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

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C IERULEA It was growing dim in the library, and Dick could see the wavy gray masses of his mother ; hair hut indistinclly. IEcr face was. invisible. How did she feel about it, he wondered, as he knelt beside her chair, just as he had always clone on dusky evenings when he hat semething special to tell her about, ever since that something had been a humped head or a bloody linger: The only sound was the tick-Licking of the 01d hall clock, It summed to Dick that it was ticking in a new life for him. To go to the Acad- emy! Why, perhaps he could play base hall thereureal haeze ball. And how prowl his mother would he if he Could make the tcaml But she would not be there 1.0 see him. W'hat would he do without hcr. The minutes ticked away. Mother, said the boy, l'of course tlm school would he great, and all that, and I want In :.lo as you and father think best: bath, the words came softly, limidly, Wlo you think, perhaps, you will miss 11 : sometimes, just a little? :k 93: i: 314 all Y lk 9k 5? 1:4 Madge got up and closed the piano. Somehow, mother, the house seems awful big and hollow lately. 11's just like a deserted 0m church? She crossed to the table where her mother was writ? ing. llDo you suppose it's just hcczmsc Dick's gone? She picked up a magazine, glanced idly through it, and put it down, as Mrs. Elton gazed fixedly out of the window. Smiling oddly, 1 caught father in Dick's mom today, she said, 'and he asked me why I didn't put some of my pennants and trophies up, to take the place of Diclds, so that when he comes home it wotft look so like a tomb. And Dick only gone a wcck. Madge ran her fingcr idly along the backs of the booksl Louking at her mother suddenly, unawares, she started. She hadn't realized her mother was getting old. Why, she always acted Dick's age. 'lDonlt look that way, mother. It's hard, 1 know, but welvc got to stand it. aud it won't be 50 bad when we get used to it. Mrs, Elton arose. Kllt's only that I havc :1 headache. I think I'll go up stairs. When M1: Elton came home he found his wife and. daughter trying to gossip over the tea table, each with a faraway look in her eyes. Mrs. Elton, for the first time in her life, put two lumps of sugar In his tea. But he did not know the difference, though he detested sugar. Something seemed to be wrong. Page Ekh teen

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6b.: Sacriflcz HERE was a rush up the steps, a. slam of the front door, bang of books 0n the hall seat, and Dick was home from schuol. There, mother, exclaimed his older sister, c.lorft you see how he nccdsh. A warning hand atoppeti her, as Dick's broad shoulders barred the doorway. 'tWhat's up, sis? Is it another new hat? and Dick dodged a Flying naissle. You are as had us he is, sighed thc mathemas Dick hand- ed back the spool oi thread. Oh, ifs about me, is it? he questioned. His father cleared his throat. but his mother spoke. nRichard, we think, that is, wctve bean talkinghthe high school-. Dick straightened. and Mrs. Elton turned appealingly to her husband. Madge stepped in and saved the clay. Dick, she said, do you remember what a green little dummy I was before I left the village and went away to school, and how diHcrent I was when I came back? That's what we want for you. You are to go to Evanston Military Academy next week She spoke the words de- cisively. Dick looked greatly mystihed and a little hurt, His mother came to the rescue. And Dick, they will prepare you tor the Uni7 versity, there, and perhaps, when you are ready, we can afford to send you? Turning to the older man his shining eyes, hFather, do you mean it ?'t he exclaimed. Don't be tog sureY my boy but if things turn out ali right, it may happen so. But whatever happens, we want to make a man of you. Where did I put my hat? It's nearly closing time at the bank, and I told Brown-, The front door closed softly as he made an ignominious retreat. Madge, out in the hail, looked at herself reproachiully. in the mirror. I didn't want to hurt him, she totd her reheation, but he must understand that he should be different from the village boys. Page Seventeen

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THE SA CRIFICE Mr. Elton fmaily spoke his mind. Hang it, he said. t'it's nu 115m pretending; we miss the boy. i'ch, answered the mother, and, as you insisted that he go hy himself, we know nothing about where he is or how they treat him. Fm going to Find out. and if everything is not all right, 11m going to bring him homtu Maybe he does nccd college credits. and self reliance, but more than that he nccds love and appreciaw lion, and we need him. She Stood and faced them. Tomorrow I am going to see him, and both of you will be glad. if you see him coming back with mu. '4 1k ii ii iii $ :1: it IR ail Mrs. Elton Inokcd helplessly around. How deserted Evans- ton was. She had always heard that college towns were fairly swarming with boys. And surcly it must be long after school houns. Somewhere in the distance there swelled a great roar made up of muffled cheers and shouts. They told her at the oHice that Richard Elton was at the game. VVuulil she wait? He would soon be back; or her message cuuhl be taken to him immediately. But the mother was deter- mined on a surprise, and besides, how could she wait? The base ball game was over. High on their shouklch, the Evanhtou buys curried their hcmus of the day. Mrs. Elton stepped timiilly aside as the mighty crowd surged dawn the street. Up abnvc the multitude, face dirt begrimcd, hair frowslcd, rode Dick. His. mother gazed! horrifierlv XVas this one of those awful hazing; she had read about? XVlmt are they go- ing to do with them? she asked the first boy whose attention she could get. i'Do with them, why, carry them around the campus antl-, thcu noticing that he was talking to a mystified old lady, the boy paused to explain. You see, they've saved the day for us. Nei- 3013 High has beaten us for six years, and now we've got their goat, beaten them, you know. And we couhhft have done it. either,E added his companion, if it hadift hccn for that new fellow, Elton. We thought he was sissy. at first, but hcill be all right if his family he's always talk- ing about will only leave him alone. He's got ncrvc, and grit. , Page Nin elem