Greenfield High School - Bulletin Yearbook (Greenfield, MO)

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Y1iN: f' nhR- could not say in behalf of all his city neighbors, be cause, in general, they weri very pregudiced against darkies Jack Henderson and Tom Fremont were two coun try boys, who had been going to high school for three years past and were, this year, the two best in a class of tw nty pupils Each was striving for first honors, but the outcome of their eiorts was as yet very doubt ful Ralph Carmack had for the past three years gone to a high school in his home town, but had come to this school to finish, as its standard of work was higher than that of the other, and he was anxious to avail himself of the advantage this would give him in hrs entrance to college It is not worth while to give the characteristics of each of these boys, but rather allow the reader to infer this from the succeed ing story Buzzard's cave is rn Kansas, and is noted for its passages, sub passages and the drfliculty which it af fords to those lost in its labrynths rn finding the way out The passages cross one another and twist around one another as a snake lying coiled around the branches of a tree and many times one passage branches off from the main path and before you are aware of the fact you ind it has entered the same path again The diiiiculty of the task of getting out may be imagined, when I say that expert leaders have often been lost for hours at a time When they have incaut ou ly entered deficient in some means of es cape, and to show the degree of horror and fear at tachrd to it it rs sard, if you say to a crying baby, Hush, or I will throw you into Buzzard 's cave is quite sutlicrent to secure the desired result This gives you an idea of the condition of the place to which these boys went and will possibly destroy your rncredability as to the outcome of this story As arranged on the preceeding day, the boys arose early and began to make their preparations for their day 06, ' as they called it In a short t me their luncheon was prepared old clothes put on and every thing else was prepared, except the lantern which th.y were to get at a farmeris house on the way. Just as their arrangements were completed, Billy Coon showed his grinning vesage around the corner, apparently as well pleased over the prospects of the day as any one of the boys. Swinging loosely under her arm, his violin case seemed to suggest something unusual, something beyond the ordinary, but still something that was necessary to the full enjoyment of this day. Little did it bring to the minds of these jovial students, who for the present time thought themselves free from cars, and books, the sadness and heart aches which would soon establish itself in their hearts. Little did they think that a day begining with such pleasure and happiness could end with a calamity that would make them sorrowful throughout life, when suggested to their minds. Little can any of us, in the pleasure of our lives, tell what the close of the bright- est day has in store for us. The cold stern Angel of Fate is as exacting of one as another, and little do we know when and where our meeting with him will be. It was about six o'clock when they left home, thus beginning the events, that were to be so memorable to each of the boys in afterlife. Ralph. who suggested the plan of having the darkey go along with thzm, considered it his duty to walk with him and to enter- tain him until they reached tlre cave. Jack and Tom Walked along quietly talking, now and then takcing notes on the views of Nature. They secured the lan- tern, and thinking themselves entirely equipped, rush- ed hurridly over three miles of country between town and the cave, and soon found themselves face to face with one of the greatest mysteries of the world. Bc- fore them was a solid mass of lime stone rock rising almost perpendicular' to the height of two hundred feet above the surrounding country. .WVhile directly before them was a huge vault. tapering in the dis- tance to a small hole, scarcely large enough for one to crawl through, then it tapered to a dark vanishing point in the distance. This was the cave, this is what they came to see. and not until now did they griifm feel any hesitation or dread of their undertaking, brit for some reason there was a peculiar sensation linger ing and wrrthrng rn each of the boys, especially Billy Coon, who had inherited some of the negro superstr tions and fears But he did not wish to show any marks of fear to these boys, so he Just gritted his teeth good and hard and held his tongue between them, lest he should bertay his feelings After the boys had gazed at the cavc for some five minutes, Jack finally said Boys, we will have to be careful today, for you know this strong old prison is a treacherous place and no matter if we are only vrsrtors today, we may be mislead, unless we use every