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

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X..-. 'B 11: --- v Lg A -3---1-Q-ff Y .,X A- u ifv- handed down through many ages to Crawford's mother in the form of a ring. Crawson had an older brother, Lee, who was a very worthless fellow and consequently was continually getting into trouble. It seems that it was Lee who really stole the jewel in order to pay a huge gambling debt. Lee was, however, very crafty and sly, and by clever manoeuvering had thrown the guilt of this theft on his younger brother, William. Then came the discovery of the robbery and William had been turned away from home, never to return. Soon after Crawson went to visit Lee, and easily forced him into writing a signed statement of his guilt. This the brother sealed inside a small miniature and promised laughingly to present William with it after the death of their father. He then made him leave and warned him about returning. Crawson heard of his family from time to time from different sources, so he did not give up all hope of ever establishing his innocence. Although Crawson was determined to get the important miniature, he was really without an idea as to how to do so before his father died. Crawson had never told his wife or daughter about the miniature, and after the former's death he practically gave up all hopes of recon- ciliation with his father. Then his daughter, in ignorance of its value, had bought the miniature in a pawnshop. That was the end of his story. The next day I went with him to his father's residence, and he was joyfully welcomed by his father, who had regretted his hasty act many times, though he had been too proud to admit it. He was very glad when he read the paper from the miniature. He then told us of Lee. He had caused his father nothing but sorrow, and he was now spzinding five years in prison for some matter of no importance here. We found, through tracing down the matter of the miniature, that Lee's wife, needing money badly, had sold the miniature. Then Ellen, admiring it, had brought it home. Crawson, together with his daughter and father, have now taken up their abode in Paris, where his daughter is studying art under the great masters. Recently I received an exact duplicate of the miniature painted by her, and you may be sure I prize it highly. -Virginia Farrar, '5. eww eww ew ess be-:ad was S

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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

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2-A lr- A 2 t.A -3- af- -1 9-:f - af.:-R f '-2-f -Y . Soft Wind 'S Return fi.- '2!g'. OFT Wind was ill at ease. Why was it that this heavi- 5 gg ness weighed upon her when other maidens were so happy? g Had not Blackcoat the best warrior in the tribe, fallen in 4 , u ' . love with her? Ah yes! Soft wind knew! Many brave warriors before him had sought the advice of her father in order that they might see Soft Wind. She could recall how each one had watched her as he had listened to the wise words of her brave father, White Feather. Buft always Soft Wind, as she sat at the fire, had busied herself with her tasks of weaving pretty vari-colored baskets or pulling plant dyed grasses through soft doe skins of which she would be making festival robes. Soft Wind had seen the court glances of those warriors before, and at last of Blackcoat. She was not without understanding and knew full well the meaning of them, but, sly maiden that she Was, she had taken no heed of them. However, it was not long until her father rebuked her for he was growing old, and he deemed it desirable that Soft Wind should grace some other brave warrior's lodge. Soft Wind had replied that she did not care to leave her father for one whom she did not love. Whereupon White Feather let the matter drop and allowed Soft Wind to have her will. In fact, he secretly rejoiced, because he loved his daughter dearly and had found the decision to part with her no easy matter. As to Soft Wind, there was no wonder that Blackcoat loved her, for Soft Wind was the tallest and most beautiful maiden of the large village of teepees. Her black hair was always neatly braided in two large braids that hung full and glossy to her knees. The band of precious wampum about her high forehead was blessed by a single white eagle's feather which gave evidence of the most honorable and bravest blood in her tribe. Soft Wind was as swift as the does, with which skins her lithe and beautiful young body was always clad, and it was a well known fact among the tribe that never a twig cracked under her feet as she ran. Then too, she could not only weave better than any of the other maidens in the village, but the lodge which she kept for her father was the clean- est and sweetest-smelling in the village. Truly Soft Wind, dusky pearl that she was, could not have helped being the most sought after maiden in the village, had she tried. In spite of Soft Wind's aloofness, White Feather's 'words had started action in her heart. It was not long after this until Soft Wind, 9