Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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THE SENIOR MAGNET 13 and foot almost stopped aching, but he didn’t have the courage to move them. Suddenly the door opened with a bang and the big tramp came in, standing in the path of light which came in from the door. After attempting to smother several snickers, he burst out laughing. He came over to the table and gave Bill a few light punches. This was too much for Bill. He forgot that he had only one hand and that one foot was crippled. He was almost mad with fury and his one thought was to choke that horrid tramp. Chairs, tables and everything were kicked aside as Bill and the tramp wrestled. A scuffle of hurrying feet was heard outside. The room was flooded with light and Bill and the tramp were dragged apart. A tall, athletic looking boy was staring at Bill. “Ye gods. Sis, this isn’t Skinny Beggs.” “Heavens,” “Jimminy Christmas” and other similar expressions came from the doorway. Bill turned. 'i here stood “The Girl and behind her were the fellows that he had often watched come out of school together. Bill looked inquiringly at the tall boy who addressed “The Girl” as Sis. Oh, er—er,—er, his collar seemed too small for him. We’re all mighty sorry. I hope that you ain’t hurt. You, your aren’t nervous are you? We’re mighty sorry, but you see Skinny Beggs wanted to join our bunch, but we all considered him rather faint hearted. So we decided that if he couldn’t stand a real stiff initiation, when he didn’t know that he was to be initiated we would prove this. “Siss is a pretty good actress, and neither she nor Skinny knew each other. We described him to her. Skinny always was crazy about pretty girls. So we decided that Fat Cooper dressed as a tramp, would follow Sis and Sis would lure Skinny to follow them here and then we would finish it. “For nine days in succession Skinny has come past here at about seven o’clock. Luck seemed to be with us, so we set tonight for the initiation. “In her excitement Sis didn’t realize that she had the wrong fellow. We sure are sorry, I—I—.” “Yes, we are sorry,” Fat Cooper said, “but let’s shake hands and be friends.” In a few minutes Bill had met everybody and the reserve which he had acquired when he came to the city left him and he became the same old Bill that everybody in Mercersville, his home town, likie so well. -----B.-H.-S.----- THE BOHEMIAN GIRL Ruth Heineman From the window of his club, James Morris watched the gay scene below. It was Hallowe’en and the streets were filled with the usual gay crowd of merry makers, witches, clowns, cowboys, and all manner of strange looking per- sons, jostled one another and laughingly dodged the well aimed balls of confetti. The spirit of revelry was in the air and everywhere was happy confusion. Bells tinkled, horns tooted, bands played and from the doors of the

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12 THE SENIOR MAGNET into cold water. Feeling like a new man. he hurried from the temple and without once looking back, made his way to his hotel. ------------B.-H. Had Wilks been driven by a troubled conscience to restore the stolen idol, or had Buddha really forced him to yield to his divine will? ,-s.------------ THE DECOY Rosamond Whiteside William Wooster Kelly was wandering aimlessly about. Why couldn’t he make friends as easily as Fred Miller did? He had been in the city for more than a month and hardly knew anybody. He unconsciously went toward a school for young men, where he had often watched them come out arm in arm, having such a good time. It was about six-thirty and almost everybody was at his dinner, but Bill didn’t realize that he was hungry. He didn’t even realize that he himself was living until a very attractive young girl passed him. She had stopped short when she saw him, and looked at him with wide, frightened eyes, which seemed to be begging for help. “Now why in the world did she look at me like that?” he wondered. But he didn’t have to wonder long, for as he stood staring after her, a large, ugly tramp almost pushed him off the walk and hurried after the girl. Just then the girl ran up the steps of a large dimly lighted building. The tramp was close behind her and Bill a short distance back of the tramp. When Bill entered the building, he heard a loud piercing scream. He rushed into the room from which the scream seemed to come. Everything was in total darkness. The door which he had left slightly