The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-12-01

line at Augusta. Phoebe tried to brow
beat him into letting Augusta accom-
pany them in the automobile.
Sorry. Phoebe he answered with
smiling obstinacy, but / can't stand
f'. Gussie. I'd feel as il 1 had a toad
al iac tOnneau."
tne family opposition only set
Phoebe the closer in her love and pity
for her friend. But despite this cham
plonsnlp the forces that make and
break human cOmpanionship were al
ready prying the intimacy apart. It
is written i'm the Book of Truth that
every human emotion can be pooled.
with the effect of an immediate in
hation. except melancholy. But q
sorrow shared is a burden divided
And youth. which clings longest and
fondest to its tragedies. admits alleVi-
alton but grudgingly. Ii is an eNQui-
site experience TO stand solitary in a
misunderstanding universe. But who
would elect to be misunderstood in
couples Alas for Phoebe. Alas for
Augusta Never again could either
honestly claim the distinction of dr.
ference. But for "A while neither would
admit this; il WAS neck and neck as 10
which, in impassioned and blotted lu-
brications. could prove the bitterer
fate. And since, when emulation en-
ters. friendship droops little. the in
timacy began TO slacken all along the
line.
An event in school precipitated the
break
About the middle Of the second
term Mr.. Wilbur. the head of the Eng
lish department. made announcement.
that although the wishes of the class
could not be final, the teachers would
like from il an expression Of opinion
TO guide them in their choice of vale
dictorian. Would each member of the
class put the name of his candidate on
a slip OF paper2
Before school closed that day Mr..
Wilbur made a second announcement.
The choice of the class for Valedic-
tOrian had conceded with that OF the
teachers. ON the side of tho teachers
there had been no difference in opir
ion. ON the side of the class there
had been but two dissenting votes
Miss Phoebe Martin (amidst APP
piause) was officially notified of hel
election.
That afternoon when Phoebe walk
ed home. linked as usual 10 Augusta
Molly Tate approached.
Say, Augusta." Molly began. "Wh>
didn't yoU vote for Phoebe for vale
dictorian: She voted for you.
counted the votes. and of course l rec
osnized your handWritings. ! should
have thought. Augusta. you'd have
I been the first To vote for Phoebe? You
know perfectly we'll that nobody in
the class has ever wanted anybody
{ else?"
InvOluntarily. Augusta dropped
Phoebe's arm. For the only time in
her life, Phoebe saw Augusta embar-
raised.
We'll, of course. I knew Phoebe
would get it Augusta managed al
last. Il just voted fer Tug because
I thought somebody else ought to be
represented.
Molly shifted and with definite
appearance OF haunting her tactful-
ness. changed the subject dropped
from the conversation and the group.
Phoebe said nothing. She and Au-
SUSta talkcG-tnOugh unlinked-aS il
the disturbiuS little incident had not
occurred. OF course Augusta had a
right TO vote for anybody. Phoebe
decided Loyalty that there was even
"a kind of magnificent courage about
her prOcedure-and yet
Augusta was not waiting for her
when they came out of school the next
day; and, thereafter. il was as if the
intimacy had never been. COinci-
IDENTIFY. Phoebe's diary fell away to a
mere daily trickle. Also by this time
Phoebe was closeting herself tri-week-
~ with Mr.. Wilbur for discussion Of
the valedictory. Mrs. Martin noted all
these symptoms hopefully.
Il was Mr.. Wilbur'S idea that the
haywood High School should produce
something original that year--sOme-
tNlng. say. WNlcN com pineN literary CS-
say and ValedictOry in one. He had
asked Phoebe to chose her own sub
ject After long nights of study and
longer days Of thought she decided i'm
favor of Byron. Shelley and Keats.
OF Mr.. Wilbur Phoebe's diary said:
His figure has acquired the scholar S
stoop from too much burning of the
midnight oil" Clean-shaven, silver
haired. there dwelt permanently
among the wrinkles Of his middle-aGe
an expression disQuietingly sardonic
There dwelt internationally there .
/ smile OF surprising winsomeness. Every
girl in the haywood High School
adored him frantically. although she
trembled like a leaf when his crisp
enunciation OF her name made her
during two minutes of recitation, the
/ target for his terrible wit.
What is there about Miss Martin
/ that interests you so much?' asked
Miss Selby, his first assistant. 1T
seems TO me that there are ever Sc
many girls in the class who write as
"