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

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The Pioneer Page Fourteen A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY “There is no use talking, John must have a birthday party,” said Mr. Francis to himself, “and my wife must not know about it, either. But the vital question is, where shall 1 get the money?” This worried him; coal was high, and food and clothes were, also. His mind gradually thought of everything in the house until it landed on his every-day suit. It had always been too small for him. That was enough. Monday morning found him coming triumphantly home from the tailor ' s with two doll ars and seventy cents in his pocket. He stopped at one or two places and bought a few trifles which he predicted would please Johnny. On Tuesday morning, Mrs. Francis, while shopping, saw, to her surprise, her husband walking with Mrs. Fuller. They entered a store together. The Fullers and the Francises had always disliked each other, so you may imagine the shock it gave Mrs. Ffrancis. It certainly was her hus¬ band, because he wore the only suit like that in the town. She crossed the street and waited outside the door, prepared for the worst. Her heart was beating rapidly as she heard steps nearing the door. She stepped behind some boxes, and as the door opened, she rushed out, knocking the boxes over, and exclaiming “Frank, what does this mean?” when she saw to her great surprise that it was no other than Mr. Fuller, who accom¬ panied his wife. Mr. Fulle.’ quickly saw the mistake, and began laughing, while Mrs. Full¬ er explained it to Mrs. Francis. They walked home together, all three, and from that day to this, have always been the best of friends,—and Johnny had his party. RANDALL CUMMINGS, T5. TWINS “I want Billie and Evelyn to meet,” said little Mrs. Richards, one Febrm ary evening as she and her husband sat chatting before the fire. “You mean you want Evelyn Ray¬ mond to change her last name to Livingston,” said John Richards. “Well, they would have to meet be¬ fore she changed it, surely. I wish I could remember who Jack is engaged to. He sent me his announcement but I can not remember the girl’s name ” “At what time do Evelyn and Elinor arrive?” “At nine, it -is now eight, I will tell James to meet them with the limousine.” Billie Livingston was at the station to meet a college friend. But seeing Evelyn Raymond standing alone as if waiting for someone, he recognized in her Elinor Raymond, a girl with whom he had fallen deeply in love a year before and of whom he had lost all trace since. With this in mind he walked up to her. Evelyn Ray¬ mond thought him a chauffeur and spoke to him. “Will you please drive me to the Pines?” “Yes, Miss,” answered the surprised Billie. “This is a good joke,” he

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The Pioneer Page Thirteen HOW SHE SIZED IT UP “Miss Marie Evelina Van Cleve, of this city, is visiting her cousin, Miss Janet Crosby, at the latter’s home in Colebrook, N. H.” So read the “Que¬ bec Daily Item,” and Miss Van Cleve was indeed at her cousin ' s home. It was the evening after the “great game,” and she sat in her room writ¬ ing a letter to her mother. “Dear Mother,” the letter ran, “I have told you of all the happenings up to the events of this afternoon. I saw what was called a “bawl” game. You know I never saw one before and I never want to see another. Janet was quite excited over it. The score was 15 to 3, whatever that means, but Janet said it was “great.” She uses such slang expressions that I am quite disgusted with her. Well, first we went to a big field where a lot of hoards were ranged about the three sides. The boards were crowd¬ ed with people but Janet and I man¬ aged to find seats. We sat there some time watching a lot of boys, dressed in clown rigs, hitting at balls with sticks. I think the balls must have been rubber because when they hit the sticks they bounded off. Janet said the boys were practising, though it isn’t the way I practise. Just then they all began to run off to different places. One boy stood in a little hole¬ holding one of the sticks in his hand. Another fellow about sixty feet away threw a ball at him but the boy with the stick held the stick in front of him and the ball did not hit him. As the ball went past the stick a boy standing behind the “batter”—that is what Janet called him—who had a skimmer tied over his face, caught the ball in a kind of bag which was tied on his hand. Then after a little while, another boy took the stick, and so on. Whenever the ball hit the stick everyone jumped up and down... screeching and clapping their hands. Then the fellow would drop the stick, duck his head, and run at another fel¬ low. If he got past him, he would run at another. If the first fellow he ran at could get hold of the ball he would throw it after him, but none of the boys got hit. After watching for some time I got so tired of it that I came back to the house and left Janet at the game. She came home later and told her folks that it was a fine game, but I don’t think so. 1 think it is a very rough game. I am coming home tomorrow because I don’t like this place very well. 1 don’t like “bawl” games. I would rather play croquet. Your loving daughter, Marie Evelina. DOROTHY TURNER, ’13. Carpenter—“Didn’t I tell you to no¬ tice when the glue boiled over?” Assistant—“I did. It was quarter past ten.” —EV. RECEIPE FOR FLUNKS Take a string of bluffs, stir in one pound of thin excuses, add a few class parties, sift in a little time for athle¬ tic enthusiasm, flavor well with moon¬ light bottled during evening strolls, boil well, stir before using, and serve hot at the end of each term. —Ex.