precaution Of course we have the lantern, but that is no surety against such a network of streets and alleys as are hid underneath that vast heap of lime ne rock So above all things, let's be careful Then Tom answered, I have thought of a good plan to use and rf we follow it I can't see anv pos sible chance of being lost As we go in let's always keep to the right Where there is an opportunity, turn to the right until we have gone as far as we wish then turn around and instead of turning to the r ght, turn to the left and that will lead us right out again It seems to me there rs no danger whatever about this What do you all think of itll ' Dar's de timb, said Brlly who was wan ing something pretty assuring at that particular time The plan also seemed a good one to the other boys and they decided to follow it Tom was appointed leader, as he had suggested the plan The lantern was then lighted and they started for the cave, Tom first, then Jack, next Ralph, and lastly, Brlly, whose eyes were continually growing larger They crawled along for quite a space before they came to a single passage leading to the right but this only made them enter it more zealously, for they were extremely anxious that they might test their plan On again they scrambled for almost twenty five yards, when they can-e to another passage leading to the right They turned into it and proceeded All this time not a word had been spoken, but when they had traveled the new pathway for some time, Tom suddenly broke the silence, by cxplaiming, By thunder, boys, I be- lieve we are going out! Why? asked Jack in alarm. I see the light shining against yonder stone and by my faith the place looks just like the entrance. Well, go on and let's'see, called out Ralph from behind. A They went on and sure enough they found them- selves again at the place from which they had started. They gazed at each other in blank astonishment for some time and finally after talking it over among themselves, they decided that Tom 's plan had failed, because the second pass they had taken wound around and again entered the first. 'Ihey then knew they could put no dependence in their plan, so they finally decided to go into the cave at random and to depend upon their own judgment to get out, This plan was not very pleasing to Billy Coon. who was now getting worked up to the right pitch, that he was almost afraid to go into the cave at all, but a second impulse served him better, and he did nothing but blink his eyes and shrug his shoulders in way of disapproval. Then here they started again. hit or miss into the mysterious cave, little did they care for anything now save to get into its deeper recesses and there hear that music which is famed to be so beautiful. They seemed, since their Hrst plan had failed, to be en- tirely unrest1'ained. Often they called back and forth to each other, something they did not do while follow- ing out their plan. Now they Went much more rap- idly. But it was far different with Billy Coon, every advancing step carried him nearest some appartion or terror which he constantly saw just before him. Once while straining his eyes to see it more clearly his violin case struck the rocky wall of the cave and Billy, jumping from his crawling posture, struck his head on the rocks above, so severely, that he staggered for sometime, but on he went again, still chasing that inward fancy, which grew stronger the fartlrer' he

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5.. f-sw. rw ehuqganggnijid- -Q424Qg5f?Lg-4:H21H-W?.lS:1,Min1Q5?::fe:a,1:11, ' mauzfj ,Tire :-.1-rr-C'q21t,gf15 -' 2:-zg3,,.,g:,, 131'are-aah'-L1'ggn2f5a::1LQ 'Za-1 ' - S- superintendent straight in the face, as she said: Professor Travers, for four years I've been a stu- dent in this school. For four years I've striven to work in harmony with the plans of the teachers, and in that length of time you have never heard anything but the truth from me. Now, on circumstantial evi- dence, and at a time when I need a friend most, you and Miss Beacon are the most ready to turn from me. But now! whatever the decision of the board, what- ever the punishment I must unjustly bear, I can but repeat what I have said twice before, I DID NOT write or have anything to do with that note and for the last time I positively will NOT give the name of the writer. - While it was hard for the superintendent to believe that Margaret Ames, one of the model girls in his school, would tell an untruthg yet he could scarcely believe otherwise, but he pitied her just the same. When she had finished speaking he looked at her keenly for a moment, then said, impressively but not unkindly: Then, Miss Ames, I must give you the decision of the board and that is-expulsion! I'm sorrier for this than you can ever know, but only the giving of a name, only two words, would have saved you, and this you have repeatedly refused. Than, Miss Margaret, allow me to