Soldan High School - Scrip Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

Page 14 text:

r- if lf ' e - ef - it esfef a The Miniature 67- S I sat at my desk late one night trying to think of a suit- 'wn able gift to present my wife on her birthday which was rapidly approaching, my eye happened to fall on a small advertisement in a magazine which I had just stopped reading. W. L. Crawson-Art Shop , if.. Art Shop! just the thing! I would buy my wife a painting, as she was very fond of them. I would go the next day to this shop. Crawson-Crawson the name was very familiar, but still I could not recall to mind where I had heard it before. The next morning as I sat at the breakfast table the name Crawson came back to me with such force that I overturned my coffee cup. Crawson!-William Crawson had been an old school mate of mine! I then made a few necessary explanations to my wife, who was still lamenting over the soiled table cloth, and hurried from the house to seek the shop of W. L. Crawson, Art Dealer . Dennis! my old friend Dennis johns, come closer to the light, man! How you have changed! I'm afraid I wouldn't have known you but for your card. But you still have your same hearty laugh! My, I'm glad to see you again ! I had reached the shop of my friend, and upon entering presented my card. The reader may judge for himself how pleased he was to see me. I was quite taken back at first at the great change which had taken place in him. Of course, it had been some years since I had seen him. He was my senior by five years, yet he looked so very old, and as if some problem troubled him. We settled down and had a long talk of the by-gone days, until all ideas of time had fled. Once or twice a customer interrupted us, but it was his daughter, Ellen, that really stopped us. She came rushing in, threw her hat into a nearby chair, tossed a small parcel into her father's lap and then stopped as she became aware of my presence. I had by this time studied this beautiful girl. She was scarcely eighteen and very lovely looking. She resembled her father in several ways. She greeted me in a very cordial manner and then turned to her father. Daddy, do you see what I bought today in a pawn shop down town? I was passing and saw it in the window and liked it so much, I bought it. We can probably get a good price for it, too, if we wish to sell it. It is also a real antique. Crawson had by this time started to unwrap it. When he had Finished, we received quite a shock. For after he had looked at it for 6

Page 13 text:

CHORUS ' I f -n- .REQ-J ,a.,ELJ.lJJg' Fi Sol-dan, cheer for Sol-dan, Al-ma Ma-ier, loud and clear: Sol-dan, here's to Sol-dan, May her name be al-ways brightg T. 3 f fm PM SEP- J .5.P.P-E f F-ia eE Strong and stca-dy, Ev-er rrea-dy For de-feat or vie-to - ry. I conquer ev- cf, Pal-ter newer, In ner mug-g1. for the right. ff .f 1 V F F F - J .p EE,-J Ag J J rgvffg Sol-dan, cheer for Sol-dan, For we're sure to win re- novng So wa'll Sol -dan, dream of Sol-dan, When we've drift-ed far a - gut, And in rg FFF rf -hs'-E:-I .e. .u -1 E122 Sl war ' f omar raise our voice to Sol - dan, For the pride of the Gold and Brown. life, as in our school-days, Hold her mot - to in our heart. E I 0 E ig F E Snldxn, Alun lhhr Q 'S

Page 15 text:

vt' 1, e In -'f -The D1 - -A a moment he began to grow very pale and trembled so violently that the miniature, for it was a small picture, dropped to the floor. I was greatly alarmed, and I suppose he must have noticed it for he said, It is nothing, Dennis, do not be alarmed, it is just one of my heart attacks. I picked up the miniature from the floor and gazed at it. It was of Marie Antoinette, painted on ivory, enclosed in a small gold filigree frame, which was greatly tarnished. The whole thing was really quite beautiful, marred only by a small crack across the face of it. I could see nothing which would cause my friend's queer conduct. Soon after- wards, I took my departure, advising Crawson to go to bed, and promis- ing to return at an early date. As I neared my place of business, I suddenly recalled the fact that I had gone to the shop really to buy my wife a painting! I laughed aloud to think of how my mind had wandered and so I resolved to return the next day to make my purchase. But my plans were to be changed. Upon reaching the bank I found that during my absence that morning a telegram had come requesting my presence at an important conference at Chicago. I also discovered that this would detain me over my wife's birthday, so I presented her with a liberal check, telling her to buy what she wanted, and left that night for Chicago. During that time I thought many times of Crawson and that minia- ture of Marie Antoinette. I tried to imagine the cause of his queer conduct the day that his daughter had brought it home. At last the long week in Chicago passed and I went again to the shop of William Crawson. He was very glad to see me and he appeared to be very excited. I was puzzled anew by his attitude, but I was soon to be enlightened. He locked the door of the shop upon my arrival and took me upstairs to the small apartment in which he and his daughter lived. He had, it seemed, inquired at the bank for me and learned that I was to be back in a week, and so he had rather expected me. When we were seated comfortably across from each other, he began, I sup- pose, Dennis, you thought it very queer that this miniature ftaking it from a drawerj should affect me as it did the other day. I replied in the affirmative and told him I was very anxious to know the reason. He then told me the story of part of his life which I shall endeavor to put here in my own and as few words as possible. When Crawson was about twenty he had been disowned by his father, who thought him guilty of a theft of a large, expensive jewel owned by his mother. This, a ruby, was very valuable and had been