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Page Fifteen The Pioneer thought, “to have Elinor Raymond of all people take me for a chauffeur.” “Is this the Pines?” asked Evelyn. “Here is yqur pay,” and with that she dismissed Livingston. Hearing someone give the bell two sharp rings, Mrs. Richards flew to the door, thinking the twins stood out¬ side. “Good evening, Evelyn. Where is Elinor?” “Elinor was taken sick, so I had to come alone. But she told me to tell you she would try and be here for the skating carnival the twenty-eighth, and the dance on the twenty-ninth.” At a dance given the next evening, Evelyn Raymond was introduced to Billie Livingston. She did not recog¬ nize in him her chauffeur of the even¬ ing before. Her dance order was filled so Billie got no chance to talk with her. He thought it very strange that she treated him so much like a stranger. Other dances and rides followed, but Evelyn always had oth¬ er partners. Only two more daj ' S, and he had not had a chance to say three whole sentences to her. “Mrs. Richards, I have hardly seen Miss Raymond this week. Will you plan it so she will be my partner at the carnival?” asked Billie. “Haven’t you been her partner at any of the dances or rides?” “No. not one, and I do want her all to myself for one evening.” Elinor Raymond and Jack Roberts came unexpectedly the morning of the carnival. They came on the same train, and no one was there to meet them. Jack Roberts was engaged to Evelyn Raymond, and when he saw her twin at the station he thought it was Evelyn. He attempted to speak to her. She thought he was one of the guests from the Pines, and she stepped into a waiting auto. Jack thought it a good joke and took her to his Aunt’s, returning the auto later At tbe carnival Elinor Raymond ana Jack were partners. Mrs. Richards, true to her promise, had arranged to have Billie and Evelyn together. Billie told her of his love. Evelyn was, of course, surprised as she had known him for such a short time. She told him that she was engaged At the same time Jack tried to make love to Elinor, but she resented it. He reminded her of their engagement. Elinor looked bewildered until Evelyn and Billie skated past them. “Why, it must be my twin you’re engaged to. I am Elinor Raymond.” “And I am engaged to Evelyn Ray¬ mond,” said Jack. “Let’s skate after Evelyn. Does she know you have come?” “No. I think not. I thought I was bringing her up from the station, but it was you.” Overtaking Evelyn they told her of the mistakes they had made, when suddenly Billie began to laugh. “Well, I am mighty glad you were engaged, Miss Evelyn, because if you hadn’t been, you might have accepted me, and it is your sister I want. Do you temember this? asked Billie of Evelyn as he drew a fifty-cent piece from his pocket. “You gave me this the night you came.” At Mrs. Richards’ dance the next evening, another engagement was an¬ nounced. Not Evelyn, but Elinor, will change her last name to Livingston. BEATRICE E. PERRY, T3.