East Liverpool High School - Keramos Yearbook (East Liverpool, OH)

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ilbrunwa 19 The johntub Adventure and how to enJoy them nothing OR THOSE who know its pleasures can surpass a clear easy going river forfgrecreation during the long hot days of summer. To find a huge, flat rock 10'x30', with from 15' to 20' of cool water on the upstream side is indeed discovering a swimmer's paradise. There in the hot afternoons of mid-summer, with alternately a swim and a bask in the sun, one can almost dream the dreams of the ancient Lotus Eaters or see the vis- ions of the opium fiend. The pleasure of the afternoon swim though is short lived. If you would get the real beneiicial pleas- ure of a swim, you must take it after the sun goes down, and let it be only a few good dives, with quick action while in the water. Come out promptly, dress quickly, and then you are ready for anythingg Jack Johnson, a six-foot running high, or to throw the hammer from the Stadium of Athensinto the creek beyond it. To him who does not swim there is always offered the pleasure of a quiet row in the cool evening, watching the shadows of the hills as they lengthen out, constantly be- coming denser and darker, and listening to the lonely chorus of the frogs along the shore while the evening gradually deepens into the night. Then suddenly the golden moon faintly lights the East and slowly mounts to her solitary station ever grow- ing smaller and exchanging her gold for silver till the dome of the heavens is reached, and the night resembles a blush- ing rose in all its beauty, fragrance and splendor. It was no wonder then that with all these allurements, and a boy's narural fondness for the water, we decided to buy our own boat and have the pleasure of 3. ,,. Y using it at any time, or at all times if we chose, on that best of streams, the Ohio. Ribbons and Jarve discovered it, and Peeks, Bass and myself agreeing to the bargain came around with the cash and the deal was closed. That was early last Spring. The boat, which we christened the Johntub for. want of a better name, was a sixteen footer with a flat bottom and straight sides. She was made of white pine, was very light and drew only M when empty, though she looked awkward, heavy and slow-going. We kept her the whole summer and always had a large stone, with a chain around it attached to the stern, so that when the water was not too swift we could anchor in a 10' or 15' depth of water for divers reasons. As Autumn drew near, however, it became more and more of a puzzle to us as to how we were going to get rid of our boat profitably, for we did not want to keep it over winter and neither did anyone else. This matter, however, was finally settled for us, to our loss, and the manner in which it was settled is my story. We had about decided to turn the boat loose, but we also decided that we must have a farewell swim in her. The river, swollen with the fall rains, was at a good boating stage, and boats, both packets and tows were going both ways, as many of the empty tows had been checked by the last rapid fall of the river, and were now rushing steam in order to reach Pittsburg and return to Cincinnati with a full load of coal before another fall of the river. The barges being empty lifted themselves a good six feet out of the water, which, with the force of a strong current, ran swiftly to meet them. - 1 It was necessary to take our swim after v

