Washington High School Cadets - Adjutant Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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undertone of the regular hike, hike, hike, click- ing the beat for the tramping feet. I Pardon me, please. A drawling Southern voice sent Myron's nervous system back on duty more that the stumble over his protrud- ing foot. Excuse me, he corrected autornatically'as he drew in the limb he had completely forgot. He knew that it had tripped Stella on her way out. Then it dawned on him that she had hes- itated by him for a second, smiling discon- certingly. And then he realized that he didn't want her to go out of his sight immediately. He was a little bit dazed as he grasped her cool hand. Stella, he said dreamily, urging her back the few steps' difference between them, I wonder if you'd mind sitting out some of the Cadet Dance with me tonight. Because he didn't understand the catch in her breath or the light that came to her eyes, he hastened on. I'd see that Dick 'hiked' to any number of jazz pieces with you, he as- sured her with a valiant attempt at humor. He wondered desperately how he would carry off her certain tactful negative. All his present fears and some of his abiding complex paled into the past when she R. S. V. P.'d his invitation. I'd love to, Myron, she drawled in her inimitable way, even just to sit out. , L.A'Wf1x.J lFreckles A ONE-ACT PLAY IN TWO SCENES By Dorothea J. Lewis and Frederic .L Haskin, Jr. CHARACTERS: JANE-the girl. JIM-the boy. THEODORE BUTLER-known as Ted, the twin with the freckles. EDWARD BUTLER-known as Ed, the twin with no freckles. fThe scene is a box at the Annual ,Competitive Drill. The field 'wherethe drilling is taking place cannot be seen, but the music of the band and the sound of laughter and talk ,can be heard of stage. The time is a brief intermis- sion just before the Exhibition Companies come onto drill. The two young people are seated in the box,' a girl, peppy, pretty, and in love 'with all uniforms, the boy, peppy, hand- some, and in love with most girls, but particu- larly so with the girl at his side. Both .lane and fim are ardent supporters of good old N orthton Highj SCENE I JIM-fStudying the schedule of companies in Rank and File, the Cadet year-book and pro- gramj Gee! That's funny. JANE-What's funny? JIM-Ted Butler was the captain of the com- pany that just drilledp JANE-They put up a fine drill, and I think 'Ted is awfully good-looking. What's so amus- ing about that? JIM-Oh, I mean funny-peculiar, not funny-ha- ha. l JANE-Well, that doesn't alter my opinion about Theodore Butler. He is handsome. JIM-There you go again! You think every captain is handsomer than the one before. CGloomilyj You're like all girls, crazy over uniforms! Q A JANE-fS'weetlyj It takes a man to fill a uni- form, jim. JIM-fWincing under the blowj You can just bet I'll join the Cadets next year. JANE-f5'till more sweetlyj Do you suppose they will let you? JIM-Gee, you're disagreeable. JANE-Tell me, what was so queer about Ted Butler? JIM-There's nothing queer about him except that the captain of the next company to drill, our exhibition company, is Ed Butler, his twin brother. JANE-Twin? JIM-Twin. JANE-Is he as good-looking as Ted? JIM-Gee! JANE-Well, is he? JIM-There isn't much difference, except that Ted has freckles on his nose. JANE-I never noticed any freckles. JIM-You wouldrx't. No one does except when they are together. It's really the only way to tell them apart. JANE-CLaughingj The judges will think they are seeing double. JIM-Yes, they will think Ted is doing double time fNo doubt .lim thinks this is funnyj JANE-f C omplacentlyj A pun is the lowest form of wit. JIM-fThis took quick thinkingj Howdy, Pun! fwhich served her rightj JANE-Thanks. Oh, look, Jim! Speaking of the devil-here comes Ted Butler himself. He looks worried. fTed enters the boxj JIM-Hi, Ted. That was a swell drill your boys put up. TED-Hello, Jimmy. Thanks. Say, have you seen my brother Ed? He is supposed to go on in five minutes.

