Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR strange girls. May I have the first few dances with yon to give me courage, Miss --------” “Arnold.” she supplied, “No, Mr. Delancey, I don’t think it would he good policy for you to dance with me more than once or ’wice. I know a good many girls who are dying to dance with you and you must give them a chance.” “Oh. protect me. Miss Arnold.” he begged. Really. 1 am awfully shy and a lot of girls dying «•h mv account would put me in a panic. 1 should feel like a murderer. She laughed. Really, you sound as if you were shy. W hat department are we in now? I think it is the jewelry department. How tunny it looks with nothing on the counters. Isn’t an empty store an awful place anyway? I should die of fright if you weren’t here to protect me, Mr. Delancey. Oh. what is that noise!” she ex- claimed suddenly, it comes from behind the counter.” “I’robablv a mouse.” suggested John. I’ll look.” Oh. I hope not!” she exclaimed with fer- vor. drawing her skirts about her. 1 detest the things.” It proved to be something much more substantial than a mouse. Under the counter crouched a man. Reside him was a bag heavy with plunder, lie had evidently seen a detective coming and had dodged under the counter. At closing time he had seen no way of escape. John dragged him out bv the collar. He was a short, thick-set man. a head shorter than John, lie made no effort at resistance, but he slowly drew his hand toward his hip pocket. John’s sharp eye discerned the movement. Here. he said. I’ve seen that little trick be- fore.” and quick as a flash he sprang behind the man and pinioned his arms to his sides. The man tried t« wrench himself loose but John’s grip was vise-like. Miss Arnold.” he said calmly, “come and hand me what this gentleman has in his pocket.” Winifred, who had been looking on horrified, ap- proached the man somewhat gingerly, it must be confessed, and drew a large revolver out of his pocket. John took it from her and reversed his position to one in front of the man. I will hold him at bay,” he said to Winifred, “while you search his bag.” She opened the bag and disclosed thousands of dollars worth of jewelry. I thought so.” said John. “Quite a neat little job.” He leaned against the counter with the pistol aimed at the thief as nonchalantly as if nothing had happened. “Really. Mr. Delancey,” exclaimed Winifred in admiring tones, “I never saw such remarkable courage!” “You displayed some pretty cool nerve your- self.” was the rejoinder. “1 was so relieved it wasn’t a mouse,” she ex- plained and then laughed. “Here comes help,” said John as he heard a key turn in the big door. When they were re- leased from their prison he turned his captive over to the hands of the police and refused the reward. I enjoyed it. he explained, there is so little excitement in the East.” We must hurry.” he said to Winifred when they were settled in a taxi, it is nearly eight o’clock, too late for the ball. Let’s go to some show instead. I don’t like the idea of being an exhibition myself.” “That is out of the question.” said Winifred. I would rather go to a show than arrive late at the party, but your cousins would be disappointed if you weren’t there. Think how people could talk. And it would be a shame for me not to get a chance to wear the scarf for which I went through all this excitement.” As a consequence of their adventure there were two late arrivals at the party. If she had let him. John would have danced all the dances with Winifred. As it was, she had all the girls looking at her in unconcealed envy. Many of them would have paid a price for a glance from the popular Westerner, but he seemed to have eyes for no one but Winifred Arnold. It is to be feared that John neglected his cousins somewhat that week in order to spend more time with Winifred. There was one more dance the night before John’s departure. This time he acted as Winifred’s escort. It was a warm evening and during the intermission they went out on the moonlit cupola for a breath of air. Winifred.” said John suddenly, “it may be rather soon to ask you. I have only known you a week, but we Westerners waste no time. Will you marry me. Winifred? I want your promise to take back with me. I have loved you ever since our adventure in the department store. Will you consent, darling?” Winifred was too happy for words and few were needed. John drew her to him. When he released her from his embrace she took the scarf from her shoulders and held it up for his obser- vation. “Just think.” she said, “this flimsy bit of silk has shaped the destinies of two lives. If I hadn’t gone back to buy this chiffon scarf I might never have known you.” “Bless the chiffon scarf!” exclaimed John, rapturously, “when we are married we will have it framed.”