say Good-bye. It is best for you to leave the school at once. Although Margaret had been warned of this de- cision, it did not seem possible that such a course could be carried out. And, after all, the announce- ment of the superintendent came as a shock. She could not even bring herself to say good bye and Prof. Travers turned and left her. How long she remained where he had left her she did not know, but when she finally entered the Study Hall it was to find that school had been dismissed, that all of the students had left the building and darkness would soon settle over the town. She hur- ried on through the building and passed out of the front door, just as the janitor hung up his duster and took the keys from his pocket, preparatory to closing the building. Before Margaret reached home she met her brother Milton coming to look for her. As he met her he was startled at her paleness and her careworn look. Wlas this the cheerful, happy-hearted sister who had walked to school with him that morning? Then as he took her books and turned homeward he began, explo- sively: That old idiot of a superintendent shall be sorry for this. Expelled! and without any direct proof of guilt! Wonder what the old 'sharp elic' will say when I tell him he has been mistaken for once in his life? ' As her brother nnished this little speech Margaret answered gently, wearily, Hush, Milton, you haven't any proof tho' I know you'd never.think me guilty. . I-Iaven't any proof, haven't It Margaret, I found that note where it had been dropped before it could reach you. I opened, read and answered it, little thinking it would get you into this. I only thought of how I, a Junior, and having the same initials as my sister, would get a good joke on May Martin, and best of all, give the remainder of the Juniors a hint as to what was taking place, so they could be pre- pared. Just now they came to the door of their boarding place and as they were about to enter, Milton con- tinued: May is here now to see you. We have talked the matter over. We know that we two alone are to blame for getting you into this trouble and Prof. ,Travers and Miss Beacon have Hnished things up for us. So we 're going, now that I've found you, to tell the old skinrlint all about it. 'Just to think I didn 't know what was going on 'till I reached home this evening! All this time Margaret had remained silent. She was too astonished to utter a word. But finally, when she realized that such a step as her brother proposed taking would mean the restoring of herself to her old place in the school room, and in the estimation of others, only at a great cost to her brother and a dear friend, she began to plead with Milton to give up the idea. She had already gone through with it all, and she had just as well, or better, leave the school than to have both of the others do so. Q But in spite of all she could do or say, when she had entered the building and spoken with her friend the two could not be persuaded to her way of think- ing, They were so eager to undo the wrong they had donc Margaret that they started out at once to find Prof. Travers. When they had explained all to him, not without many reproaches for his believing such a thing of Margaret, he thanked them for their truthfulness and the noble spirit they had shown and went with them at once to Margaret. 'fMiss Margaret, he began, I said to you this evening that I was sorrier for what had happened than you could know. Now, I can say that I'm more pleas- ed than you can ever know, to find that I was mis- taken. although others will have to bear the punish- ment designed for you. It will not be so bad for either of them because they have not QI'm sure they'll pardon my speaking so plainlyj they have not done the work in school that you have and have not had such ambitions as belong to you. Now, I must ask you to forgive me for being so ready to think ill of you. Will you forget it all, Miss Margaret, and let it all be as it has been in the past? Now Margaret was smiling through-her tears, but as yet she did not take the outstretched hand. One favor I should like to ask irst, Prof. Travers, you are very fond of conditions you know, so I will forgct all and return to school on one condition, that is, that you will do all in your power to keep my brother and May from being expelled. They have confessed their guilt and are willing to take the pun- ishment, but this is the condition I put before you. And in the face of all that had happened. how could ho refuse to do all in his power to bring this about? And the superintendent's influence among his school directors was great. V THE FATAL ADVENTURE Jack, let's go out to Buzzard's cave tomorrow. I am completely worn out, and I believe that school would be more profitable to us if we will take an out- ing tomorrow. I believe you are right, Tom. It seems that as the days get longer, and as spring time advances, one