Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

Page 14 text:

12 THE GOLDEN-ROD my closest friend, seemed to interest him the most, but, as I think it over, she possessed an attractive older sister who was a decided brunette. To return to my story, a back tooth started to trouble me, so off I hurried for treatment. An examination showed that the tooth was perfect, so the X-ray was resorted to in order to determine the trouble. As you can imagine, I was hav- ing a perfectly lovely time as an inter- esting invalid. I was sent home finally and told to return the next morning for the report. How kind and considerate he was! Even the pain couldn’t still the feeling of elation that had possession of me as I departed. According to orders, I arrived punc- tually at the appointed time. Needless to say, I had dressed most carefully and knew I was looking my best as I entered that office. Demurely I sat and waited for the verdict, thinking that I would be told to paint it with iodine, or some sim- ilarly simple remedy. As I think of it now, how peaceful and almost happy were my feelings! Can you imagine my surprise when my Prince Charming en- tered with the pictures and quietly and gravely informed me that, although very unusual, the pain was caused by a full grown tooth that was trying to force an- other tooth out of place, and that the extraction of one of them was the only remedy. Extract one of my teeth,—horrible! I would never consent to that, but how could I ever get out of it and keep his good opinion of me? I looked at him. His face showed that he knew I was afraid, so summoning all my courage, and trying to speak naturally T said, “Of course, you know best so I will see you later for an appointment.” To my horror and disgust he smiled and said. “No time like the present. T could do it now if you wish.” How fervently I wished that I had never bothered, but finally it occurred to me that I would have to think fast if I was going to save my tooth and my dignity at the same time. I reflected a few moments and then remarked, “I would love to have it done now, but I must tell Mother first.” I thought that it was clever of me to let him know that my mother knew best. With undaunted perseverance the den- tist retaliated with, “It would be cruel to worry your mother with such a trivial matter. A little gas and the tooth will be removed in three minutes. Think of it. Nothing serious. Surely you are not afraid?” Trivial! How could he call it trivial ? I felt panicky and weak. Why not say no and be done with it? What right had he to press the issue like that? And the mocking tone in his voice as he said, “Afraid, are you?” I could picture his telling Ouida and the girls all about it if I turned coward. What a dilemma I was in. I wondered what would be the outcome. I glanced at my tormentor who only said, “Well?” The derision in his voice stung me, and before I realized what I was doing I answered, “All right.” What had I done? Why hadn’t I counted ten before I answered? All was lost. I had given my consent, and I had to abide by it. The dentist started the preparations for the slaughter. How calm lie appeared. Of course, why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t his tooth. I could be calm in his place, too. Conditions reversed, I would pull all his teeth. What a cruel face! What did I ever see in that man? How foolish I am to take his word that the offending tooth must be removed. Of course, I could only go home. Why couldn’t I run out when he turns his back ? No, I would not forfeit my dignity like that. I would rather lose the tooth and perhaps my life. Awful thought! People have been known to die while under anesthetics. I wonder what he would do if I did die. It would comfort me if I gave him a scare, but I can’t picture him being surprised at any- thing. What he would probably do when he discovered that my unhappy spirit had left my body would be to raise his eyes, shrug his shoulders, sterilize his instru-

Page 13 text:

