Western Oregon University - Yearbook (Monmouth, OR)

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THE NORM would probably go with her While I was away. No! I shall not go home Mother will get over it all right and. besides she wonit have to get much for dinner if Iim not there. Just she and Janet can get along well enough without any extras. On concluding this soliloquy, she ascended the steps of one of the pretentious dwellings, beside which, in her mindis eye, her own home was so humble, and rang the bell. The door was thrown open and a pleasant faced girl emerged swinging her skates. The con- genial pair departed at once for the lake at the edge of town, where a bunch of happy, high-spirited boys and girls were already glidmg over the smooth, glittering surface. A couple of boys came racing up with proffers of assistance, and they soon joined the other couples in a mad rush to the opposite shore. ttListenW said June, as they sat down on a boat landing to rest, HWhat do you think of thls? Norma Gaylord is going to cut all the Thanksgiving fun by going home, for the entire vacation? Loud de- nunciations greeted this remark and one after another began raising objections to her intended departure, for Norma was admired by all her schoolmates and well liked by the majority. ttWhy, 't the party will be a flat failure if you don,t stay, protested June, ttfor thereis no one else u ho can concoct the kind of place cards I want, and besides, if youire not here, you know that Harry Turner will go to Oakland and take Ted Richards with him, andeoh, well! No'end of calamities will oc'Cur. AYOu simply MUST tstay. 'i ' ' ' ttWell, Pd love to stay but we have such a short Ivacation that Pm afraid I should miss our reuniOn at hoine, and disappoint mother, if I remainE for the party,,' answered Norma. ' y ' ttFair maiden; beganJTed Richardsjitmy love for you is as im- measurable as the bOundless area of spacefplease reconsider your last statement, and cOnsent to remain With us? He attempted to drop; gracefully before Norma, on one knee, as he made this remark, but his skate caught in an ice fissure andihe was precipitated headlong toward the middle of the lake. 'A general shout of' amusement arose at Tedis discomfiture, 'and some one proposed that Norma be given time to think over Tedis avowal, 'whileithyeyialil racedoacross the lake? : dNow donit'say yoWre'not going to stay,' girlie, said June, as after an hours enjoyment, they hastened homeward. dYOu really Ought to Spend all of your Thanksgiving vacation here and'. not go home till Christmasa Thereis so everlasting much going on new-no end of jollifications thati'ii't would be a crimeto miss. The night after my party, thereis the dance'in the gym, and Saturday the hockey icon: test between our boys and Ashland,'fol'lowed in: the eVening 'by': the reception at Professor Howards 5Why child, fiohody but ah imbecile would dream of missing it. - '-' a ' ' . ' 4 a

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M. YWMMWi M74, , 7;?wa 1. NORMAiS DILEMMA A keen November-wind was whistling bitingly around the corners and gables of the house on Sixth street, as, Norma Gaylord swung her shining new-club skates over her shoulder, arid proceeded toward the home of her bosom friend, June Burton. A light. skiff of feathery snow had fallen duringthe morning, beautifully powdering the streets and housetops; but the wind was now busily blowing all traces of it away to make room,'it seemed, for the faint glints of sunlight which came glimmering thru the dun-colored clouds. ; , Norma was a High School girl in thelittle village of Miltonvale, and ialtho unusually jolly and bright tempered, her face was now clouded with a heavy shadow of dissatisfaction. It was just a week before Thanksgiving, and, of course, the High School bunch were pre- , paring the usual number of good times relative to the season of -. the year. Norma was exceedingly popular, and always a leader' in the, social life of the school, but this year she had faithfully promised , her mother to return home for Thanksgiving. She was already beginning . to regret her promise, for to miss the pleasures of Thanksgiving week in Milton; ale was to sacrifice much indeed. 7 Normais mother was a widow, who by almost superhuman efforts was contriving to scrape and save money enough to keep her talented: daughter in school. How great a struggle she was making, me one, ,- but herself quite realized. Manynand many a wearyhight the lonely mother sewed frantically until long after midnight, thatiNorma might be sufficiently clothed and provided for at school. a I As Norma walked down the street she thought of her unbreten; tious home with a shudder of-disgust, comparing it mentally With the surrounding dwellings. ttThank Heaven! she whispered to herself; tithat nobody here knows weire poorer than church mice at heme, pr I should die of mortification. I'm not going home Thanksgiving either!- for I can save my railroad fare to buy me anew evening dress. Kat e Brooks would glory in my departure too much, because Harry Turner: .. m.' . ugh; . , , v why -. , . .. . n.3n A . . n , 'm' War. :zwemva waif? i. Imd'yziiy'l'hi ; 1 www

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THE NORM Well maybe I Will stay, said N ormat, and as she made her way to her; boarding plaee, she cast aside any lingering thoughts of home find mother, and selfishly decided to please herself for once. On reach- , 111g her own room she found a letter waiting to be opened. How well she knew the postmark and the timid, cramped handwritingi Her eyes ran quickly over this beginning: ttMy precious child:-VVe are so glad, so thankful that only nine days now separate you from us that we are nearly crazy with joy. You should see the fat, importantfgobbler strutting in the barnyard at this moment. Little dreams he .of his impending doom. I need scarcely tell you of our efforts to get him. Poor little Janet has had a dreadfully sore throat; and I hated to call in the doctor because even a little money'means so much to Us. She was so brave about' it' tho, and Sewedts'on Mrs. Hodgeis carpet rags until eleven oiclock. every night, so that her dear tNormiei should have turkey'for Thanksgiving. I dislike, dear, to. worry you With 0111' troubles, when I know you study so hard and are overworked anyway; but I had such a deplorable acci- dent last week. We were out of wood and I was So cold that I could notiguide m-y-needle sombhhw,- and it ranithru my left thumb. I have suffered terribly with itethe-thu mb has gathered and i is swollen to twiCe'itis normal size and- ' . I ' ' Norma could go no further.- With a sob she dropped her. head 1' on'sthe table and shed some bitter. scalding tears. i ttHow could 'I be - soheartle'ss, ' so worthless, so utterly goodsfor nothing, she repeated? over- and over again. Rising atslast she'igot Aoutf'her well-Worn suit case hndfpacked it hastily. 'Jhen she picked 'up hrer? motheriss letter, and? nervin'gtherselvfif'ors-the effort, enolosedit; With a. little note of her- own in anenvelope which she hastily addressed'ito'PiofeSSOr Howard; the High School principal. Then she hurriedtan'd boarded the 'night train for-home. ' v ' i 1 ' i i i ' i' i ' Airaminta, GreenVCalls On Her Ffiend. Oh, Mrs. Slater, Pm so glad yer to home. 7 Pm jest so upsot I donit know what to do. I always said 'thereis nothing like havini 'a friend to relieve yer feelin,s on, and I alway s appreciate you so at such' times as this. No, itisnYt that: No, itisnit that. Cousinis Wifeis sick? No, tisnit that; its worse than that. , What did you say? Yes, thatis it, School. Yes, my niece. WelI, my niece Lettyis goini to school; goin, to that Normal School over at Monmouth. Oh, and you never heard such doin,s in all your life, Mrs. Slater. I jest knew there was somethin, the matter With Letty the minute Ilset eyes on her. You shouldhave seen her, Mrs. Slater. M ' ' ' Oh, no, donit go and make any cup of tea, Pd ruther relieve my