los.s all the vitality and energy it has ever been his good fortune to have. Ralph will be here in a few minutes, and if he is willing we will go. There he is now. Say, Ralph, Jack and I have talked it ovcr and have decided it would be a splendid thing to take a trip out to Buzzard's cave tomorrow. You see, spring has come and. as yet, we seem to be in our dormant shells, refusing to be awakened by the beauty of spring time. What do you say to it, old boy? Shall we go or not? 4'Splendid! I have been trying for a week to think what was the mattqr with me, but you are the first to give me a satisfactory solution. I have needed more of the fresh air, more of the spring time sun- shine. Say! You know' people say music sounds so well in Buzzard's cave. There are so many passages and sub-passages, that the echoes, nowing along past thcse ways, make such beautiful music. What say you, let's take Billy Coon? He is ex- pert on the violin and no matter if he is an darky he is a right good old cuss. I am sure he will.go5 for he always likes to be around us boys. Capital! exclaimed both Jack and Tom, to whom this seemed quite a novelty. So it was arranged that they shoudl go to Buzzard's -roost and spend the next day in exploration and general fun making. Billy Coon was next seen and was only too glad to get to go along with the boys, for they always treated him very courteously, and this was something Billy J .mm ,um ,F .eve are -,Q Elini '1 '-J-L.45:,1:: - :::'-'- ' ' ' -1- 'flak -wagner... -Q-a-..,.aq.,fiiii :Lgr3..,,-,, A:,....v-,..,. . H - ay., -- Q.. -- . . . .1-5-emma-w-,G

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ani-A-N QM-lsr?-:Q 4215'155.222:els-f.e2ear3 2z2s::1:fi1wfxiarnema-'4-Ring-f:::iea:,:.si:ff--ff-ea A-:Q went. Finally they came to a hall, thinking they were far enough inward that the music would sound well. They were in a small room, thc roof of which was about ten feet high and the walls were perfectly regular. There were three different entrances to this room, so the boys thought it would make a fair auditorium, for it was well situated for the echoes. Billy was placed in an exceedingly bad position. He was standing a victim between two ever approaching terrors, the one, the dread of this apparition and horror of being shut out from the world, the other, his constant fear that the boys would find out that he was scared. Above all things he did not Want this to happen, so he was con- strained to bite his lips and endure. 'tWell, Billy, we are ready to see what that box of yours has in it, says Tom, good naturedly. We must see whether the spirits of this lower region will take the soundsl-ll' Tom stopped speaking as he ,looked around and saw Billy. Now this was just what he should not have said, for poor Billy no sooner heard the word spirit spoken than violin, case and all went tumbling to the ground, giving a bang that went whistling through the cave, while Billy, thembling, bit l1is pale green lips and groaned as he sank upon his knees. But he soon picked up his instrument again, and mastering him- self to the best of his ability, under the surprised glances of the boys, he 'finally began to see if the in- strument was in tune. It seemed to be alright, for Billy raised it to his shoulder and as if to take ven- geance upon his truant feelings. He played with a vigor he had never known before. . The boys sat as if rooted to the spot. Never in their short lives had they heard anything to compare with it., Now the violin would breathe forth such a vol- ume of the melody that the echoes made it seem that it was a large orchestra instead of a single instru- ment. Then again when the sad melancholy tones ,poured their sorrow into the ears of the boys, listen! off yonder in the distance one could hear weeping, heart-rendering sighs, and mellow tones expressing heart aches were indeed innumerable, for the sighs seemed innumerable, long after the violin had ceased, one could hear those tones softly tingling and bounc- ing on farther into 'the unexplored portions of the cave. The boys had been told it was beautiful. It was more than beautiful. It was simply sublime. Long did they wait to catch the last lingering echo of the tones and still fancied they heard them long after they had inished their short pilgrimage. Finallyvthey began their progress farther inward and soon came to a place which they thought was well suited 'for another auditorium. Again Billy played for a long time, while they listened, as if their lives depended upon catching every echo that came from the inward streets of this underground city. They at last decided to return, when Billy had played Home, Sweet Home. This song, with all its beauty, grand- eur and power to touch one 's feelings was never heard in all its beauty, unless heard when played in this cave or one similar to it. The boys sat motionlcss. Ralph, who had never stayed away from home until