Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

Page 19 text:

THE SPECTATOR 13 ions for the season. A stove, cooking utensils, and var- ious other articles also made up their equipment for the week's outing during hunting season. . This shack, as they called it, had been suddenly burned down and all their equipment stolen. It was a great disappointment to the boys, for they had taken much care in erecting the building, and were very en- thusiastic over the coming vacation, which they were to spend in it. The cabin had been built in a small clearing in a thick wood. The clearing was located along a hill- side and was perfectly level. It was supposed to have been early associated with the Indians, and for this reason the boys looked upon it with peculiar interest and even reverence. Autumn had now arrived, making the place very beautiful. The fallen leaves had made a soft carpet over the ground, and the surrounding woods were lighted with the brilliant, frost-dyed leaves that graced the surround- ing landscape. Standing on the clearing, one could look all over the valley, which shone brown from the dead leaves which still clung to the trees. lt is here beside the ruins of their camp that we find the boys talking over their calamity. l'd like to know who did it, said Will, though we could hardly do anything with them. Well, I intend to make it my business to End out, said George. We'll see then whether we can't fix matters with them. After a few more remarks they parted for the night. The next day they again returned to the clearing and talked the matter over, deciding that the cabin must have been burned by Bull Carey, a boy whom George had whipped for teasing a small girl. While they were discussing the situation, George noticed that the fresh clay embankment at the upper end of the clearing had been disturbed. lt looked as if a half dozen persons had lately clambered over the bank into the woods. Upon further examination George noticed a deep, even cut in the clay. This settled it. The cut had been made by the stove, which the culprits had

Page 18 text:

I2 THE SPECTATOR curdling yell as he and the landlady let out when she noticed the red stream flowing from the former's face, was too much for the stout lady on the stairs. She fainted and her 276 pounds of avordupois came bouncing down and struck the beautiful cabinet containing the madam's dainty bric-a-brac with a terrible crash. This was not all, for excited men rushed in from the outside, women fainted, children screamed, and the whole house was in an uproar. Finally, however, a trio of the dare- devil type noticed the heroic experience of the anarchist on the stairs and at once made a wild rush towards him, but a voice weird and commanding stopped their impetuous ascent. Hold! it cried, the first man to put a foot on yonder stair will be destroyed by a power greater than Xocpignusf' And he' looked every word of it, for he remembered the heir in Chester Devonde's masterpiece The Deadman's Skull, who was so brave and daring. A new fear seized the excited throng, for in the hand of the young Bluebeard was a small vial-like bottle Qwhich happened to be the smelling salts of the tainted giantessj, and naturally the rumor started that it con- tained hipothoratic glycerine. He was quick to learn this and to take advantage of it. Holding the bottle aloft, he threatened to hurl it to the floor if anyone molested him as he made his way to the street. It is needless to say that his feet nearly melted the bricks in the sidewalk, for he made the speed of a fanatic bumblebee, and boarded the first freight for Joyful. Moral: A seashore job is like an empty house- nichts drinen. THE OLD SCOUT. A Disappointed Crowd 66 I D LIKE to find out who the rogues were, said Will Graham to his friend, George Woods, as they stood viewing the ruins of the handsome,little building they had lately built for the fall hunting season. Some of the boys of the vicinity had erected a camp, in which they had stored nuts and Other Pf0ViS-

Page 20 text:

14 THE SPECTATOR dragged over the bank. With a dash George leaped up the hillside, followed by the others. The underbrush was slightly disturbed, and here and there could be seen marks on the ground where the thieves had evidently rested with their plunder. After the boys had gone a short distance they found that the trail led to the mouth of an old coal mine, and going into the mine a short distance they found that the tracks suddenly disappeared. The outfit must be here somewhere, said Will, and with this they began to make their way into the mine. They soon reached a side room, and going into it a short distance' they saw the stove, cooking utensils, etc., neatly hidden. ,They had at least recovered the stolen property. They next decided to get the fellcizvs and carry the articles back to camp. ' That afternoon George saw Bull loahng in front of a store in the village. I thought you was out campin', he remarked to George. No, but we have everything ready to go as soon as the hunting season opens, said George. Have you? said Bull, with a grin that told George he was guilty. George decided to watch him. That night, seeing Bull and one of his gang, as they were called, going down the street, he followed them and overheard the following conversation. Nlack, them soft guys don't know a thing about it yit. l seen George to-day and he was blowin' about the good time they was goin' to have in the camp. Wull, let's go out to the mine to-night and have a time on them, said Mack with a grin. Yes, we'll git something to drink and you fetch your deck of cards and we'll have what ye call a blow- out. George waited to hear no more, but returned home and told Will what he had heard. The boys began to study up some plan to prevent the celebration. l'll tell you what we'll do, said 'Will. We'll get all the fellows to-night and go out to the mines. Each fellow will get a white sheet and put it over him, and we'll go in and see the fun.