Leominster High School - Magnet Yearbook (Leominster, MA)

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THE MAGNET 13 The Hero LANG! Clang! Clang! sounded the fire-bell on board the steamship “Cedrino,” sixty-three miles from land. It was the middle of the night. All was confusion. Men, women, and children, dressing hurriedly, crowded on deck to learn the cause and get out of danger’s way. The cap- tain and his crew were busy fighting the fire, which had suddenly broken out in the engine-room. Only one man, the ship’s lieutenant, remained calm and self-possessed, as he stopped to speak encouragingly to the girl he had put in the doctor’s charge, and then hastened away to superintend the work of the men using the fire-extinguishers. The crew worked valiantly for an hour, but all the time the fire increased, until the captain gave orders for the boats to be lowered. Lieutenant Mayo was in charge, and the boats were rapidly filled. But ore quickly did the flames eat their way to the deck. When Mayo came back to the place where Miss Elwood had been standing, his eyes clouded with disappointment. Of course, she was sensible to have gone on with the rest ; but, somehow, he had hoped she would wait to the last with him: It was generally known among the passengers of the “Cedrino” that the young lieutenant was brave, so it did not surprise the rest of the crew, looking back, to see Dick rowing about the mass of flames to see if any one had been left on board. Suddenly the sailor heard a cry for help. He could not see the person, but he had a vague instinct that he ought to go on board and try to save her Then came the thought, ‘‘ How useless it will be.” Still he did not feel right to go without making the attempt. What was he to do? Would he leave the person to her doom, or would he try to save her and most surely lose his own life besides? This was a problem. Now he thought of the dear one with the other passengers in the boats. Did not his life belong to her? Had he aright to risk it? He gripped the oars and turned from the ship, now one great mounting sheet of flame. Starting to row towards the people, he heard a great shout and ‘ ‘ Three long cheers for Mayo” ring over the water. A great flush of joy came into his face as he realized that She was among them, and that She was proud. And then, clear, insistent, reproachful, there sounded in his heart the cry of the woman on the ship, with suddenly in it a note that was familiar—a note, an accent, that he loved. His face grew pale, his eyes stared hopelessly ' ahead ; for, all at once, he had come to know whose face would be missing in the wildly cheering group. Karl D. Lee, 10. Instructor: Mr. Smith, kindly name the bones of the skull. Student Smith: Well, sir, ve got them all in my head, but I can’t think of their names just now.—The Bohemian.

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12 THE MAGNET began a series of strange performances. His head was immersed in a bucket of water, and-—but I must not disclose the secrets of the order. After the candidate had been bruised and bumped and instructed in the mysterious art of smoking, a badge was fastened upon him, proclaiming to every one that the wearer was a member of the mystical order of H. T. O. L. Mr. and Mrs. Ropes were by no means impressed by this mark of dis- tinction. Mrs. Ropes said, ‘‘ James, for goodness sake, take that tin thing off. Why, pa, come here and look at this child. He is all bruised. Where have you been, James?” Jimmie maintained a sullen silence and marched off to bed supperless, with the heroic thought that he was suffering for the good of the cause. Next Saturday he went to lodge as a member in good standing. The business before the house, as stated by Nat Saunders, Chief Terror, was, ‘RESOLVED: That Farmer Noyes is defying the boys of the town, as he has left a pile of brush all summer in his field.” “And say, boys, it’s as dry as tinder. Let’s set it afire tonight.” Accordingly, at dusk several silent figures were skulking around Farmer Noyes’ brush pile. ‘I tell you, boys, what let’s do. You're Indians, and I’m the chief. We'll have a grand pow-wow. No one can see the fire, because it’s behind the hill.” The fatal torch was applied, and the first annual pow-wow of the club was celebrated. But there was an unseen audience. Farmer Noyes had occasion to pass the mill, and had heard the conspirators. The village con- stable, plowing near by, was pressed into service, and although his badge was minute, alongside of the insignia of the H. T. O. L., it had unquestion- ably greater power behind it. ‘When the glorious pow-wow was at an end, and only embers marked the place of the festivities, the unseen audience, which had been suppressing its laughter with difficulty, stepped out. The constable said in his official voice, ‘‘ Glad to see you enjoying yourselves, boys. Have you had all the fun you want? It's my turn now. I arrest you in the name of the law for wantonly and mischievously destroying and causing to be destroyed, on the property of the rightful owner thereof, PID SE belonging to his heirs and assignees—— ’ ‘In other words,” interrupted the farmer, ‘‘you’ve burned my brush.” What an ignominous ending for a celebration-—-to be led through the village like murderers and criminals ! ‘Oh, please, Mr. Constable, don’t arrest us,” cried Jimmie, in a plea, seconded by all the members. “Well, Pll tell you, boys, if you promise to go home and tell your parents, I’ll let you off this time, providing, of course, Mr. Noyes agrees.” Mr. Noyes, after much pondering and ejaculations, such as, ‘ Well, I don’t know,” etc., agreed, and the members of the glorious H. T. O. L. went home and to bed. Farmer Noyes, in telling hls wife the incident, added, “I was going to— burn that pile today myself, but I didn’t quite get around to it.” F. P. Kehew, ’09. A

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14 THE MAGNET The Boat Race T was recreation hour, and we had gathered at Washacum Lake to watch the sports. After several contests, the manager of the sports announced that the next event would be a boat-race between the ministers and would be open to all who would take part. There were only two who seemed willi ng to try their luck, but we noticed several people gathered about one man. He was especially stout and jovial-looking, and his friends were laughingly urging him to participate in the race. “But I have never been in a row-boat since I was a boy,” he protested. “Oh, do try it. We know you can do it,” urged his friends. “Well, I suppose I'll have to,” said the minister at last, with an air of resignation, “but if I get tipped over you'll have to pull me out of the water, and then I hope you'll be sorry you made me go.” So, surrounded by his laughing frie nds, he made his way to the edge of the water and registered as a contestant. Just before starting, he turned to the crowd. ‘I’m going to win this race,’ he announced. “ Of course you are,” his friend assented. The minister took off his coat, sat down in the boat, and, with his hands on the oars, awaited the signal to start. The starter fired the revolver, and they were off. The first two contestants started off with con- fidence, but the other one got his oars sadly mixed up. There was, a few feet from the shore, a slanting diving raft, and our friend had just started well when there was a collision. The boat had struck the raft and had slid half-way up the inclined surface. The occupant of the boat had an offended look, while the people on shore shouted ; but he lost no time in getting off the raft and starting again. The other two contestants had been resting on their oars for a while, watching their unfortunate brother ; but they soon became aware that he was getting dangerously near and that he was also getting up quite an amount of speed. They bent themselves to their tasks and rounded the sail-boat several yards ahead of their competitor. They had decided that their ministerial brother had no notion of giving up, but they themselves were becoming tired and the one ahead was rapidly losing ground. He noticed, however, that their unfortunate partner was coming toward them at a great speed. They were near the shore now. One of the men had dropped out of the race and the last boat was rapidly gaining eround. Every one watched the race breathlessly. The leader was plainly ready to give up, but he was so near the shore. Nearer and nearer came the last boat. It was now up to the first. Then they were even. Just as every one thought the first man would win, the other boat suddenly shot forward and grounded a foot ahead of the first boat. What a cheer arose ! | “e | o “4