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16 lfrramnz married. A very touching incident hap- pened in those days of spring, which took my mind back to the days of my early manhood. I noticed not unfrequently pretty blue-eyed Nellie, with her long curls, slipping out into the woods at the noon hour, or anytime before school began, with good, honest Jack. Often I would see them together, and always so happy. One day, three weeks before the close of school I missed Nellie from her accus- tomed place and upon inquiring at her home found that she was very ill of fever. I spent as much time as I could with her and her family until the end came, for when I first saw her lying upon her sick bed I knew she could not recover. Heart- broken Jack told me that they were to have united their lives together in a few more days had she lived, but God knew best and I consoled him as best I could, remembering my past. And now my story is ending and asl look backward over all these years, mem- ory must paint the last picture. The last day of school had passed yesterday and tonight a farewell meeting will be given the school teacher in the old school house, which was so dear to him. For the last time just as the moon was rising I rang the old bell. Quickly from hidden nooks the children and their parents assembled. I remember those faces yet and the kind- ness of their speeches as they bade me farewell. But some had said their fare- wells before. Soon they shall bid me welcome in the better land. My health had been restored and I could enter upon my calling in life and would return to them no more. I wonder when I shall see them all again, and I know some have said their last lessons of life and only the ring- ing of the bell of eternity shall call them to the greater lesson of the eternal tomor- row. And now my dream is only of the past, then it was of the future, but future did not bring me always what I had dreamed of and longed for but I learned as never before the lessons of kindness. Who knows what dream is brightest, And what is the best? For sorrow and joy are mingled, But only the end is rest. -CHARLES DURBIN, '11 .AFJFJJ When Betty Went to College CHAPTER IV ETTY sank weakly into a chair as Louise opened the door, Oh Lou- - H n - - lm: V le. lS6, she gasped, my oration IS gone. Are you sure ? asked Louise. I am certain I saw it last night in your drawer. It isn't there now, said Betty mechan- ically pulling the drawer open and tossing its contents about in utter disregard of order. I've looked through everything. Let's see. Louise energetically set to work and for the next half hour very little was said but much thinking was done. But what shall I do ? asked Betty when they had ended their fruitless search. Next week is vacation and there is only one week after that. Let me think said Louise slowly. Don't you remember most of it so that you could write it out again ? Yes, said Betty doubtfully, but when shall I learn it ?

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Z0 Keramnn school, but we made it a good one, and being loathe to leave the water, stayed in till a late supper would fall to our behalf. It was a hard row up the river a half mile from our swimming hole and across to our usual tie up. Peaks and Ribbon sat in the bow, and Jarve and I in the stern while Bass rowed. He was pulling a strong oar now, stronger even than we feared the pair would stand, for they had been worn down during the summer, pretty thin, but the current was strong, and a towboat with sixteen empty barges, their front like a huge floating wall, had just rounded the bend and stronger pulling was necessary, for the towboat would hug the shore to which we were going, and we must pass in front of it. So the oars were strained harder and harder, Bass bending each time more and more to them till at last the race seemed certain to be ours, but another pull was fatal, for the right oar snapped, broke and went down to meet the tow, while Bass fell backward into the boat, loosing in his effort to retain his balance, the other oar, and the Johntub turned slowly about to a position in which her length was at right angles to that of the barges. Death now seemed to stare us in the face, because with barely more than sixty feet between us and the first barges we could not hope to swim beyond their range, in that swift river, and to meet the barges with the side of the Johntub would mean certain death, as our boat must surely turn turtle in and case it did none of us could travel under the tow and live, while to jump for the front of the barges and to pull ourselves up was little better, for the boat in its present position would go immediately under. Jarve, ever there with all his brains in emergencies, saved the lives of perhaps all of us. Grabbing our stone anchor with its 20' of chain he threw it overboard almost before the rest of us realized to its full extent the peril of our plight. What he was about dawned upon us in an instant, and we waited breathlessly to see if the rock would an- chor. It did, the 20' chain letting it to the bottom, and though it did not entirely stop the Johntub, it served the purpose intended, by bringing the bow of it around to meet the barges first instead of the side. This position was reached not a second too soon for in that time the barges and John- tub met, and the latter heldi, held just long enough to allow Peaks and Ribbons to draw themselves to the top of the barges, Bass to follow and the three to as- sist me up, and then began to turn slowly to the right. All of us were now reaching to Jarve and he was reaching for us, for the turning had caused him to loose his balance and he was gone as we thought, but while we were yet reaching out to him almost hopeless, he slightly recovered his balance and sprang. We all caught him, Bass by the hair, Peaks by one arm, I by the other and Ribbons by the coat collar. As we dragged him into the barge I glanced again at the old boat, which had filled with water and was going under. In another moment, and even as I looked, she sank, and we were rid of our Johntub. -C. S. KENNEDY, '11 J' J' J' Some FAcrs RECENTLY LEARNED The first thing in taking a vote on a bill in the House of Representatives is to take the eyes and nose of the members. The past participle of swim is swim- ming. All members of Congress are priviledged from arrest, except for breach of promise.