South High School - Index Yearbook (Worcester, MA)

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106 - INDEX . And now having said so many disagreeable things about him, let us see if 'there is not something we can admire. A real fellow prides himself on being a good sport. He means to play the game fairly at whatever cost and if blame is due him is- willing to take it. Loyalty to his friends is another good trait and is rarely violated except accord- ing to the ancient proverb all is fair in love and war. Although he may criticise the girls, if there is any case for chivalry, he will pro- tect and defend them. A contributor to the Saturday Evening Post writes in this manner: These nervously accomplished young creatures, are usually competent at mechanics of some kind-tooling motorboats or high powered carsg knowing nothing at all of letters, but everything of carburetorsf' And so we find a creature of many contradictions, with minor faults and passable virtues, but, after all, any girl with due regard for the truth will admit it is the most interesting subject in the world. LUCILE PEARSON S. HER BADGE OF COURAGE . IRIAM,S French book lay on her lap opened to the lesson which was still unlearned, although she had started to study Xl 6 it fully a half hour before. Was it the constant dashing X of the rain against the window panes that took her atten- . - tion? No,,that could not be it, for her eyes, half blinded by in persistent tears, stared, unseeing, into the dying embers of the illuminated logs. Wliy did she feel so disheartened? Trusting in her mother's judgment shehad never before grieved when not allowed to go where she wanted to. She had not accepted the plan of the other two girl? who were forbidden to go and Helen's words still rung in her ears. 4'You just don 't dare' go. You could skip out just as easy as we, and if your mother did 'find outj I'm sure she would understand. It isn't every day in the week we can have General Bates as near as two miles from us. Even if it is a dance out of town, the bus takes us right there a11d we'd all be together. You haven 't got spunk enough to try any- thing! I'd like to know how you expect to get your badge of courage i11 the Scouts if you 're afraid to do even this little thing. So they had parted, with Miriam held as a coward in Helen's es-timation. The ringing of the telephone awoke Miriam from her reverie. She gladly told Miss Smith she would substitute for her in the telephone office that night. It would be much better than sitting at home in her present state of mind. Enclosed in rubber from head to foot, she started out into the driving rain. Little rivers of water were flowing in the gutters and sounded like small water-falls as they poured into the

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INDEX 105 ii iff ENGQ 'ii - -D iaiiasaaiaisi C . Edited by Pearl Coxon. THE MODERN YOUTH T is somewhat of a problem to describe the young man of to-day, as each specimen of the species has its pecularities. Girls may meet some boy who seems just about right, but on closer acquaintance there is nearly always some trait of which they disapprove. However we girls cannot deny a lively interest in the subject-and the specimens-and of his various traits we will iirst discuss his appearance. Mos-t of the boys whom we meet at ,., fl 3 ir- ? 1535 4, ' school are neat in person and careful in attire They are fussy as to the polish of their shoes and fastidious concerning the angle of handker- chief showing above their pocket. Individual taste is evidenced by their choice of ties, and freakishness sometimes runs- to socks. The carefully smoothed and parted hair must cost a few minutes sleep in the morning, and we wonder if some of this time might not well be spent on the fingers. ' Very similar to his appearance are his- characteristics. His man- ners are rarely consistent, they are like a new suit, not yet adjusted' to the owner. He may jump to his feet when a lady enters the room, and be tremendously busy elsewhere should she have occasion to put on her rubbers. He may raise his hat to every female acquaintance whom he meets on the street, and then wear it for an hour or so after he returns home. At a social gathering he is courtesy itself to the girls whom he likes, and blindly indifferent to those who do not appeal to him. Perhaps his most general fault, and one which few boys escape, is laziness. Herculean eiforts are necessary to get him started in the morning and having got him started, it is often essential to prod him more or less all day if one wishes to have anything accomplished. Under pressure of empty pockets he may sometimes be induced to drape himself behind a counter, but dis-illusionment awaits the misguided per- son who tries to introduce him to a coal shovel, a saw, or a lawn-mower.

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a INDEX 107 sewers. At every step she took, her feet sank a couple of inches into the oozy, sucking mud. In the distance' she could hear the angry waters of the full river. It was not long before her dripping clothes were drying and she was settled in the warm telephone office. She had learned the operator 's work for fun one summer, and was a very ready substitute when called upon out of school hours. The interest and excitement of her work soon drove away all her unhappy thoughts. There were only two other girls besides herself working that night, for three of the girls had gone to General Bate-s's reception and one was ill. It was a strenuous evening and Miriam is cheeks glowed with excitement. Suddenly, on answering a toll call, the color left her cheeks and they turned a ghastly white. The dam had burst! The river was rapidly rising, and guards had been watching it, but the people had trusted their new, strong dam. A In terror the other two girls fled from the office. Miriam started but stopped suddenly. Helen's word coward sprang up before her. Here was her chance to prove that she wasn't. But the other girls had gone and she was alone! Perhaps she-should never see them again if she stayed, but on Cedar Hill she could find safety. Then the thoughts of the oncoming river and the crowds of people and General Bates, drove her to the switch-board. Barely half a minute was lost in debating, and before another half minute six towns had been notified. .She could hear the roar of the river now! Still she stuck to her post and made her connections in double quick time. She called that dis- astrous message to private homes as fast as she could talk. Even though she could hear the water come pouring through the street below she continued to operate her plugs. It was better that she should be lost than a town. The water rose, and she could hear it swirling and crashing below her, and she could hear the rain pelting at the window panes and angrily diving into the raging Hood. She was on the top floor which was four stories from the ground. She would have. a little longer to work. These thoughts flashed through her mind faster than lightning for she was intent upon her task., f'The dam! A was- her brief cry and all knew what she meant. And still the water rose! She could hear it on the floor below now. Her work would soon be over. Making her actions more rapid, if possible, she reached about all who were within her power before she heard the water pound at the door and vent its fury at the window sills. As the door crashed through she made a dive for the window, struggling in the monstrous current. Fortunately she was a good swimmer and had a strong athletic body. Battling with supernatural A... . .m