The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-12-25
HER CHRISTMAS THRILL
By Marjorie Jane Beckmeyer

Gee, Janis, you're grand ole
sport for helping me with this De-
nocracy; I'd never have gotten it.
Well, SO long; see you when they put
fur on animal crackers. SO long,
Jan" -. G.a,
Bye, Katy" ..- -. 4:-
Janis Bailey leaned back in her
self. ..D.,s-..
Eyes; good ole sport, and that's
all, all anybody ever wants me for;
nobody likes me except when they
have some "Greek" to do. Yes, then
Pm all right, but I guess / don't
really mind if 1 could only help HIM,
but gee-yes, I was alright, for him
too when we were. juniors. you bet.
In Bookkeeping he was. so f'dumb'', if
I must say it myself, and boy, was
it bother to help him? If only he
Knew, but no-now that he's a senior,
he's so popular that I'm just thing
of the past. Oh, well, a good sport
may be unpopular but all the same"
"Oh janis, pipes up Melba, "did
you get your English? Lend it to
me, will you?"
And from force of habit Janis hand
ed her paper over.
For some people school life may
be very picturesque, but to Janis
Bailey, it was the same old thing, day
in and day out; just two things, first
to have her lessons all prepared for
others to copy; and second, to watch
the boy she loved, James D. Ward,
so down the halls with other girls.
December came along and every
one was talking about the Christ
mas Frolic and the Christmas Story
Contest which was being sponsored
by ''The Coker", the school paper. All
through the halls one could hear stu
dents talking of all the good times
they were going to have.
Janis lay awake all Thursday night
thinking about what she. could write
IOf the story CONTEST.
swell, even if l can't go to the
Frolic, Pm going to write story and
do my best. The kids say my lessons
are good, so maybe there's hope. Now
let's see what'll L write about?"
Janis lay deep in thought, when all
of a sudden she jumped as if bear
had startled her. ::
'fI Know" she said aloud. "I'm go
ing to write story about how it
really is. How l help everybody and
let's see, I'll write about the Christ
mas season and put in about Jimmy.
Maybe he'll take hint. Oh! if he only
would" And with this thought Janis
Bailey went to sleep.
Who would have thought it, but at
this very same time James Ward was
speedily driving home with Vera Con-
ley, not thinking of Vera, no, but of
one girl he really loved.
"Daggonit," he thought. 'Here's
Vera, Mabel, Louise and all. Pm al
ways taking them on dates but 1
know I don't love 'en-just do it to
fill in time, I guess. But I know I
really love Janis. Poor little Janis;
I wonder if she ever thinks of me-"
He was aroused from his thoughts
by Vera's high soprano voice.
Here we are Jim, ole boy. Are
you going to come in the house for
awhile?"
"FNo."
"Well, so long, baby"
$50 long, Vera"
The next morning was typical,
cold December one. Snow fell in tons
from the heavens, but it did not find
Janis heart like that, for inside
glowed a new light. Janis knew ex-
actly what she was going to write
for the Christmas Story Contest.
Everybody noticed the change and
called attention to it, but Janis only
smiled and went on.
In Democracy class, James kept
watching Janis, but she only said to
herself: Gust you wait, James D.
Ward. You may be star basketball
player and all, but if you don't like
my story, your girls. can keep you. )"
The day proved to be a terrible one
for Janis because she only had over
heard Jim say to Vera, "say, baby,
with whom are you going out to-
night" Is ,p.l.,
'You, sonny boy4".r ..
That night when Janis: started her
story she was in very angry mood
She just couldn't get over the thought
that James was with Vera
The silence in Janis !, room was
broken only by the tickle of the faith.
full old clock, but Jan didn't mine
binding her eyes and blotting the
ink.