CHAPTER XIII.
NODS AND BECKS.
"'Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful jollity, Quips and Cranks, and wanton Wiles, Nods and Becks, and Wreathed Smiles, Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, And love to live in dimple sleek.'"
quoted Mary Flannagan. "There is a name for our magazine, right there insober-sided old Milton."
"Why, that's as hackneyed as can be," objected Dum. "It seems to me thatevery school magazine I ever read was called 'Quips and Cranks.' Let'sget something real original and different and try to make the mag thesame way."
"Of course I didn't mean 'Quips and Cranks.' I mean 'Nods and Becks.' Ithink that would be a bully name."
And so did all of us, and "Nods and Becks" was unanimously elected asthe name for the school paper that we were striving to get out beforeChristmas.
I was chosen editor-in-chief, much to my astonishment. It seemed to methat one of the Tuckers should have had that job, with their father areal live editor. They must have inherited some of his ability; but theLit. Society would have me and I had to turn in and do the best I could.I didn't mind the writing end of it so much as the part I had in turningdown some of the effusions that were handed in by members of thesociety. Our object in the publishing of this magazine was to make it aslight and gay as possible.
We had chosen Christmas as our season for publication and that meantgetting very busy after our Thanksgiving jaunt. We really had intendedto use the little holiday we were to have at that time to get ourmagazine in shape. We called it a magazine for dignity, but it wasreally more of a newspaper.
I am going to publish the whole thing just to show what girls can do atschool. Every one thought it was very creditable. We had lots of adsfrom the tradespeople at Gresham and a few from Richmond firms, enoughto pay for the printing.
CHRISTMAS NUMBER OF
_NODS AND BECKS_.
GRESHAM, VA.
SONNET TO SANTA CLAUS.
BY PAGE ALLISON.
Pan may be dead, but Santa Claus remains, And once a year he riseth in his might. Oft have I heard, in silences of night, Tinkling of bells and clink of reindeer chains As o'er the roof he sped through his domains, When youthful eyes had given up the fight To glimpse for once the rotund, jolly wight, Who in a trusting world unchallenged reigns. Last and the greatest of all Gods is he, Who suffereth little children and is kind; And when I've rounded out my earthly span And face at last the Ancient Mystery, I hope somewhere in Heaven I shall find Rest on the bosom of that good old man.
BEAUTY HINTS AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.
BY MARY FLANNAGAN.
Dear Editor:
I have cut two sleeves for the wrong arm in trying to make my new velour coat out of half a yard less goods than the pattern called for. I can't match the goods now. What must I do?
(signed) AGITATED KATE.
Dear Kate:
Put one sleeve in hind part before and then get a Teddy Bear or a plush monkey matching your coat as near as possible or in pleasing contrast to it if you can't get it to match, and tack it under your arm. It will hide the discrepancy and at the same time give a chic, stylish punch to your costume. It would be better to sew it as you would find it something of a strain on bargain days to have to hold it and you might forget.
(signed) EDITOR OF BEAUTY HINTS.
Dear Editor:
I am losing my good figure. What can I do to keep it?
(signed) SYLVIA.
Dear Sylvia:
Pin it on tighter. Try black safety pins, they seem to be stronger than white.
(signed) EDITOR OF BEAUTY HINTS.