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

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just wasn't hungry, with which Larry replied, there lurked n tinge of loneli- ness. O'Neil was not one to tell all the world his troubles. He whiled away the afternoon in a rather ordinary manner: a picture show and a sack of candy. The candy he gave to a forlorn little street urchin who had just emerged from a fight, defeated and penuiless. Then, with nothing better to do, he handed rm interurhnn cur and rode tq a suburb of Los Angelen where pretty bungalows and tall pepper trees and holly wreath: in the windows made the void in larry'l heart all the more un- bearable. As he wandered airnleuly up one street and down another, absorbing the spirit of. Christmas which these pleasnnt homes learned to radiate, he came upon a little white-walled, green-I'oofed cottage, with a service Hag hearing - single golden star, hanging in the front window. Some force, an unknown fame to Larry, but really what i: called Destiny, caused him to stop and linger in the shadow of a fronded palm. From within came the sound of a mellow-toned piano and a low, sweet voice singing, Keep the home fire; burning, While your hearts are yeaming-u- Though your lack are far away they dream of home. Thereh a silver lining Through the dark clouds shining; Turn the dark cloud: inside out . Till the boy: come home. While Larry stood there, listening to that song, I ten slipped from hi- eye and coursed unnoticed down hi: cheek. Perhaps it was the well of the music, or perhaps it was that God-lent tear, for the steel mesh of lonelineu parted. - The door of the little white cottage with the green roof opened, and a light fmm within the room that streamed forth upon the silent listener nllo disclosed a little, hrnwn-luired woman, who noticed the figure beside the palm with I alight start. Who in it? she allied. Larry tried to answer, but Iomehow the words wouhidt come and he only choked instead. t It we: then that the discerning eyes of the hrown-haired-woman noticed the uniform that urry wore, and noticed, as well, the little rivulet of natty water that the boy ahame-facedly brulhed away. That tune kind of made you feel hometick, didn't it 2' she murmured lympnthetically. ' .. . Yet, it lure did, OtNeil managed to articulate. Have you been in the pervioe long '1 Several months. 1 am going to F rance inn few weeks, he replied. . . Larry atared put the quiet-mamered woman at the patriotic little it; With the single golden star. Fin

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Larry's bench companion On the other side broke the silence, if the noise and tumble of street cars and draws and the cry of newsies could be called silence. She adjusted her stringy jabot and turned insolently toward the soldier. When a guy talks about Christmas hein' a this: day and sits here, she nodded in the direction of the row of benches, there'u somethin' wrong in his belfry, lure Is livinvt Haven't you got a home eilher'P' nlked Larry. ttHome! Home did yuh lay? Say, honey, I ain't seed a home for so long .I don't know what it looks like. No apron string: for me! Say, how can you have a home and a good time, huh? Nothin' doin' on that gag. Better run home to your mummy, kid, before someone hurt: yuh. Nice day for Christmas! Huh! And she, too, lapsed into silence. The mrroundings of the little part: seemed suddenly distasteful to Larry. He rare, and walked briskly away from the bench where he had sat. Turn- ing his hack on the park he wandered disconsoIately about the streets. No- body had any home, it seemed. His experience in the park, aithough of a trivial nature, made him feel 3!! the more lonesome; and he gradually began to feel embittered agaimt everyone in general. An automobile full of soldier: and wholesome, red-cheeked girl! passed by. How happy they looked, thought OtNeil, and yet-. Well, what did he care anyway. Hetd be over in France in a few weeks, and most likely get wounded or maybe killed. Then this mood deepened. What did he owe to his country anyway? He had been wiliing to give hil life for his country, to give his life for even Iuch people an rthbse in the Iquarer-ancl he had received not one word of thanks, not even I kindly smile. Why should he give his life for these? , This feeling passed away quickly, and was followed by n Ienle of shame that main self-centered .and un-American thoughts had been harbored for even an imtant. - OtNeil looked into this shnw-windnw and that, until dinner time ap- proached. The year hefore-but he would not let himlelf think of it. Hit father had sat at the held of the table, his mother at the foot, and he at her Tight. Just a cusy, home-iike Christmas dinner-turkey and cranberry lance, mi a scarlet poimettia at the center-piece. At tent he would try to make it Ieem like Christnus, and I0 he thrust hunk hi: lhaulderl, tipped his nervice hut at the proper angle, and walked briskly into a restaurant which boldly hemlded to In emply-Itomnched yuhlic by mean: of a large, red-lettered placard, the fact that the bent turkey dinner in the city of Los Angela! wan to be had there for the price of one dolhr. - The bird was a very good one, the dressing excellent, and the cranberry jelly just right, but somehow Private OtNeil didntt enjoy it, and left his dinner practically untauted. The quick eye of the manager noted this, and he hustled forward as Larry wan leaving, to ask if there was any fault in the service or in the dinner that he could remedy. Although I very observing and kind-heuted man, he did not notice that beneath the Plenum, The dinner WM tine, lit. I FOIH'

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Yesf she answered simply, in response to hit unlpoken query, my boy died in action over there. Then, recollecting her duties of hospitality, 'Won't you come in for A while? The cottage has seemed pretty lonesome since my Denny-hoy went away. And the light of true mother-Iove shone in the link brdwn-haired womnnIs eye: as she mentioned the name of her boy. Why. yes, replied OINeiI, surprised at his own willingness, I'd like to. The slight ice of formality wan noon broken. In a few momenta the two were chatting away as if they had known each other for years. l'My, but it doe: seem good to have a boy around the hem again, the hrnwn-haired woman remarked, on Larry reached for o welI-thumbed ukulele. nDanny was always a fuldling away on name instrument. I gave him tho! just two years ago tonight. Tickled! He not right down, a: noon on I gave it to him, and began to pick out a tune. IMislouriI was the piece I liked the beat. We would sit out on the front steps, Danny and I, after supper ill the lummer, and he would play 'Miuouri' and I would hum along with him. We certainly were great pals. The boy begun to finger the Hawniinn instrument. Presently he broke out into the little hrnwn-haired woman's favorite piece. He bed a loft hori- tone voice, and as he sang, the Donny-Iels mother listened with twisted hond- Ind gliltening eyes. Thnt does sound good, she exclaimed, u Larry hnished. But if we sit here talking. there won't be any dinner for lll. You'll Itay, won't you? Larry nlsented with little henitnncy, If I won? be too much trouble. nWell, then, III! start things going. You sit where you Ire, end make yourself comfortable. nDun you mind if I come along ? I olwoyn peeled the potntoel for mother. Dear, no. Come right Ilong. I'm going to have steal: Imothered in onions and mashed potaluel. Theta better then hotel turkey and cranberriel, Larry Imwered. The two entered the kitchen. Larry perched on the kitchen table, and the little hrown-hnired women buaied herself I! the stove. There'- the po- tntoes, and there's the peeling-knife, the mid la the boy whiltled I bar from Where Do We Go 1 rom Here, Boys? ' Do you know, mid the brave little American mother, on the light- hennedly lessened the steak. Itthat mashed potatoes am! beefsteuk mutilated in onion: w-I what I aiwayo used to cook for Denny? A MOTHER By Dorothy Burton She known about this vast em! varied life, She know: about its hatred and ill strife, She knows of oil in joy. and of it: love, She knows of all those things from Heaven Ihove. She knows nbout your trials, and why you're blue, She Imows what con and does mike men true, She knows of III you'vegaver even thought, She Imam, become for you her life in wrought. 52's