San Diego State University - Del Sudoeste Yearbook (San Diego, CA)

Page 14 text:

WHITE AND GOLD 13 sitting by the fire, Terry leaning against Sherlocks kneeewe felt that all the nice things were Terryls clue that evening, somehoweMiss Holmes, without any warning, began to tell us a story. It was about a girl, the eldest of four, whose father had died when they were all very young, leaving the mother to support them. It wasnt a pleasant story. The girl had talent that ought t0,ve been cultivated, but there wasnlt money and, worse, there wasnlt time. She had to go out to teach when she was sixteen, in a mining towne-rough boys as old as she, and older. There were six years of that; then she worked her way through college, and everything was looking hopeful, when she-the girlewas in a railway accident and was injured; she was laid up for two years, and all the money sheld saved was spent for doctors and hospitals. So she started over, never quite well again, teaching in a high school, and was beginning to look ahead again after a little, when her youngest brother lost all he bade which was precious little-in a worthless bank, and he with a wife and little baby. The girl helped him-gave him all she hadeshe was the sort to give and he was the sort to take-and started out again for a. third fight. That's all there was to the story, and Sherlock ended: Would you blame the girl if she'd lost heart, and faith in the world and men? Would you blame her if she had grown hard and cold on the outside in her en- deavor to keep the divine flre alive in her heart for the sake of her nearest and dearest? Would you, Terry? And then, suddenly, we knew.

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12 WHITE AND GOLD a light. What does it all mean?H and ran on in the easiest, kindest, most girlish way. You,d neverlve known her for the same person that had stared so coldly at us on the school porch the afternoon before. She jumped up and turned on the light, and there was Miss Blair in the full glare of the electric light, still sitting tailor-fashion on the hearth- rug, with a toasted marshmallow dribbling off her hatpin, and she smiling up at us-yes, she was smiling, like a girl, for the first time; I guess we all stared pretty hard, we coulant help it. Then Sherlock said, HMiss Blair, have you ever met these young ladies? lSpecial friends of mine. Corinne James, Teresa Lang, Gladys Mason, Leslie ChestereMiss Blair.H She was so dear and funny that we all laughed and that made it easier. The best part of all is the part that is hardest to tell. Such a splen- did time we had, telling stories and playing games and toasting marsh- mallows. The spread was great andedo you know-Gladys had brought that sixth menu card that should have been Lucyls, so Miss Blair had that. Wasn't that luck? Everything looked prettye-the table spread on the floor, with the Neapolitan cream, pink and white and green, and the cards and a big green Japanese bowl of acacia in the middle. It WAS a surprise party, though. I donlt think any of us girls will ever forget it-and Miss Blair, how dear she was, and humorous and interesting, just as we'd never dreamed she could be. ThereIs only one thing that I can say, and that's the biggest compliment I know of; she was worthy of being Sherlockls friend. In the middle of the spread she had to go, though it was early still. We were all honestly sorry. Sheld just stood up and was saying good- bye, with her hand on the door knob, When T erry-whold been quiet and saddish all the eveningegot up quick with her eyes burning big and black and her face gone white. I tried to pull her down, but she switched free and knocked my spoon out of my hand with her haste. We all felt sort of frightened and foreboding, but there wasn't much time for that, for Terry spoke up sharply in the still room, not seeing any of us but Miss Blair: t'Youlll forgive me, wonlt you--oh, Miss Blair, wonlt you-!', and her voice dropped into a ragged little whisper at the end, and she held out her hand across the table-cloth to Miss Blair by the door. Miss Blair didn't say a word but caught Terry,s hand in a fierce, loving sort of way; her eyes were wet and her breath was quick. Then all of a sudden she was gone and Terry stood sort of reminiscently for a minute. We were all quiet, all thinking, I splose of the same thing. Then Sherlock said suddenly, HIlll have some fudge, I think, Corinne, and we were all n'ght again. After we,d finished and the light was turned off again and we were I

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14 WHITE AND GOLD TO THE FACULTY. Miss Billings says, the While she slashes Your English ex. With great blue gashes, l th no, it really isn't hard, You just must learn by the yard, And when in English you're perfected, - You may be editor elected. I I Says Mr. Bliss, Who's wondrous wise, And looks at you With four big eyes, I I Now History is a wondrous art, And should delight your very heart. I donlt believe in cramming-but Your lessons are not long-tut, tut. l ' With science lectures in his hands, Our handsome Willard Crandall stands. I lllll keep my dignity, I ' he sighs, These awful girls demoralize, I Will them to their senses bring- Theylll flirt With me? N ix, no such thingll ' In his long talks on Education Thinks Mr. Kemp, lth, Botheration! I hate to make the poor dears work, But if their duty they dare shirk Because I look so young and kind, Illl show them itls all Hin their mind. ' ' T o soothe our troubles comes Miss Way, The dearest teacher of the day; i lDear girls, I truly feel for you, That you must all these lessons do, But if you donlt get in and peg, Youlll end up with a big goose-egg. ' ' Then Mr. Black, our old stand-by, He comes along and heaves a sigh,- I lTis hard, I cannot see you work, And, since you havenit tried to Shirk, Illl give you, for your own elation, Just lifteen minutes' recreation. We sing, Miss Davis shoves us on,