Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

Page 24 text:

22 THE SPECTATOR to the window and threw it up, but was quickly driven back by the flames that were already licking up the front of the chapel. A ladder could never be raised thru that. He buried his face in his hands and thought—was this the end of their plan? Caught like rats in a trap, were they to die such a horrible death? Then he pulled himself to- gether and turned toward his friend. Laying his hand on Frank’s arm, he shook him gently. Frank, opening his eyes, stared around vacantly for a moment; then he re- membered. “Are you ready to die?’’ asked Bruce, gravely. “Come off, now, old man, don’t get dramatic. I'm not ready to die until I get a whack at those Sophs,’’ replied Frank, grinning. “But what’s the matter? I smell smoke?’’ “You ’ll smell more before long,” was the grim retort. They discussed the situation for a few minutes in low tones, awed by their approaching doom. If they could only raise a ladder on the roof and get in the third floor windows—but then it wouldn’t do any good, for they couldn’t get past that door,” said Frank. “I don’t suppose they know we’re here. The rest of the fellows would hardly miss us when they ran away,” replied Bruce. He had hardly spoken when the stairway between the chapel and the first floor fell with a crash, tearing the door partly open. Thru this narrow hole the flames raged so fiercely that the two were driven to the second floor. Here the smoke and gas were more oppressive, but the heat was not quite so bad. It was plain that they could not live long in such an atmosphere, for their heads reeled and breathing was difficult. Frank held out his hand silently. Bruce took it and gripped it hard. “Old man,” he said, after a moment’s pause, “I guess we’ve about reached the end of the string.” Frank staggered over to the wall and leaned against it. Another minute and his knees gave way and he slid, un- conscious, to the floor. At this Bruce, who had been re- flecting moodily, leaped up with a perfect torrent of oaths. “Hey! You muckle-faced idiot, quit your cursing and open this door,” came a voice from behind the door leading to the third floor.

Page 23 text:

THE SPECTATOR 21 squeaking pulley attracted their attention. At a glance they took in the situation and a moment later they were running at full speed toward their dormitory. “There ’ll be a heck of a row around here in about two minutes,” remarked a Freshman. “We had better get out of here as soon as possible,” replied another. “If we get this lower door locked the flag is safe.” They quickly ran up the flag, closed the window and, rushing down to the second floor, locked the stairway door. As they ran down past the first floor, Wilson, glancing out at the window, saw about two dozen Sophs coming on a dead run across the campus. All the Freshmen except Wilson and Harding had reached the chapel floor when the Sophs broke into the game. Part of them started in to clean up the bunch in the chapel; the rest, eight in number, running up to tear down the flag, encountered Bruce and Frank, who ran back to the first floor and slammed the door. A moment later the combined weight of the Sophs crashed against the door, which fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately for the Freshmen, resisted all attacks. Then one of the Sophs discovered the key sticking in the lock. “Let’s lock them in,” he suggested; “they’ll be found in the morning when the faculty begins to investigate.” This plan they carried out and went away. “I guess we stay here all night,” said Frank. “Yes, and the janitor will find us here in the morning. We’re just about as good as expelled,” replied Bruce. “If we only had the keys to those padlocks we would go up and get that pinchbar that we left up on the third floor. Then we would make short work of this door,” said Frank. “Well, I suppose we might as well go to sleep,” re- marked Bruce, after they had discussed—and cussed—the situation in full. They both stretched themselves out on the floor, and, worn out by excitement and lack of sleep, weresoon asleep. Bruce awoke several hours later with a sharp pain in his eyes and throat. He sat up, wondering what was the matter with himself. Noticing a peculiar smell, he,took one sniff. It was smoke! The chapel was on fire! He rushed

Page 25 text:

THE SPECTATOR 23 “I can’t, it’s padlocked,” cried Bruce. “I’ve shoved the keys under the door. Now hurry up! For God’s sake hurry! This old rattle-trap won’t last more than a couple minutes.” It seemed like a lifetime to Bruce until he had found those keys and opened the door. Carrying Frank between them they reached the third floor. The fireman, carrying Frank on his shoulder, descended the ladder, which had caught fire from the flames that wrapped around the lower part of the tower. As soon as they had reached the roof, Bruce stepped on the ladder and started down. He was about fif- teen feet from the roof when the burning ladder gave way and he fell heavily to the slate roof. He managed to catch by a “snowbird” and hold until he was rescued. Then everything grew black and he fainted. When he regained consciousness it was broad daylight and he was lying on a couch in the matron’s room. Frank, pale, faint and almost covered with bandages, but not seri- ously hurt, was beside him. When Bruce opened his eyes Frank held out his hand. “It’s well you have that obstinate streak in you; for if you had given up when 1 did we shouldn’t be here to tell the story,” said he. Frank then told Bruce all the details of the affair. The Freshmen who helped to put up the flag had been scattered into several groups during the fight in the chapel, so that neither Frank nor Bruce had been missed until during the fire. Then several Sophs electrified the crowd by declar- ing them to be locked in the tower. Harry Spangler, the Freshman who had the keys to the new locks, after a mo- ment’s quick thought, explained his plan of rescuing them by the third floor. This was quickly acted upon and the boys were rescued in the nick of time; for, just as Bruce was taken from the roof, the tower fell with the Blue and Gold flying bravely to the last. Frank added that they were to report to the principal as soon as possible. But it was not until afternoon that the matron gave them permission to go. They went reluct- antly; for it probably meant severe punishment, if not ex- pulsion. “I have gained all the desired information from the