South Side High School - Optimist Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

Page 15 text:

Wl THE OPTIMIST 1 Well, now go to it, said Mr. Osteena and do it and do it right, said he to Frances who had come in. 0 yes, 1 expect I shall, said the Earl with a sigh. 1 always do, said Frances in a snappy tone. Thank you muttered she. Not at all, said Mr. Osteena. I have en- joyed my help which has been short and sweet so far. Here 1 will end my chapter. Chapter IV.—A Hard Life. Well, Frances, said R. Bernard Nolan, I am going to ask a frend of mine to be on the per- sonal department. 0 yes please do said Frances with a dainty blow at her nose. So Bernard disserppeard into the madding crowd and presently return- ed with a middle aged boy called Lord Leo. Franees turned a dull yellow. Lord Leo she said in a faint voice how did you come to be here? 1 am going to be on the Optomist, so there. I don’t care said huffy Frances. I’m your boss. Nothing could be nicer I’m sure struck in Lord Leo. Doubtless it will be charming said he, wanting peace. And I hope you will en- joy yourself. You have been looking rather pail of late and he left the room casting a glance behind. Chapter V.—An Agonizing Call. Just then another girl came into Room 103 and cried out Frances why have you turned against me. Why am I not on the personal de- partment. But 1 didn’t want you Esther responded Frances. Well you mite if you had me said Esther. I think not replied Frances. This is agony, cried Esther clutching hold of a desk. My life will be sour grapes and ashes if I am not on the personal board. Be brave whispered Frances in a sepulkral tone. 1 will put you on the school news bord. Well half a loaf is better than no bread at all responded Esther in a gloomy voice. Just then the Earl of Chestcrsham returned with a very brisk lady called Lady Gay Helena who said in a rather tart voice So this is the school news editor. Yes and you are the literary editor said Esther tarter still. Chestcrsham was wiping the foaming dew from his forehead but Mr. Osteena came in and said some rather witty things to enliven the party. Then they oozed forth into the hall- way. Chapter VI.—How it ended. Then the young editors had a most ex- krushiating time. They asked Lord Frank and Lady Helen who promised to make them a darling Optomist cover when ready. And there were a lot of other people too all peevish. Frances one day said to the Earl of Kolo- din what do you want to do on the Optomist. I don’t care said he. At this ackwiesense Frances fainted. Mr. Osteena pored water on her and she revived. Well said R. Bernard we shall make you chairman of a fecturc bord. I want some ladies to help me said the Earl of Kolodin I am parishial to ladies I suppose it is my nature. So he had to sickly ladies to help him. Then there were some more editors and all got exsited and Mr. Ostecnt dashed madly around and after a long while they got an Op- tomist. Shut In By Helen A. Young. IT was a cold, bleak, room and a tiny little face pressed close to the cold window- meagre looking room at that. A room pane, looked the most pinched of all. The that looked as if it had never had a good meal, face belonged to a poor, pitiful little body that much less ever seen one. The whole atmos- was as crooked and as twisted as the knarled phere seemed to have a pinched look, and the branch of a tree. 13

Page 14 text:

 “We’re so sorry’ you couldn’t be there,” be- gan Peggy Blake. “The novelties were so original!” exclaimed Sallie. “And you should have seen the favors,” piped in Antonette Gray. “Won’t classes ever begin today?” burst out Diana, unable to tolerate the strain any longer. Diana did look pretty that evening gowned in her plain blue satin. But was it the rose on her waist or Jack at her side that seemed to accentuate the color in her cheeks? What mattered that? Diana did look satisfied. Everything was laughter, fun and frolic, and Diana felt that this was a wonderful night for her. Her joy, however, was short-lived, when the stupid maid passed the soup. Oh! why had it to be just on Diana’s dress? Our little lady was for an instant too stunned to speak. What restored her senses was Peggy’s voice, which could be heard from the other end of the table. “And that’s Diana’s best dress!” and of course every' one joined in the chorus. Then came Jack’s voice. “1 do feel sorry', Diana. It was so pretty, too.” Sympathy! Sympathy! Oh, how she des- pised that word! But sympathy even from Jack. That was too much. Tonight she would end it all. Diana rushed to her room, too angry even to cry’, but thought, nevertheless, that Dad was always right. The telephone was the first thing Diana made for. “Western Union, please,” when she heard someone at her own door bell shouting, “Tele- gram! Telegram!” Diana for an instant forgot the excitement of the evening, rushed out, tore open the envelope, and beheld: “You win. Come home. Awfully lonesome alone.” DAD. THE OPTIMIST The Young Editors (By Our Own Daisy Ashford.) Chapter I.—Quite a Young Boy. Mr. Ostcena was a very skolerly teacher who was fond of asking people to work for him. Mr. Osteena had light short hair and glasses and a run. He had a gray suit, but on some days he had another kind and he carried a black bag as he thought it more becoming. One day Mr. Osteena asked quite a young boy of 18 to work for him. His name was R. Bernard Nolan and he was not very tall with fairish hair and nice legs. Hullo Mr. Osteena said he. What do you want. I want you to get an Optomist said he, you must have some people to help you added he. Ask Frances Cauftacue who is a lady pritty in the face. Well yes I will replied R. Bernard and he left the room with a very' superior walk but- toning his coat as he went. I expect you would like to help us run an Optomist said he to Frances Cauffacuc commonly called Miss C. Well yes I should said Frances egerly. Chapter II.—Starting Gaily. This is quite a large job, said R. Bernard. We mite get some more people to help. So we mite said Frances throwing him a speaking look. Mr. Osteena was growing a little peev- ish, but all of a sudden he had a good idea. I’ll tell you, said he I will arsk the earl to help me who is my friend. What a good idea cried Frances and she thought what nice people she was working with. So I will leave my chap- ter. Chapter III.—Mr. Osteena’s Plan. Mr. Osteena woke up rather early the next morning and remembered his good ideas of the night before. When he entered the school he said to the Earl of Chestersham that he was wanted to help run an Optomist, and I think you are just the one to do it, added he. Well, I think so myself, replied the Earl, blushing rather red.

