Western High School - Concept Yearbook (Auburn, MI)

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1-1 -Hw- Courting Under Difficulties HERE happened to live in Jamestown, a woman known to all the town folk as Widow Perkins. She was middle aged and had a young son. She was tall and angular and very active. She had a long, narrowtface, and a longer nose. Her head was always held high and she had a tongue that would better have been the vibrating key of an organ, than the speaking part of a woman. To all who were opposed to her or to those whom she' unreasonably disliked she gave peppery speeches with unceasing energy. There lived in the same village a widower. He was known as a meek and quiet man who always attended to his own business. He had a small farm, and was generally supposed to have money. He had been in the neighborhood quite a while, in fact, since before the death of his wife. His desire for a second wife was well known to everybody in the village, and Whenever he was present at the village store, he was greeted by the question: Well, Parsons when's the marriage coming off? Heard you're going to marry Widdy Per- kins. Parsons took it all in good humor as most men do. However, Widower Parsons had decided that he must get married pretty quick or all the birds would have flown. So one day he decided to visit Widow Perkins, and putting on his broadcloth and new boots and his white shirt with the big red tie as a set off, he took his plug hat and started on his way. When Widow Perkins saw Widower Parsons coming down the road she looked as mad as a hornet and as fierce as a panther and stepped to the back door. William Henry, she called to the lank youth chopping Wood, You've worked hard enough for one day, come in and rest. William Henry was so dumbfounded that he dropped his axe. Guess that's the first time you ever thought I needed a rest since I was born. I'll keep right on choppin' wood till you git through acceptin' old Hall, he re- plied, whereat the widow slammed the door and looked twice as mad and twice as fierce as before. Mornin', Widdy, remarked the widower, stalking into the room, taking a chair without an invitation, and hanging his hat on his knee. Cold day, he added cheerfully. The widow nodded shortly, at the same time inwardly prophesizing a still colder day for him before he struck the weather again. Been buying a new cow, resumed the caller, impressively. 'tHave, eh? returned the widow with a jerk bringing out the ironing boa1'd and slamming it on the tablep He wished the widow would glance at him and see how affectionate he looked. They'll be pork enough for all next winter and spring. Will, eh? questioned the widow, with a bang of her i1'on that nearly rocked the table. Have some hay and grain that's the best in the neighborhood, said the widower, and I can get the best price ever sot by this village here. Can, eh? responded the widow and at the same time turned around so quickly that she stepped on the tail of the cat which started off with a howl. An' I'm doin' lot o' odd things 'round the house and Widdy you see-e that is you know-I was goin' to say if you'll agree, -here the widower lost track of his words, and in his desperation hung his hat on the other knee and hitched a triiie nearer the ironing board. No, Hull Parsons, I don't see a single mite, nor I don't know a particle, an' I ain't agreein' the least bit, snapped the widow, and worked away im- patiently ironing the creases out of the tablecloth. But say, Widdy, don't get riled so soon, again ventured the widower, I was just goin' to tell you that I've been proposing to Carpenter Brown to build a new- At this point the widow was looking at him in a way he wished she would not. - Is that all the proposin' you've did in the last live months, Hull Parsons? she demanded stormily. You ain't asked every old maid for miles around to marry you, Hull Parsons? And you didn't tell the last one you proposed to that if she didn't take you there would be only one more chance left+that old lun aj, . -S

