The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-12-01
BY A1ez Haynes Gilmore
Copyright 1910.

we'll as she. In fact. Augusta Pugh
writes much better"
True" Mr.. Wilbur agreed. his
smile at its most whimsical. Miss
Pugh is beyond doubt the ablest
girl in the class-little beast that she
is, But nobody who has any sense
ot humOr could write a good valedic-
tory. Now Miss Pugh has the rlidi-
ments TO a sense OF hUmOr, but Miss
Martin hasn't enough TO put on the
end Of pin. / wouldn't miss the
valedictory that Phoebe will write for
untold millions"
Miss Selby's middle-aged eyes blink
ed. y something vigorously unmod
crn in her dress made her look like
a daguerreotype. A rumor. handed
down from class TO class in the May
wood High School. explained that her
fiance died in the Civil War and she
had been wearing out her trousseau
ever since.
"Phoebe's very pretty" she said
pretty enough TO make up for that
sense of humor, even if il never APP
pears"
Quite" agreed Mr. Wilbur with
alacrity. Il could ind il in my heart
10 wish that il never would. But" he
shook his head, women aren't like
what they used to be. Phoebe is going
to make a fine woman" he added ir-
relcVantly.
As for Phoebe-if before. she had
assumed the air of one congenitally at
odds with the world. now she had def
nitely acquired the sanity mildness
Of the clustered nun. What of her
time was not devoted TO work on her
ValedictOrN was spent in its Sepulchral
rehearsal. The male portion OF the
Martin community took her ABSORB
tiOn lightly. When. occasionally. she
favored them with her presence,
Phoebe batting became recognized
parlor game.
1t is extremely interesting in the
study Of literature" Ernest would re-
mark apropos Of nothing, Ito note the
great disSimiiariJN existing between
writer's Of Che same age
June has come with its riot Of
rhythms and roses Tug would take
il up.
And. AS the emigrant stands upon
the proud ship" Mr.. Martin was some
times base enough TO add.
Thereupon Phoebe would arise with
Sreat dignity and retire to her cham
BE sure YOU don't say. Byron,
called after her.
"Or 'Chyron. Helly and Beets,' "
Tug added.
They never knew that, though
Phoebe stood thci. joking with out
ward compoSurc the thought that she
or-worse-"Chyr Hclly and Beets'
haunted her very dreams.
But Mrs Martin. in contradiStinc-
ton TO the male half Of her family,
was sounding these days the very
depths OF irritation. Did you ever see
anything like herr" she demanded
again and again of Mr.. Martin. If
this keeps up" she threatened storm
lily more than once, III take her to
DR.. Bush and make him give her a
tonic. There is really no living with
her. VIII graduation ever come -
PhOebes great day, in point of fact
actually came at last. 1t was a gradu-
alton differing in no wise from every
other graduation. The big hall OF
the haywood High School was deco
rated with bunting and June blossoms
The wide. r0Omy platform was banked
so closely with girls and flowers that
il looked as if it had grown both
The audience swelled the hall to the
bursting pOint-fuSSy. delighted. tri-
umphant mothers, bored, indulgent
deprecatory fathers. superior big SIS
ters and squirming little brothers
crowds Of attentive grandmotherS
cousins and aunts. At the back. a
fringe OF young men who mad not
cutie left of being boys and groups OF
boys who were just deciding to be
come young men. sWarmS OF rldicUl-
ing undergraduates and mUltitudeS OF
2
with Understanding applause every
time the opportunity tempted
Mrs. Martin. Mr.. Martin and Ernes
came early and found seats in q front
row near the end. To the right. stout
Mrs. WarburtOn. the mother Of the
class historian, leaned over 10 bow
heamingly to the mother of the vale
dictorian. Somewhere back DR.. Bush;
fsDectacles cleaned from a swirl OF
femininity.
The program was replica, with a
difference in detail. of every gradua-
ton that the country has ever pro
duced. salutatorian welcomed the
audience TO the hallOwed precincts
which she herself was about to leave
forever I'm language that. chaste and
periodic as il was. could leave her
hearers in no doubt as to the per
sonal pleasure the occasion afforded
her. Tug Warburton-he was re
ceived with such thunderous and pro
I longed applause that he had finally
to frown down his followers TO silence
| -prophesied fame and fortune fol