Page 16 text:

1»€?l THE OPTIMIST “God, dear God,” the blue lips were whis- pering, “I’m not so very hungry. I’m not asking for something to eat, and I know I’ll never walk, but let me have just this, just this once. Oh, God, weren’t you ever young your- self, and didn't you ever want to see the trees and skies and hear the birds a chirpin’, and smell the flowers an—an it’s awful hard to be just a Shut In.” The pleading voice fell into muffled silence. Out in the green country! Who’s been there? Then you know the joy and glorious gladness of it all. Great wide stretches of green hills, and there the dip of a shady val- ley, lighted perhaps by the silver gleam of a little brook. The soft sweeps and whirls of scented wind that wraps your face and tugs at your hair. I wo little bunches of brown fur sat teeter- ing and tantcring on a limb of a tree that swayed and swayed in the green country. Mr. and Mrs. Fuzzy-Tips were tremendously ex- cited, and they chittcrcd and chattered, and in his great agitation Mr. Fuzzy-Tip most fell to the ground below. This was the reason for all the excitement: The Evening Breeze had just brought to Mr. Fuzzy-Tip a letter from the Master declaring that a Shut-In was to visit the Green Country. Mr. Fuzzy and his wife were to be host and hostess. All this was the cause of excitement in the Fuzzy-Tip home—third floor, the Oak Leaf Apartments. “Dear me, Fuzzy, dear,” said Madame Fuzzy-Tip, all of a quiver, “what a predica- ment I’m in. A visitor this afternoon and the spring cleaning not done yet. And the acorns to can. Well, we’ll have to make the best of it, that’s all,” and she stopped for breath. “Great nuts and little oak trees, what’s that,” and in her fright Mrs. Fuzzy-Tip dropped her comb. “What is that?” “That”—was the glad cry of Shut-In. Shut- In who now was in the Green Country. There he was right beneath the Fuzzy-Tip’s home, sprawling in the cool shade of the great oaks, the soft green grass clutched in his little hot hands, the sweet, moist earth between his bare toes. “Don’t be frightened, dear Mr. Fuzzy- wuzzy,” he called with another glad cry, “it’s only me, little Shut-In, the Master sent inc to se the Green Country.” “You’re very welcome, dear,” said Madame, “won’t you have some lunch? You certainly must behungry or thirsty after your long trip.” So there, under the cool shade of the oaks Shut-In ate his lunch of acorn cakes covered with honey gathered by the fairies from the dew cups of the rose and lily and drank long drinks of honeysuckle wine, and as he ate and drank Shut-In lost his crooked shape. He grew tinier and tinier—so tiny that Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel seemed like giants to him. And wonders of wonders, bright gauzy wings, all the colors of the rainbow, floated out from his shoulders. With a glad shout Shut-In (but shut in no longer) leaped into the air and was off to explore Green Country, the place where the Little Folks live. He flew for many, many miles to Flower Land, which lay spread out beneath him in great splashes of color—the gay music of the love bells floated up to his eager ears and drew him by invisible hands to the center of a fairy ling. Day had changed to night, the great round moon was coming up from the cast. The black lake nearby sighed softly in harmony with the glad notes of the Woodland Orchestra as the gaily dressed troop of fairies danced in the moon’s golden path that stretched across the bare space of soft forest floor. Suddenly, Shut-In found himself one of the mystic hand and light as air, he danced, joyfully, glorious- ly free, swaying in the moonlight that turns men’s veins to madness, drinking in the stir- ring beauty of colors, sights and sounds and still lie danced on and on, one of the fairy throng dancing till a smooth circle was worn on the forest carpet, dancing till the slender beams of the dawn came stealing into the woods. Continued on Page 78.