Red Bank High School - Log Yearbook (Red Bank, NJ)

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6 THE ROUND TABLE was not in an envelope; it had simply been folded and slipped into the pocketbook. In order that no possible clue of the owner’s identity should escape him. Will read and reread the epistle which was worded as follows: New York City, N. Y. December 3, 1924. Dearest Babes, Thank goodness, you can go Christ- mas Eve! I’ll be little “Johnnie on the spot.’’ Say! whom do you think I ran into the other day? He had just arrived in town. Percy! His first words, when he saw me, were: “Are we to have the pleasure of Miss De Couer’s pres- ence at the affair on Christmas Eve?’’ “Yes. Camille has promised to go with me,’’ I lied. Really I had to pro- tect you from that bore. One good turn deserves another; so don’t you think you ought to go with me? As ever, Reggy. “Camille De Couer,’’ he mused, “I wonder if she’s as French as it sounds?’ Putting the things back into the purse he had just started toward the directory when he heard a clock strike four. Well, he’d have to wait till later as he must meet Bob now and take her to tea. Passing through the store entrance, they nearly collided with a group of their friends. The meeting ended by their all going to the Ritz for tea, where they danced so long that they had to hurry home to dress for dinner. That night in the solitude of his own room Will looked in the telephone directory, and to his dismay found quite a list of De Couer’s. The following morning he began to call them up but at each place he was doomed by equally disappointing ans- wers such as: “No, Miss Camille De Couer does not live here, or “You have the wrong number.’’ Almost in despair he called nearly the last num- ber on the list. To his delight, in answer to his query, the voice at the other end of the wire replied, “Yes, M’sieur, but she is not in.’’ “Well, may I see her this after- noon?” he almost shouted. “No, M’sieur, but I so believe that M’mselle Camille will be at home this evening.” “All right, thank you. I’ll be around.” About eight o’clock that evening Will got out of a taxi in an old aristo- cratic district and mounted the steps of a fashionable home. The door was opened by an old woman—in all prob- ability the one who had answered the phone. She led him into the library where a very pretty, very French- looking girl was reading. She arose as he entered and Will noticed that she was just a little taller than Bob. “Miss Camille De Couer?” he ven- tured advancing and bowing. “Yes, Mr. ----------------she began. “William Dean,” he supplied as she paused, “I came to return your pocket book,” at least, I presume it must be yours.” “Oh, has it fifteen dollars in it and a letter?” she asked eagerly as he put his hand in his pocket. The purse was handed to Camille who sighed with relief, “I’m so glad you found it!” “I didn’t find it,” he said looking into her eyes, “I took it out of your pocket in the trolley yesterday.” Sit- ting down beside her, he related the whole incident. Finally, he concluded

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THE ROUND TABLE 5 FIRST PRIZE THE WILL AND THE WAY Everyone knows how crowded the street cars of New York are at any time; so it is not difficult to imagine that it is next to impossible to find even standing room during the holiday season. William Dean and his sister Barbara were going on a shopping expedition, but as Mrs. Dean was using the car for the afternoon, it was necessary for them to go by trolley. As the Broadway car, with its occu- pants crowded like sardines in a can, jogged down town. Will decided—as was not unusual—to play a trick on Bob, as Barbara’s friends usually called her. Putting his hand into her pocket, adroitly he drew out her purse, and, unnoticed, slipped it into his own pocket. As the two youthful shoppers squeezed their way out of the car and were elbowed across the street, an in- fectious twinkle danced in Will’s clear blue, mischievous eyes, and he smiled in anticipation of Bob’s confusion. Intent on the swaying crowds. Bob remained wholly unconscious of her brother’s amusement. “Well, Sis,’’ he asked when they were in the elevator in Altman’s, “how do you feel after being sandwiched in there with people of all nationalities? Suppose we go home in a taxi?’ “Oh, no!’’ she exclaimed, “that was great fun! It is so seldom we get a chance to have a lark like that! Wasn’t that little Polish baby just along side of me perfectly adorable?” “My dear Bob, you are absolutely hopeless, falling in love with a little ball of garlic like that!” he admon- ished playfully. Jubilantly he watched while she picked out the things she wanted, say- ing to himself all the while, “Just wait till she finds that it’s gone! Just wait! Oh, Boy! Some excitement. I’ll bet!” You can imagine his amazement when she calmly took out her purse and paid for her purchases! Waiting for his chance till Bob went to try on a dress, he hastened to a lonely desk in a far corner of the waiting room where he emptied the purse of its contents and began to ex- amine them. It contained about fifteen dollars in money, a handkerchief with the letter “C” embroidered in one cor- ner and last but not least a letter. It

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THE ROUND TABLE 7 saying, “I’m sorry I’ve worried you so much and I hope you’ll forgive me!’’ On the many evenings that followed Will certainly had no pocketbooks to return to Miss Camille De Couer; his visits, however, became alarmingly fre- quent. Acquaintance ripened into deeper feeling, and Will soon learned that Camille’s choice regarding matri- mony was strangely restricted by an uncle, living in Paris, who demanded that his niece should marry the Due de Berteuil. This information, instead of moderating Will’s ardor, seemed only to make it more intense. Then one evening, Will popped the question, “But,” Camille faintly re- monstrated, “my uncle will prevent our -------------Will’s eyes twinkled roguishly. “Cam,’’ he whispered, “where there’s a Will, there’s a way.” And Camille found that way! Marie Alene Neis, ’27. -------o------- SECOND PRIZE TO THE RESCUE! “Ben” Williams, like most boys, was interested in radio. For this reason his father had bought a three-tube set to satisfy Ben’s longing. There was something else, though, that contribut- ed to Ben’s unusual interest. The Coast Guard Station, which was sit- uated near his home, had a cutter equipped with a transmitter, for use in rescue work. Ben’s greatest desire was to get a chance at that instrument. He had been on board the cutter, Ad- miral Dewey, but he had never been given a chance to work the trans- mitter. A few days later word came that the operator had been taken seriously sick. This left the Coast Guard without a telegraph operator. Ben was hoping that he might be called upon, but he hoped in vain, for Captain Jacobson didn’t say a word to Ben, who knew a great deal about radio. Captain Jacobson had often said that Ben would make a great radio engineer, but why wasn’t he given a chance to use some of his knowledge at the trans- mitter? Cape Kingston was about the stormiest cape along the coast, but now it was as quiet as could be, so there was no need of any rescue boats just now. Ben gave up in despair and jumping down from his seat on a pile of lumber, started home. He noticed that the wind was becoming stronger and that the sky was becoming darker, but he paid little attention to the dark- ness, as it was near night fall. When he reached home the wind had increased in intensity, and rain was falling. He had no more than finished supper, when a knock sounded at the door. It was Captain Jacobson. Ben could tell by the expression of his face, that something was the matter. “Passenger ship in distress,” he in- formed them, “We need Ben for tele- graph operator.” The time had come! He could work at the transmitter! He ran for his coat and hat and left with Captain Jacobson for the Coast Guard Station. They reached there just in time, for as they stepped aboard the “Admiral Dewey,” the storm broke. The lightn- ing flashed through the sky like ton- gues of fire. The thunder rumbled and the waves tossed the cutter about like a chip. Ben went to the transmitter soon and Captain Jacobson to his post of duty. A chug-chug told Ben that they were on their way. Before long they were upon the raging ocean. Ben turned on the apparatus and