Sheridan High School - Bronc Yearbook (Sheridan, WY)

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THE OCKSIIEPERIDA 5 of that country documents telling of the you the name of the country, for it has long Perfect Beauty Winifred. But I cannot tell since been absorbed by a larger monarchy. AN ARIZONA SANDSTORM By Nova Moody, T2. It was a sultry day in July, and Phoenix lay baked beneath the sun. It was so hot that the very air seemed to vibrate and quiver. No breeze stirred, and the sunbaked earth seemed hard as stone to the bare feet of the few Indians trudging aimlessly up and down the narrow streets. All of a sudden a puff of hot wind struck my face, and quicker than can be told, people were scurrying to and fro, shutting windows and doors, taking in all portable things, and the hitherto quiet street was crowded with people hurrying towards shelter. A sand storm was coming! The wind began to blow cold, and little pebbles and grains of sand glistened in the sun. Then the sun went under a cloud and it grew dark. I ran for the house and reached there just in time to hear the lamp on the post near the gate shiver into atoms. Colder and colder blew tin; wind, and the air was filled with whirling sand blown in from the desert. The gale carried before it all that could be lifted from the ground. The noise was terrific, but above all we could hear the screeching of the wind. For about ten minutes the storm raged, then suddenly all was quiet. The sun came from behind the clouds; doors and windows were thing open and the storm was over. The streets, which had seemed so hard and dry, were now knee-deep with shining sand. The entire city presented a different aspect, but life went on as before, the still air quivering with heat, the Indians trudging aimlessly to and fro through the heaped-up sand. Evening came, and with it a cool breeze which blew constantly until sunrise, carrying the sand out to the desert again, and by morning the town once more lay parched and dry beneath the unrelenting sun. By Sarah Gridley. Fred l’ortz is employed this year at the First National bank. Myrtle Furness of Spencer Business college has been assisting in the postoffice for the past few weeks. Louise Portz is remaining in Sheridan this year. She has for some time been assisting in the Carnegie library. Percy Metz is residing at Basin. Wyoming, this year, where he is engaged in the practice of law in the firm of Metz Metz. Miss Dora Haywood is employed at the tie plant as stenographer. It is evident Dora proves very efficient for her position. Miss Julia Grodavent is busily engaged this year, both as chief librarian in the Car-

