Monterey High School - El Susurro Yearbook (Monterey, CA)

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E L S U S U R R 0 ltching for Bear Meat Q I don't see no turkeys aroun' here no how, said Sam as he entered a small meadow by the river. I guess dem hogs scared ,em all away and -but a big black object crawled out of the bushes on the other side of the meadow and sat on its haunches to eat some shoots of a vineg presently another one followed and stood beside it. Sam gave one look, then- I wonder why dat boy am comin' like a witch was after him, said old Essiah, as he slowly stood up from his chair on the porch. Hurry up and git ye gun, da's two beahs in de meadow, cried Sam. Why didn't ye shoot 'em, 'stead a botherin me 'bout it, said Essiah. How you 'specks me to kill two beahs with one load of number five shot. Hurry up, git ye gun. I's just itchin' for beah meat. A few minutes later the two negroes were crawling along the ground towards the meadow. Dey say da bunch a hogs is in dis part now, whispered Essiah. I hopes we don't meet 'em if dey are heah,'l returned Sam. A rustle in the bushes made Essiah jump. Aw, it's nothin' but a swamp rabbit, said Sam. VVell, he didn't jump no higher'n you did, Essiah retorted. Say, l1eah's fresh hog tracks---f' But the words had just escaped him when a row of black snouts, each like a double barrel shot- gun, and nearly as dangerous, protruded from the side of the trail. There was a cypress just in front of them by the river, and the two negroes lost no time in reaching it. There they fired their guns, and the leader of the hogs fell. At the sight of blood, the pack of twenty or thirty razor-backs came more furiously than ever, to find the two negroes safely lodged on a limb of the tree. They stood a few moments looking up, then slowly went off a little distance in the meadow, knowing the hunters were out of their reach. Now's our chance, said Essiah. VVe'll slide down, jump in de river, and swim to de house. ' Sam slid quickly down, and slipped into the river. But the hogs saw him, and ran up to the tree before Essiah could get down. I9 A

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EL SUSURRO 'Oh!' I mournedg 'why didn't they take something else?' Soon the hands were thrust in oftener, but no matter how I wished it, no- body took me. 'Two bits a grabl' I heard someone shout. 'Two bits a grabl' The bag shook and jolted, until it seemed that I would surely break. A long time passed before I was finally rescued from the bag by you. You brought me home, and set me on your desk. and who should I see on your dresser but my little japanese friend. Yes, I remember, I ventured reply. Perhaps you are getting tired of my story? he asked, sitting down on a box of writing paper. No, no! I answered quickly, for I was interested. Well, he went on, I gazed at her for a long time, but she would not look at me, and I was sure that she had seen me. Finally I ventured to say, 'Good evening.' She turned her head and gazed at me loftily. 'Were you speaking to me?' she asked. I 'Yes, I said good evening, ' I answered. 'Well, you needn't have bothered,' she said coldly, and turned quickly away. All day long I gazed at her, and began to fear that some day she would be taken away or fall oil' the dresser. She never spoke to me again. One day a little child came into your room and took her down from the bureau. It made me shake to see the way he grasped her, and suddenly I heard her give a little cry, and saw her fall to the floor with a crash. Then you came and picked her up. You set her on the desk near me. I spoke to her, but she was quite broken and still. Then you took her away, and I have not seen her since, he sobbed. Well, I ventured sensibly, you ought to be glad that you aren't broken. But I'll paste her together for you, if you really want me to, I told him. Immediately his face was smiling, and he grasped my finger in his little hands. I wish you would! Oh, I wish you would, he shouted in his tiny voice. Then he grew dim before my eyes, and I, bewildered, looked quickly about. There he stood in his old place on my desk. Why in the world you put that cracked Iapanese doll on your dresser is more than I can understand, my mother said the other day. f'Oh, she'S cute, I said, ashamed to tell her of my silly action of pasting the doll togetherg but every time I look at my kewpie's pleased face, I feel that maybe it is not so silly after all. . -ALICE HILBY, '16. 'r ' q , , f, 1 LQ , - - I8

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EL SUSURRO Well, da'll go off in a minute, said Essiah to himself. But he waited several minutes, and the hogs still stood under him. I wonder if I's got to live up heah g but just then an idea struck him. He took off his coat and swinging it above his head, threw it far into the meadow. At once the hogs started after it, and while they were tearing it, Essiah slipped down the tree and into the river. A dripping figure was seen walking up the road to the house where Sam was drying his clothes. See heah, Massa Sam, broke in Essiah, de next time you'se itchin' for beah meat, don't you bother meg yo' jes go an' scratch. --HARRY A. GREENE, '16. The Gift of the Rainbow Q Oh, beautiful arch, o'er the brightening sky, When ceases the rain and you're left upon high, How many myths about thee are told, And one of them tells ofa great pot of gold. It is said, where end rainbows can always be found A great store of wealth to be dug from the ground, But that is a myth, as everyone knows, Yet it has some foundation, as I will disclose. For during a rain, when the sun's shining too, VVhile the earth becomes warm, and like sparkling dew The bright drops are glimmering o'er the earth's face, We go in quest of a secret place. Though the coveted metal may never be found, VVe are amply rewarded for tilling the ground, When the crops of the future will greatly exceed Those of the past in reward for the deed. So the crock of gold is really a fable, That shows how the rain, and our work will be able To reap in the future a harvest of grain, Whose richness is due to the sun and the rain. ' -LILLIAN HERRICK, '18. 20