Granville High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Granville, OH)

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7 7 BLUE AND w You may heap your scorn upon me as you will, I cannot withstand you there, but I will tell you one thing before I go. The prince Fung Kan is yours only in name. I have his heart and will have it till the end of time. Only a few hours ago he has sworn his love to me in words such as you will never hear from his lips. Go and glory in your triumph if such you may call it, and I will glory in mine. The crowd was dumb with horror, and because they loved Luka San they feared for her. None dared protect her against the wrath of a king. Fung Kan on his white mount saw and feared also. Once he thought of defending her, but he knew it would only make the princess' vengeance more terrible. The princess, pale with anger half rose from her couch of Howers and in tones that betrayed her passion said: Very well, my lovely. You have said your say and now you shall know the full meaning of a princess' vengeance. Then turning to her attendants she said: Seize the little villain, take her to the dungeon and treat her a beggar should be treated who has dared to love a prince. She then ordered the procession to move onward. Luka San did not struggle with her captors, but went with them proudly, defiantly still. She cared little what became of her. She had none in the world save Fanki La and she knew that her sister would be cared for by friends. Fung Kan was lost to her forever and she wished for nothing better than to die. In her gloomy dark prison cell, she brooded over the only happiness she had left, her memories of the happy hours she had spent with Tung Kan. Through the barred windows the sounds of laughter and revelry from the feast came to her faintly on the night air, mingled with the scent of the cherry blossoms. High up in the tower room of the grey, old, castle, Wanki, the crafty, Wanki, the wise, sat and pondered over his wondrous ball. A11 was silent in the old room save the sputtering of the tallow candle which sent forth a yellow glow over the center of the room but left the crevices and nooks in the mysteries of shadow or the occasional chuckle of the old hermit as he read his magic ball. He had sat thus for some time when. suddenly the heavy barred door creaked on its hinges and the figure of a woman, heavily veiled appeared in the door way. The old man seemed not at all surprised at her unheralded presence, but without turning around said, Come in princess Luseiki. I have been expecting you. The princess started, how could this old man, wise though he be, know her deadly purpose. The old wizard laughed at her surprise and a fiendish twinkling came into his eyes as he said: Ah, princess Luseiki, do not pride yourself that any move you have made today has not been known by Wanki. My wonderful ball has told me everything. You have come here tonight to ask my aid. You hate the girl whom the prince loves. You wish to be rid of her. What can Wanki do for you? The princess gasped and sinking onto a rusty bench she remained silent several minutes, then throwing aside her heavy veil, revealed her beautiful malicious features. Lowering her voice to a mere whisper, she leaned forward and touched the old man on the arm and said: Old man, once you told me of a weapon which could commit the most terrible crime, which even you, in all your evil workings have not excelled. Could you, and her voice quavered with emotion, could you produce that weapon? The old man's eyes had never been removed from the globe which he held, instead they seemed to rivet themselves more closely on its wonders, whatever they might be, but now he looked the princess full in the face and she, half recoiled from that menacing stare. Then bursting into another fit of flendish merriment, he rose and tottered over to a dark closet. The princess who sat and waited heard the creaking of rusty hinges and presently the old demon reappeared, holding in his hand a dagger of glistening steel which iiamed a thousand different colors in the candle light. But it was not the curious workmanship of the dagger that made the princess gasp with horror. Was it imagination or did the air round about the blade quiver in- cessantly? Was it the fatal dagger, the impending gloom or was it an invincible force which seemed to warn her of approaching danger? Once her deadly resolution slipped from her, once a strong desire seized her to flee from this magic presence, but will finally conquered and she was calm once more. Drawing' near the old man. again she said: You need not tell me of the powers of your weapon, Wanki. I have heard them many times, but listen closely to what I say. At twelve tonight take this magic knife, steal along the edge of yon dark grove until you come to the banks of the river. The wind is still tonight, Wanki, you must be very cautious. Listen, at the edge of the grove is a row of cherry trees. They are white with bloom now, a fitting place for lovers to meet. There, Wanki, if my estimations are right, will be a man and a woman. You know what I expect of you. The woman will be the girl Fung Kan loves. Be cautious, but be swift for forbidden lovers do not meet in cherry groves to tell their love. They are escaping ton.ight. I need tell you no more, but by no means must you touch the man with your hellish weapon. That is all Wanki. The woman will be wearing white, be cautious,' and as quietly as she had come, princess Luseiki was gone. It was midnight by the old clock-inithe hall. 