Santa Rosa High School - Echo Yearbook (Santa Rosa, CA)

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THE PORCUPINE 5 shortcomings.” Then the father spoke: “I am glad for you, Allie. You deserve it all. You’ve been the sunshine o our home, and, I repeat it, you deserve it all.” ARs Up Against It One of the most important days of my life was the day I entered what my elders called “that famous institution of learning, the Santa Rosa High School.” I was a rather prepossessing lad of fourteen years. I had always been on good terms with everyone around me and on excellent terms with myself. That is, I had always been a favorite among my classmates at the grammar school, being their leader in every prank, and so I expected to be quite an important chap at the High School. My mother told me that morning to behave myself and not disgrace the family, for she always spoke to me as if I were a “kid” tied to her apron strings, instead of a boy who was able to take care of himself. I answered, “Oh, bosh,” and, whistling my shrillest set out for the school. When I arrived there I found many others in the same position that I was, but there were a great many more who were “old in the service,” and took pains to let me know it by the murmurs that I heard passing around the room. “There goes a Freshie,” and “My, but he looks ereen,” and “I’m mighty glad I’m not just starting in.” Do you think I minded being called a Freshie? Not me! I just straightened and said to myself, “ Now, John, don’t you let yourself be made a fool of. You just show them what a I'reshie is made of.” Well, when the school took up, the first person I not- iced was the prettiest girl sitting across the aisle from me. Whew! I was in a better humour already. She looked at me and smiled as though she wanted to be friends. You know I always did like girls, but most of

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4 THE PORCUPINE tion to offe r. You have a wonderful voice, as you cer- tainly should realize. After your sister has graduated from college and your father will not necessarily be with- out companionship, I will undertake its training in ex- change for nothing except your constant perseverance. But listen, dear, do not interupt me. You may repay me when your voice has created demands for your presence in public.” Surprise, gratitude and bewilderment seized Allie sud- denly and she leaned over the side 0 the boat and threw her arms around the neck of the beautiful singer who had opened a fountain of joy at her feet from which she might quench her thirst which had been raging unsatisfied un- tilnow. They parted, one happy in the consciousness of having bestowed happiness, the other in the lofty ambi- tions and the earnest hopes and purposes which were hers. When Allie re-entered the room where her father still busied himself with his evening tasks and saw before her the accustomed duties, she thought of the singer as one whom she had beheld in a dream. Elaine had returned and immediately proceeded to give her sister a few de- tails concerning the experiences of the evening. “Oh, Allie, the singer was not present, for some ac- countable reason, and after wandering up and down the Grdens we were obliged to go. Mrs. Declaine was so embarassed and annoyed she could scarcely treat her guests with civility. It was stupid.” Allie seated herself at her sister’s side. It was a long while before she could gain the courage to unfold to her the events of the evening, but she finally did and, while her father listened with tearful eyes, Elaine drew her closer and, embracing her tenderly, said, “Allie, dear, you’ve sacrificed yourself for me and I am truly grateful for the unselfishness you’ve shown.” Then laughingly, for it was never possible for Elaine to be serious long, she continued, “Father and I may agree and we may not, but you shall not suffer for our

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6 THE PORCUPINE them are kind of “sissified,” don’t you think so? But some aren’t, you bet. They’re jolly as boys and are the “real stuff.” I made up my mind that this one was a “reg- ular brick.” But to my dismay, there just a few seats away was one of those old “‘smarties” from grammar school whom I just hated. He was a regular bully and was always sticking his nose into iny business. I never could bear him, be- cause he was a short, fat, fellow, was never neat about his clothes and his hair always stood up in all directions at once, as though it was trying to fill up the extra amount of space in his hat, which was about a size and a half too big. You may think I’m a kind of a “sissy,” but I’m not. I know how to make the girls admire me, you’d better be- lieve. This old enemy of mine looked at me as if to say, “We'll have a scrap at recess, old man, and I'll show you who’s who.” Well, we didn’t have any real lessons the first day, so the second morning I went to my classes with a brave face, fully prepared to distinguish myself. Our history teacher was such a dear little lady in a blue dress. After giving a number of questions, she suddenly said, looking straight at me, “Mr. Jenkins, who was the Black Prince?” I felt important all of a sudden. She had actually called me Mr. Jenkins. She had called on different ones in the class before, and some of them had gotten up and spun off long yarns, most of which were only biuff. I said to myself, “I will just shine. now; I’m not going to bluff.” I stood up and—well, you must be a little lenient, be- cause the class was large and as I had a seat near the back they could all look around and see who the Mr. Jen- kins was. My! but I do despise that name to this day. Well, as I said before, I stood up; my knees began to shake; I got red, white, and I know, blue. However, I pulled myself together, for you do feel kind of queer when you first get up before a lot of