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6 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR That Chiffon Scarf MARGUERITE S. PEARSON, ’18-A HE throngs of late shoppers were hurrying on their homeward way, along the busy city streets, in the spring twilight. Among them was Winifred Arnold, a very attractive girl, who had been shopping with her mother. Suddenly the girl stopped short. “What is it. Winifred?” inquired her mother. “Have you forgotten anything?” “Yes. mother. I intended to get a chiffon scarf to wear to the ball this evening. I’ll run into this store and get one.” was the reply. Oh. don’t bother. Winnie. 1 can’t wait for you. and you really don’t need another scarf. You have plenty at home. And besides it is too late. It is a quarter to live and the stores close at five.” protested her mother. “You need not wait for me. mother, al- though it won’t take me a minute. And I just have to have that scarf. I know that I have about a hundred at home, but they are all mussed. It is out of the question to go to an af- fair of the Delanceys’ in anything that isn’t ab- solutely new. And this party is especially im- portant because it is given in honor of their cousin from the West, who is a very wealthy young man. I’ll have plenty of time to get the scarf.” and heedless f her mother’s arguments, the girl turned back and entered the large de- partment store. There were only a few straggling shoppers in the store, and for the most part the activities of the store’s employees were centred upon gathering up and packing away the wares. W inifred made her purchases and turned to go when she remembered something else. “I promised to take tea with Laura Corwin, and here it is five o’clock.” she said to herself. “How careless of me to forget! I must call her up and explain.” She went to one of the pay stations in the store and called up her friend. “Well. I’ll see you at the party tonight.” concluded Winifred after a twentv-minutes conversation. “I’m just crazy to see that cousin, aren’t you? They say he is very handsome and worth millions. Of course I don’t expect him to dance with me. That would be too great an honor. There will be hundreds present and I shall be satisfied just to get a glimpse of him. Well, good-by. See you later.’’ Winifred hung up the receiver and opened the door i f the booth. She looked about her in con- sternation. The sight that met her astonished eyes caused her heart to contract. The store lights were dim and there was not a soul to be seen. Apparently she was alone in the silent, deserted store. However, just as she turned around, the door of the adjoining telephone booth opened and she came face to face with a young man. “Oh. I beg your pardon.” they both exclaimed at once as they came in contact. Winifred glanced up at the man. He was tall, stalwart, and somewhat sunburned. We seem to be prisoners.” said the stranger affably as he grasped the situation. “Yes.” rejoined Winifred, “is there no way in which we can escape?” 1 will try the door.” he said. He pushed the great revolving door, but it was of no avail. “I will telephone the police and they will con- nect with the proper authorities to come to ur rescue.” and he disappeared into the telephone booth again. He came out in a minute. “It may be some time before they locate the party with tlu keys. he said, “so you may have to put up with my company for a while.” “Oh. I hope they won’t take long!” she ex- claimed anxiously, “for I have an engagement this evening. So have I. remarked the man. “that is how I happen to be here now. I arrived on the noon train from the West to spend a week with some relatives. My baggage will not arrive till to- morrow. Imagine my feelings when they told me that they are having a ball in my honor to- night. 1 had to do some tall skirmishing to get a dress suit and a few other accessories in time. Xot knowing the habits of these Eastern depart- ment stores. I stopped to do a little ’phoning and this is the result, not'that I am at all sorry.” he added gallantly. “I got caught in the same way.” said Winifred. “I am going to a party tonight, too. and I dashed in here at the very last minute to get a chiffon scarf that 1 didn’t really need.” We mav as well introduce ourselves.” he said. I am John Delancey.” Why. how strange.” laughed the girl, “it is your party I am going to.” “That is a strange coincidence.” said John. “I am verv glad to meet one of the guests before- hand. They will all be strangers to me with the exception of my cousins and I hate to dance with

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8 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR A Dream MARJORIE J. BEERS, T7-B HER I', was every possible reason to make me believe I should enjoy a long- night’s sleep when 1 went to bed last night. There was nothing to worry me and I never was in bet- ter health. But still 1 lay hour upon hour thinking of a certain book I had just read in which the Rome of Augustus, about which he said: “I found Rome a city of brick. I left it a city of marble. was minutely described. I al- ways did like such things, but this book im- pressed me especial!). I think a distant clock struck three just as I finally dropped into slumberland. I dreamed a strange dream then. I was a child—a happy, gay child—and I sat swinging on a iow apple tree branch. The tree was a glorious mass of soft pink blossoms and the grass beneath was green and dotted with dandelions. The spring sun shone warm and bright in the dear blue sky of heaven. Suddenly a bird flew by—close by me. Twas a beautiful bird. It’s plumage was as varied as a rainbow and as it passed it uttered a strange, weird cry. that thrilled me and compelled me to follow. I skipped away, ever pursuing that low. skimming bird and my eyes saw naught but it. Ever and anon it uttered its call. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it disap- peared in a fleecy cloud floating just above. T bethought me of my apple tree and turned to run back, but as I raised my eyes I saw a fountain. Peering into its crystal depths 1 beheld a woman and not a child. Had I in those few min- utes passed half a life-time? 1 wondered where I was and then I began to wander about. A familiar object greeted me here, another there. Suddenly it all came to me. 1 was in Rome—that wonderful city of my de- sires. It was just as it had been when Augustus left it in fourteen A. I). I wandered on—the Temple of Jupiter greeted me as a friend. The Eorum seemed a life-long acquaintance and the Temple of Janus and the Pantheon loomed up as familiar as the mountains that overshadowed mv childhood home. I strayed down to the Tiber—that fast flowing stream. My feet were weary and sore and 1 climbed upon a rock and dipped them in the water's cool depths, and as I leaned over, the image there reflected was that of an old woman, gray-haired and stooped. Suddenly the rock on which I sat moved and floated as it were to mid-stream and then down the river. A voice somewhere murmured: “Life is o’er! Life is o’er.” Rome faded from my eager eyes and then the rock sank lower and the waters rushed over my head. The sun rising awoke me from my dream, and I whispered: Life is not yet ended! It has just begun.” -------------- The Earnest Efforts of an Elderly Lady to Make the Old Horse Go ELL. David, this is a lovely morning and we can go right along, can’t we ?” “Come bov. giddapA'luck. cluck.” “Go ’long. David, now, you must go long, cluck, cluck.” “David, if you don’t go along I’ll scold you, you old slow poke.” “Go ’long now. cluck, cluck.” And David plodded on. “Now. David, this is down hill and you must go ’long.” “David, you’re the most foolish old horse I ever knew. “Why don’t you trot down this hill instead of holding the carriage back?” “Come, giddap.” And David plodded on. “Now. David, please go along, if you don’t I -am going to whip you.” “Come. now. David. please go ’long.” “There. I’ve got to do it.” Tap. tap, tap. tap. “Giddap. David.” “David, if you don’t go along I—I—I don’t know what I’ll do.” I law-w-w-w-w-ruck!” “There, maybe that unaccustomed noise will make him trot. Giddap. David.” “David, if you don’t go along I’ll poke you with the butt end of this whip.” Poke, poke, poke. And David plodded on. “Mary, will vou hold these reins while I try to hit him under the stomach?” Tap. tap. tap. “C’ome bov. cluck..cluck.” “Well. Mary, you’ll have to take the reins again. I’m all tired out.” “I guess we’ll let him walk.” And David plodded on.