Reading Memorial High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Reading, MA)

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The Pioneer ‘‘GREAT AUNT ORISSA.” “Denver, Colorado, Nov., 2. “Am on my wedding trip. Have the nicest woman that ever lived. Will visit you in a week. Yours truly, WILLIAM.” This was the telegram that Mr. Greyson received one morning from his brother in the west. “Well, I hope Will has married well, we were always afraid he would be a black sheep as he is so much younger than the rest of us boys, hut perhaps going west has done him good,” he laughed. “Imagine Will married!” said his wife, and then both laughed at the thought of it. Regie and Hattie jumped for joy when they were told that Uncle Wil¬ lie would come with his wife. “I hope she ain’t big an’ cross an’ got two chins an’ awful strict,” sighed little Hattie. “O” moaned Regie “I hope if SHE is, she ha’nt changed Uncle .,illie and—0 Hattie, YOU don’t know him ’cause you was too young, I do iaud he’s ;pi r i m e. It was the next Saturday when Mrs. Greyson looked out the window and beheld to her surprise a middle aged stranger coming up the avenue. She walked with firm steps and steady gait and came up the steps with de¬ cision. The bell rang and Mrs. Grey¬ son appeaired at the door. She gave the stranger a pleasant “Good afternoan.” The stranger nodded in reply and then began, “I suppose you received my letter saying that I was coming. Will is at New York sightseeing and will come later.” She was politely asked in and given the room arra.nged for William and his wife. It is needless to say that the Grey- sons were disappointed. Could this stern, solemn woman be Will’s wife? None dared to ask questions, but where was her husband? Was it natural that a newly married man COULD leave his wife to go sight¬ seeing and send her along in this way ? Regie and Hattie fretted and pouted, Mrs. Greyson worried and Mr. Grey¬ son (grumbled. Why didn’t William come? si It was in the pantry which looked out to the street that a conversation was going on. “Aunt Orissa” as she asked to be called was taking her nap, the children were at play and father and mother Greyson were in the pantry. “I don’t understand it,” began Mr. Greyson. “I won’t offend her to ask about Will. She is his wife, a pe- cular choice, I admit, and she shall be treated in the best of ways while she remains.” The tears of discour¬ agement filled Mrs. Greyson’s eyes as she went to the ipantry window. “Who can that be in the carriage coming up our avenue” she exclaimed, and then they hurried to the front door to greet whoever it might be. William Greyson was the man who stepped from the carriage and to their great surprise assisted a beautiful young lady to alignt. They rushed forward and before William could introduce his bride she shook hands with all and laughingly said, “We’ve come, at last, and I hope Willie’s wife will not disappoint you. I suppose Miss Trant has ar¬ rived. We did not hear from her.” By this time they were in the par¬ lor and Miss Orissa Trant came from her nap and in her stiff way shook hands with William and his REAL wife. Mrs. Greyson went back to the hall with the wraps and at that minute the mail man came. “I’m sorry” he said “ma’am, but I never noticed this house up the ave¬ nue. I’m a new man, you see, so here’s the mail since Nov. 2.”