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4 THE OCKSIIEPEBIDA foreign lands, studying and teaching, but when he heard of his pet’s need he hastened at once to Ordo’s court. When he had been told all, and had seen for himself Winifred’s pitiable plight, he shook his head and sighed, Oh, Winifred, my dearest pupil and the idol of my old heart, something tells me that your trouble is caused by unhappiness.” “Unhappiness,” gasped the queen, “when she has everything her heart can desire? “My daughter, have you ever been unhappy?” she demanded almost fiercely of Winifred. “Blessed mother, dear teacher and honored father, to you all I would say that I have never experienced extreme emotion for any length of time. At times 1 have been radiantly happy, but my ailment has prevented much of that. But 1 have never been unhappy because of this malady. So no unhappiness has caused it.” “Bear with me,” said Rothgar, “until I have finished. I am an old man, but I have learned much of the science of reading the future from Chaldean scholars. Perhaps you do not feel unhappy, but let me tell you a bit of history. You come of a poor but worthy family. Your ancestors suffered much persecution, and all of their faces bore such traces of pain as we see on yours when you are stricken by the malady. A deed of valor brought one of your ancestors into prominence and he became such a court favorite that when tin old king died childless and alone, he willed the throne to the son of his favorite. Since then the royal line has remained in your family, but the suffering will not cease until you help to relieve the suffering of others.” “You mean,” said Winifred, “that T do not give enough?” “Yes,” answered the old man. “That is all I may tell you now. even though 1 see that you do not comprehend my use of the word 'give.’ But again I say unto you that one day Winifred shall be a perfect beauty.” When Rothgar had again left the court Winifred commenced to seek her beauty. Her mother bade her lose no opportunity to give. So she gave a gold piece to a beggar, a necklace to a poor girl, and many other priceless gifts. She watched for any change in her countenance, but alas, none came. In fact, her beautiful moments became more rare and she was fast becoming a plain, middle-aged woman. Not long after this Ordo died, and Sil-vene, the queen, soon followed, so Winifred was queen. Her people loved her for her generosity and spoke respectfully of her as their “maiden queen.” Her enemies laughed and called her the “homely” queen. Now Winifred lived to be an old, old woman, and the last part of her reign was so troubled that at times she felt entirely friendless. She felt that her fawning courtiers loved not her but her kingdom and its wealth. One night, as Winifred drove through the town in her sleigh, she saw huddled up in the snow a tiny child. The night was bitter cold and the child was scantily clothed. She ordered the driver to stop, and stepping out she gathered the child up in her arms. She had just lately given up the fruitless search for beauty, and her thoughts were only of the child. Tenderly she cared for the infant, and since no one claimed it she decided to keep it. “For,” she said, “the Christ was a child and my ancestors suffered. This child is friendless and so am I, it seems, so we shall be friends to each other.” That night all noticed a great change in Queen Winifred. She seemed happier and more beautiful. As she bent over the cot to kiss the babe, the transformation was completed. A voice in her ear whispered: “This you might have had long years ago, had you given without selfish motives.” “What might I have had?” she asked. But there was no reply, and no one else had heard the voice. “Look, look!” cried one of the ladies in waiting, “the queen! She is beautiful- -she has the perfect beauty!” Everyone looked, and it was so. The queen herself felt happier than ever before, and kneeling beside the baby’s bed she cried, “Oh, Rothgar, at last I have found true happiness, which is perfect beauty.” And ever after she was known as Winifred the True Beauty. If you do not believe this you may some day lie so fortunate as to find in the castles

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6 THE OCKSHEPERIDA negie library, and as society editor for The Sheridan Post. If you have something you wish to quote, give it to your editor for an Alumni note. If you have something to confess, give it to the ‘‘Old Folks’ editor” of S. II. S. Henry Adams, who was president of the class of ’05, is at the present time making a brilliant success as superintendent of the agents and traveling salesmen of the Oliver Typewriter company, Albany, New York. Elmer Polly, president of the class of ’10. is employed this year by the Parkman .Mercantile company, Parkman, Wyoming. However, Elmer cannot resist the temptation to make a short visit to Sheridan every few months. Miss Pearl Burns has returned to Sheridan for her Christmas vacation, and owing to her health will remain here until about the last of February. Pearl says she is very fond of Chicago, but it certainly is very pleasant to be able to spend a few weeks in Sheridan. By Georgia Sheldon. The Seniors began the new year right with new class pins. Willis—Spencer was given a grant of land along with Sir Walter Raleigh. Prof. Ilerbst has started a new system of arithmetic, by which two from eight leaves five. Lorena rushed into assembly the other day and gasped ”0, I’ve lost my oral composition.” One does not think Mr. Murphy as being mercenary, yet it is true that gold sticks to his fingers. One of the Virgil class translated “ju-venta” as “young men,” and next would come to “positis excuviis.” but Miss Furr mercifully avoided that painful operation bv interrupting the recitation. Mr. Murphy—We make charcoal from wood, bone and—anybody? (General laugh.) Can anyone please tell Helen how to “quill a toothpick?” She may need one in Chemistry some day. Jeannette Tschirgi was absent the first day after vacation, on account of illness. Too much holidays, evidently. Ruth (translating)—The German women knit just like the men smoke. This would seem impossible. We hear that Will has actually been working—shovelling the snow off the walk. The request must have been urgent indeed. Prof.—Helen, please go to the board. That’s a piece of chalk. Now, consider the matter.