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

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THE’ PORCUPINE “One Good Turn Deserves Another.” “T am sorry, Miss Nolan, but I could not consent to such an arrangement. You are aware that a certain amount of responsibility rests upon each member of the staff.” “T was thinking,” said Miss Nolan, her blue eyes filling with tears as she glanced at the stern old editor who was even now perusing the contents of a manuscript, “that, perhaps, under the circumstances, you would con- sent. I do not wish to shirk my duties; it is on my broth- er’s account that I would be excused next Tuesday. He has been at sea for a year and a. half, and writes that he will be able to spend one day with us before starting upon another long voyage from which he may never return.” At that moment, Mr. Eversham tore in two one sheet of the manuscript on the desk before him. He then glanced at the young woman at his side. She was very shabbily attired, and something in the quaint hood and old fashioned shawl which she always wore aroused him to intense pity. However, he summoned all. his will- power to the occasion. He spoke of the prospects of future prosperity which constant labor made possible, and the moneyed realm of labor whose necessity none disputed, but these bits of worldly wisdom did not tend to hush the inner voice which bade him be kind. “TJ do not wish to shirk my duties,” she said, not curtly, but sadly, “I understand, however, that your words imply refusal. Good evening.” “Good evening,” he replied. % it % % Mrs. Eversham drew. aside the heavy curtains which shaded the windows of her cozy drawing room, and gazed upon the lighted street. She then settled herself in a comfortable arm-chair and idly turned. the pages of

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THE PORCUPINE 5 Tinally, the folks began to come, a merry crowd of cousins and aunts and uncles, and everything else was forgotten in the pleasant excitement of meeting and greeting one another. Grandma managed to steal away to the kitchen to give a last touch to the turkey, but after a few moments they were upon her there. “Ma,” said Aunt Jean, “the cake is a beauty. It reminds me of old times. You’re just as good a cook as ever.” The smile faded from grandma’s face and for the first time I saw her lips quiver, but just for a moment, for one after another, the girls came in remarking about that lovely cake, while grandma, Nell and J, stood looking at one another in speechless amazement. “The cake isn’t there,” I gasped at last, and then, I don’t know what impelled me but I just rushed past everybody into the dinning room and there, in the center of the table stood that wonderful cake, all unharmed ex- cept for a tiny piece of icing broken off from one side. I could hardly believe my eyes, but Nell and grandma had followed me and they saw it, too. Really, we showed remarkable presence of mind, for we all just laughed and no one in the crowd has ever found out, to this day, that our cake was gone for a day and a night. although Aunt Jean did say that we acted awfully queer about it. Well, the disappearance of the cake is still a mystery to Nell and grandma and they don’t care to know about it as long as it came back in time so as not to spoil the dinner; but I had my suspicions, so the next time I saw Tommy alone, I got the truth out of him by means of promises and threats, and after a great deal of coaxing on my part, he confessed, sobbing as though his heart was broken, “Nell said-—she said that—that the witches would dance around the cake at night, and—and I hid it in my room and stayed awake all night to see them, and J never saw a single one.”

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THE PORCUPINE 7 a magazine. good?” “Yes, mother,” cried a fair-haired girl appearing in the doorway, “Lydia Nolan is the authoress, and you would actually believe that she had once influenced a wandering brother or friend, for she describes his return to virtue so vividly. I,really lived amid the scenes of the story while reading it; and, mother, dear, I quite determined to take a greater interest in. my brother Tom’s affairs. You know ‘Tom is falling into bad ways.” This last was uttred in a low, Sad tone. “Yes,” said the mother tearfully... “And your father, too, will be gratified to learn of this:new. resolve, and will aid you as far as possible. Hark, I hear foot steps. Run, dear, to the door.” Jessie obeyed, and a moment later. an elderly man entered the room. It was Mr. Eversham. . He appeared to have left all cares at his office, and his. genial ;counten- ance quite dispelled thoughts of gloom. Jessie settled herself to study, and Mrs. Eversham further discussed the “Wanderer,” which she declared promised great things for its author. “And husband,” she continued, “Jessie has been spurred to a brave determination concerning her brother Tom. She hopes to convince him of his error, not by precept but by example, by the very purity of her own life. What a blessing it would be should she succeed. A sister’s influence is more precious than gold or silver; its value cannot be estimated in coin. It should not be regarded lightly.” Mr. Eversham started. He remembered Miss Nolan. How selfish his conduct had been. Truly, he had esti- mated the value of Miss Nolan’s influence in coin. He recalled his worldly conversation with a feeling of euilt, The next day, Miss Nolan received a note from Mr. Eversham. She read the following words with great joy: “You may be excused from your duties at my office not “Jessie,” she said, “was this‘Wanderer’