Wright High School - Chronicle Yearbook (New Orleans, LA)

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real food there. Come, I am hun- gry after that race; you can surely run. Why, I can ' t go in these clothes, answered the girl, glanc- ing at her shirt and trousers. ' Teople would talk and I wouldn ' t like to give a bad impression the first day. , ' ' ' Oh, we can go over the back fence. All right, there ' s my suit case. Let ' s run. Across the old grass grown walks they ran to the back fence and disappeared on the other side in the Ellensworth side door. Three weeks later the same girl and boy — at a different time and in a dif¥erent scene: They are walking down the avenue before the Ellensworth house, in the moon- light and both are glad that there was a patch of strawberries in the Fillemore garden. C. Stewart. A ROMANCE In May 1864, the situation in th South w s rapidly becoming desperate General Grant had crossed the Rapidan and was gradually causing Lee to fall back towards Richmond. A se- ries of battles were being fought, and, as these wevQ terminated, messengers were constantly sent back and forth between Grant and those under his command, carrying important dispatches. Among these commanders was General Merideth, a brave but stern soldier. For the most part he had seen but little fighti ' ng and had remained as an oiit-guard of Grant ' s army. He had made a most beautiful and spacious Southern mansion his headquar- ters, and was living there with his only daughter. On the sixth day of May the frightful battle of Cold Harbor was waged; almost at the same moment there w as assembled in that stately old mansion, all the beauty of Gen- eral Merideth ' s army. It was one the season. Gay couples danced gracefully to the stately music. In one corner attentive young of- ficers were grouped about one of the loveliest women there. In- deed she was scarcely more than a girl, seventeen or eighteen, yet there were few whose grace or beauty might be compared v ith that of this lovely girl, Jocelyn, the only daughter of General Merideth. Weary of the gayety and the laughter, around her, tired of her boyish admirers, she rose, and with a queenly grace, crossed the floor of the ballroom. She mounted a broad staircase, leading to galleries that encir- cled the court yard-like ballroom. Opening upon the broad gallery was several rooms the largest of

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A STRAWBERRY PATCH Bob Ellenworth was walking slowly along Poplar Avenue one hot summer afternoon when he had a sudden desire for some delicious strawberries. He was just in front of the deserted old Fillemore house where there was a patch of most beautiful berries. The temptation was too strong, so he lifted the latch and went in, but no sooner had he done so than the trouble began. As the gate closed, someone ran out of the strawberry patch into the house. Bob ran after him, maybe it was a tramp or someone on the same mission as himself, thought Bob, but anyway he followed. As he ran in the back door, he heard the other person running in the next room. The chase continued in one door out the other, but never did Bob get near enough to see the face of his victim. ' ' Who is it ? What does he want ? Why doesn ' t he stop ? Must be some titleholder for distance running, panted Bob. Just at this moment the person ran up the broad stair- case. Bob followed a few steps be- low. The runner stumbled and be- gan to fall and as he struck Bob he grabbed for the rail, but in vain, so down they came, landing in a bunch at the bottom of the stairs. Neither moved for a few minutes. Bob was the first to sit up and as he looked at his companion he saw not a boy from the town nor a tramp, but a girl. The girl opened her eyes then and such eyes as she had — they were of the darkest blue. Bob thought he had never seen such, eyes. ' ' Who are you? she asked slowly. Me — er — I — oh ! I am just Bob EUensworth, replied the surprised Bob. What made you frighten me: hke that? What are you doing here, anyway? Why, I came for strawberries, just as you did. And say, Who are you? I am Jamie, the daughter of Professor Fillemore, the last of the wScuthern Fillemores, the girl ans- wered proudly. She continued, I came here to- day to see about getting the house ready for father and me to occupy next week. That ' s why I am dressed this way. I never expected a visitor. I am sorry to have intruded, but , I never expected an occupant. Both of them laughed at this and. then the girl said, Come, let ' s get some of those lovely berries, ' am starved. No ! Let ' s go over to my house right next door. Mother would be delighted to meet the daughter of Professor Fillemore. We can get

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which her father used as his of- fice. A dim light was burning there; and at the end of the gal- lery looking thru an open win- dow stood a sergeant. She crossed to the office intending to enter and rest there a while, but as her foot touched the threshold she was terrified by seeing a man spring before a desk-drawn which he had apparently been ramsack- ing. A startled cry burst from her lips. Then her mind grasped the situation — he was a rebel — he was searching for some important dispatch General Grant had sent to her father. Even as this past thru her mind, she heard the run- ning footsteps of the sergeant, then he appeared in the doorway ; for a moment he appearde con- fused, and glanced from one to the other. Then he spoke. ' T beg your pardon, Mistress Merideth, but I thought I heard you cry out, I ' He paused. Yes, sergeant, you did. She moved toward the man, who gazed at her half-defiantly — half admiringly, and slipped her hand thru his arm, she continued, I don ' t quite understand just what has happened, sergeant; My com- panion and I came up here to look for my fan, and, as we entered the room, someone sprang from before the desk, and rushed thru the door. I— I — can ' t understand just what has happened. You — You don ' t suppose anyone was trying to steal my father ' s papers, do you? Here Jocelyn looked as though she might faint, the she rallied, Quickly sergant, post soldiers in front of all doors that open on the gallery and cut off his escape, I — Oh! My heav- ens, I think I shall faint, quickly, Sir, she turned to the man be- side her, ' ' Come take me to the window, I need air. She turned and, half supported by her companion, passed the amazed sergant, and walked to the well shaded window at the end of the gallery. Here she seated herself on the window seat. — Hurry, she cried in a low voice ' ' You must go before they discover our little farce. Then for the first time, the stranger spoke thrilling the girl as never before, by his slow southern voice. You ! he cried, his voice in- tense with emotion. Will you not be discovered ; your part in this made known? Will you not be involved in scandal, dis- graced?? Oh what does it all matter, go, go before you are discovered, you must, or please hurry please. Her voice, ; usually cold was now passionate and pleading. Seizing her hand he knelt at her feet, I will do as you tell me, he said humbly, Only first may I not know your name? At these words intense suffer- ing passed over the face of this girl.