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

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GCruck, Fate or Lour? T WAS mid-summer, and early morn- ing, when everything in Nature’s out- doors is dewey and fresh and fragrant. The sun had not been long risen above the hazy mountains, and was just wak- ing the swallows and sparrows to chirp and twitter in happiness. Richard Barstowe was swinging along the road, his head thrown back, en- joying to the full every minute of the morning. He had risen early, and slipping out of the house had started off for a morning walk. For sheer joy at being alive he was whistling, when he turned a bend in the road and the sound of a horse rapidly approaching was heard. Stepping to the side of the road, he waited to see who the early rider was. He did not have to wait long—dashing around the bend at full tilt came a wild-looking little Arabian pony, and on his back was a girl whom Richard judged to be about sixteen. She was dressed in a simple linen middy suit, and a long braid of golden hair hung down her back. In one prettily-shaped arm she clasped a large bunch of wild- flower blossoms, and with the other she guided her pony. Coming upon Dick so suddenly so frightened the girl that she let fall her flowers. She immediately halted her pony, and as Richard, who had stooped and gathered the blossoms, handed them to her, she laugh- i explained that she was so startled at seeing any- , J ingly ove 10 one about so early that she had dropped her flowers. Then with a word of thanks and a fleeting smile, she was gone. Starting on his homeward way, Richard reflected that her eyes had been blue; yes, very blue, and large and sparkling. He wondered who she could be; she was evidently not new in the country as he himself was, having come but the day before for a long-looked- forward-to vacation at the little resort beside the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean. The next time he saw her was one afternoon when he was on his way down to the beach with his friend, Jack Erdly. She was coming out of a cottage across the street with some other girls, all with tennis racquets. They hailed Jack who waved his hat in reply, and in answer to their query as to whether he was going to the party that night, he replied in the affirmative. “Those are most of the girls who will be at Mrs. Donovan’s party tonight,” explained Jack. ‘You'll like them all, they’re a dandy crowd, but you'll like Pris- cilla Wright the best. She is the girl with the yellow hair down her back. Her family live in Los Angeles, but she had to come here to recuperate from an illness. She stays with her aunt.” These facts were interesting to Dick, and he be- gan looking forward to the evening with much pleasant anticipation.

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SRE WY a! wi ae iy eae” | i ¥, yy) ) ch YAS 4, LOMA WN “ TAM 3 SOV eR UX NON.

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Evening found Priscilla enjoying her usual tate- a-tate with her aunt. “Aunt Helen,” she cried impulsively stooping to bestow a kiss on Mrs. Smith’s cheek, “I just can’t bear to think of going back to school in the autumn, even though it is more than a month off. I’ve had such a wonderful time here, I don’t see how I can go.” “We will certainly miss you, dearie,” said her aunt, “but you come up for your vacations always. But look at the time, Priscilla, run quickly and dress, my child.” Hurrying up to her room, the girl quickly donned a blue taffeta dress, finding slippers and stockings to match, and snatching a wrap she hurried outside where she already heard her cousin, Bob McGrane’s whistle. “Hello Priscilla,’ he greeted her. “Isn’t this a peach of a night?” And indeed it was; cool and quiet and a full moon turning the out-doors into fairy-land. Bob and Priscilla were the best of chums, and it was a common sight to see them together; horseback and galloping about the country, playing tennis, or strolling far down the beach. Bob had taken a special interest in the recuperation of his cousin, and in doing what he termed his duty, the two had become fast friends. It was not far to the Donovan home, a spacious and attractive bungalow, and on the way Bob told her about a new fellow who was to be there. “He’s a peach of a kid, too,” declared Bob, “and a shark at tennis. I never saw a prettier player.” 11 be the fellow I met the other “Is he athletic-looking and “I wonder if he can morning,” said Priscilla. rather tall?” “Yes, I guess that’s most of the inhabitants new.” Arriving at the party they found most of the young people already there, and the broad veranda had its share of them. As Bob and Priscilla came up the steps they were greeted with calls of welcome, and likewise as they entered the living-room. to greet their hostess. Later, as Priscilla turned from a group, at the touch of Mrs. Donovan’s soft hand upon her arm, she found Richard Barstowe standing at Mrs. Donovan’s side, and herself being presented to him. “Miss Wright and I have met before I believe,” said Richard rather uncertainly, as he took her ex- tended hand. “Yes,” laughed Priscilla, “under quite different cir- cumstances,” and she graphically told of their meeting on the country road. “Then you are already quite acquainted,” said the gracious lady, “and I will leave him in your care, my dear.” Priscilla took him over to the group she had just left, and having introduced him to all there—they chattered gaily until strains of music from the Victrola, which inevitably suggested dancing, broke up the the one. Anyway you know of this little village, and he’s