Summit School - Flame Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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broadly. Suddenly Drusilla was smiling, too. All her tear was gone. All the angels were applauding her. She swelled with happiness and pride. i'Now,,' he continued, warmly, I wish to present you with your Christmas presentli' From a box he brought forth a gorgeous new, gleaming halo and placed it on Drusillais head. It glowed more than any of the other halos, and Drusilla glowed, too, for she was the happiest angel in heaven. This happened long, long ago, and today Drusilla is a very old angel, but she is still the happiest angel in heaven because every Christmas she looks down from her cloud and watches all the children hanging evergreen halo wreaths tied with big red ribbons on their doors. MOLLY TEASDALE Form V BIVEBTON F a stranger were driving along Vlliseonsin highway number thirty-four at a reasonable speed, I doubt whether he would notice anything different or extraordinary about this town, population six hundred and forty-nine. The cascades or the tourist cabins would be the only things that he might notice in Riverton at the time. A week after his trip he would have forgotten them completely. He would not even remember the extra big garages or the new chiropractor's office. A passer-by does not see anything in particular on his journey, but I have driven through Riverton too often and have lived near it too long not to know something about it. I think of Riverton as a big Women's Club. Naturally, the men are important, but it is the women who make any story more interesting. Some members of this club are domineering and active and so are at the top or presidency, and some members donit work and are less active, and some members do the lesser work around the clubhouse. Still others have not been tapped for admittance so they just look in the windows. I know the members of this club, the houses where they live, and the stores where they buy. I am treated as a guest of the club, politely, but Without much welcome. There are weekly meetings at the First Lutheran Church and the First Baptist Church. Many times there are special meetings for Ladies, Aid or a Sunday Social dinner in order to raise money for the poor non-members. I have never been to a Ladies' Aid meeting, but church dinners are wonderful. There, for the first time, I saw the Women working together in competition for the best chicken pot pie or apple pie. They criticize and comment on each other, but they do raise the money, and that is what counts. There are unplanned impromptu meetings every Wednesday and Saturday evening. These are the big nights of the week. Everyone goes downtown on these nights to do her shopping and gossiping. Wednesday nights the junior members have a musicale. The octagonal band box is in a small park in downtown Riverton. Next to it there is a large sign displaying the names of the servicemen from Riverton and its outlying districts. The men stop there, looking at the sign, listening to the music from the band box, which is livening up the town with its noise. There is a movie that mostly mothers or big sisters go to with their babies or brothers. I don't know why they donlt sit at home with them, but apparently many people do like cowboy pictures, even with a crying baby on their laps. Across from the movie theater is the womenls gathering place. It is the general store of Riverton. There are benches in front of it where the women sit looking and chatting with each other while waiting for a good crowd to gather so that they can go in and get their shopping done. The crowd usually is big enough just after the movie is out, and THE FLAME 29

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did so. Then she began to gather pieces of evergreen. If she could not have a bright, shiny halo, she would have one made of evergreen for Christmas. Soon her task was completed, and she flew back to her cloud to prepare for the coming eve. All the little angels put on their best snowy white satin dresses and tied big red bows in their flaxen hair. Drusillals evergreen halo was so big that it crushed her ribbon, so she tied it on her halo instead. She proudly floated from cloud to cloud to show it to her friends, They were very much impressed. -Butf, said Dorinda doubtfully, 'Ll don't know if the big angels will like itl They like bright, golden halos! Drusilla's heart sank. That was something she hadn't thought of. Would the big angels like her evergreen halo? Soon evening arrived, and all the angels, big and little, flew down to the big village. Drusilla meekly hid behind her friends for fear that the big angels would see her. A large, majestic Christmas tree covered with glittering ornaments and tiny, twinkling lights was standing sturdily in front of the gray stone cathedral. The church bells chimed in harmonious rhythm, and flickering candles burned in every window. All the villagers were coming out of the cathedral, and the big angels had already begun to trip lightly around the huge tree. Soon it would be Drusilla's turn. Presently her friends started to dance. Now she must start. Tiny snowflakes began roaming lazily in the air before settling themselves down for thc night. The bright stars winked down upon them through the veil of misty snow, and crimson-cheeked carolers sang out cheer into the merry night. Drusilla's nimble feet danced lightly over the cooling white snow. Suddenly she heard the children scream with delight, and looking up, she saw everyone's eyes fixed on her. They were all staring at the littlest' angel who, instead of wearing a glowing, yellow