'Midnight, that mysterious hour when

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10 BLUE AND WHITE g ., ,. ll A JAPANESE LEGEND It is a very old tale I am going to tell you, a tale so old that neither you nor I can remember, a tale of long, long centuries ago. Will you deign to listen while I tell you the story of Luka San, the sun child, a story 'tis said was whispered to them by the winds in the tree-tops as 'twas told to them long ages ago. In the North Land it is still dark, cold, winter, but in Japan, it is glorious spring- time. The cherry blossoms waft their dainty fragrance over the God blessed land,and the sun, made happy again by the returning flowers sheds his golden glory over the whole, transforming the land into an oriental paradise. But nowhere did the sun rays call more carressingly than on the bowed head of Luka San as she sat at her window, looking out over the country where the twin spires of the grey old castle rose over the tree tops beyond the farthest bank of the river. Today was the feast of the Pulvichiki, and also the wedding day of the prince Tung Kan, and today poor, little Luka San's heart was breaking. A cry of exaltation woke her from her reverie and glancing out into the street she felt her heart sink within her. Down the cobble-stone highway, gleaming with banners and sparkling with jewels came the wedding procession and seeing it Luka San knew in her heart of hearts that in that bright array ended all her happiness. Luka San, Luka San, came a voice from the door way, Come quickly, the pro- cession is here, the bridal chair is all ready for you. Luka San rose, and taking the child's hand said softly, Luka San will not ride in the bridal chair today, Franki La. The princess Luseiki is the bride of Funk Kan. Luka San is not worthy to wed a prince. The eyes of Franki La flashed fire. Who has said that the sun child is not worthy to wed Fung Kan '? was her indignant query. Hush child, warned Luka San, They are the words of Muneiko. We must not gainsay our king. Run child, lay these gifts at the feet of the princess. But Franki La held back. I will lay nothing at her feet, she said defiantly. Go you and lay them there and when the great king sees how your beauty excels the princess' he will be ashamed. The wedding procession had halted to receive the gifts and Luka San, snatching up her parcels wrapped in red, as was the custom at a wedding, hurried out to the bridal chair. The crowd had presented their gifts and were falling back when Luka San, her eyes downcast, approached' the bridal chair and laid the gifts at the princess' feet, then moved by an unknown impulse she raised her eyes to those of Fung Kan as he sat near the princess on his snow white charger. How handsome and brave he looked. Instantly Luka San was lost in the memories of other days when she and Tung Kan wandered over the fields together. The crowds were forgotten and the world in which she now lived was a world only for Luka San and her lover until a hold, mocking laugh rang in her ears. - So this is the girl who wished to wed the prince, cried Luseiki, her trained lips forming themselves into a broad ironical smile. Do not frown so my lovely, I am not deceived, and she laughed again and clapped her jewel bedecked hands. Luka San took a step nearer the princess, but the smile, which she had mistaken for one of friendship, vanished as quickly as it came and the too regular features con- tracted into an ugly scowl as she met the girl's approach. Girl, she cried, her voice husky with passion, for she could not mistake the look that Fung Kan had bent upon her rival, Who are you to crave the love of a prince, you who are not worthy to even look upon him. Go and play with your dolls, and if you would wed, pick one of these young swains, more fitting for your mate than a prince. Fung Kan would rather die than wed such as you. Bah! I laugh at your folly. A dangerous light leaped into the eyes of Luka San, In vain her lover endeavored to catch her glance and to bid her be patient, but Luka San had born too much to be patient longer. Princess Luseiki,' she cried, looking defiantly into the eyes of the proud woman.

