East High School - Cardinal Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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My First Skip “Oh! Pshaw!” Is that the best you can do?” “Well, run along, little girl, we men don't want babies playing with us. These and various other taunting remarks were hurled at me by my brother and the other members of the Texas Cowboys Base-ball Team one afternoon in May about eight years ago. when, acting as a substitute I had made a particularly bad play. I tried hard to be “one of the bunch. but when one had a terribly big bump on one’s forehead from being a Texas steei for one of these same cowboys a short time before, life seemed unbearable. How could I make those boys, especially Jim. my brother, respect and honor me? The hammock was empty, and. lying in the warm sunlight, I began to consider ways and means. “Talk about your chivalry and gallantry!” I muttered angrily to myself; lor my mind was stored with old world talcs of knights who had no other wish than to don armour and fight bravely for fair maidens. I had once suggested the idea to Jim. but the scorn with which he treated it. had made me drop the subject forever. What should I do? How could I make those boys respect me? Oh, of course!-------------------1 would play hookey, as the boys called it. Didn’t they all do that? Many a scornful word had I received, just on the strength of not doing that. My plans were quickly made. I simply wouldn't go to school the next day. Should I go by myself? Well.--------------- yes, after a moment's doubtful hesitation I decided in the affirmative. The next morning I started off as usual, with my lunch-basket under one arm and my primer under the other. It would never do to have my mother grow suspicious. I was undecided where to go. At first I couldn’t think at all, then I had a brilliant thought. On the outskirts of town there was a thick growth of wild flowers and vines, and best of all I was never allowed to go there. Simply alive with insects, my mother had said firmly, when, on previous occasions. I had begged permission. I trudged bravely along, consoling myself for the long walk by a vision of the lovely spot I had chosen for a retreat. and reveling in the thought of my naughtiness. It was lovely; the grass was cool and green and soft, and the birds were singing sweetly in the near vicinity. Everything was so peaceful and quiet that I rejoiced again that I was there. 24

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know how to do. When we started in to count up our funds for that wondrous ball, we found—Oh. let's change the subject! Of the actual doings of our class. I have left the most important until the last, this is the undertaking, achievement, rather, for which our Junior year will go down as a red-letter one in the annals of the school,—the publication of “ The Cardinal, the fust Annual ever published at East High School. We ha e tried to make it worthy and representative of the class which publishes it. If we have done this our highest hopes are realized. As one looks back over these passing years time naturally separates itself into two great divisions, “before and “after'' taking—Physics! How simple would be this Universe and how easy a thing to live in it. if only one might go back to those comfortable days of ignorance. Once, in the beautiful Long Ago it was such a pleasant thing to walk in the warm Sunshine and to consider how lovely a thing it was; until one fateful day. without warning, we were cruelly informed that it was this erstwhile pleasant Sunshine that caused all the horrible railroad wreeb. “For.” said our teacher, does not the Sun shine and make the ferns and trees grow? Does not the Sun in turn cause them to wither away and die. Does not the Sun, year after year, bury them deeper and yet deeper) And thus, by a multi-replication of this same process in due time form a great coal held? Who will deny me when I say that it is the Sun’s glancing rays that causes the discovery of this bed? Who will dare to assert that it is not this very coal which propels huge locomotives with their precious loads of human life? Nay. more, look and be convinced—see yon weary telegraph operator, sleeping at his post, probably in this selfsame deadly Sunshine while those doomed trains dash onward to destruction!” At this point, we. carried aloft on this train of eloquence and overcome at this nefarious deed, rose up. and stamped our little feet, shook our puny fists and cried. Begone, thou hated Sunshine!” Laughing aside, however. Physics is a very epitome of the Junior Class,—Physics, that all embracing, all inclusive branch of mortal learning; Physics, the fascinating and elusive; Physics, the always new and ever interesting, the climax of the learning won by Juniors! Thru three long years now. we have worked and played together. Thru three long years, we have striven together in friendly rivalry, and just as the constant rubbing of the water makes the smooth symmetric pebbles, so constant fellowship has made us what we are today, the greatest Junior organization in the History of the School, the brilliant, myriad- sided. multi-talented CLASS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED EIGHT. — Earle C. Bailie 23

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But what could I do? Looking around for something to engage my attention I chanced upon my primer and began to read aloud, in a childish sing-song voice. The golden rod is yellow. The corn is turning brown. The trees in apple orchards. With fruit are bending down. Then it came upon me how absurd it was to be reading autumn poetry in spring. It was as bad as school, so I gave that up as a bad occupation. The sun was warm, the sound of the birds and bees drowsy, and before I knew it I was fast asleep. Sister, don't move! don’t stir! be perfectly still! I could almost fancy I was still asleep, yet I had heard that command too often, sometimes from an Indian, sometimes from a cow-boy, to dare disobey it; so I lay perfectly still, only opening my eyes for a moment in fright. For that moment I saw perfectly, then before my terrified vision everything seemed to swim. But that one instant was enough; I had seen a scorpion, most feared of all Texas insects, poised in midair, about to spring upon my bare little arm. Jim. playing hookey likewise, and happening by. had seen it too. Never pausing to think of personal danger the brave boy threw himself upon me and received the sting. The rest is always rather hazy in my mind. I dimly remember being carried home, and a long, long, afternoon when my brother’s life was despaired of. for the scorpion’s sting is fatal. How I hated myself for skipping.—and most of all for ever daring to doubt Jim’s chivalry! How he pulled through I have never known; but often in later years I have wondered if God in his great mercy and kindness did not spare him to us that I might make amends. That night up in Jim's room, where he was lying, white and spent, but safe at last, I buried my head on mother’s shoulder and sobbed out all my woes. My father waited until I was more quiet, and then, clasping Jim’s hand in his, he quoted softly, with a little catch in his voice. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend. —Kathleen Lee Murphy. 25