Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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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

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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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12 THE MAGNET The Silver Apostles It had not been used, except for great occasions, since the time of Gustavus Adolphus, when the great wave of Protestantism had swept over the country. Only the iron cross embedded in the wall above the altar recalled the days when the knights and ladies of the manor had come to seek guidance and rest in the dimness of the place. A little girl was playing now among the dusty pews with their faded, moth-eaten cushions, and a slight, dark-haired woman leaned against the altar rail. There was deep sadness in the eyes that glanced about from one thing to another. Now the child was down on her knees, pulling up broken pieces of the floor; and her voice, breathless with excitement, called, ‘‘Oh! I’ve found the statues. Please do come quick.” But the woman’s face did not brighten as she answered, “ No, Lisa, dear; don’t try any more. I started that place myself, years ago, when I first came to the castle. It is probably only a story. There probably were no Statues.” “But it says so in the big red book. Great-grandfather hid them when he went to the wars, and they were all silver and ever so much higger than me. Do help, mamma, so we won't have to go to that old America.” “Dear, there are no statues there. Come and help me pack, else some of your playthings will surely be left behind, and that would never do.” So with one last look back they went out through the long dark corri- dor into the great square hall. Here all was confusion. Trunks and boxes were being strapped and nailed. Others were only in the process of being packed. They watched the old housekeeper as she put in, one after another, old familiar things that seemed to revolt at this strange indignity. It grew dark. The lights were lighted, and the packing went on. Lisa was put to bed, that she might not be too tired for the long ride to the seaport town. They were to start the next morning, and it was already late. The countess felt that she must rest. Her husband was busy with final arrange- ments for leaving . She went down into the old blue room to steal a little nap. It was her favorite room She loved every piece of furniture in it— the faded damask-covered chairs, the deep recessed windows with their heavy curtains, the old cabinet, but, above all, the portrait of the gentle lady whom she resembled so much, they said. She threw herself on the couch beneath it now; and the sweet eyes seemed to look down and under- stand. 3 The moonlight fell through the drawn curtains and cast strange shad- ows about the room. She followed the rays of light until they rested on the portrait of the old ancestor of the wars. There her gaze lingered imploringly. (Cie chapel of the ancient Swedish chateau was musty and unkept.