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The Pioneer mysteries of a coronet braid, the mar¬ cel wave, the Eames pompadour and the like. The boys begin to pay special at¬ tention to their socks, and in order to display the beauties of their footwear to the admiring multitude, whom they fondly imagine there, sit with their trousers so high, it is difficult to de- • cide whether or not they have yet • discarded the Freshman’s official rai¬ ment. Neckties, too, begin to claim more than the accustomed amount of attention, and many are the weary hours spent before the mirror wrestling with the in¬ tricacies of a four-in-hand or a bow tie. The girls discard tire one- piece dresses worn by the Freshman and blossom forth in shirtwaist and : skirt costumes bristling with safety pins to keep the newly acquired waist line intact. Altogether, appearances ■begin to assume much greater propor¬ tions during the Sophomore year than ■ever before. In speech, too, a great gulf springs up between the Sophomores and Fresh¬ men. The boys address each other as “Fellows” and attract another’s at¬ tention by a whack on the shoulder, instead of nudges as heretofore. The girls beigin to call each other “my dear” and they carefully reduce their viocabulary as nearly as possible to ‘simply” and “perfectly.” These words, when used in conjunction with any adjectives whatever, lend much elegance and force to ordinary con¬ versation. “Simply” is considered even stronger than “perfectly.” Tivo combinations much in vogue among Sophomores are “perfectly grand” and “simply darling,” and these phrases are used in describing everything from the new teacher’s appearance to the way Mr. Maxwell leads the chorus. What wonder that when we contem¬ plate these great dignities that accom¬ pany the rank and station of a Soph¬ omore we can . scarcely await to as- .sume such glories ourselves! DOROTHY DAVIES. ALPHABET OF CLASS OF ' 07. A stands for Asunta, an actress to be. B stands for Buck, our president is he C stands for Clare, who at ball does excel. D stands for Dotty, who keeps up with her well. E stands for Edith, Ethel and Etta, three little girls, none could be better. F stands for Frances, a friend of the girls. G stands for Gertrude, whose pretty hair curls. H stands for Helen, who giggles all day. I stands for me who with Helen does play. J stands for Jennie, and also for Jean. K stands for knowledge, on which we must lean. L stands for Lee, a dear little la.ss. M stands for Marion, gem of the class. N stands for naughty, which none of us are. O stands for ’otty seven Rah’ Rah! Rah! P stands for Perry, a hard naiwe to rhyme. Q stands for Quinlan, who is always? on time. R stands for Rachel, stately and tall. S stands for Sumner, respected by all. T stands for Tim, who a druggist will be. U stands for Upton, our musical prod¬ igy. V stands for Violet, our studious one. W stands for Winship, who creates lots of fun. X Y Z and my verses are through. And now schoolmates, I must say “Skidoo.” I never do my books deface. Or marks put in. I understood from sources good It was a sin. Yet every year I books erase By dread fiat. They come to me with marks, you see. Now, why is that?

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The Pioneer Was there ever such a commotion? The first letter she opened read thus; “My dear Nephew George,—No doubt you have heard your mother tell o: her only sisteo . It is she that is writ¬ ing. It has always been my desire to get acquainted with my relatives. I have met William and have accom¬ panied him on his wedding trip a short distance. I will srrive at your house W ednesday for a short visit to you and your family. Yours truly, ORISSA TRANT.” 4mazed beyond her control iMl.s. Grey son went back to the parlor and, as she tucked the letter in her hus- bands pocket asked him to take the suit case to William’s room—a thing which the hackman had already done. He went av ay, glad of a chance to collect his wits. In an hour everything was all right. Little Hattie was bound to say “GREAT Aunt Orissa” and “LIT¬ TLE Aunt Marion.” After tea Aunt Marion wias playing toss with Regie and Uncle Will while Hattie was sitting on her father’s knee jealous. “Siizose she’ll play dolls with me?” she asked. Papa Greyson smiled. Aunt Orissa merely said, “Does William’s wife give you satisfaction?” “She’s a jewel” said he, “Will couldn’t have done better.” BERNICE A. BATCHBLDER. SCHOOL IN 2000 A. D. Let us look in upon the flourishing high school students of 2000 A. D. It is 8.15 the time for school to begin but as there has been a dance the night before the enterprising students have not arrived, so school is postponed until nine. At nine the chimes ring softly to announce to the eager stu¬ dents (about seventy-five on this par¬ ticular morning) that school is in session. After the opening exercises the students pile out of the hell knock¬ ing over the chairs and tripping each other up much to the delight of the principal and teachers who clap their hands with fiendish glee. At ten the baseball squad is dis¬ missed to practice as they must win the pennant and receive a beautiful tobacco jar and ai pippin for each mem¬ ber on the team. The students are allowed to sleep during recitations as three of the teachers were matrons the night before. At recess the boys sit around ma¬ hogany tables and smoke and have lunch brought to them while the girls also sit around tables drinking tea and playing whist. After recess the recitations are hur¬ ried through and at one the school is dismissed. But alas a few unlucky pupils who neglected to knock over chairs and trip each other up and be¬ haved nicely through the day must return at three. At the three o’clock session only 47 have to return on this particular day. During the three o’clock session the poor students are forced to eat ice cream and cake and when they are let out they go and secure tickets for the theatre that night that they may be bright and fresh for school the next morning. A. G. WINSHIP. JUNIOR FRENCH TRANSLATIONS. “Nous ne nous embrasserons pas parce que nous ne nous embrassons jamais.” “We will not kiss each other bec ause we have never been kissed.” “Me voila! there is me.” English Teacher—“What kind of a question is it which is asked for effect —which does not expect an answer?” Long Silence. “Well, I sometimes ask such ques¬ tions.” Miss P-rk—r (who has suffered) sud¬ denly inspired, “Sarcastic?”