Yeatman High School - Yeatman Life Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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a few paltry degrees extra in the arcs of their pieces of pie. That men could sink so low! The thought embittered me to the core. Over there, with dishcloth on arm stood the Amazon mistress of the situation. Her triumph -broke out in a leering smile as she- saw me baffled in my attempts to assail her ironbound forces. Leer! VVhat care I? I tossed back my head, threw out my chest, tightened my belt, cut her with a side glance-all just as I had seen it done in the movies-then I stalked out of the room. Let them laugh, aye, and laugh some more. I may slowly starve, I may fade away like a pretty flower on a summers day, but yield to that woman-never! I told my tale to a lawyer friend and ended, Of course, teclmically, it was a great victory for me. He laughed more vigorously than I had expected. Yes, my boy, but you know technically you are a minor. And when it comes to signing contracts, et cetera-now mind, I am speaking in terms of pure technicalities -you are inthe same class with lunatics! Hang it anyway. A LA,KlPLlNG'S l..'ENVOl I SUCILLE BRYAN-JLIIIC, 1907 :When the last diplomas been given and all of the speeches are done, I When the stress of the play is over and fame and honor are won, XV e shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it-have done with the worry and strife, And try to forget about lessons and follow the simple lifegks And no one shall ever disturb us with the thought of report-cards again, And no one shall ever remind us how near to flunking wescameg For crams and grindings are over, at least for a season, we know, And no more shall the night-oil be wasted in trepidation and woe. ll he girls were not all Priscillas, but reilection shall make them content, When they think of the pain and the torture that all of the cast underwentg And joy again shall possess us when we know that our class dues are paid, And the threats of our terrible treasurer shall ne'er again make us afraid. And those distressing delusions of striving only for marks Shall give place in less time than you'd think to summer picnics and larks. NV e shall love to be left in calm silence with nothing at all to do, But to sit and dream and wonder that our cares are really so few. Then great will be hopes for the future and the joy will be undisturbed, For the world will be lying before us and our wild, reckless natures uncurbedg But in spite of the things that have vexed us, when we look back in those future davs, VVe shall long for the school we have left here, when the world has taught us her ways. One Hundred

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which puzzled. In a few minutes jack joined our group, but was careful to retain the weather as the conversational topic. Something was in the air. That was plain. I felt that expectancy which pervades the atmosphere just before the wedding march. And oddly enough, bustling Mr. Smith, the business man who was always in a rush, was this morning sipping his coffee as leisurely as if he were the Count d'0live. I had just managed to switch the conversa- tion to baseball, when the impending hap- pened. Our queenly heronie swept grace- fully into the room and dramatically drew aside a cloth which covered the dish she carried. The pie-there was the pie! I sprang to my feet as if to say something but was so unstrung that I clutched at my chair for support, and words failed me. The ceremonies went on without interruption. Jack, my hero, said the lady, today is the crowning hours of my life. Today! For I was given a task to complete for your dear sake, and today I have the pleasure of set- ting before you, for your approval, the fruits of my endeavors. I have had to fight for this token I now bestow, for Beelzebub himself dared to cross my path. VV hat had happened? Ah !. it dawned upon me! So simple, only a fool could not have seen through it sooner. Miss Prunes had simply found the pie and left the paper arranged as if untampered. She had out- Poed me. I was conscious that jack had risen to acknowledge the gift. They must have rehearsed that presentation. I heard him say, Queen of queens, most beautiful of the beautiful, the honor thou bestowest upon such a humble one as I-how can I express my appreciation. Think not that I had no understanding of the trials that have beset thy path. I have been acquainted of thy vow to deliver this golden pie unto thy humble knight. Posterity shall e'er re- member--. At this juncture the masque yielded to the mirth of the spectators amid prolonged laughter, I sank weakly into my chair. Beaten! Purloined pie-rats! -Oh, why was I such an educated fool? The laughter finally subsided. I pushed back my plate and slowly turned away. As I reached the door I heard a purring feminine voice, Little boy, little boyf' It stabbed like a knife. Ye gods, had the woman no mercy? I had suffered enough soul agonies to satisfy the most revengeful demon-yet she wanted more blood. f'Oh, little boy. I faced her with an effort, for tears of disgrace and defeat were pressing hard. That's mammais nice little boy. Now won't you speak a piece to