Waltham High School - Mirror Yearbook (Waltham, MA)

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K PRUPIIECY dages, her hair done up on curl papers and an electric fan at her feet. peacefully sleep- ing. This was another sleeping Arden Yil- lager. I was beginning to think that I was asleep. too. but vowing to wait for results. I sat down before a spindle-legged desk on which. in a gold frame. was a likeness of a very well-known face. The only difference which I could see was that the tlutfy hair had turned to a coal black and the coin- plexion seemed a shade darker. I con- cluded that Lillian had been experimenting with 1Iarjory's hair dye. Suddenly the door opened and a woman entered dressed in a becoming. black velvet suit. Avoiding my scrutiny. she opened her bag a11d drew out nine or ten large bot- tles. each labeled differently. I'lacing these on the table beside Klarjory. she sat with her back toward me. Quite naturally. after waiting 'for half an hour. I became sus- picious and I doubted if Marjory were really asleep. She might have felt obliged to remain in that rigid position in order to keep the'bandages in place. llorritied at this thought. I coughed and opened a con- versation with my waiting coinpaniou. Have you any idea when this woiuan will awaken ? Iafithout turning. she laughed and then answered superiorically. lYhy, Klarjory is not asleep. She will be through very shortly. It's -nearly time for her to take off the face band. Once more silence reigned. but it was soon broken by Marjory herself. who sat up and removed the white cloth from her face. saying. You don't know how I have wanted to laugh. but you know the enamel. Dear me. it is such a draw- back. Then spying Grace. she slipped on some shoes and went over to her and draw- ing her to the light. she carefully examined her face. Much better. much better. Several more sittings and we'll have a rosy complexion. But that woman raised her hands in protest and said decisively. I IIZIVCIIII used one thing. in fact. I poured it all into the sink. That accounts for the wonderful improve- ment. --Xpparently delighted with her act she hauglnily left Klarjory confused and blushing. Not for the world would I have laughed, biit the lunnor of it struck me with full force. To escape the possibility of an invitation to take the patient's chair. I quickly re- moved myself from the room and running swiftly out of the door. fell head Iirst over a crouching tignre vigorously polishing the brass trimmings about the porch. Ile lau- guidly helped me to my feet and while I brushed the grit and gravel from my chin. I noticed that he held onto his ribs where my heel had caught in my fall. Ile groaned perceptibly. but his suffering seemed plainly more from embarrassment than from physical pain. Fearing by the expression upon his face that Klason was going to cry or do some other foolish thing. I left hold- ing onto my skinless chin. I succeeded in removing most of the signs of my blunder from my skirt and coat just as a rattling wagon stopped at a building op- posite. Then Blanche Norse came out of the door and ordered the driver. in a com- manding voice. to take the little old organ upstairs with great care and not to scratch otd' the varnish. IYhen I heard the feeble notes of the dilapidated old instrument com- ing 'from the hall window aml I had seen the driver -leave. I went in and found the player seated. pumping away at the squeak- ing pedals. Illanche informed me that her tinal concert in .Xrden would take place that evening and proudly she told me of her call to Manchester. XYithout further explana- tion. I understood the full meaning of the summons. FISIIIQRKIAN GICTS WIQT. I do not know how long I had walked after leaving Illanche before I found myself on the banks of a lake. which previously had been unknown to me. Ilalf way across