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nette edition of Wallace Reed. Old enough and vain enough to realize the advantage ac- cruing, Dick had taken it and himself seriously, posing up. It would have been Alas, poor Dick if Mike hadn't jerked him out of the clouds to just plain earth again. Now, it was a funny memory, but it escaped being sad. The trailer rasping of a throaty command, clipped and slurred to unintelligibility for mili- tary effect, Wafted through the grandstands. On and off the stage, everybody was enduring the at ease made tense by the usual excru- ciatingly long deliberations of the judges. Grumph-umph! Uh-tensh-hun! The Cadet Colonel knew the decision and was informing the Brigade Adjutant. Heart action acceler- ated from high to speeding. Myron gazed on dully and bitterly. VVhich- ever captain should win would be realizing Mike's own impossible ambition. He swam decently with his handicapg he'd have been a real athlete. Perhaps, even now, he'dt be the captain destined to glorify his school, his com- pany, and himself with first place honors, if-! If not for the biggest little word in the world! Bringing the good news from Ghent to Aix may have been more dashing to witness, but it couldn't have been more dramatic in sus- pense. From Adjutant to Adjutant-Brigade, regimental, battalion-traveled the word. A final swaying, the trick relished by that official, and the hoarse cheerleaders in Myron's section were having their moment. VVith more pan- tomine direction they were getting thunder- claps of sound out of the ecstatic crowd. All for D and Dick Darby! Along with the rest, Myron's emotions stam- peded. He found himself standing up, his body suddenly refreshed, shouting himself to a sore throat. Dick. DICK! HIS Dick! Hike! Hike! Hike! Heralded by its school band, the winning company began its trium- phal march around to the judges and the school and public dignitaries grouped straight down in front of Mike's section. Mites of red ribbon Haunted the victory on every man's chest. Proud bewildered grins, forced out of repression, spread over the faces of the little conquering privates. Unrelaxed as steel was Dick's expression as he set the pace for his retinue of faithful who had labored well and profitably under his leadership. Myron watched his pal's Mussolini aplomb and experienced a qualm. Dick was now a fatal combination for girls, fiappers or other- wise: hero, really, by virtue of this drill, and almost reely, by curse of his collar and looks. And once already Dick had succumbed to van- ity induced by the vain and flattering. Would he bow under this greater pressure and be- come a lady's man, probably for good? Dick and Company D were fast approach- ing 5 only twenty feet separated them from the judges and acclamation. Myron searched the countenance of Richard Darby, captain of the winning company of the 1927 Inter-High Com- petitive Drill of the Washington, District of Columbia, High School Cadets, and turned away disgusted and wistful. joyous pandemonium inspired his part of the audience. Dick Darby and D, D. C. The school cheerleaders appreciated the eu- phony of the phrase and the wild outcries of their schoolfellows equalled their enthusiasm. Hike, halt ! Dick's curt, distinct Stento- rian cut a gash in the heart of his friend. It would be all off between them. He couldn't bear to see him present arms and accept hon- ors With that same condescending hauteur, that despicable egoism. Laden with disillu- sionment, he glanced upon Stella's vivacious head. That was a worthy goal to be reached by some one, never by him. 'He clenched his fists disconsolately. The disappointment and forlornness he felt were unbearable. The atmosphere ridden with hur- rahs for Dick Darby was too much. In that two-by-four chair, there was no way he could vent his feelings. Still, he was certain he'd roar if he would stay in it much longer. Slowly, although it was his fastest, he lifted himself out of the green seat and manipulated one foot into the adjacent aisle. Suddenly he felt himself glared at, the cynosure of all eyes. Fumbling with his hat, he stood embarrassed, and the directions being rehearsed from the baby elaphantine megaphone floated into his consciousness. Mike Morgan, now-a loco- motive. Into it, everybody! Let's go: one- two-three- During the ensuing applause sensibility re- turned. He tapped the arm of the glory-filled freshman girl beside him. How come? he managed to ask her 5 and for once was grateful for the concise volubility of slang. Oh, she replied with adoring naivette, Dick asked for that cheer when he was get- ting the cup and the handshake and the camera, and Colonel Craig said 'yes.' Couldn't you tell ?'f As Myron looked ati Dick, beaming up at him in a bursting show of brotherly love which was reflected in lesser degree by the ranks of synthetic Darby juniors standing erectly strained behind him, he couldn't imag- ine how he ever could have doubted him. Now he divined that Dick's aloofness of five minutes ago was merely the mask of a soldier acting his role in the face of achievement. Both of them exchanged prideful glances mutually full of the recognition of friendship repaid and justified. j Since he understood, Myron was proud of the fibre in Dick that enabled him to reassume that same expression and conduct his men off the field as strictly military as he had mar- shalled them on. He listened eagerly for the

