Evening journal., 1915-06-21
miss ROOP Wins
short STORY Prize
Minerva, Goddess of Love-
Best of High School
Literary Efforts
YOUNG MAN GETS
SECOND HONOR

Miss Alice Lincoln Roop. a member
Of the 1915 graduating class OF the
Wilmington High School, has been
decided the winner in the short story
contest which was recently held in
the Cherry and White institution. The
contest, which opened on May p, was
an interesting and lively one. Nine
teen stories in all were submitted. The
judges who decided that Miss Roop
should be awarded the two and a
half dollar gold piece included J.
Frank Jones, head of the English de-
partment; DR.. William J. H. Cotton.
director of the commercial depart
ment. and Messrs W. A. Wise and Ed
ward S. Cannon, editor of the literary
notes of the Whisp, the school paper.
AS each of the contestants was re-
quested to write under an assumed
name, the prize winning story ap-
pears in the commencement number
OF the Whisp just out. under the
nom de plume of Atsila. The title of
the story is Minerva. Goddess of
Love" "The Winning Jump" which
was written by f. Harvard. Day
alexander Monteville) was given
second prize, while THE Suburban
Ghost" written by Elsie Gibson under
the name of Miss Dorothy G. Carley.
was given third prize. The award
will be made publicly at the COM
mencement exercises of the school on
Wednesday evening. Following is the
prize winning story:
Minerva, Goddess of Love.
The decoration committee of the
Downs High School had decided to
scrub the statuary in the halls and
auditorium, for the girls felt that
soap and water, properly applied
would change the grimy figures into
things of glistening beauty. II was
the chairmans idea, that in order to
ascertain who should clean each
statue they should draw lots, from
which there would be no appeal. Now
the committee waited impatiently in
the deserted class room, while Dick
fshed in the hat for the names OF
the students who should scrub
Minerva.
Bob Deerfeld and Laura Hen
ien." he read
A cry of surprise and amusement
greeted him. for the rivalry between
Bob and Laura was the talk of the
class. What had begun in friendly
competition for the highest marks and
ended in bitter feud. Laura hac
openly declared that when she eyel
spoke voluntarily to him, she woult
be his partner at the next party
which was interpreted to mean never
Bob had heard of the boast and re
torted that when she spoke INST he
would willingly be a friend. Now tha
thev we're to scrub Minerva together
every one scented battle i'm the air.
with flushed face. Laura stalked ou
into the hall with her soap and scrub
bing brush. while Bob followed carry
ing, step-ladder and bucket AS the
statue was on the second floor, th'
inauisitive crowd had no chance o
seeing what happened. Bob CAREFUL,
set up the ladder and was about e
mount il, when Laura pushed by hin
and climbed to the top rung. At he
imperious look, Bob meekly handed ul
The bucket of warm water, and thei
took his place at the foot of the lad
der.
Laura rubbed soap on her brush an,
began to scrub the helmet. AS sh
looked into the benign marble face
she thought how strange it was for
twentieth century girl to be washing
those classic features. The boy hold
ing the ladder was half pleased, hal
provoked at his position, and fei
vague regrets and desires stirring
within him. The swishing sound o
the brush was an accompaniment t
their meditation.
Suddenly big black spider crawl
ed from under the vizor and dropper
on Laura's hand. With a shrek sh
shook her arm furiously and invol
UNFAIRLY stepped backwards. The mex
instant Bob thought that an avalanch
had crashed down on him. He la
breathless and stunned, the bristle
OF a soapy brush gritting between hi
teeth. and his fingers clutching a mas
of soft hair. For q minute all wa
silent. then a muffled giggle cam
from the weight on top CT him. and al
answering laugh burst from his lips.