Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

Page 21 text:

Ohe Price may God biess you and keep you always!” The voice was choked with sobs, but the bowed reartbroken figure was determined not to give way until she was face to face with silence, the gracious queen who nows both joy and sorrow and gives to both her greatest alm, Peace; and so the lonely widow gave her boy a last -arewell and, with it, gave to her country the only gift she vad, her son ! “My boy! my boy! The lad. for be was only a boy yet, hesitated for a mo- nent: then, shouldering his musket, he turned away, fur- ively brushing his coatsleeve across his eves. He walked or swiftly, not trusting himself to look back even once un- til he came to the summit of the mountain and saw be- Fove him the path that led—he knew not where. For it micht be Life and—it might be Death! There he paused and looked a last silent farewell to his old home. The sun was just rising and seemed the gate to Paradise as it flooded the little valley with its golden splendor. The little crystal streams running ever on. through soft fields and meadows, unmindful of the destinies of men, were like bands of silver on waves of emerald. In their midst stood a little log cabin covered with roses that clambered over the porch, and even onto the roof. His home! On the step was his mother, seeming so tiny, so pitifully fragile. and watching him with a face that, could he but have seen it. would have wrung his very soul, for it was the terrible agony, the heartbreaking look of a mother who watches her son walk on to probable Death, while she stands back. alone, unable to help. The boy’s eyes filled and, turming quickly, he went on. eraye and sorrowful for a while but gradually forgetting 19 ‘the future; for such is the wisdom ink only of the great war in which a part; he seemed to see the low p; he could almost hear the roar ighing of horses and the terse com- all and dreaming only o of youth. He could th he was so soon to have white tents of the cam of the musketry, the ne mands shouted by anxious officers. vim through tear- ily a speck in the distance But not so his mother! She watched dimmed eyes until he became o that slowly faded from view. Then she went into the cabin, that now seemed so pitifully forlorn, her bent should- ers shaking with sobs, while tears coursed down her thin furrowed cheeks. She pulled a little black hair cloth trunk out of a corner, opened it and took out a tiny bundle, faded, and yellowed with age. Sitting down, she opened it, and out fell a golden curl of hair that she caught up pas- sionately and kissed again and again. As she did so, the present seemed to fade and vanish with sorrow as a rose- leaf crumbles with age, and she saw again her baby boy be- fore her. She saw the sturdy little figure with its golden curls and large appealing brown eyes come nearer and nearer, until the baby lips seemed to say, “JT Jove you, muver, I love you.” She clasped it to her but it vanished and in its stead was an older boy, different and yet the same. The golden curls were gone and in their stead was soft brown hair; the baby grace, too, had left, and the lad seemed strangely awkward and clumsy. But the eyes were the same appeal- ing brown ones, and the mouth, finely cut and determined, even then still framed the words, “T love you, mater, T lave you.”

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HOROSCOPE Name Grace Crow Marie Brown Everett Honeycutt Edith How Ruby Russell Stella Turk Elizabeth Washington Helen Whiting Helen Wilkinson | Appearance Spunky Sedate Cute Skinny Jolly Vivacious | Self Satisfied Kiddish Independent | Favorite Expression | | “Oh, pshaw’’ “Oh, glory” “Pil bean you” |‘Bless my soul and body” “Great Caesar’s ghost” | “By criminy”’ | “Oh, giminy’’ | | “Good-night”’ | “Oh, Yes- -” Noted For Late Hours Knowledge in Latin Spooning in Halls Teacher’s Pet Talking Arguing Bluffing Pink Cheeks Flirting Nickname Highest Ideal Snae To be like Miss ‘ Millward Wee-wee | Librarian ss President of the Honey Us S: Ikey | To Specialize in English Rubbish To Learn to Dance Turkey She Doesn't Know - To Own An Betina 3 Automobile “Toddy”’ Musician “Wilkie” Teaching French Destiny Bungalow For Two Private Secretary President I. W. W. Help Make Concrete Book Agent Votaress Preacher’s Wife To Live in Oregon Chorus Girl What the Poet Says “Blue were her eyes as the fairy flax Her cheeks like the dawn of day.” “She is a maid of artless grace, Gentle in form and fair of face.”’ “Blaze with your serried columns, | I will not bend the knee.” “In her heart the dew of v-uth, On her lips the smile of truth.” “Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful Jollity.”’ “Her eager heart within her eyes Was all alight with youth and joy.” “Rose and lily on her cheek that shifting play, Voice beloved, whispering like the wind of May.” “O thou art fairer than the evening air Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars.”’ “With coquettish charms arrayed, Laughing eyes and fugitive.”

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Then he, too, vanished and another lad, now her soldier boy, appeared. The boy was almost a man, tall, handsome, graceful, with brown eyes, gleaming with fun, and head thrown bravely hack; yet, the strong firm lips still seemed to say, “I love you, mother, I love you.” The | woman stretched out her arms — long- ingly, “Oh, Gene,’ she sobbed, “wasn’t it en- ough that your father = gave his life: do they need even a poor widow’s all? Tf they do, I'll bear it bravely, son, but it’s hard, hard, with nothing to do but wait. But VIL pray laddie, Vl pray every mght for God to bring you home safely to me. Oh, my son! my son!” And so she sobbed on, dreaming only of the past, for such is the wisdom of age. It was midnight and all seemed peaceful in the Rebel Camp. The soft rays of the moon crept in and out through the heavy foliage of the trees and lit up the si- lent scene, showine here and there the form of a weary sentinel tramping up and down his lonesome beat. The only light in the camp came from a little tent in which the boy sat writine to his mother. He was chaneed, ah yes! for the eager lad of two years ago who had entered he army so confidently. so sure of success. was now a man. just a little tired. and just a little discouraged. THis face was thin and worn, his eves were no longer softly appeal- ing; instead, they were hard and stern. while there were ines on his face that should not have been there for ten years yet, at least. He wore the ensien of a captain and, if the truth were told. many expected to see him a najor before two months had passed. so much renown had his constant bravery won him. As he sat writing, his face softened and once a bright tear fell and glimmered in the lamplight. Suddenly, he became aware that there was someone else in the room and ty turning quickly, saw a corporal standing in the doorway of the tent. “General Long requests the presence of Cap- tain Morley at once,’ same the short message. The boy pushed his papers quickly aside and in a few moments stood before his commander, “Captain Morley,” the old man said, “I have received news that makes it necessary for me to send a message to General Lee at once. I want you to take it. To reach his camp, you will have to go directly through the Federal ines, so I have secured a Federal uniform for you and the aper’s necessary to your carrying out the disguise of Lieu- enant Camp, United States Army. You are to say you laye a message for General Grant and T think you can manage to slip through. Now T want vou to tell Lee that Pickford is planning to attack Charleston and will reach here on the fifteenth. Lee will know what to do. Your iniform is in the adjoining room and T want vou to leave at once.” The Boy went into the next room and in a few moments reappeared, clad in the likeness of a Federal lieutenant. and announced himself ready. The General handed over he papers and. for the first time in his life. muttered a rusque, “God bless you.” Jt might have been a thought wave for hundreds of miles away at that very moment a vowed and bent little widow was saving, “Oh God, bless mv bov. The Boy mounted his horse and after carefully guiding un through the ranks of sleeping men, was soon gallop- ing down the dark road. All the rest of the night and all he next morning, he rode, stopping only to allow his horse 0 slake his thirst at some stream or river. Late that afternoon, he came in sight of the Federal camp. Tis heart beat quickly and he offered to God a ervent prayer for his safety until he had the message Then, bracing up, he rode bravely forward wn- delivered,