Central Catholic High School - Echo Yearbook (Fort Wayne, IN)

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' f :rf-wry' 2-.-4--f 16 CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL. ECHO t INTRIGUES INVINCIBLE A. Huguenard, '18. When David Warren returned to his rooms that morning he was thoroughly dissatisned. His name was in every newspaper as the greatest detective that ever lived. Everywhere, people talked of his marvelous running down of D'Esparre, the famous-well there is hardly any name particu- larly fitting him, as he had committed every crime from forgery to murder. But this morning War- ren had a sickish feeling-a feeling of one who has done his work by halves. He was not satis- fied at the tremendious piece of work-he had done because it was not finished. It was all right to arrest D'Esparre-but what had become of the jewels? Where had the robber put those price- less jewels? D'Esparre had led a dual personality. When crimes were on hand he was an impregnable, fearless crook, otherwise he was a soft-spoken, blue-bespectacled bookkeeper. There was an odd thing about where he roomed. He had taken up his abode with an old couple, who, because he had done what they considered a favor beyond recompense, had given him a small room. At the same time he made them promise that they would never enter again as long as they lived, and to this the old couple faithfully agreed. The room was very plainly furnished, having-a white enameled bed, a bureau, washstand and a clock fastened on the wall. The clock was square in structure and made of ebony. In each of the four corners there was a sphynx head engraved. It truly made a most remarkable picture as it hung against the plain white paper of the room. On the Clongl night of the arrest, Warren thor- oughly searched the room without success. The clock was the first thing to excite Warren's sus- picion, but after a series of taps and raps he de- cided that' it was one of the few things that D'Esparre loved. The trail -came off, and because of Warren's invincible proof D'Esparre was sentenced to be hanged. When the death warrant was executed and the doctor had pronounced him dead, Warren noticed that his right hand was tightly clutched. After he had exerted much force to open it he found a single dice in the dead man's palm. The dice was of the ordinary variety, being made of bone with spots or indentations tinted with black. Warren, seeing that it was 'a clew quickly put it in his pocket to avoid questions and left the place. On arriving home he began his specula- tions. How had the dice got there? What had it to do with the theft? Aimiessiy he threw it bn the table. The only thing odd about it was that it was extra large. Thoughtlessly .he picked the middle spot where the five identations had been made. To his consternation the whole side came off. Incased very finely in the interior of the dice was a piece of tightly rolled paper. With great carefulness he slowly unwrapped it. oh the paper was a diagram of a square clock. An exact duplicate of the one in D'Esparre's room. The small hand was pointing to three and the large one to twelve. In the center it said, push after turning, and a little lower Goes off at 12 A. M. on June 25th. . In a frenzy he put on his hat and coat. It was 10:30 and the said date. Jumping into a taxi he gave the driver all his loose change and D'Es- parrre's former address. Madly he jumped out before it stopped and uncerimoniously rushed into the house. The door of the mysterious room was locked, it was 11:05. Three vicious swings of an old-fashioned chair brought down the door. There hung the clock exactly as on the dia- gram. Breathing heavily he broke the glass face. Then his mind settled, settled to the systematic, scientific mind of Warren, the detective of facts. Why had the clock stopped at three? Surely this was some hint made by the originality of D'Es- parre's brain. It was 11:55 and again Warren's mind was excited as he remembered the maxim, Time and tide wait for no man. Again he brought out the diagram and read,W Push after turning. He had already laid his watch on the bureau and a glimpse at it told him ten minutes had passed. ' , Suddenly a thought came! He grasp'ed the large hand and slowly but surly made three complete revolutions. He put forth the long slim White finger and pressed. The crucial moment was at hand. A sphynx head in one of the upper corners flew open as if a door. It was vacant. The Watch registered 11:40. Just then the old man who had been terrified at seeing this intruding stranger, rushed in, and hit him a staggering blow With a chair. He reeled, but succeeding in showing his iiashing sign of authority. The old fellow, see- ing what he had done, hastened for water. War- ren, again made alive by thegsudden dash of Water, arose. It was 11:50. Staggeringg he stood up and worked fiercely. He turned the hand the certified number of times, pressed the other upper door flew open, displaying, alas, only dust-iilled

