Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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16 THE SPECTATOR collision he was forced to run the car over the little em- bankment at the side of the road and into some low bushes. As the clutch was not thrown out the engines stalled, but both this and the wagon driver’s thanks passed unheeded. It came upon Robert like a flash. “That was Grace and Reynolds I saw back at the armhouse. Suppose I should meet-----” But here his thoughts were interrupted by the clattering hoofs of a horse. In a moment a light chaise swung around the turn in the road, and there, clinging des- perately to the sides, were Grace and Reynolds. Reynolds was yelling at the horse, and never thinking of making an attempt to secure the reins. As the chaise careened by he showed his cowardliness by jumping, thus leaving Grace to her fate. Robert waited no longer. In a moment the engines were purring, and the machine made a mad dash up the hill to the road, and then away after the flying horse. But on intermediate gear ! Could he ever make it ? He opened the throttle with a jerk, and shoved forward the spark lever as far as he dared. Soon the car was speeding at its mid-geared limit. The race was down grade, and Robert soon noticed that he was steadily gaining. At times he could faintly hear Grace calling his name, and it drove him nearly wild. In despair he threw the le- ver back on high, and — O joy! it held! The car shot ahead, but for a second only. Then came a crack, a jerk, and the speed slackened. He waited until the car had-ar- rived at its former speed, and then threw forward the le- ver, again running the machine on the intermediate gear. He could see that it was gaining rapidly now, for the horse was tiring. They were passing dense woods on either side, with barely, room for two carriages to pass, and should the horse succeed in getting past this stretch there would be lit- tle chance of Robert’s being able to do anything. Slowly the machine came up to the vehicle, and care- fully Robert edged in beside it. The noise of the engine frightened tbe horse still more, and for a while it looked as if he would get away thru increased speed. But his strength was spent, and Robert came up rapidly. Cau- tiously Robert passed the rear hubs of the chaise and drew

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THE SPECTATOR 15 sincerely disliked by Robert. When Robert had invited her to the theater that night she had declined without stating a reason. Robert wondered to himself, “Is she trying to test me, or has she really conceived an affection for that fellow? But no! that could not be. Still, why has she turned me down to go driving with him?” “A good, swift ride will drown it all,” he thought, and accordingly in a short time he was speeding at fifty miles an hour over one of the finest roads in the country. But he could not get Grace Beverly out of his mind. The purring engines seemed to say, “ Has she been true? Has she been true?” This was maddening. He opened the throttle to the last notch and advanced the spark till the engines made a veritable roar. As he shot by a farmhouse, he noticed a chaise stand- ing in front of the gate with a lady and gentleman in the seat, but of this he thought nothing. Several miles more had been covered when Robert reached a magnificent straight stretch of road. By this time his temper had cooled down somewhat, and the car had been allowed to drag for awhile, but now he threw the throttle wide open. The car responded with a leap forward. But soon he noticed that the machine would no longer answer to the throttle, and that the speed was beginning to slacken, tho the engines were running furiously. Robert advanced the spark still further, and yet the speed continued to diminish. There was but one conclusion—the gears had slipped. Robert re- leased the clutch and applied the brakes, bringing the car to a stand-still. He then threw on the low speed, and gently let in the clutch. The car started forward slowly, and after it had attained a slight momentum Robert threw it on intermediate. This also held, but as the afternoon was well spent and there was but little pleasure to be de- rived from running on the intermediate gear, he did not go farther, but turned the car about and started for home. The home journey was more aggravating than the out- bound trip on account of the increased noise of the engines for the low speed obtained—not more than fifteen miles an hour at the most. Rounding a sharp turn in the road, Rob- ert came upon a wagon piled high with hay. To avoid a

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THE SPECTATOR 17 up till the tonneau was abreast of the seat of the carriage. Grace had already divined his purpose, and now she jumped, collapsing in a heap on the seat of the tonneau. She was none too soon. The chaise struck a tree at the side of the road and was entirely demolished, while the horse galloped feebly down the read, the torn harness dang- ling loosely about him. Robert leaned over to shut off the power, but before he had his hand fairly off the lever Grace was clinging to him with her arms about his neck, sobbing: “Oh Robert! Robert! And to think it was all a joke.” DORE’ W. GRAZIER '09. The Modern Orchestra ♦ITT is a noticeable fact that the American people grow II more musically inclined year by year. Their delight in the Symphony orchestras which every large city pos- sesses especially supports my statement. Of course these orchestras are only able to exist by the generosity of a few wealthy and public-spirited music lovers, yet the people appreciate the music even if they cannot pay for it. The orchestra of to-day affords an interesting topic for discussion. In the orchestra of to-day we find three distinct groups, or divisions, of instruments, the string instruments, wind instruments, and instruments of percussion. The string instruments are the dominant power of the orchestra; under this head come the violins, violas, violoncellos, basses, con- tra basses, and double basses, all of which have four strings, and are played by means of a bow. The violin, called the king of instruments, is certainly the king of the orchestra, and has a greater range of notes than any other instrument. Its tone is powerful and of great carrying power. The viola is almost identical in appearance with the violin. Being somewhat longer, its strings are tuned lower, and the result is a tone almost unrivalled in sweetness. The violoncello is much larger than the viola, and hence cannot be played in the same manner; it is placed upright instead of to the shoulder. Its low range nd fine tone make it especially