Turlock High School - Alert Yearbook (Turlock, CA)

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placed in her heart welled up in her. She reached them, introduced herself, and cuddled them both in her arms. ' As they were getting into the car which waited at the curb for them, Mrs. Emerson suddenly was filled with horror. She had noticed for the first time that the boy's right hand had been amputated. Cf course, she managed to conceal her thoughts, for she knew that little Albert was too much of a man, even though only nine, to accept pity. During the ride to her home she wondered how such a misfortune could have befallen the child. VVhen the car stopped beneath the portechochere, Mrs. Emerson told the children this was their new home. Then she led them up to their rooms. There she left them with the maid to remove the travel stains while she went down to the library. Here she summed up the things that had been forcibly brought to her mind. She counted them off on her fingers. First, these little ones must have quantities of good nourishing food. She must have ever so much more milk than her present supply. She should order it that evening. She reached for a memoranda pad and made a note, Sec- ondly, the youngsters needed love--all that she and james could lavish upon them. The third fiinger was for lots of pretty clothes. Then she thought of the competent governess they must find-and a swing in the grape arbor would be sure to please them. Besides these there were other things she had noticed, Antoinette. who was thirteen, seemed to be taking the place of both mother and father to the little 'brother. Goodness knows though, she exclaimed, he is such a little man he doesn't seem to need mothering. That the children speak almost perfect English, is rather strange, ,I think. just then she thought of an errand in the kitchen, She would tell cook to use lots of cream, and to put an extra egg in the custard. As she neared the door which swung into the kitchen, .she heard gthe maid telling cook, -most beautiful old chain and locket to match that I ever saw. Do you suppose she'd let me take it off when I bathed her? I should say not! Of course, she didn't say it with her lips, but her eyes seemed to say, 'Don't you even touch it.. It is the most sacred thing I possess. ' I 2 It was a happy group of four who sat at the dining table fhat evening. Mrs. Emerson knew perfectly well that children should eat in the nursery, but as they were such dears, she made an exception that evening for it seemed so much more like a real family that way. james Emerson fell in love with the little folks at once, He filled their plates again and again until little Albert said laughingly, fand this was the first sign of joyous mirth he had shownj: Non, non, monsieur! Merci, monsieur. I have dined as a king tonight. I could not eat another mouthful. 21

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The Secret of the Locket 0 NE afternoon during the great world war, Mrs. Emerson sat read- ing the last number of The Ladies' Home journal, As she turned to the news pictorial, a group of undernourished children stared at her. There is more than one group, she said. These little boys must be twins-A pretty, but starved baby-There's an intelligent boy and gill and how like Theresa's are that little girl's eyes! the bent intently over the page. Soon she discovered that the cllildren whose pictures were on that page were Belgian orphans who were not only penniless but homeless. The magazine was ap- pealing to prosperous Americans to give homes to the little waifs whom Germany's militarism had made motherless and fatherless, Mrs. Emerson was a childless woman. She and her husband lived happily in the suburbs of Oakland. Quickly thoughts began to come to her. There was no reason why they could not welcome at least two of the poor little mites into their home. There was room, and to spare. Her eyes kept wandering about the page, but they always came back to the picture of the intelligent boy and girl, the girl who hal eyes so strangely like Theresa's. Thoughtfully she alternately gazed out of the window, and looked' eagerly back at the page of pictures, That evening after discussing the matter with her husband, Mrs. Emerson wrote to the journal and requested that the two children be sent to her home. For several weeks there were many preparations in the Emerson home. A playroom was miraculously added to the house, while pretty bedrooms were mysteriously fashioned from one of the guest rooms. l At last came the eventful day on which the new members of the household were to arrive. Having taken one last look at her prepar- ations, Mrs. Emerson hurried away in a spirit of great expectancy. Of course she must be there to welcome the little tots! It would be very pleasant to have two little people in the large home. They would be her own, too-not by birth, of course, but she would be a real mother to them just the same. By this time she had reached the pier where the boat was drawing in. How should she know them? But then, those eyes-like Theresa's she'd surely recognize them. Presently a little boy and girl came down the gang-plank. But they couldn't be the ones. She had never seen little beings so emaciated. Poor kiddies! Mrs. Emerson found herself moving eagerly forward. However, they were the children for whom she had looked so eagerly. All the motherly love that God had 20 I .

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The little fellow sat up very straight when he said the word king. His sister explained, Albert is named for our great and good king. He tries always to remember to be worthy of the name. At bed time Mrs. Emerson herself tucked the children into bed as she remembered her mother had always done for her and her sister when they were little. As she drew the covers over Antoinette, she noticed that the child had not removed the beautiful chain she wore. wore. Let me take your chain, dear. I'll put in on the dresser for you, she said. No, no, said Antoinette as she clutched the chain in both little hands and held it tightly. I never take it oi. Mrs. Emerson said no more about it, but passed down the stairs to join her husband. For a long time they sat discussing the events of the day just closed. The days that followed were happy ones for the four who lived in the large house on the hill, Soon the children lost the hungry, starved look that had characterized them at first. Their eyes gradually came out from their sunken depths, and the happiness of childhood again gleamed there. Of course, the dark, heavy, thread-bare gar- ments had been replaced at once by pretty, light colored ones. Indeed, there never was such a change in two children. Their foster mother was Muzzie, and Mr. Emerson, Daddy, to the children. At first they had wished to be called Mother and Father, but there were protests, and the little girl's hands went up to the chain which hung about her neck. Mr. and Mrs. Emerson then guessed that the children held those names sacred in memory of their own parents. One afternoon when Albert and Antoinette were in the arbor, Mrs. Emerson remarked to her husband, james, do you think it strange the children' have never mentioned their parents, or the trag- edies they must have passed through? Why, we do not even know how Albert lost his little hand! I have never asked, of course, but I have thought it strange they have not told us those things. But they are happy now. Let's not remind them of things that would make them sad. Let them forget all that gl' and Mr. Emerson resumed his reading. After a short silence, james, don't you think Antoinette has pretty eyes? ' He closed the book and laid it on the table before he answered. I have often noticed how pretty her eyes were. Don't you know, it is a strange fancy of mine,-but I have thought they looked ever so much like your sister's. She has the same little way of closing them, and then letting a little smile break over her face as she opens them. 22 '