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CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL ECHO 15 a collection to finance a jitney service for the late-comers. ' ...-cx- Tuesday, September 28.-Another unwelcome class-pin agent made his appearance today. Very few are anxious to get class pins so early because we are well aware that every member of the Fac- ulty believes in the survival of the 1ittest only. It is rather distressing to see quality preferred to quantity unless one has cleared the last hurdle. Wednesday, September 29.-We always had a high opinion of Brother Exuperes' knowledge but we never suspected him of being able to see through a table two inches thick. Our friend Haley was the victim, but class spirit forbids us to mention more. What's the use in closing the doors of our little senior study hall now when we are left alone to study. Brother Ephrem was pretty deft in turning the latch key, but he doesn't need it any longer. Thursday, September 30.-B. E. can look down on a fellow and also look a fellow down pretty well, but today he could do neither with Paul Foohey, so he said: Foohey, get a mask on your face. Now Paul is not so bad looking when he is in good humor. ' C. G. .lill- X-RAY NOTES 111: s We wish to inform a prominent member of the Senior class that unless he devotes his energy to doing what he is supposed to do at a certain hour in school, we must acquaint the authorities of the fact that he has wasted-yes, wasted is the word, andwwe regret we cannot find a stronger one-that he has wasted a whole hour of his class time in writing some foolishness to somebody in skirts who lives outside our city, and we only wish to say this now, that if she didn't live outside the city he wouldn't dare write her. Yesterday, P. J. and F. F. decided not to go home for dinner. P. had a capital of just fifteen cents. They entered the Wellington, and when the Waiter came towards them F. said to P. Got your twenty cents? P. looked at him in dismay. By this time the waiter was at the table calling out, Roast beef or stewed veal? P. was rather hungry, so he said, Give me all you've got for fifteen cents? After he had paid his fifteen cents he saw this sign on the wall All Lunches 15c.', It has been reported that Leo Weber was seen on the street at 10 o'clock, Sunday evening in com- pany with Charles Harkenrider. It grieves us Wery much to hear that our Leo would associate with a notorious police character. Complaints have been registered concerning fthe illegal use of the transom on the north side of llhe Senior room. It is said that immediately after 13:05 P. M. this transom is used for a periscope. it Sl our opinion that this transom should be used for ventilation only. THINGS BETTER LEFT UNDONE. Gordon Kel1y's belt at meal time. Shoe strings-if you have a sore foot. Joe Wilkinson's bow tie. Teaching penmanship to Bob Beuret. Joining the Holy Name Society before dropping Latin. J Trying to find Foohey before 8:00 a. m. Opening a package of cigarettes in a crowd. Showing your knowledge to Brother Exupere, Accounting for Beck's actions. Telling Brother Ephrein you can study better if he lets you chew gum in class. Explaining to a Freshie that he has no mortg- age on the school chairs tApologies to Bro. DJ Telling the Board of Editors your story is original. Asking the school engineer to fire up. THE LEAVES ARE FALLING W Summer, with its labors weary, Now begins to change its hue Into skies both dark and dreary From its skies of sun and blue. Leaves that once were em'rald green. Dying at their Maker's calling Withered by His hand unseen Now are sadly, slowly falling. C. M. Harkenrider.

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'f-nw' ' ,fs CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL ECHO 17 vacancy. ' Dampening his forhead with the cool water to keep down the rapid swelling, he again started the revloving. It was 11:55. The third time 'he pushed it, and another vacant chamber appeared. Using the wall as a support, he turned .and pushed the fourth time. The remaining door fled open, and there stood the sack that contained twenty-four first water diamonds. Bruised, dazed, half crawling, half limping, he left the room. In a coarse voice he called the old couple and ordered them out, himself hurriedly following. I-Ie had barely passed the threshold when the house blew up. After the explosion he looked at the sack and read as follows: ' lf these are ever found, please give the gold enclosed to the old couple. I acquired it honestly as a bookkeeper. ' Yours, 5 K JACQUES D,ESPARRE. Warren looked at the terrified old couple and smiled. He was happy, for he no longer felt that his work was but half done. , THE DYING CHILD There a peasant child lay dying On a little snow-white cot, And the angels round her flying, Kept her soul from stain or spot. And the mother sat there weeping, Praying God to spare her child, But the hand of death was creeping On a victim undehled., I Faint and low her heart was beating,, As her lips had ceased to speak, Then she Went to hear the greeting Of the one she loved to seek. -P. F. ' , YOUTH ,The young ne'er look upon the past, To them the future is the mast That bears the flag of sweet desire Which they must reach or 'er aspire. - Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft might win, By fearing the attempt. - -Measure for Measure. THINGS wE'D LIKE TO KNOW Who stained the glass in the west window of the Senior Room. VVho nicknamed Speedy , How can Bob lieuret swim if marble has a den sity of 2.65, How some ever got to be Seniors fwe don't mean old meni, When our next free day comes, ' Why the school can't get a school football team, Why a certain individual who yawns, stretches, hums, scratches, sucks his finger nails, etc., is highly insulted when asked if he were born in a barn, ' Who are the little playful fellows who simply must amuse themselves by breaking pens, spilling ink Knot their own of coursei, throwing erasers, or upsetting the waste-paper basket, ' Why 'Wiener leaves German Class with a smile, after having spent forty-hve minutes with his teacher, If the Faculty knows about the Seniors' peri- scope, How long it 'would take a mosquito with a wood- en leg to kick a hole through the side of Library Hall, Why white socks cannot be used more than once by K. and I-I. and C, How the old folks are at home, Who tunes the violins for the ,school orchestra, What Brother Ephrem thinks of Kelker's stories, If the Juniors will have to learn a little Eng- lish this year, Where Tomkins is, Why the President of the Senior Class is study- ins: A Why Beck brought a Big Ben to school, ' LIFE X A sunny day, a dreary night, is life, Alternate joy and sorrow, peace and strife. No lasting mood -e'er stays the hand of Time, No freedom from his laws in age or clime. In steady joy would man forget his end, And dark Despair no hope would comprehend. But grief and joyin one great cause unite, That men may know the Rules infinite. ---- -P. F. The mind is its own place and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven. ' '-Paradise Lost.