this year, wiped a tear from his eye and frankly con- fessed that he was going home at the expiration of the very next week. But here an unexpected thing happened. The lan- tern which the boys had borrowed, had not been ex- amined and during the last interval had slowly be- gun to fail, It chanced to have but little oil in it, and that was all gone. The boys were filled with terror. With the light the exit from the cave would by no means be an easy task, and without it, it seemed almost impossible, but they must get out some way. They decided to make back for the en- trance at full speed and without discussing it further started back, keeping Tom for their leader. They scrambled, climbed, ran into one another, struck their heads upon the stones aboye them, and suffered all kinds of discomfortures, but not a one of them ever dared to say a word as their hearts were too much bent upon their escape for them to be interested in other matters. They had possibly gone at this rate for half an hour when Ralph suddenly called out from behind, Wait, boys, I can 't hear anything of Billy! 'tHasu't he been along all the time? asked Tom, in alarm, Since I have come to think of it, I can't remem- ber a thing about him since we started to return. He never said a word going in and he is such a coward, I never thought but that he would keep right along with us. The boys all listened, but nothing could be heard save the tremulous beating of their own hearts. In vain, when a little drop of water trickled down the walls, they stretched their necks farther and suppress- ed their heavy breathing that they might hear better. But still they listened in vainp What should they do? They had already come so far that to go back would be an uncertainty of finding Billy, for he would not likely be whrre they had started from and to find him wandering about in the cave would be an impossibility unless they had some kind of light. All at once Ralph startled them by shouting at the top of his voice. Nothing was heard save the trickling of the waters, making their way down the walls. They call- cd and called, but again and again there was the same result. They then decided to try to get out them- selves and if they succeeded, to return with torches, ropes and help and then search for him. This plan they set out to accomplish, but it took them a time far beyond their expectations. In entelrlng. it had only taken them about one hour, but already they had spent almost three hours in their return, and were ap- parently no nearer the entrance than when they- irst started. They were beginning to feel themselves in the same predicament as Billy, when all at once-just before them, they saw that little streak of light, which thcy had sean at the first attempt of their expedition. Joyfully, they rushed for the light and soon found themselves where they had so long wanted to be. They hurried to town, got torches, ropes and four other boys to hclp them, and about five o'clock in the afternoon, they were again ready to start into the cave. Evcry precaution was used that none of these should be lost. They dividid into three parties, of two each and each party took a torch, string, and a different path. One remained at the entrance to re- port if anyone carne out. Silently and expectantly this one awaited the result of their searchesj One- two- three hours passed by and still no one returned so he waited until about three o'clock the next morn- ing. Tom's party appeared' at the entrance, but when he found that neither of the other parties had retprn- ed, he again started out in search. At six o'clock the three parties all returned with thesame result. Like- wise all the efforts put forth through the day wcre fruitless, and at night the four extra boys went back to town, but Tom, Jack and Ralph remained, and all through the second night, they wandered through the lonely aisles of the cave. It was about five o'clock, on the morning of the third day, the boys completely worn out by their exertions, sat down upon the door of the cave and were conversing when Jack motioned, Hist!-Listen! Sure enough it was Billy's violin in the far oi distance. Faintly they heard it playing. ftPoor Billy, said Jack, He thinks We may hear the sound of his violin and come to him. f'Let's locate the sound, said Tom, and Ago to him. It's on yonder in front of us, said Ralph, who jumped up and started in the direction mentioned. But Tom said that it was to the right of them, while .Tack thought it was to their left. They finally 'decided to go straight ahead and found to their joy that the sound became some louder and progressing still farther, they entered another passage, which they thought led in the right direction, but again the music died away in the distance until the last faint echoes' seemed like a lingering refrain vanishing into the surrounding air. 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