Adrian High School - Sickle Yearbook (Adrian, MI)

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CLASS PROPHECY. Jessie L. Strong. PALMISTRY has been studied, horo- scopes coniigurated, the rules and principles of phrenology declaimed, in fact researches have been made into all scientific lore, each effort seeking the same goal, the portrayal of the future. For weeks I have meditated o11 this question, have, indeed, subjected it to a logical course of study, but not until last night did I attempt its proof. I have been reasoning in some way like this: suppose that all the people whom one will meet during life be held together by an invisible bond of mutual attraction, that in the mind of each be imprinted his own career and the character and vocations of all those with whom he comes in contact, then if something could picture out these personalities, thus making the mind's thoughts com- prehensible to the mind itself, the future could be read like an open book. Last evening, preparing this miniature cuvette, which contains a waxy substance of great reflective power, I attempted Cby way of an experimentj to read my own destiny. After I had gazed into the depths of this vessel a few seconds, an image began faintly but clearly to appear. just then, how- ever, the door of my room was thrown open and an intruder rudely broke i11 on my musings. Now I shall take up my work agam and endeavor to read my own fate. If successful in this task, I shall then look for the destinies of my several classmates. W' hat is this I see? Can it be possible that I've discovered a pathway into the future? Is it-yes, it is--a likeness of myself g but it seems fading away. I can now distinguish only its faint outlines. Our theory, however, is an established fact. The future can be read. My own destiny I've failed to see, but now, O Muses, picture to me the fates of the Class of '99. A picture becomes clearer and clearer before me: a room in an old tenement house such as suggests foul air unfit to breathe, and outside-a hall, dark and dingy, reached only by three or four iiights of narrow, dusty stairs, waving and creaking beneath even the lightest tread. In one corner on a rude pallet of straw lies a child whose pale, wan face looks appealingly into that of a man kneeling beside her. This man is Wilfred Byron Shaw, a physician who, while many of his patients are of high social rank, yet loves to wander down into the slums of the city and relieve a portion of the suffer- ing which attends such a place. This image fades. Now I behold an auditorium crowded to overflowing. The curtain rises and with majestic stride Mlle. Greene marches to the footlights. XVith head thrown upward and pose self-assured she stands before them. The en- tire feminine portion of the audience bend forward with eager

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rible night flashed the dazzling meteor, Napoleon. Wellington and Nelson cost the British nation the flower of her manhood for the privilege of putting their names in history. The great Chancellor, Bismarck, has been aptly called The Man of Blood and Iron. His own words, I have caused the death of eighty thousand meng eighty thousand widows may justly cry to me for bread, aptly describes what it cost the German nation to place this star in the world's iirmanent. The names Washington and Patrick Henry are syn- onymous with the Revolutionary War. With Washington is associated Valley Forgeg with Patrick Henry, the Stamp Act. The names Webster, Calhoun and Clay suggest the turbulent times preceding the Civil War: times of sectional jealousies and mighty forensic strifes in Congress' A little later comes the dark, cloudy Civil War, a war in which one part of a nation is desperately trying to destroy the other-father fight- ing against son, brother against brother, the very home divided against itself. Yet out of this terrible night shine forth the bright stars, Lincoln, Grant and Sherman. It is impossible to see the stars except as the world is wrapped in darkness. Lincoln, Grant and Sherman would never have become visible stars but for the Civil War. While we do not see the stars in the day time, will any- one doubt that they are still shining on? The darker the night, the brighter the gleam of the stars, the darker the period in history, the more brilliant and the more numerous stars. But let us consider some period in history in which few bright stars are visible, such as the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The reign of good Queen Bess is one of the most prosperous and progressive in English History. The reign of Queen Victoria is an equally good example. The stars of either period can be numbered on the fingers of one hand. To bring the example nearer home: take, for instance, Gen. Grant's administration. No administration has bG611 more uniformly successful than this, yet the number of stars in this period is very small. These were times when no man was especially great, but when every man was truly great. The question is often asked: Do we have capable men among us at the present time ? In answer I would say, Do you expect to see the stars in the day time ? It is just as reasonable to look for stars while the sun is shining as to look for history making men in prosperous times. I do not mean to infer that social upheavals and wars are unnecessary, but I wish to emphasize the fact that the number of stars in a period is no criterion by which to judge of the prosperity of that period. We would hardly wish for night simply that we might see the stars. The stars are ever shining, but the glori- ous sun of happiness and prosperity, at the present time, dulls their rays.

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expectation, for she is the long heralded speaker on Woman's Rights. My curiosity increases. Another scene appears: asniall but prettily furnished room, as much like a sitting room as one for study, in it are Miss Lucy Galloway and Adeline Dyer, surrounded by a group of little blind children whom they are teaching. This also vanishes. Next I behold a faculty meeting of some university. Prominent among these men is Roy Beal. Yes, at another glance, I can readily see he is president of the institution. What a mark he has made for himself! This is a position which stands for positive attainment. No mere forensic brilliancy can compensate for deficiencies of learning. A man may be president of the United States without being a scholar, but he can not be president of a college without wide scholastic attainment. And what is this? A copy of the Noank Review. I think I'll read a little of it. Noank Review, Aug. 3o, 1910, published and edited by Leon H. Treat. Entered at the postoliice as second-class matter. What's this? Great Slaughter in Men's Furnishing Goods, preparatory to receiving New Fall Styles. Everything must go. Call and see us. F. R. Saul SL Co. Some more news. At the Episcopal parsonage to-morrow evening will be held the first of a series of concerts, etc. Why! these names are interesting. The rector's wife, Mrs. Simpson, will open the entertaimnent with a vocal solo. Here is a reading by Miss Ida Letford. I see also that Miss Belle Collins is down for a piano solo. Well, well, this is indeed interesting: Miss Florence Bennett and Miss Sadie Edwards left this afternoon for San Francisco, whence they will sail on Saturday for japan. Miss Edwards has entered the missionary field, and Miss Bennett is to perfect herself in the japanese language. Here is another advertisement: Miss Nellie O'Neill, Teacher of French. Private lessons, ,?I.OO. Public classes Wediiesdayfs and Fridays, 5oc. And if Mr. Shattuck isn't a a literary man! Mr, Shattuck's latest detective story, His Ignominious Death, which has been so well received in our own country, has been recently translated into French. Its reception into European literary circles is an almost assured fact, and we congratulate Mr. Shattuck on his deserved success. The paper vanishes, and now-a storm just off a rocky coast. Terrible waves are sweeping into a vessel, whose bul- warks are already three parts washed away. Passengers are running excitedly to and fro on deck. In one of these I rec- ognize Katherine McCarthy. She is clinging anxiously to the rail, gazing out over the angry waters at the life-saving crew which can be seen just leaving the distant shore. Another friend, I perceive the captain, Charles james, clinging to the mast. He seems to be giving orders to cast off the boats already crowded. The picture grows dimmer Zllld dinnner-it fades away. VVere they saved or not? Alas, we cannot tell. But another scene is taking its place. Seated before a drawing table which is covered with the plans of some immense structure he is building, is Clarence Wilcox. Stealing down slanting ladders of floating dust, trem- ulous rays of sunlight illumine a desk piled high with mail, and pattern a wall hung with photographs of the different buildings which have marked the progress of his engineering career.