halo around her head like the others, wore a beautiful evergreen halo tied with a huge, red satin bow. Drusilla looked at the big angels. They sat with stern looks on their faces. She was frightened! She had never been so frightened in her life! But, to her surprise and joy, the villagers were delighted. The little boys and girls screeched happily, and all over one could hear the children begging their parents for an evergreen halo just like the one the little angel wore. The big angels no longer wore stern looks but ones of approval. The angels danced up and down the snowy lanes and streets, and all over little children pressed their noses against the windows to look at the little angel with the ever- green halo. Everyone wanted one. Santa Claus was in a terrible state because it was too late to make evergreen halos for all the little boys and girls. Pretty soon all the children were sent off to bed, and everything was quiet. Midnight came, Christmas Eve was over. Now everyone was in bed, even the angels. All the world slept except for Santa Claus, who was busy delivering toys in his sleigh, and also the least of the angels, who sat happily in the forest making hundreds of evergreen halos for Christmas presents for all the boys and girls. She even tied every one with a gorgeous red satin ribbon. i Iust before daybreak, little Drusilla floated joyfully through the big village, and on every door she hung a beautiful evergreen halo tied with a shiny, crimson bow. Then she flew sleepily up to her little bed in heaven and went happily to sleep. She was not awake on Christmas morning to see all the children's bright, smiling faces when they found their evergreen halos, but late that night when she did awaken, she was sum- moned to the huge cloud that was the banquet hall of the big angels. Immediately she was filled with fear. Now that Christmas was almost over, would the big angels scold her for what she did? With shaking knees and clammy, trembling hands she fluttered slowly over to the biggest cloud in heaven. There she found a tremendous feast in session. As she entered, everything was silenced. Drusilla felt very sick inside. The head angel marched over to her and took her hand in his. 'fOn behalf of all the angels in Heavenf, he began in a booming voice, I wish to congratulate you for making all the children have their happiest Christmaslv He grinned 28 THE FLAME

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all the mothers with their babies and all the sisters with their brothers are doing their shopping, too. Down the street a way is H.Y.ls Tavern. Henry Young is the tavernkeeper who has built highways in order to gain membership, but so far has been unsuccessful. His busi- ness is the most profitable in town, but naturally the drinkers and the drunkards don't want to associate with the one from whom they buy their drinks. Bill, the town bum, is usually sitting on the stoop outside H.Yfs waiting for an offer. Bill is fat with a per- petual stubble on his round red face. There is always some kind of flower in his old disheveled hatg he likes roses or violets best. These dainty flowers go with his happy blue eyes, but otherwise they are incongruous. The very active members of the club are found in Wilson's Gift Shoppe or Djerkeis Drug Store. They buy only their staples in Riverton, being Hnancially above its fashions and cars. They go to 'ithe cityw to buy. By eleven-thirty at night Riverton is quiet and peaceful. It looks like any American town on any calendar in any kitchen, quite harmless. MARY ELSINGER Form VI THE HISTORY OF HIS NAMESAKE SMALL girl was sitting on the knee of her grandfather. She was trying hard to think of a name for her new stuffed horse. Her grandfather was the type of grand- father who liked to talk about the past. He suddenly thought up a name and story for the animal which went something like the one I am about to relate to you. It was a cold, rainy night in London, England. The old clock in the Bloody Tower struck two. The streets looked mysterious and secretive. Along a dimly lighted street stood a large building. A painted sign hung over the doorway. The inscription on it was: KMac,s Hunt Stablesf ulust inside the door was a small room. A desk stood in one corner and a small liquor cabinet in another. Pictures of famous horses with ribbons attached to the frames were hung on the wall. Presumably this was an ofhce. Suddenly a whinny could be heard from the stable. The feet of stable boys sounded through the building. Men were yelling back and forth giving orders. Out of curiosity one went into the stable and walked over to the crowd which seemed to be centered around a box stall. Then with a gasp he saw what the excitement was about. 'Bring more 'ot water,' yelled a middle-aged man who seemed to have had much experience with horses. On the floor of the stall lay a white mare. In the next stall stood a tall, gallant, chestnut stallion, sire to the colt who lay beside the mare. He craned his neck to see what was happening to his son. ssc What shall we name ,imP, asked Mac. 'K 'Letls call 'im Generall, suggested a groom. 'Why donit we call ,im Mac?' came another voice, and everybody began to laugh! cc: I knowf said a blue-eyed, skinny girl, 'Letis call ,im Chile Concarniell Mac and the stable boys roared. The skinny girl turned sheepishly away. Pretty good story, eh? How do you like that history? asked the well-pleased grand- father when he had Hnished his tale. I, being the small girl, enthusiastically agreed with my grandfather. I loved the name and adopted it for my horse which sits on my bed to this day. PHYLLIS FITZPATRICK Form II 30 THE FLAME