THE GOLDEN-ROD 11 Newfoundland. This certainly seemed true because the ship was almost com- pletely covered with the waves all the time. We had one terrific storm which lasted for three days, during which time no passengers were allowed on deck. The captain and the crew kept vigilant watch day and night, and not a light was allowed in any of the state rooms after dark; all the port holes were darkened also so that no German warships might detect her. Most of the passengers dreaded to lie awake at night and hear the officers on watch report every little while, “All’s well. To sit up all night and listen to this would make one’s blood run cold. What a different scene from our jour- ney across in June. We were glad when we reached Boston, not only on account of the bad weather, but also because of the many dangers on the Atlantic at that time, owing to the activities of the Ger- man submarines in those waters. POMPEII, THE CITY OF RUINS Mary Infascelli, J.’28 To visit Italy, my parents’ birthplace, has always been my fondly cherished hope. My father, who was born near Pompeii, has related so many stories of this city that to me it has almost become a reality. I can close my eyes and see Pompeii in its ruinous state. It has the aspect of the ancient Roman city, the streets being straight and narrow. The most picturesque street of Pompeii is the old road from Naples to Reggio. According to ancient use the dead were buried along the sides of the roads and in this street many monuments are to be seen. The street of Abundance is perhaps the prin- cipal street of Pompeii. It is straight and narrow with raised pavements, on which are some fountains made of lava. Of the street of Mercury, which is narrow like the other streets of Pompeii is situated the Temple of Apollo. This temple is dedicated to the worship of Love. It was constructed before the Samnite epoch and is surrounded by col- umns which originally were of the Doric style, but afterwards were restored and transformed with stucco into Corinthian columns. In the House of the Faun everything is of great artistic taste. This house de- rived its name from the antique, beauti- ful, and renowned statuette found there. This statuette is now in the museum of Naples. Of all the houses in Pompeii the House of the Vettii is the most important be- cause of its painted decorations. This house was discovered several years ago. All the pictures, statues, and household utensils are in their original places and give to the house something living that fails elsewhere. At the entrance to the excavations, a little museum has been provided, where a part of the antiquities found during the excavations have been preserved. The greater part, however, and almost all the most important have been removed to the Museum of Naples. On the street of Nola is the house of Marcus Lucretius, a noble man. This house is remarkable because of the beauty and elegance of its decorations, paintings, and statues. To see, not only to hear of, this ruined city is my one great desire, and I hope that some day my dream will come true. TRAVELING BY GAS Mary Aulbach, J.’28 It was a custom of mine to visit my dentist twice a year, and as I had no real work done at these times, I rather enjoyed it. My dentist was a fine look- ing man, tall, with blonde curly hair, nice blue eyes, and a smile that certainly at- tracted everyone. All my girl friends were secretly in love with him, and al- though I wouldn’t admit it, I think that I had a few symptoms myself. Ouida,

Page 15 text:

THE GOLDEN-ROD 13 ments, wash his hands, and call the cor- oner to come over as quickly as possible, for he expected another patient immedi- ately. Poor Mother would be heart broken. Why did I ever come here to- day ? The dentist smiled at me and said (I suppose he thought reassuringly) “A lit- tle nervous?” I answered in as firm a voice as I could command, “Slightly, one doesn’t have an extraction every day,” and thought to myself, “thank goodness.” “Never mind, it will be over soon,” was the next cheerful remark. When everything was ready, this former paragon started to administer the anesthetic. I made up my mind to be a brave soldier and die game, so I in- haled the fumes as rapidly as possible. I heard him say, “That is the spirit, lit- tle girl,” but it meant nothing to me. How dark it was and how rapidly I was moving,—I wondered just where. What was that noise? How it annoyed me! That light that was circling around me was making me nervous, too. Why that wasn’t a light after all, it was a creature of some kind, and the noise was caused by it. I detested it, but I had to watch it just the same. With a deafening roar the creature dove into the pool of water that was near, but that left me in dark- ness. I knew that something was worry- ing me, but I couldn’t think what it was. How quiet it was, would it never end? I was tired of that fast travelling through blackness. Suddenly a voice called out in the darkness. “All over, you’re all right now.” How unpleasantly that voice struck me; I knew that I should be polite and answer, so I tried to say “fine,” but dis- covered that speech was beyond me. Again the voice called out “Wake up’” I opened my eyes and the dentist was standing near me holding the offending tooth in his forceps. H smiled when he saw I was conscious, but gone was the old charm. The spell was broken. I couldn’t abide him, and the strange part of it was that there was real admiration in his voice as he talked to me. He told Ouida’s sister that night I was the “gam- est child” he had ever met. Think of that, me a child, and he should have known that I was sixteen. It didn’t mat- ter, of course, then, for I saw him as he was. After that I kept him as my dentist as I really had confidence in him, but one thing I decided was that if there was such an unfortunate being in the world as my “fate,” I would give my solemn word of honor that he would not be a dentist. A TRIP TO TERMINI Mary Palmisano, J.’30 When a traveler visits Italy, his first desire is to see the Colesseum in Rome, Vesuvius in Naples, or beautiful Venice with its many gondolas. Not many, if any at all, think of Sicily with its pictur- esque villages. Fortunately I have had the opportun- ity to visit my grand-parents who live in Termini, a small village in northern Sicily. This village of about 3,000 inhabi- tants is divided into two sections, the higher and the lower. The lower section is a valley and is accessible by boat. This valley is sur- rounded by a high wall with iron gates which lead into the village. This section is inhabited by many fishermen. On arriving by boat, before entering the village, the traveler sees a most in- teresting sight. Annexed to the landing port is the fishing port where the fisher- men are going here and there with bas- kets of fish or sitting on the sand mend- ing their nets. The next place of interest is the hot water baths, the only baths of the kind in the world. People from all over the country come here to be cured of their pains. The water from the baths comes from an unknown source. Many people believe it to be Mount Etna. At one time it used to be only a hot spring rush- ing from a deep gorge from the side of a rock wall. Now the government has had