Bloomington High School, The Gothic, 1913, Page 50

Description:	What a Pin can doBY MARIE DOWDEN.As the train sped along, Betty, with one extremely Englishtan foot resting on her suit-case, sat gazing dreamily out of the carwindow.Just think! the twenty-second of July. Betty gave a littlesigh of contentment. A little more than a month ago I was inschool. She took a small watch from her purse. Half-past two!I would just be coming from English. But school was out. Herhigh school days were over. She fairly hugged herself, and such abroad smile spread over her face that she looked shyly from underher wide panama to see if anyone was watching her and thinkingher half-witted. She was so happy though. She had a trunk full ofpretty clothes, and was going to the Lakes to stay as long as shewished; until they actually closed up the cottages, if she wished.That mans head, three seats in front of her, was so very much likeGeorge Carters. She wondered where he was-George, of course,not the man.Wasnt I silly to have such a case with him! Oh well, it reallyhadnt been serious, but everyone in school teased us. Then after wehad our dreadful fuss, when school was out, he rushed off to visitan uncle or somebody, and here I still have his pin. It really isquite handy to pin my tie with, though. Betty sat up with a start;the conductor was calling her station. She brushed the dust fromher jaunty ratine suit, drew on her gloves, and in a few secondsmore was on the station platform in the arms of an elderly lady.Oh Auntie, Im so glad to be here, I could just hug you to pieces!exclaimed Betty. Why Joe Woods! I never dreamed of seeingYOU here. Im awfully glad you ARE here though, because I wasafraid I wouldnt know anyone. Yes, I have my trunk check heresomewhere in my purse. There, and Joe, will you please tell themto send it over right away? Then turning to her aunt, she said,How long has Joe been here? I didnt know he ever came here.Auntie was quite young looking herself, and her impulsive smilesmade her seem very girlish. She drew Betty to her in a little hug,and answered, He wasnt here two days until he had found out youwere coming. He has a new motor boat and has planned somesplendid times for you.There goes the last machine for the cottages, if we dont hurrywe will miss it, Joe exclaimed, as he rushed up and hustled themoff to the waiting car.July had passed and August had sped around. Betty had rowed,fished, and played tennis, until, as Joe expressed it, she was a secondAudrey for her brownness.Joe had been SO nice to her, and they had had SUCH good times.She had never thought that Joe liked her. The girls had teasedher and said Joe was crazy about her, but was afraid of George-but she had thought he couldnt see her, as she expressed it.One afternoon they were sitting along the beach in the shadeof some huge rocks, a cozy grotto. Betty with her elbows on herknees, her chin in her palms; Joe, his white-flanneled length stretchedbeside her on the sand, with one hand propping his head.Arent you glad, Joe, that we wont have to go back to highschool any more? I dont know what I am going to do. I may go toa music school, a finishing school, or just plain college. If I had myway about it, I would stay at home. What are you going to do?Betty was looking dreamily into the distance. Joe was watching heradmiringly.Oh, I dont know, came the sad response.Why, Joe, whats the matter?I dont know,-I think Im in- Betty waited for him to finish,-silence for some seconds, then Joe said, in quite an unnatural voice,with an attempt at lightness, By the way, Betty, where is GeorgeCarter?Bettys hand went instinctively up to the pin. She was thinkingof the foolish quarrel they had had, caused by Georges jealousy ofJoe, and she had always hoped he would never find out why theyhad quarreled. Joe noticed the flush that crept in her cheeks andmisinterpreted it and her sudden change of subject after her quickI dont know.So this is true evidence that she is engaged, thought Joe. Shestill has Georges pin, and she flushed and changed the subject.O well, I always knew there was no chance for me, and his heartthrobbed dully.Neither talked much while walking home. There were so manythings toing and froing in the corridors of Joes brain. How helonged to tell her that she was the only girl he cared for and hewould surrender his heart to her to do with as she pleased. Oh, hecould say so many romantic things if he only had the chance; justlike Robert Chambers books, but there was that pin continuallystaring him in the face, and also the knowledge that it would be nouse. His determination for silence was strong.The day for Bettys departure glided swiftly around to the disap-appointment of them all. Joe had been so quiet of late. Betty toldherself that he was tired of her, and bored, and would be glad whenshe was gone. She didnt want to go; she cared for Joe, yes-EVERso much, but she was trying to make herself believe she didnt.Page Fifty
Source:	http://cdm17129.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/hs-bloom/id/1467
Collection:	Bloomington High School

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