Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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Meanwhile, all alone on the island dwelt the old man Wisdom, and sadly he smiled as he thought of the suffering of his people were undergoing, for in his heart they were always his people, as he had grown to love them dearly; he had also grown to love the island, especially the pine tree, and he sat under it and listened to all the breezes, singing through its branches. But then it never whispered stories to him, but unmoved by the soft winds, seemed to listen to their song, although it never answered back. One beautiful day the great white ship sailed back to the island, but its sails were black for all were not returning, and al¬ though the old man had foreseen this, nevetheless his smile was sad, and patiently he awaited the coming of the people as he sat under the pine tree. Slowly they came, bearing with them some crippled, some blind and some sick, but when they saw him as they had left him, they smiled and happiness came to all alike, and they sat beneath the great pine tree and told him of their experiences in the world of life. When all had done the old man smiled on them kindly and started to speak but suddenly he stopped and listened, and all the people listened and gazed in wonder at each other, for the branches of the great pine were whispering and nod¬ ding to each other and telling the stories which they heard told by those who had travelled through the journey of life. And ever since the pine trees have whispered to each other as the breezes stir their branches, and perhaps they will always do so, for who knows ? 17

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gathered around him, asking who he was and from whence he was sent. Then he spoke kindly to them, telling them that he was named Wisdom, and to their wondering, eager ears he told stories of the other great world, where all the experiences and emotions of life were felt. So the people were filled with longing to see this other world and unrest, a thing neyer before felt by them, pervaded the island. Then at last the old man promised them that they should visit this other world for one year, but that at the end of that time they must return to the island, to tell him their experiences, for he would remain alone on the island. So the people were filled with joy, and tumult reigned on the island; then they built a throne for the old man, under the only Pine tree on the island, for they loved it best of all their trees, and there he sat and gave them counsel. Then one day a great white ship, called Sorrow, came to the island and all the people boarded it, and as it sailed out of the harbor they felt their first sorrow, for they had grown to love the old, white haired man. They looked with longing eyes at the beau¬ tiful island, for they would fain have gone back, but the ship sailed on, and in expectation they awa ited their next experience of life, for they had felt their first sorrow. Then one day a great storm came up and fear and trembling came upon the whole ship as they w T ere tossed about by the waves, but the storm died and there was no wind, so for a week they lay becalmed, and the water gave out, so that all were in great pain, and they struggled among one another for the last drop of water, for now they felt hatred, as each desired the same thing. At last a cooling breeze came, and rain fell; yet all felt sorrow-stricken, for several among the babes had died, but their mothers gave a song of thanksgiving, for their children were now in a land where peace and happiness always dwell, and they would feel no more pain and sorrows of those who were going to the world where Life was lived in full. At last the ship, urged on by gentle breezes, sailed into a deep harbor and docked. Wondering and filled with awe the people stood and gazed about; for now they saw their first great city, thronging with life, and full of noise and tumult. For a long time they gazed, but no one ever noticed them, so they parted in sorrow, and each went his own way and was lost in the throng of the great city. Then at last all the experiences and emotions of life, with sorrow and pain, sickness and hatred, joy, sunshine and happiness were felt, but they thought with sorrow and great longing of their island home, and waited eagerly for the end of the year. 16

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The Flower That Grew Between By EVA WILLIAMSON Third Prize The golden-red light of the setting sun fell in slants and cross¬ slants on the open pages of “Warden’s Fourth Reader” as it rested silently in Teddy’s lap. Teddy had been vainly trying to read his lesson for the next day but myriads of little figures con¬ tinually danced all over the book. Now they were yellow, now red, now black. They sometimes danced clear off the page, and seemed to chase each other around the floor, walls and ceiling of the room but always they would come back to torment and torture him. Teddy raised his chubby little hands to his eyes, as if he wished to hold them in place, and then he knew where the weird little figures had come from. They had jumped out of his eyes, because some were still there, between their corners and his nose. However they did not intend to stay long if they could find an opening from which they could escape, as they were fighting and tumbling over one another in their wild flight toward liberty. Teddy wondered if they to knew about Little Sister. The day had been intolerably hot and dry; even now Teddy thought the sun would never cease shining, as it insistently beat down through the many-paned windows upon his book. The book was opened at Longfellow’s poem “The Reaper and the Flowers” and Teddy read: There is a Reaper whose name is Death And, with his sickle keen, He reaps the bearded grain at a breath, And the flowers that grow between. « Teddy had read this poem before. He did not see why it should impress him so but today a big lump rose in his throat and a huge tear, after squeezing out of the corner of his eye, rolled perilously down his cheek until it reached a point midway between his nose and mouth, where is vanished from sight in the deep re¬ cesses of a dimple which had not been effaced by the lines of mys¬ tery and sorrow that marked his face. 18