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12 gggg gg ITLUEVAND WHITE By the way I think they oughta spell that word c-li-a-p-apostrophe e double l. Its one for this chap anyway. Twas perty hot for me today too believe me. Well I started to tell you what happened. Yano theres an old perfesser lives in the same dormitory I do he perfesses math and hes sposed to see whether we behave or not and well-he uses works of love, and works of hate are scheduled. The hour when so many lives are fabled to expire. The hour of darkness, the hour of gloom. The hour of life for some, the hour of death for others. Midnight, the hour of fears, of joys and woes. But whatever it was to the world, to Luka San it was an hour of supreme hap- piness. As she waited under the cherry trees she was shaping in her mind the Very words Fung Kan would say to her. Already she heard his step and turned to meet him while in the deep shadows Wanki crouched and waited. Princess Luseiki had no thought of sleep as she paced her room restlessly pausing now and then to scan the row of deep shadowed trees. Finally she could bear it no longer and throwing a dark wrap over her shoulders, she started out into the night. The clock had struck twelve alzrost fifteen minutes ago. Perhaps she would be too late. The thought spurred her on so fast that she did not notice when her cape caught on a bush and slipped from her shoulders as she hurried on to the trysting place. Wanki was geting restless. As yet he had seen no one, for Luka San had kept to the shadows even when she saw him coming she remained hidden. Wanki did not mean to loose his chance. He half rose from his secluded corner just as a white figure glided past him. VVanki was swift. Only for a moment he held the dagger on high. Only for a moment the mysterious blade gleamed in air, and then buried itself in the soft flesh of its victim. Wanki saw the white figure sway and fall and almost at the same time, the terrified, maddened cry of the princess. Fool, she cried, You deserve death for your stupidity but I have strength to give it to only one. Ha, yonder is the one whom I seek. There shall be two stone images for the prince to mourn, and drawing the dagger from her side she hurled it at Luka San, whose white dress was just visible through the trees. ' But princess Luseiki had over estimated her strength. The dagger left her hand but instead of penetrating the soft flesh of Luka San, it was received in the old, sin hardened, body of Wanki. With a scream of rage the old wizard fell to the earth by the side of the huge, black stone which was once the proud princess Luseiki. That fate awaited him also, and to the gaze of Luka San and her lover who ran to the spot at his savage yell, there remained only a large black, stone while the omnious dagger protruded from its side, as if to give a moral to all who might see. And there they remain to this day, two twin rocks in that fair Japanese garden, and as the legend runs, the great king, overawed by the strange death of Luseiki, took Luka San as a gift of the sun God and made her princess over the land. Many long years she and Fung Kan lived happily together and when the noble prince died, Luka San reigned over her people with such a strong and kindly hand that when she too died and was buried in the cherry grove, the people of the village came each day to Weep and mourn at the shrine of Luka San, the beautiful, Luka San, the gift of the sun God. LUCIE DRAPER. IT WAS WORTH IT Well-I've decided to keep a Dairy. Yano all grate men keep dairies and I'm gona be a President some day. Won't that look awful in print President Percival Quincy. My mom, she nanoed me. Guess we're some relashun to John Quincy Adams. but I don't know who he was and I dont never care to neether. Anyway I aint one of these here sissifled Percys. All the fellers calls me Red. Well to go back to what I started out to say. I'm gona keep a Dairy. It'll be a nice thing for my grandchildren to look at when Im dead and gone. Wow!! Don't that sound mournful. My fathers dead. Mom she's nice most of the time, but shes awful persnikety at others. I got one sister and she thinks she jist about it. It was cause a her I got sent out here to this old School for Boys. She jist picks on me all the time. Why I'd sware on a stack of bibles that I aint never went in the house once, but what she didn't say Go come your hair. She's always tellin me my hands are dirty too! Why my hands are jist naturally dark colored. I told her what she looked like one time and she bawled about half a day. She was a tellin me I oughta put some a this Shinola for I guess that's shoe polishj its Brilliant somethin-on my hair fits readl and so I told her nix on that and that I'd hate to go round lookin like she did, a peeled onion endin up in one a them crazy spit curls. I told her there wasn't no use fishin around for any fellers with that stiff old fish hook, cause it didn't have any bait on it. Mom bout had a cat. I heard her tell somebody I needed disiplining. An Im a gettin it all right. I kinda wish I was back there teasin Sis tho. Tuesday-It rained all day yesterday and I didnft have nuthin to rite in my Dairy. Gosh! But I have had fun today! Yano we fellas all gotta go to chapel every noon.