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which pulls in his head and horns, Hippolyte withdrew into himself and was not to be coaxed. He thought perplexedly that he would give her so much pleasure, but common sense was stronger. Fanny one morning was walking about the room and said in a grave voice, If I should contribute towards buying the bracelet and you give your part of the money, what would you say? He opened his eyes wide. Oh, I was wrong, she said. This money I have saved penny by penny on the household management, I have scraped ten cents here and two francs there and I had counted on never letting you know, but what can you expect? I am too silly, I see you so down hearted. I am going to give you one hundred francs of my money. It is all I have, don't think I have saved any more. Do you want it? We will buy the bracelet with it. Hippolyte held out his hand, but with such a confidence she proudly declared she would pay the merchant herself. Listen, we will pass the jeweler's this evening when you are leaving your office. And the more I think of it the more that big wonderful bracelet appeals to me. We will go in, and I will try it on just for the fun of it, that doesn't cost anything. That evening they stopped as on the preceding nights in front of the jewelers. Oh! there it is, cried Fanny, Look at it, it is really very beautiful. How it does sparkle! Let's go in, only you must not buy it, you must not say anything, you must let me bargain for it. They sauntered into the store, Mrs. Doz. had the bracelet shown her--put it on her arm-looked at it lovinglyfweighed it in her hands-rubbed its smooth surface, and made it sparkle and glisten with such an air that even the fat bald headed jeweler himself yielded to the charms of the little woman and smiled in his best manner. She knew well enough to profit by her charms and asked, How much is this bracelet, monsieur? Four hundred francs? Five hundred fifty, he said with an insinuating sweetness. 'tThat is too expensive, she said. He smiled, and turned upon her a meaning glance, 'tI'll lose money in selling it so cheap, but for you -his manner was as sweet as sugar, it will be five hun- dred forty. You know it is a beautiful piece of work and so becoming to you. She looked perplexed at Hippolyte, Hlt is still too expensive, isn't it, she asked in wheedling voice with a crafty hypocrisy in her voice. It-is-a-a-little too expensive-yes-, murmured her husband, but if you want it very much-J' He had the resigned and sad expression of a man who is thinking to himself. It would not give me a particle of pleasure to have an armlet of gold. Then she said in a decided manner, I'll take it. Pay for it, dear. He drew out of his pocketbook and looked at her- Oh, that's right, you have not enough. She took out of her pocket, slowly and with a half unwilling ex- pression, a little pocketbook, and took out one hundred francs. There, she said with a sigh while she looked at the bracelet which certainly made a pretty effect on her arm. As soon as they were outside, he said, Well, are you satisfied? Oh! my dear, she cried vehemently, You are so good, I would kiss you if we were not on the street. She stopped a few minutes later under an electric light, and examined the bracelet. It is funny, she cried, . I thought it was larger. Are you sure it's the same one We saw last night'?i' Why, certainly, my dear, he said. Oh! it is very beautiful, she said. Five minutes later she stopped again to see if the clasp fastened well. I hope it is solid, she said with a little pout. At dinner she asked, Really, does it seem so beautiful to yon? Why, yes, don't you like it? Oh, yes, I am so happy, only I thought it was a little larger, and she added with a iire of new desire in her eyes, Do you know what I want for our next anniversary ten years from now? I Want a ring with a rare diamond and a pearl as large as a pea in the middle. A short silence followed, and she added-and this is a truly feminine re- mark- It is so much fun, to want something. CTranslation from French.J FLORENCE MANNING, '13.

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pepper box of'a VVidow Perkins? You didn't say that, now did you, Hull Parsons? and the widow's eyes and voice snapped fire all at once. The caller turned several different shades of red as he realized that he had struck the biggest snag he'd ever struck in any courting he had done, past or present. He laughed violently for a second or two, ran his hand through his hair, pulled his necktie, and tried to hang his hat on both knees at once, and finally lowering his voice to a confidential tone, he said: Now, Widdy, that's the Woman's way 0' puttin' it, you see. They've been jealous o' you all long, fur they knew where my mind wassot. I wouldn't married one o' them women for nothin, added the widower, with another hitch towards the ironing board. Huh! responded the widow, losing some of her anger. Spose all them women hadn't refused you, Hull Parsons, what then? They didn't refuse me, widdy, returned the widower trying to look sheepish, and dropping his voice an octave lower. Spose I hadn't oughter tell on 'em, but-er-can you keep a secret, widdy? Well, I ain't like the woman who can't, replied the widow shortly. Well, then I was the one who did the refusing-the hull gang went fer me right heavy, guess 'cause 'twas leap year, or thay was tryin' on me some o' their new women's ways, or somethin' like that. But my mind was so sot all along, ye see, widdy? And the Widow Perkins invited the Widower Parsons to stay to dinner because she thought she saw, AMMI KING. .3 .99 al May Day INTER is overg Nature has awakened and shines forth in fresh green, everywhere sounds the song of gay birds, paths and roads are again pass- able: May has come. No time is greeted so joyously as is May by the Germans who keep in very close touch with nature. They give expression to their joy in various amuse- ments, usages, and customs, which we find very much alike in all districts of Germany, and which, even today, live on and stir the hearts of the people as they stirred them in the early Middle Ages. One does not always find them occurring on the first of May. They have been connected, under the influence of the church, with a church feast-Whitsunday, which has, consequently, in many parts of the country, come to be a popular festival in the open air, the ecclesiastical nature of which is forgotten altogether. The most common of the May day customs is the bringing in and setting up of the May trees, a cus- tom which we find everywhere in the thirteenth century. On the first of May, or on Whitsunday, the members of a parish, the citizens of a city, or the mem- bers of a guild march into the woods to find May. Here they pull up young trees, mostly birchor hemlock, carry them home and plant them in front of the house or the stable. Frequently the May trees are carried from house to house with the singing of songs. The carriers, the so-called servants of May or Whitsuntide, ask for gifts such as sausage, bacon, eggs and the like in the different homes. In many parts of the country the young fellows set up the trees for the maidens. The devotion of the nation to the sense of honor and right comes to view here: a maiden who shows lickleness in love, or has been unchaste, or quarrelsome has a straw man or a dry tree set up before her door. This punishment for misconduct which is 'connected with the May tree, is found only among the Germans while the setting up of the May tree can also be found among the Latins and West Slavic people. Besides these May trees which are to this day brought by the traders to the city, and which are set up in front of the houses on Whitsunday eve, there