let us know that you lost ? I guess-I guess you-w-win. My voice broke and I stumbled up the stairs. At the top I paused. Before me, in mock- ery lay the basket which had once contained that cursed pastry. Traitor! In blind wrath I gave it a vengeful kick that sent it rolling. Then-mira-bile dictu-out flapped the pic! I stood dumbfounded, then sat down dazed, to collect my giddy senses. The idea of delirium tremens occurred first, but soon there came light and I perceived how I had been hoaxed. Seizing the pie, I bounded down the steps to prove my victory. Smith was just leav- ing. I dragged him back and shouted for all to come and behold. They Hocked into the room but stood around in such cold apathy in View of my shouts of victory that I stopped my prancing. I grasped Smith entreatingly by the coat sleeve and I held the pie before him. Smith, you're a friend of mine. Honest now, don't I win? Ain't that the pie? Look at it, man! I-Ie finished lighting his cigar and then gazed critically at the object. I-Im, it looks like one, son. lVhat did you pay for it? VVhere were my friends? I sought in vain for a single sign of sympathy. All my faith in men ebbed in a moment. ,Here were examples-the cowards! Their stomachs swayed their intellects, aye, their very mor- als. They would desert the standard of truth, the ties of truest friendship-all for 37 Ninety-nine

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THE IMPORTANCE OF COLLEGE TO THE GIRL RUTH FRANKLIN-june, 1919 OLLEGE meanslittle to most of us. We realize .that it is a place of learning- an institution for higher education, the dictionary has it- but our knowledge seldom carries us further. As far as its importance to ourselves, and the real spirit and usefullness of its life are concerned, we are ignorant. Our impres- sion wavers between visions of the daring pranks of the story-book college girl and of the eternal grind of study. Of course. we are willing to admit that there we can learn things-formidable ologies and Hogra- phies which, in our vast experience, we declare can have no bearing on our every- day lives. We realize, too, that the college graduate can secure an excellent position immediately after commencement. But, says the business girl, that signifies noth- thingj' and she proceeds to cite numerous instances of the rise of women who have not received degrees. Why waste four years ? she asks. The ambitious girl can advance without such an education and be earning money at the same time. This is true, but the college woman's ad- vantage lies, as James Russel Lowell has said, not in getting something by which she can earn her bread, but in making every mouthful sweeter to her taste. Alice Free- man Palmer, first woman president of a college, has explained very fully the benefits, aside from the commercial ones, to be ob- tained by the girl who throws herself whole- heartedly into the activities of the college life. Some of us find it hard to realize that fun can enter years so crowded with work The realization that happiness lies, not in idleness, but in congenial occupation, is one of the greatest lessons of the college. Strengthened by the companionship of many others whose purpose, occupations and ideals are substantially the same as ours, in a beau- tiful environment, we shall learn the place of work and play in our daily lives and to combine the two so that they become indis- tinguishable from each other. Another great advantage, says Mrs. Palmer, His health. In the college, there is no time for sickness. Life is much too full and interesting. There we shall learn that ill-health is carelessness and discover, under the regular hours that we shall be forced to keep, wholesome food, and the regular exercise, that we are constantly gaining in mental and physical vitality. New and lasting friends are a third boon of college. Because we are thrown among people of all stations of society, political ideas, and creeds, these things will become negligible in our selection of friends. Tn- stcad, we shall he attracted to each other by similar tastes, ideals and ambitions. Then, too, through this association with all kinds of people, we shall form the ability to under- stand another person's point of view and so discover a new interest in humanity. VVC shall learn to appreciate and to form the ideals of personal character, another great gift of college life. Through association with the best scholars we shall gradually form new of life, culture and character. of the age, conceptions The power to see great things large, and little things small is said to be the supreme test of education and it is this that we shall be enabled to gain by observing the char- acters and attitudes of our instructors. The lasting advantages of upright character will be made apparent and this will become a thing for which we are encouraged to strive. The last of these benefits, and the one which Mrs. Palmer considers most im- portant, is that of life interests! Because of these we will become entertaining to our- selves and -interesting and 'attractive to others. We will emerge 'from college with knowledge on a great many subjects which will make the world a much more interesting V One Hundred One