushhecause-hccause I love you. dear. Have to go now: Misu Grieg: wants to teach me how to make huttonhoIes, Good-bye 110w, dear. May 29. Chum, dear, he's coming. my Uncle leg is coming! Oh! I'm so out of breath I can hardly explain. Miss Griggs got a letter this morning. my- ing he had decided to come, and. honey. he'lI be here this afternoonofhis afternoon. IIm in such a Hurry I'll never be able to speak intelligently the words come tumbling out so fast. I do wish Miss Griggs had seen Uncle JeE; then she couId tell me about him! He must be mighty old to have haen my Daddy's chum. Miss Griggs i: ironing my best white dress. and I'm going to wear my patent leather pumps. of course. I don't believe I was cver so excited in my life. Oh, churn. chum! Dear. I'm mortified to death. and yet-and yet I feel sort of good. The awfulleat thing that could have happened. did happen. After I finished telling you that Uncle ICE was coming I put on my Kimona. rny soft, silky blue oneP-the one Miss Griggs and I so nearly had a fuss over. because she said I'd look like a fright in it anti I cIemanded the right to wear what I pleased in the privacy of my room-amd started to comb my hair. Just then I happened to think I wanted my hair ribbon pressed. so I fairly ilew downstairs. I tore through the living room, and when I got nearly to the door. heard a noise. turned. and there sal-a man. Dear. it was a. big. to . handsome man with lovely brown hair. just frosted a bit around the temples. and such kind brown eyes. He rose and smiled at me ever so apologeticaliy. I am waiting. he began in the most glorious voice you ever heard. I am Waiting to see my little ward. Miss Virginia. I sent word but the butler Exitem

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Chum Q9 Mine April 20. Ab EAR little churn a' mine. I D Of course youlre not a really. truly Hesh-and-blood ' person, just a makwhefieve person, but that doesn't make 4 t I any diEerence. I know you, I love you. you're my chum. 611an I can tell you things I wouldn't dare tel! anyone e 3e. My birthday present from Uncle JeH jun! came. and dear. it's a big. wax doll with Haxen curls. and sky blue eyes and pinned on to the front at its awful, pink. satin dress is a little card. neatly lahgled. To my dear little Virginia. from her loving Uncle jeff. At Christmas it was a music box. Music boxes and doll: for fourteenuyear-old girlsl Oh! it's so, so ludicrous. I'd laugh, if it weren't so nearly pathetic. But of course you don't understand about Uncle Jeff. You see, I'm an omhannthat': about the worst thing a person can bc-and I've been one ever since Mother and Daddy were killed in a horrible railmad accident. and left me a tiny bit of a bahy. You don't know how I feel about my Mother. - If only I could remember her. if I could remember how she must have kissed me and have loved me, I wouldn't be quite to lonesome. If only I could remember my big. strong Daddy I wouldn't envy other girls sol Oh! it must be glorious to have someone to kiss you good night. every night. and to love you just because you belong to Her. Uncle Jeff is supposed to take care of me. but I have never even seen him. He isn't a truly uncle. just a pretend one: he was my Daddy's chum. He sends me silly presents every birthday and Christmas and that's all I know about him. You don't mincI my telling you these things. do you? You haven't any idea how much I need sympathy. You we. I'Ve always had Miss Grigg: to deal with-she was my nurse when I was little, now she's housekecpero and she doesn't understand childIen at all. But. poor dear, how couId she? She never had any children of her own. so the iust had to sort of experiment on me. But, truly. just between you and me. I don't think she's a very understanding person. I don't believe she knows huwo-I despise my hair. I love to pretend that it shines like burnished gold olike the hair of th: heroines I read abouEu-but Miss Griggs is very conscientious about reminding me that it is red like an old brick. She can never know the anguish I suffer over my freckles-ohl how I long to have a 105: petal complexion. aII hcrcines have. cheek; like rosebuds bathed in dew. But. dear, the freckles aren't as bad as they used to be. My nose tum: up, but I don't mino that; I rather like it. I always thought my eyea were pretty until the other day I had been reading about a maiden with glorious gray green eyes. and I decided that that was what mine were. So down I went to Miss Grieg: and asked her. very casually, what CDIOI my eyes were- and oh. chum. the disappointment, the mortihcation of it! She told me they Fourteen

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CJERULEA seems to have forgotten me. Wuufd you mind letting her know that I am here? Chummy. dear, I couldn't move. I JuSI stood right still. and didnt know what to say; finally I blurted out. I canit tell her, becausEgit's me.u I never in my life saw anyone look so astonished, but he tried not to show it and started talking lo me so nicely. Just then Miss Griggs came in, and sent me to my room. Oh! my feeiings are topsy-turvy. IVm so mixed up. June 5, Dear. I know I have neglected you for ages. but Ilm so busy. having a good time. I haven't time for anything eIHe. Ohl chum. I'm supremer. blissfully happy. Uncle JeIf is simpiy perfect and he understands things so well. I have just loads of new clothes. He said Miss Griggs had been too economical and so he just made her buy me all sorts of pretty things. I Fix my hair different. too. not light back, but I Iet it curl around my face Iike it always has wanted ta. He thinks my hair is pretty. and he says my eyes are really gray. not ngireeniehuyeIlow at all. He asked me the very day he came if I couId play the piano. or sing. or anything like that. I was so humiliated, but I just had to tell him that all I could do was keep house, darn stockings. make buttonholes and other stuff like that. But. honey, he wasn't disappointed; he said that was the kind of a girl he admired, He has promised to tell me something this New ingaand I can hardly wait. Oh. but itls good to have things to look for- wa to! June 6. So many, many things have happened. I, tell you everything. but I'm going to save the best for last. Uncle Jeif surely did have something to tell me. Iast night. and such a great, big. glorious Something. He told me ail about Her. his Beautiful Lady. Her name is Mary. and they are going to be married in September. He has loved her ever and ever so Inngth it's just like a story book. He showed me her picture. dear, and she looked just like I knew she would, not beautiful, but so sweet and good. And. child, he says her eyes are just the same color a: mine. think of it. Her eyesl At first I was just a tiny bit jealous to have Uncle Jeff snatched away just when we were getting so well acquaintedt but I think I have almost gotten over that now. Now. chum. dear. prepare yourself for the great blow. the unforeseen has happened. the unexpected has arrived. the thing we've been longing for. for days. and weeks. and months has come to pass. I am going to the Freshman party-now hold your breath, dear. or you'll never be able to stand it-with a boy a big. live. six-fuol Boy. Seems like everything is just hap- pening at once and 1 don't know whether to laugh or cry. Guess I'll say my prayers. Good night, churn if mine. Ethelynne M. Smith, l9l2. Sixlnn