Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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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.

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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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THE MAGNET II There was now but a quarter of a mile to go, and the two men were still struggling side by side. It seemed to Lawton that the strength of his com- panion was unlimited. His long, lank limbs seemed built for speed and endurance. Lawton’s own breath was coming in gasps, and it took all his will power to keep his arms from creeping up across his chest. He glanced despair- ingly at his companion’s face, and found the other looking uneasily at him. “Perhaps,” he thought, ‘““he may be as tired as J.” and plugged on. He gritted his teeth At last his persistence was rewarded; his rival began to fail, struggled on for a few paces, and then fell back. A fierce joy seized Lawton. Through a haze he saw hundreds of faces and heard cheering as at a distance. He caught a glimpse of the tape five yards away. The field was behind him. He gathered up his last ounce of strength; he staggered forward, and lunged across the line and into the arms of his friends. LncJe Mos: GA Storm at Sea First a shiver and then a shock, As the ‘bark slides over the bar. Surely we thought she had hit a rock; As the ship was passing the bar, Her helm falls off afore the breeze, And on plows the gallant bark; She jumps and rocks in the sloppy seas, Like a terrier out for a lark. Wind, wes’ nor’west; course, nor’ nor’east, She heels, as she furrows the foam; While every man within her now Is thinking fondly of home. Still stronger blows the rising gale, On comes the storm so fast, That the jibs are pulled right out their stops, And over goes one mast. It was not his fault the captain knew, Since so quickly came the gale, That neither he nor the hardy crew Had a chance to take in sail. He steers her to the shore not far, With a chance of being harbored. When half way there the furious gale Sends the other mast to starb’rd. “All hands aft,” the Captain cries, Through the ever rising din. They go and launch the only boat. All the married men step in. What became of the boat ’tis never known, They soon went out of sight, While the Captain and twelve brave men were left For their dear old ship to fight. “Breakers ahead,” -the lookout cries, And every heart sinks low: But stop! what is that speck off there Just crossing her starboard bow? A life saving crew it proved to be, Who had seen them long before. Hard work it was for the lifeboat men; But they brought the crew ashore. The Captain’s voice was strangely rough, As he brushed away a tear; While every man there thanked the Lord When he thought of his loved ones dear. RB: .Has4.08