University of Central Missouri - Rhetor Yearbook (Warrensburg, MO)

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--1-......l..........,f 1...-.......m,.........., Q.. 'etire stom .ows, dis- tlike pent vhen :h as sigh Jrds, ghts used . my rates 'ault was ot a :re It ame -een, Cry! it of ront the Lulnd an My , a d a eth hen ous, atly ni- versities to carry on research work. But, alas, before I sailed for my station, met a girl. Such a girl! Never again can human compare with her! I see her now as she looked the last day I met her under the cherry tree, the breeze gently brushing a wisp of soft, golden hair against her fair, round cheekg her blue eyes, deep wells of tenderness, love and truth: her 'orm, more divine than human. How well do I remember my aspirations for our future happiness in an old German castle on the Rhine and for my own accomplishments making me a genius of whom she might well be proud. Alas, a genius! My future happiness was blighted by words from her own sweet lips, I do not envy anyone the privilege of having a genius in her home. I would rather spend 'my future with a man. I could not believe my ears. Could such words come from a creature so beautiful? Were not my ambitions for her happiness alone? When l realized the situation, she was gone. My aspirations went with her. I cancelled my engagement with the University and remained in my own country. It took me several years to recover from the shock. By that time l was too far advanced in years to begin life anew. I realized that my accomplishments could be of no special aid in the scientific world, but wishing to contribute some- thing to the advancement of the work in which I had started, I decided to sacrifice my body on the altar of chemical research. That is how it happened that l was always present in the chemistry laboratory. - I endured much at the hands of the student body. Besides being hanged by my head year in and year out, l often received blows from the students. My limbs were placed in an unnatural position and my mouth was sometimes propped open. I was laughed at by passing studentsg some of the gentler sex even shuddered at sight of me. ln order to make a few pennies at some enter- tainment, I was made a subject of ridicule. I have longed and prayed for rest and my prayer is about to be answered. Before going to my last resting place I want this story recorded in history that it may be a monument to my memory as the frame of my body was a monument while present in this institution. Not until this story is written and my ashes are laid to rest in a cemetery will l cease to roam at large and torment those who have mistreated my helpless frame. Since you are a member of the sex-that caused my torment and sufferings, I shall require you to write my history and tomorrow night at twelve o'clock you must come to this place, alone, and gather up my ashes and place them in a suitable lot in the city cemetery. ' This last statement was more than l could endure and I dropped over in a dead faint. When I recovered consciousness, my sister was at my bedside saying, It is time to get up if you want to be on time at school this morning. Did you rest well last night? And I answered, Yes, thank you, l rested very well. LYRA I-I. BAI-IRENBURG, 'I5. Q Page 147

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CEIZIJa1fIinz'5 Message fPrize Storyj ' NE evening in March, after a very strenuous day's work, I decided to retire early to recuperate for the work of the following day. As is my custom before retiring, I turned to a chapter in my Bible and read: And he said unto me, 'Son of man, can these bones live'? And I answered, 'O, Lord Cod, thou knowestf Again he said unto me, 'Prophesy unto these bones, and say unto them, O, ye dry bones-- So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I proph- esied there was a noise, and, behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone, etc. ' After completing the chapter, I extinguished the light, raised the windows, and looked out on a beautiful moonlight scene. Looking farther into the dis- tance, I saw the ruins of Normal Number Two looming up black and ghostlike against the southern horizon. My thoughts went back to the times spent behind the walls of our Alma Mater, moments of abandoned hope, as when crossing The Bridge of Sighsf' and also moments of a care free nature, such as one feels when entering Dr. Walters' class of scientific laughing. With a sigh of relief that Dr. Walters' humor had not gone up in smoke as had our records, I turned from the window and soon sleep settled on my lids and my thoughts were wafted off into Dreamland. It seemed that I had been asleep a very short time when I was aroused by someone very close to my ear calling my name. On looking up, I saw my sister who told me that I must get up immediately: for some of my classmates in looking over the ruins of the Normal building had found a fireproof vault in which were all our records of the past years. I dressed hurriedly and was soon on the Normal grounds in the midst of the wreckage. There was not a crowd of friends there as I had expected, but I was alone. . With great difficulty, I climbed over the debris, not knowing just where It was going. Soon a beam under my foot gave way and I fell. I then came to a realization of my location. This was where Mr. Mcpheeters' room had been, directly under the Chemistry recitation room. I thought I heard a faint cry: but, attributing it to my imagination, I devoted my attention to getting out of the debris. However, I was not to gain my freedom so easilyg for directly in front of me I noticed a movement among the ashes, and, looking closer, saw that the atoms and molecules of dust were uniting to form a precipitate. This compound soon took on different shapes, and, to my horror, I recognized them as human bones. I tried to scream but had lost my voice. My hair stood on end. My feet seemed rooted to the ground. Then, there was a noise, and, behold, a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone, and before me stood a human skeleton. I-Ie glared at me from his cavernous eyes. I-Iis teeth rattled as his jaw dropped and flew into place as if trying to speak. Then in a hollow sepulchral tone I heard the following story:- . .UI am Charlie. In my youth I was a very handsome man, ambitious, brilliant, and had every chance for a great and happy future. I was greatly interested in chemistry and had an appointment to one of the German Uni- Page 146 - .V--. .--.... .......-....,.. ......-.g....,.-...........e... .. ... ,,,,,N,,,,r,-z, M., Y-W '-m I II I II II I II II' II ,. II' I II I I II I II II I I I I I II I I 4 I II 1 I I II If' 2-I II II .I: I. II I I I I I I I I II I I I I I I I I I I I

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