ajar was slammed shut and he was grabbed and held tightly by something. “Oh! we’ve got him now.” “I want his right ear,” growled a big voice. “I want his right hand,” screamed a little rasping voive. Silence,” spoke an authoritive voice, “the officers will join me in the corner till we decide what part or parts of him we will keep.” Bill heard muffled footsteps and low murmuring voices. Where was he, and what were they talking about? Was this a civilized world ? and yet they seemed to be talking of cutting him to pieces. Put him on the table,” said the authoritive voice. Bill was placed on a long, narrow table and securely tied. A thick bandage was tied over his eyes and forehead. “We have decided to take his left hand off at the wrist and the toes of his right foot at the first joints. We will now proceed.” A moan of agony escaped Bill’s stiffly set lips when he felt the sharp knives begin to cut his hand and toes off and he could feel the blood lying in a small puddle on the table. There were still two more toes to come off. Could he live through it? Finally it was over. With several sighs of satisfaction, they turned off the lights which they had turned on after bandaging his eyes, and untied him. As Bill lay there thinking, his arm

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14 THE SENIOR MAGNET brilliantly lighted cafes floated the strains of gay music. Morris drank in the everchanging picture before him eagerly. Having lots of fun aren’t they,” said the man beside him. “You’re right they are,” he said, “I have quite a notion to go out and celebrate myself.” “You, ha-ha,” said his friend, “behold our dignified lawyer frisking around like a two year old, ha-ha.” “Oh, come now, thirty-two is not so old. Morris remonstrated, “And confound it all I’m going to do it,” and he hade a hasty farewell to his much amused friend. “Where do you get costumes?” he asked the hoy who brought his hat. “Cleskv’s is a good place, sir, right around the corner.” Twenty minutes later Morris stepped out of the costumers attired as a Cavalier and gaily made his way through the crowded streets. For awhile he amused himself by watching the pranks that were played and by throwing countless hags of confetti, hut as he passed one of the cafes, the sound of the gay laughter drew him in. The place was filled and as Jim was following a waiter to a table he heard a soft southern voice call. “Where are you going, Jim, here I am. Amazed, he whirled around to behold a gavly dressed Gypsy girl beckoning to him, spurred on by the spirit of adventure, he went over to the table. Of course he would explain, that is, he thought he would. “Now that you have your mask we can go, can’t we?” the girl drawled softly. It was plain that she didn't realize her mistake. (But how funny; would he explain?) But hang it all when the other fellow's name was Jim, too, and this would he a real adventure,—“I’ll just play up to her for a while,” he thought. Aloud, he said, “Yes, we’d better go, it’s getting rather late.” “Isn’t it thrilling, though, going to a party when you’re not invited?” she laughed as they left the cafe. “It certainly will he a lark,” he answered. “By Jove, it will he a lark,” he thought to himself. Anything will he a lark with a girl like this : how beautiful she was with her mask; what wouldn’t he give to see the rest of her face. “Here's a taxi right here,” she announced. “Fate is certainly playing right into our hands.” “A taxi. Good Lord, where would I tell the fellow to drive them?” He took a desperate chance and asked, “Where did you say the place was?” “Why, I didn’t tell you yet, Silly,” she laughed and gave the directions herself. “You know it’s a Bohemian party and I always wanted to go to one and when I heard these girls talking about it at the theatre I just listened and discovered where it was. So tonight I thought it would he lots more fun for us to go there for a while than to rush right off to Nancy’s, don’t you?” “You bet! he answered with ferver. Just then they arrived at the address she had given to the driver and what a gay time they had. Jim and his little Gypsy girl danced once and then because they loved it, they danced until they were flushed and breathless. Heretofore, Jim had always thought dancing a bore hut then he had never had a partner like this one. “Jove, she’s wonderful,” he thought to himself. “How I hate to explain to her and spoil it all.” “You know, Jim, you’ve been awfully nice tonight,” his companion whis-