Fairmont High School - Maple Leaves Yearbook (Fairmont, WV)

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MADLE LEAVE tion, but walking was not so easy, as the ground was frozen hard, and I stum- bled over logs. Limbs scratched my face until it bled. However, it was not long until I reached a cabin. The light which I had seen was shining through a long window invitingly waiting for me to peep in. No one seemed to be at home. I0-o-0-0, might be some shoes under the bed.j But to make sure I gave a weak knock which echoed through the darkness. QTime to screaurj No response came, so I went in. CLotta nervej The cabin was very old Cand totteringj. Boards were hanging through the ceiling. QGollows, doncher know.j In one end of the room was an old fashioned fireplace where a fire was burning. I knew from this that some one had been there and had probably gone out to hunt. Around the walls hung battered cooking utensils, skins of animals, gunny sacks and other hunters' trappings. Everything looked untidy. Nevertheless, I sat down at the fire which was the only comfortable thing in the room, put my head in my hands and soon dozed off to sleep. Something awakened me, I listened. It was voices. I jumped up and looked for a place to hide until at least I could tell who they were. There was a ladder leading into an attic, Cwas it led by a rope?j so I climbed up. The place was very dark and musty. fHe must, must he?j But I lay down quickly as I heard two men enter the door. I put my ear to the floor Qmust be detachablej and this is what I heard: I tella youse I'm gonna hab mosta da mon, coz I killed heem. An' I tella youse I'm gonna ha' da most, coz I tol' ya whar heem war.'i And so the argument waxed hot Cand then meltedj I got tired Qdid he have wheels?l of lying on one side, so I turned over and felt something touching me. This aroused my curiosity and I put out my hand to see what it was. My fingers touched cold, hard features-those of a man- a dead man. Q0 m'gosh!j One touch was enough. The cold chills ran all over me, Cgalloped, in factj as I jumped up and started for the ladder. But the floor broke, and the dead man and I fell thru. QPretty frisky for a dead man.j I was not hurt, but almost scared to death. Here I was in the middle of the floor, boards, paper and dirt lying all around me, the stiff body of a man beside me, Qthat's what gym does for usj and two terrible men standing in one corner of the room, their mouths wide open, and eyes staring at me Can open facej. I managed to get up as they jerked out their pistols and pointed them at me. One began to speak. Who da devil air ye, an whadd'ya doing hyar? he questioned. I told him about my accident, that I came in to get warm, and to find out, if possible, the way home. We'll have to keel heem, Ckeel over, you knowj or he'll squeal on us, spoke the older. And I squirmed. No one will ever know the difference, but wot wolves got 'im. At this I began begging for mercy, and promised not to tell anyone of the murdered man if they would let me live. QSame old gag.j At length, the sneering, rudest one replied, Wall, if youse won't squeal on us, we'll let you live. But we're gonna put ya where ya can't git out 'twell we git away. fAlmost hardly got off easylj They took me roughly by the arm and led me outside. I knew there was no use to resist them, for they could have killed me without any trouble. They had their guns on me, Qmusta been weighted downj and forced me to get into a salted .aaa-,T.,,,, ,,,, -f if A, 1' ' Page One Hundred Twenty-Five

