University of San Francisco - USF Don Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

Page 14 text:

12 THE IGNAT I AX ‘‘Jess you and me alone?” cooed the deceitful Euclid. “Not on your bottom dollar,” almost yelled the excited Epsom. Euclid gasped; her eyes were moons; her color as close to ashes as a sinking heart could lower it. Luxor struck his knee and writhed in joy and almost choked, as a guff a tv more hearty than the others caught in his windpipe. Euclid seized the opportunity benign nature unexpectedly had furnished. ‘ ‘ Not-me-an-y—you—” “No,” said Epsom, and his face was a sunburst. “Not me an you, but Luxor hyar an all yo frens, an ebrybody to do yo honor. Vo's jess a queen, Euclid, an doan' fergit it. Vo’ll come, ob course, Luxor?” Luxor would. Flattered as she had never been before, with gleaming eyes and glowing cheeks, striving to be impartial in her favors, yet serving only to fan the flames of jealousy more fiercely in the bosoms of her suitors, time sped fast for Euclid; and when that night her eyelids dropped softly into slumber, her last thought was of “dat radium talker.” II. It was a colorful company that gathered three evenings later in Euclid's sitting-room. The rainbow would have paled with envy. Invitations had been lavish, acceptances more lavish still, the neighborhood had considered the event an invitation. Teeth gleamed from the open windows; teeth occupied the doorways; teeth shone brightly in the genial moonlight. The three intervening days had been busy ones for Epsom. Consultation, practice, tinkering, practice, tinkering, consultation, persuasion, a few last touches, and all was ready. The room was packed, save that in the center, surrounded by a very meagre open space, sat Euclid immersed in bliss with Luxor on her left. Whether she really cared for him or not, is a point on which local historians are still divided, and careful investi-

Page 13 text:

Jacobson. H. Meadows. H. Malone. W. SENIOR LAW Ford. F. O’Sullivan. J Murphy, V. Bray. L Egan. H. Robinson. J. Bo!per, A.

Page 15 text:

SOLVED BY BAD 10 13 •ration has never arrived at perfect certainty. Perhaps Kuclid herself didn't really know, and if she didn't, how can we? Hut what everybody did know was that she used, to the best advantage, the attentions showered on her by Luxor, as she allowed her eyes guilelessly to wander from face to face to catch here and there gleams of jealousy where something more positive and lasting could not be concealed. Strangely enough, Kpsom, who ought to be most concerned, who was indeed known to be most concerned, seemed to see nothing, and grinned in childish pleasure. 11 is audience secretly sympathized with his simplicity, and. as a sort of compensation, applauded louder. The radio was a bit hoarse, to say the least, but so were the voices of those who hummed an accompaniment to the popular airs. When it stopped and sputtered in the middle of a piece, it interfered rather rudely with the rhythm of their clapping or the pulsing of their feet. But when it started again they good-naturedly fell in and kept time with the measure. Living like sardines they enjoyed themselves like sardines, and, having paid nothing for their pleasure, the end of the entertainment alone could induce them to depart. They had become, however, a little listless during a classical rendition in which the wireless had seemed to sense its inappropriateness to the occasion, and had frequently broken down in consequence; but now it seemed to pull itself together as it sang out sonorously ‘‘The Life of a Bad Man.” Had all the company been in a circle with hands joined, and had a strong electric current darted through the circuit, the effect could not have been more startling. For a moment the windows and the door let in a breath of fresh air as troubled consciences sought the background; and those who were inside, and who, on account of the jam, could not even move, after a brief gasp, gazed in anguish from the instrument to Luxor and from Luxor to the instrument. Was he speaking, or was it the radio, or he speaking through the radio? The voice was his. Vet no one was more surprised