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JIM-Hasn't he shown up yet? TED-Not yet. I'm worried. I called up home, and the folks said he had left about fifteen minutes ago in the car. I'm afraid he might have had an accident. JANE-Q Wllo has been trying to catch J'im's at- tention by coughs ana' nudgesj That's too bad. fTo Jim as sweetly as she can.j James, I'm afraid I have not met your friend yet. JIM-fWaking up to the fact, and introducing the two rather grudginglyj Oh, jenny-er Miss Jane Raleigh, meet Mr.-Captain Butler. TED-You'd better say which Captain Butler. I wouldn't want to be confused with that twin brother of mine. JIM-Oh yes, Captain Theodore Butler, com- monly called Ted. JANE-The one with the freckles-oh Cembar- rassed.j TED-What? fLaughingj Oh, you mean my trade-mark. Yep, I'm the one with the freck- les. Q General 1aughter.j JANE-I'm very glad to meet the twin with freckles. TED-Thank you. How do you do? Well, I must hurry along. I have to look for Ed, and I don't want to intrude. I guess jimmy wants you to himself. JANE-fGiving Jim what is known as a 'with- ering lookj VVell, if he does, he had better join the Cadets. A uniform is a great attraction. JIM-fTrying to look pleasantj So I perceive. JANE-Well, I hope you find your brother. TED-Thanks. Well, good-bye. I'll see you later fExits.j JANE-CGazing fondly after himj He does have freckles, but they don't matter at all. JIM-CChanging the subjectj I hope Ed didn't get hurt or anything. JANE-Don't worry. He'11 find Ed all right. QThe band strikesupastirring marchj Jimmy, look! Here comes Ed's company now. I told you he would get here all right. I'll bet his men were glad to see him. They have a bet- ter cadence than Teddy's company. JIM-Since when have you known him well enough to call him Teddy? JANE-CA certain triumph in her voicej I do believe you're jealous! JIM-fScornfully-as possibleb Huh! I'd like to see the girl who could make me jealous! JANE-fQuietlyj Perhaps, you will some day. JIM-lWatching the drillj Gee, that kid must have hurt himself that time. He certainly flopped hard enough. Look at all the hats on the ground, jane. They look like a lot of dead flies or something. JANE-Not flies, jimmy. Anything but flies. JIM-fLooking through the field glassesj Gee! JANE-That's about the sixth time you have said Gee in the last two minutes. You sound like an infant. JIM-Well, what of it? Gee, it looks to me like Ed has some freckles on his nose, too. The sun must be pretty hot out there. JANE-It must be. You're probably seeing sun- spots. JIM-Sun-spots or not, now that they're through, let's go out and get something to eat. JANE-Gee, I'd love to! JIM-Ah-hah! You said Gee yourself. JANE-Oh, I was merely imitating you, infant. fThey go out in search of food, as scene I ends.J SCENE II fThe exhibition companies have drilled, and all the companies are lined up waiting for the final announcement of the winners. Jane and Jim have consumed untold amounts of peanuts, hot dogs, pop, candy, etc., etc., and are now standing up in the box, both visibly excitedj JIM-Gee, there goes the Adjutant. . JANE-I wish he wouldn't take so long. Oh- go to Northton-go on-fflctually squealingj Jimmy look! There he goes. Oh, boy! QHer poise and calmness completely gone, she jumps up and down, and shouts for pure excitement. A mighty cheer is heard off stage, as the other Northton Students make the air ring with their cries of victory.j I wonder what com- pany it is. JIM-I hope it's one of the Butler Boys. JANE-So do I. I hope it's Teddy's. Which is which? - JIM-M is Ted's, and N is Ed's. They're right next to each other. JANE-Look, Jim, look! He is headed straight for M. JIM-Yes, sir-no, by-gosh, it's N. Oh, boy! Eddie wins. lflnother cheer arises from the stands.j JANE-What a thrill! fThe band begins to play Sousa's thrilling march, The High-School Cadets. j Here they come. How happy the boys look. fThe cheers continuej JIM-lLooking through the glassesj Ed doesn't look very happy, though. QA pause. Jim is studying Ed's face carefully through the glasses-then suddenly-Q jane, look. Look at Ed. Those are . freckles on his nose. QHanding her the glassesj JANE-Oh, it can't be. Ted is with his com- pany. fGa2ing at the companies through the glassesj No, no. There's someone else in Tedls place. Look! JIM-That's Ted's first lieutenant. Gee! g JANE-fAs the situation slowly dawns upon her.j Oh, the poor boy! V - JIM-fGrimly.j It takes a man to fill a uniform. QCURTAINJ