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wi MADL LEAVE -ifiwf-:im Eisele waited for no more but ran for Mr. Sterling, the High School principal, and, as luck would have it, he ran right into him. Mr. Sterling, come here a minute-quick Y What do you want, Eisele? It has something to do with the lost copy. Mr. Sterling went with Eisele. They arrived just in time to hear the same person remark: And yes, the assistant coach paid me ten dollars to steal it. Ha! Ha! to think that he passed, and that he does not get to play! They waited no longer, but ran to the dressing room and told the coach that Arnett could play. Arnett dressed as fast as he could. The coach yelled, Hurray. But he walked to Eisele and said, Eisele, I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you for proving to them that I was not a thief. Eisele muttered some- thing about for the sehooln and that they needed the best to win. The game had raged for three long quarters with neither side being able to serve. It looked as though it would end in a tie game. There were two minutes to play when Greggan held Oldsburg down on the fifty-yard line. A pass, Arnett to James, was good for ten yards. There was one minute to play when Arnett dropped back to dropkick. The crowd fell silent at such an attempt-a forty yard drop kick! Signals were called-the ball was snapped backg Arnett received it coolly and kicked a perfect drop kick. The ball went straight and high. Oh! if it would only hold out! It started to descend-it hit the cross-bar and bounded over. The crowd cheered madly, for he had made a most wonderful kick and won the game 3 to 0. At the banquet that night Eisele got his letter. As he received it, Mr. Sterling said, Not only for athletics but for loyalty to the school. Eisele knew that if he had not gone for me he would have gotten to play and would have earned his letter. But he put the school above his wants and what he had struggled for for four years, and won the game for Old Gregganln VVILEY GARRETT, '25. Word-Slaughter You will like this, so don't hesitate to read it. Word-Slaughter is a rip-roaring, side- splittingg grin-restoring comedy, and, if you have a pet worry, it is as good as a dose of medicine. ONE EXCITING NIGHT QAS exclaimed over by the Fletchett Co., Partners in Crime, Patent applied for-.J VVAS fox hunting with a number of my friends. As it began to grow late, we turned toward home, and busy with the thoughts of the fine day we had had, I dropped behind the others Cwonder if it hurtl. Accordingly, they did not miss me when my horse stumbled and threw me to the ground. The fall must have knocked me unconscious, for upon opening my eyes again darkness reigned. CWonder if it poured.l My horse was- gone and I lost my gun. QGol1y, pertection no got.j There was no moon as yet. fSure not. There was no one to moon over.Q So I could not tell east from west. I got up and started walking, hoping to find some shelter for the night. CVVas he a knight?j It was bleak December weather CBr-r-r-r-Q and the winds seemed to cut through even my heavy coat. QTook up for assault.j Wllile I plodded along I beat my hands together to keep them warm. fCruelty to dumb animals.j The limb of the tree cracked. QMust 'a broke a leg.j I looked up and discovered light in the distance. This made me feel un- aeccuntably relieved. CHul1l weight off a cedar chest. j I hurried in that direc- ..,.. .... . f if , - ,.i. Page One Hundred Twenty-Four

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Nz .515 E MADL LEAVE 'Nix pork barrel. fPoor pig.j Then they nailed the top and rolled me some distance from the cabin. I heard their rough voices as they retreated, and left me at the mercy of the night fhope it's mercifulj. I had very little air which came through the bung hole in the side of the barrel, and it was heavy with the odor of pork. CAnalyze the odor, please.j I could scarcely move. I grew colder each minute, and suddenly the howl of a wolf broke the still- ness. QGO purchase a tube of Le Page'sj. I listenedg every few minutes I heard, O-O-O-! Wow-ow-ow! As the sound grew nearer I could tell that it was a pack of wolves. It was not long before there was sniffing around the barrel. An idea came to me. fWalked or ran?j I knew it was my only chance of escape. Forcing my hand through the bung hole, I luckily caught hold of a wolf's tail. It scared him so badly that he started running. Finally I let go, and the barrel rolled down hill. It was not a very nice feeling, rolling over and over, but it lasted only a minute. The barrel struck a tree and burst open. Scratched and bruised, I came forth Qwhy not first?j only too glad to be free. Being afraid that the wolves would follow me, with all my remaining strength I climbed the tree. By this time a full moon shone in the sky. CFull o' moonshinej The bare trees loomed up, foh, so shockinglj black and forbidding, against its light. I could see the pack of wolves going over the hill. It was a beautiful sight, but I was too cold to enjoy it. I started to climb to the top of the tree to see if I could discover a house. When I got almost to the top, I heard something crack. The limb of the tree I was on broke Canother fracturej and I felt myself falling- falling-falling. But I never hit the ground. Instead, I was lying on the floor. I had been dreaming. fOh, the closing episode of a dramatic tragedylj A PERTEST Dere misTer PrinCiple- hiGh School an, er suposed ter be ran This is a letTer of Pertest bv you. asinsf I been doin' the notoryus actions of this High some inyfigation ScH001 myself an' I'm from Co0n's an' I airft Run, and what I saYs goes 50 duMe as without I might D0 ga3. Seem I been hearing ter be, T116 8 lot 100 yere about XYCFC SCll00l Spffit Digtiongryan Enciglgpgdle WhiCll is disr0binG sez that spirits is apparitions, im- itself mortal part of man. An aroun' the stuDents of for skool, it sez the Fore a shoal, sech as classes of this yere fish Page One Hundred Twenty-Six