Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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The Spectator' 3 that led by a circular .straicase to the second floor. There our party held its council of war. Do you know where you are running in? asked Smith, who was somewhat of a diplomat. i Sure, hissed Bates, who never had much to say, It's that cowpuncher from Nevada, the kid with the permanent grin. Yes, hesitated Smith, and I'll bet hels as tough as raw- hide. Oh, you're a baked-bean boy. Cameron, be a man, put in Fulton. What do you say, kid? Smith questioned me. I guess we might as well go through with it, I answered, not knowing anything else to say. So we all filed over to the Fresh's room and Fulton rapped. Somebody inside let out a Come inf' and in we all piled. The cowboy was sitting over at his study table, his eyes on the group of us. just for my part I didn't like the set of his jaw worth a snap. As we entered, Bates hung around the door and, after quietly locking it, stuck the key in my coat pocket. We just dropped in to pay our regards, spoke up Ban- tum, who generally did the spieling. Indeed, you are welcome, came from across the table. Glad to have you call. Won't you all be seated P Now don't get gay, Fresh. Bantum was trying to scare him. We're going to take you out for a time. Understand? It's the custom here and you'll have to take yours just like we did when we were green. Do you get me ? I believe I do, came in a drawl from the cowpuncher. That's all right, fellows, I'm willing to take mine with the rest. just a minute, till I slip on a pair of trousers over these pa- jamasf' Before Bantum could object he had slipped from his chair and disappeared behind a screen. We were all standing there like gawks. Bantum lookedfover, saying by a wink, We'll have some sport with this cowpuncher. I turned toward Smith to see why he was so quiet, and nearly dropped through the floor to find myself gazing into the barrels of two colts the Fresh was

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2 The Spectator That Fresh from Nevada By VValdo C. Wright ,II OVV you all know, fellows, that if a guy ever becomes a college WVillie it is in the year that he combs back his hair, rams a pipe into his jaw, rolls up his trousers at least two laps, and commences to abuse his unsophisticated underclass- mates. The Fresh are usually too frightened to protest against being dragged out of bed at midnight. So the Hcourageu of the Sophs sometimes attains dangerous proportions. But luckily for humanity there is, as our old friend Emerson asserts, a law of retaliation. For my part I most heartily agree with our esteemed philosopher, since I bucked up against his law one year myself. That year a bunch of seven of us Sophs had been sticking together for a whole lot of this hazing business. We had been pretty fortunate in hitting green material and were at the stage that our hats didn't fit comfortably. We had waded nearly through the Freshman Dormitory, but had been chagrined sev- eral times that a young cowboy was always missing from his room the nights we went after him. It had become somewhat of a mystery until Bantum stumbled over a piece of rope along the west end of the Dorm. The rope was fastened to a window sill on the second story and was neatly concealed by the thick vines that covered the wall. VVe soon had the rope cut off just as high as Jones could reach after we gave him a boost, Then we' seven retreated to a nearby lilac bush to watchifor the fun when our cowpuncher should make his nocturnal descent. But after it grew dark and our legs felt cramped Bantum lost his patience, crawled over Skinny, shook his fist at us in scorn and growled. You're a bunch of boobs, all of you. Why don't you go along up to his room. We'll take the guy out for a time. Come 'long, you soap-heads. e Now, we, being Sophs of the first water, could not play yel- low to such a challenge. So off we set after Bantum, who had taken the upper cement walk towards the Dorm. Soon he swung into the grass, bringing us around to the back entrance

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4 The Spqctatcr leveling at the bunch of us. By his narrowed eyes and square jaw it wasn't hard to surmise that he meant business. He began in his Western drawl: Now, gentlemen, hands high above your heads. That's right. The one that has my key in his pocket will please nod his head. Quick! That's right, sir. I'll take it if you don't care. Deftly he changed both pistols into his right hand and dived into my pocket with his left, withdrawing the key, which he threw on the couch. Now, see here, you. It's a pipe that the cards are in my hands, so don't start anything. You may leave this room, one by one. When the body of one has disappeared, it's the next fellow's turn. He backed over to the window. Without taking his eye oi? us, he drew the rope up, hooking it on a wooden pin in the sill. Then standing aside, he grinned. Covering Bantum with one gun, he half drawled, half hissed, Do you get me? Now git! , Well, fellows, Bantum took the first crack at the rope. He was shaking like a leaf when he crawled through and reached for the rope. He caught it, for his head shot below the sill. As Smith, at the motion of the cowpuncher's gun, walked towards the exit we distinctly heard the thud of Bantum's avoirdu- pois meeting the ground. When I rapidly calculated the dis- tance between the end of that rope and the gravel walk, I began to realize there is more than one point to some jokes. By that time Smith had landed and there was a duet of groans outside the window. We five within stood with pale faces and shaking knees, looking down the barrels of two colts. Bates was streak- ing across the room. Before I realized it, the chorus outside wasa trio and it was my turn. I could scarcely lift mly feet when I tried to walk, but got to the sill in some way and crawled over. The rope burned my hands like fire as I slid, while my body struck every projecting stone. My first aero- nautic journey was not at an end, however, when I discovered the end of the rope. The next second I hit, striking someone's foot and landing square on Bantum, who let out an Indian whoop. My three other companions joined us by jolts, las you might say. The 'air see1ned'fuIl'of Flying feet and 'hands while