Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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THE MAGNET 9 “ Hardy,” called the captain; and Jack in a whirl of joy pulled off his sweater and ran quickly on to the field. He was put in at right half and set out to do or die. A center rush of Princeton netted hertwo yards. The left half-back was sent through guard, but made only a bare two yards more. It was her third down, but three minutes to play, and still six yards to make her dis- tance. Would she punt and give up her last chance or try to make her distance? The full-back drops back as if to kick, the ball is passed, and the quar- ter-back, intercepting it, passes it to Hardy, who is off around left end at once. With but one man between him and a touchdown, Jack sprints down the field with the men in crimson trailing out behind him in vain pursuit. Har- vard’s only hope rests on her quarter-back, who, with crouched shoulders, braces himself for the shock. Hardy gathers all his strength and, just as Harvard’s man dives for his knees, he rises in a magnificent leap, completely hurdling his would-be tackler. - The excitement of the Princeton rooters is lashed to a fury, as they see nothing between their man and atie score. The air isrent by a vast cheer of “’Rah, ‘rah, ’rah; ‘rah, ’rah, ’rah; ’rah, ’rah, ’rah, Hardy-y-y!”’ When Jack hurdled his man, he did not land properly, as he had not done the hurdles for some time; and his right ankle was turned clear over, sending a shooting pain, like the stab of a thousand needles, through his whole side. He staggers and almost falls; but as a groan rises from one side of the Stadium, he realizes how much the hopes of Princeton depend on him, and the thought spurs him on. He staggers on, with that horrible pain nearly overcoming him at each step. Summoning all his will power and his last ounce of strength, just as a man plunges forward to tackle him from the rear, he hurls himself bodily over the goal line, amid a cheer from twenty thousand throats. He conquers the pain just long enongh to see the goal kicked, and then, as the cheers, coupled with his name, and the shouts of his fellow students become more and more indistinct, he sinks into a sweet unconsciousness. It was his chance,—and he had made it. R. H. S., ’08. GT NIGHTFALL The golden sun is slowly sinking Slowly it sinks ‘neath the hilltops Neath the horizon far away, And finally out of sight, And its slanting golden sunbeams While a dark line, far to the Eastward, Bid a last and fond good day. | Heralds the coming night. Softly the moon steals upward, And casts its bright clear rays In the path of the poorand the rich man. Gladdening their homeward ways. Ra tinoe 0G

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8 THE MAGNET Jack Hardy’s Chance it: ARDY had been sick about the time of the beginning of college in |) September, and it was almost a month before he was able to be- gin his studies with the Freshman class. Of course by this time circles of acquaintances had been formed, and Jack, who was somewhat reticent by nature, found it hard to become thoroughly acquainted. Thus it was that he kept strictly to his room, except when he was out for foot-ball practice, and so gained the name of being odd. Although he tried very hard, Jack did not expect to gain a place on the team his first year, and centered his abilities for the most part on playing in the second team. The coach, however, recognized great chances of abil- ity in him and played him when he could in positions on the first team. When the list of substitutes for the team was posted, Jack was nearly be- side himself for joy, for the second name from the top was his own. i. Princeton’s greatest game of the season was ushered in by a bright, brisk November day. The air was cool and sharp, making ideal weather for football, and as the men lined up for preliminary practice there was a general air of vigor and courage stamped in the form of every one of them. The Princeton men traveled by an early train to Cambridge, for the game was to be played in the Stadium; and, most important of all, Jack Hardy went, too, since he had been doing good work as “ sub.” The Stadium was filled that day to the top promenade, and a more cheer- ful and happy crowd could not have been found; for the very spirit of the day seemed to have affected every one. Hardy, wrapped in a great lettered ““P” sweater, sat on the side lines, anxiously watching every play, jumping forward with a glad shout when Princeton won a few yards, and sinking back with a groan when she lost. In the first ten’: minutes of play Harvard made a touchdown, and every Harvard sympathizer in the Stadium rose to his feet and filled the air with cheers and glad shouts. Every one watched breathlessly as a try was made for goal and—lost. 3 Harvard was unable to score again during that half, and Princeton started the second with a rush that nearly took the men in crimson off their feet. Princeton’s right half got around left end and carried the ball to the middle of the field, where he was tackled with a sickening crash. When the whis- tle blew and the men untangled themselves from the heap, Princeton’s right half-back lay still and white, and a chill went to the heart of every Prince- ton rooter. The doctor pronounced him unable to continue the game, and the hopes of every “sub” beat high, when the captain turned and looked searchingly toward them. Whom would he call? -

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10 THE MAGNET Lawton’s Pluck T the report of the pistol, six runners were off. The three schools had each sent two representatives into the two-mile, the hardest endurance run of the day. For the first few yards they were well bunched; then they began to string out, a youth in a blue running suit, set- ting the pace. Lawton, in brown and white, was running his first race. He had been sent in at the last minute in place of his captain, who had wrenched an ankle in the mile. During the first few minutes of excitement the race seemed to him maddeningly slow, and with difficulty he kept from spring- ing ahead and leaving all others behind. Soon, however, he began to real- ize the necessity of harboring his strength for the finish, and he swung into the long, steady stride he had been taught in practice. His team mate, Randall, was running close behind the leader, with a chap in crimson and gray third. He followed close behind the latter. The pace remained about the same for the first half mile, and was then slightly increased. Lawton found the other inan in blue at his side, and increased his speed accordingly. He soon began to feel that he was losing his wind, and his hopes of finishing the race began to diminish. He thought of his finai directions, ‘‘ Do your best,” and decided to stay in an- other lap. At least, he resolved, he would not be the first to quit. As he plugged on, he noted with surprise that he was not growing more winded; but instead his endurance seemed to increase. By the time he had gained his second wind, the relative positions of the men had changed. The man who had been setting the pace had fallen back, leaving Randall in the lead. At the same time a tall, lank youth in crimson and gray had spurted from the rear to the second place. At the beginning of the third lap, Lawton was still in fourth place. After covering a short distance in this manner, Randall began to increase his speed, with the others close at his heels. The pace soon began to tell, and Num- ber Three dropped out. The feeling of exultation which Lawt on felt at the sight of this was soon changed to one of consternation, when he saw Ran- dall begin to show signs of weakness and fall out of his stride. After a few desperate attempts to keep up, Randall relinquished his position to the man next in line. | The fourth and last lap was reached with the crimson-and-gray still lead- ing and Lawton running desperately behind. Only the knowledge that the fate of his team rested entirely on his shoulders had kept him in the race as long as this. He felt a dull pain in his chest, and his feet seemed like leaden weights. He seemed to be running mechanically, in spite of pain and exhaustion. He determined to make a final effort, before he dropped out and spurted to the side of the leader. The latter, finding a man at his side, tried to shake him off; but Lawton clung on tenaciously.