Amador County High School - Skip Yearbook (Sutter Creek, CA)

Page 29 text:

HOW THE POPPY CAME TO CALIFORNIA - N a rugged little village on the outskirts of Pekin, lived an old Chinese gold seeker named Chang Low. Fortune always failed him in his hunt for gold, so he diverted his time in combining different flower seeds, trying in some way to perfect a golden flower. After many years of toil he ip finally perfected a golden flower, of which no one had ever L5 seen before. His great joy over the discovery of the flower brought on an unbalanced state of mind, at which he went around mumbling half aloud to himself. In this way the secret scattered abroad. After the flower quit blooming he put the seeds into a treasure box. Two Japanese spies, hearing his mumblings, one night broke into his little hut and stole the treasure box. The next day they sailed for Japan. When they reached Japan they confided their secret to a beautiful Japanese girl named Lily. One night the Japanese spies began to quarrel over the treasure box, which ended in them killing one another. Lily was so frightened that she took the treasure box and went aboard her father's fishing Vessel. The vessel had been on the ocean for three months, when one morning, they awoke to find it on the rocks near the coast of California. But in those days they knew nothing of California because this continent had not yet been discovered. The ship was sinking fast and they had no life boats to get ashore in. Lily, knowing that they would not be saved, took the treasure box and threw it into the ocean. The tide carried the box and washed it ashore. The box had been broken open by the tide beating it against the rocks and the seeds fell out upon the beach. The wind took the seeds up and carried them over the land. Where the Wind blew these seeds a beautiful golden flower grew up. Each season more and more bloomed, until now the whole state of California is covered with them. -Olive Hoskins. I'l'wCnty-onel

Page 28 text:

be a little donkey. Wouldn't you, my friends? he said to a group of horses near by. Oh yes, we certainly would, they answered and they came over to tease the poor little donkey. Just then a messenger came running into the stable yard. Here is the messenger to get the horse! the horses cried, They all tossed their heads and stamped their feet so that the messenger would notice them. The stable boys ran out of the stables to meet the messenger. Take your pick! they cried, select our best horse for this great man. I-Ie does not want one of these horses. I-le wants a donkey. He says that he is a poor, humble man and he wants a poor, humble donkey to carry him. What! A little donkey to carry him? Impossible! Surely you are jest- ing. cried the stable boys. No, I am not jestingf' said the messenger. Seeing the donkey in the corner he said, There is the very donkey I want. I-le went over to where the donkey was and led him out of the stable yards. The horses were surprised to see the donkey taken instead of one of their own group. But they were no more surprised than the donkey himself. The horses felt very jealous, indeed, when he was led away. Why should a miserable little donkey like him be chosen when there were horses as beautiful as they? When the donkey returned to the stable yards he was treated with great respect by the stable boys and during the days that followed many people came to the stable yards to see him. This made the horses more jealous than ever and they said, Why should you have been selected to carry the Saviour into Jerusalem? We are so handsome and highstepping, we would have looked much better in that triumphant procession than you did. Yes, replied the donkey, I know you would have, but Christ used me as a symbol of his own lowliness and humblenessf' The horses tossed their heads in derision and contempt. Oh, we wouldn't have wanted to be chosen by a man like that. We always march in processions that are given for very great men and we are driven in the chariot races, and when we win we bring great glory to our masters and the crowds cheer and shout, and after the races are over, they come and praise us, and flatter us, and give us sweetmeats to eat. It is wonderful: you have never experienced any triumphs like that. Then said the little donkey: it 1: it Pools! I too, have had my hour. One far, fierce hour and sweet. There was a shout about my ears And palms before my feet. -Lillian Fontenrose. !'l'wcnty1

Page 30 text:

GILT EDGE CAUTION The moon was slowly rising over a small cabin at Sutter's Mill. As it shed its beams on the tiny porch of the cabin. three men could be seen seated in heavy straight-back chairs. One known as Buck, was sprawled in a tilted chair sleep- ing. The other two, Nelson and Tim, were smoking their pipes and looking down toward the old mill, occasionally asking a question of each other. Well, sighed Nelson, better known to his friends as Guy, for they Hgured that Guy meant leader and they knew that Nelson was surely a leader and favorite, summer's comin' and here we are sittin' here like as if we were planted. I say, Tim, can't you kick Buck and wake him up. How can any- body think with all that noise and racket going on. At that, out went Tim's foot and Buck straightened up with a good-natured groan. Wake up, Buck, he called, here comes Mort and Tony. This looks like old times to me. Old times, said Mort, with a smile, as he seated himself on the top step, can you ever forget the times we five have had togther? Do you remember the time old Algiers Fredericks--, began Tony. You mean, can we ever forget the time, interrupted Buck, who was by this time wide awake. Hold on, returned Tony, with a quick smile. How do you know what I am going to say? Yes, said Buck. it was wrong of me, we have done so much to the poor old fellow. This brought back a laugh from the other three, for they too were thinking of the many tricks and embarrassing postions they had caused the old doctor to fall into. One story led to another and soon the boys Cfor over-grown boys was the only name that could be applied to themj were living again the days that had passed ten years before. lt's a shame, said Guy as he nibbled the end oif a plug of tobacco and passed what was left to the others, that we are getting old and lazy. Why, just think, it's been six years since we went in different directions, and now that we are together again, why let such an opportunity slip by? It just seems to me that all we do is get up and go to work, then come back and go to bed. Wllat pleasure are we getting out of life? Wouldn't Sutter's Mill run along just as well if we spent a little time doing something beside work, eat and sleep? Why. this place is .running over with fun if only we would start something. Take, for instance, that Chinese camp up there on that ridge. Think of the tricks we could play on them and the fun we would have with those Chinamen. l'l'wemy-twul