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PROPI-IECY caught up with us and stopped. Esther Stewart, thin, pale and tearful poked her head out at the window and in sorrowful voice invited us to ride along with her. Never before had I seen her so down-cast. She acted as though the world itself was resting upon her shoulders, while, in reality. she was riding in one of the most comfort- able cars that I had ever seen. First, she sobbed about the family sickness, then she mourned over the intemperance of her chauffeur. After that, unable to produce further trouble of her own, she stretched her head out of the window and, seeing a dead hen by the roadside. insisted upon having its remains carried home for burial. lt was so heart-rending to see the poor thing lying there in that state. She thoughtfully took us to our door and then, from sheer exhaustion, we fell asleep without a thought of supper. Sometime after midnight we were awakened by a wild shriek, and then a hammering came upon the door. Half asleep and supremely dis- gusted by this impromptu disturbance, we went down stairs together and Hung open the big door. There stood tall, slim jen- nette Davis in a white nightcap and gown, screaming hysterically and uttering an in- audible succession of words. It seemed that Sally had gone walking again in her sleep and Iennette could hnd no trace of her. Reluctantly we dressed and followed our bothersome neighbor from street to street, but Sally had certainly completely disap- peared. For two hours we searched every corner of Arden Village, but the hunt was useless. The only think remaining to do was to wait for her voluntary return, so we dragged our weary feet back to jennettes humble cottage. As we pushed open the front door, which had been left ajar, we heard a low muttering coming from the room at the head of the stairs. iRushing above and peering within, we saw Sally sit- ting out of the window talking in a low voice. Presently she began to hum a gay tune and bending her head low so as not to bump it on the hard pane, she jumped to the lloor and climbed into bed, calmly uncon- scious of an audience. After seeing the two spinsters safely settled once more, we went home thoroughly awakened by the episode and unable to sleep again that night. At eight o'clock next morning the door- bell rang, while a dark complexiofied man pushed his way into the hall. John Hoff- man. with a load of oriental rugs of every description, confronted us. lflis red face was dripping with perspiration and he puffed beneath the weight of his burden. lYithout a word, he boldlypeered into every room and then making a grimace at the well carpeted floors. he went away grumbling at his ill-fortune. After his hurried departure, I ventured out alone to tinish my exploration and now that I was by myself, I was able to observe more carefully my surroundings. On the main street every store, except one. had been placed very carefully on a line and that one, ayictim of blue paint, was set back between two high buildings. The peculiarity of coloring attracted me and walking closer I read the sign which was swaying about on a protruding iron bar. On the upper portion of the plaque was a picture of a beautiful foot, such as is often seen in advertisements, but seldom else- where, while the wording between explained the illustration, ''Chiropodist-Let me tend to your feetf, Below this a cherry complexioned face sur- rounded by a mop of curly blonde hair was painted with the printing below: Call back your youth and remove the gray hairs, a genuine hair pre- server guaranteed to leave three- fourths of your scalp. The words lValk-in on the door promped me to march bodly up the steps and turn the knob. In a deep leather chair within sat Marjory Graves swathed in ban-

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PRQBHECY the motionless water. a canoe was floating slowly toward me. The occupant was plainly busy with something. and linally he stood up in the wabbling craft and with a swing' of the arm. cast a long fishing line into the water. For several seconds he tottered back and forth in a vain attempt to regain his balance. Then a stout tug at the line decided the course to be taken and he plunged headlong' into the cold stream. XYith an angry glance at me he paddled to the shore like a dog: while swallowing hard. he managed to croak., Xothing in it! fell in on purpose. Had full control of myself. XYith this, Olin sulked around the corner, dripping like a drenched hen. -Inst as I was undecided whether to leave by the way of the lake or follow doggedly in the path of the disappearing tisherman. l heard voices coming from behind a green bank directly in front of me. Feeling it my duty as a perfectly honest explorer. I softly picked my way through the bushes. .-Xs I came to the top of the bank and looked down. I caught a glimpse of Dick's head, rather bald in places but still decidedly free from all gray hairs. I-lis companion was entirely hidden by an over-hanging branch, but judging from the names which he called her. he must have known her for some time and I walked away thoroughly sure that, if the occasion ever arose. I could identify her as a certain auburn-haired girl. .Inst above the bend in the road I saw a tiny house surrounded by hundreds of lilac bushes and even from where I now stood. I could hear a shrill voice chanting the meas- ures of an old hymn. Nothing should es- cape me. I had vowed. so with firm steps I walked into the yard, where. upon a stool in front of a window, stood Ruth I-Iartley scrubbing with apparent determination. Occasionally she silenced her song long enough to speak to a tall. back-haired fellow at another window. -Ioe. -Ioef' she said. hurry with that top pane. There are seven more before you can go home to dinner. I'm so sure, even if you do pretend to be such an expert cleaner, that you have left a streak of dirt in that corner. -Several times I heard him attempt an ex- planation. but the angry soliloquy from Ruth prevented his interruption. The con- versation bade fair to be continued into the next day, so without . waiting for a con- clusion. I left them alone. ' This sound, however, was suddenly drowned by the loud voice which proceeded from the next corner. On a soap box, among a crowd of onlookers crying, Speech, speech. I saw a woman standing flourishing her arms. trying toiimpress some particular subject on which she had laid great stress. Her hair was streaming about her. her collar was unfastened. and her necktie hung on a branc-h above her. Draw- ing nearerI could hear her say loudly, 'There are fifty good reasons why I am here today. One is that I want social rights. another is that I want you to have them. and third- The third was lost in a tremulous cry of Can it! from the back- ground, and without stopping to hear Loretta's remaining forty-eight reasons for her public speech. I went away in search of further interest. The new scenery attracted me no more than the last, but it served to vary the monotony. Like all other towns, Arden was inflicted with a feeble minded home, but its name had been cleverly changed to The Hillside Home for the Childishf, A tall man on the steps caused me to consider a visit, although it would have been most impossible for me to have refrained from entering. Ytfhen I walked forward, Chaun- cey. whom I had supposed to be an inmate, glowered at my intrusion, but led -me to a nurse, who was assigned to conduct me through the corridors. The little Hgure in blue was Irene Dicks, rather delicate, I thought. to be head nurse in a violent ward. Thefirst corridor was partially empty and the only occupants were unknown to me,