Sutter Union High School - Gold and White Yearbook (Sutter, CA)

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GDLD AND WHITE. 19 I believe I know who it is, whispered George. Now, I'l1 tell you, but you keep mum until I catch him. You know Graham was up in my rooms with Clifford last night. My watch was lying on my dresser and he picked it up and was fooling with it. I missed it this morning and I almost know he- But Jack heard no more. He turned and fled from the room and did not stop until he had reached his own room. Oh, Heavens! he cried, pacing the floor, He thinks I've got it! I was looking at it there on his dresser, but I never took it off the cloth! He told that Fred Manwell and you may as well pub- lish a secret in a daily newspaper as tell him one. He 'll tell it all around over the school, then where will I be? God knows I'm innocent but they don 't. Why, I never stole any- thing in my life and nobody's ever accused me of such a thing before! Ifll - I'll, he clenched his fists tightly. I'll make him take that back-but not now, I'll have to go out and collect my spirits first. He walked down to the lake which was near the outskirts of the town. Jack sat down on the sand and brooded over the shock he had re- celved. It was a shock, indeed, for no one had ever doubted his honor before, and stealing, to him, was one of the worst crimes that a person could commit. What will they think of me now? If they really think it's me they'll probably expel me, for I don't be- lieve my pleadings and protesta- tions would be very strong against that detestable Manning. He's as slytas a fox and will make them all believe it whether they want to or not. Then his thoughts took an- other channel and he began planning revenge. How long he sat there, he did not know, but suddenly he was startled by the crles of Help! Help ! He looked out across the water and saw a white object several yards away. Quick as. a Hash he untied a row boat, which, fortunately, was near at hand, and paddled swiftly toward the place. Through the clear water he saw the struggling form of a boy. Jack threw off his coat, jumped into the water, clutched the form and brought an apparently lifeless body to the surface. Placing it in the boat, he rowed with all his might to the shore, where he laid the body on the sand. Looking up he saw lns chum, Robert Morris, coming to- ward the lake. For Heaven's sake, get a doctor here quick. Don't ask any ques- tions, but do that faster than you ever did any thing in your life. Get Dr. Wilson, he lives nearest. And Morris, with his face almost as white as the one before him on the sand, started at breakneck speed for Dr. Wilson's. . Jack began chafing the body with his hands. At first he was so hor- rified that he could not but think that the boy was dead. Finally he discovered that the heart was beat- ing feebly. Soon Morris returned with the doctor. He had partially recovered his fright and looking closely at the form, exclaimed, Why, J ack, its Manning. Jack, in his excitement, had failed to recognize him, but now it was very clear to him that it was Manning, his most bitter enemy. A strange feeling came over him as he re- called his thoughts before he had heard those agonizing cries, but all thoughts of revenge had passed away and he was carrying Manning to his own room. Dr. Wilson and the boys worked over the body desperately, and it was several hours before the boys were convinced that he was really alive. For several days it was doubtful whether he would come through all right, but finally by the aid of the faithful doctor and good nursing it was found that he would recover. Through these days Jack Watched steadily and faithfully for improvements. He had by no means forgotten the incident which oc-K curred just before the accident, but he felt sure that, after what had happened, Manning would apolo- gize for those words, ffor he surely

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12 GOLD AlND WHITE. An Oriqinal Story. 'fWell, here's your train, Jack. I guess the long-looked-for time has come at last. Do your best at your books and write to us often, said Mr. Graham, as he handed his son a shabby brown valise. Good--bye, father, I'll do my best. Good-bye, to the rest of you, shouted J ack as the train pulled out of the station. The long-looked-for time had really come at last. Jack could hardly realize it. Since he had grad- uated from the little school on top of Wilson's Hill two years before, he had dreamed of going to the great bustling city to study with swells, as he had formerly term- ed some college boys who had come to spend their vacation near his home. These boys had given him such a glowing description of col- lege life that .lack determined that he would get there somehow. His parents, although not wealthy, had been in very comforta- ble circumstances up to the last two years. when, owing to a failure in the wheat crop, they had to econo- mize more than was pleasant, and so could not send Jack to college im- mediately after his completion of grammar school. But now they had got on their feet again and Jack's dream was realized. As he sat in the car Wondering if his destination would ever be reach- ed, the conductor sang out Prince- ton. Jack clutched his valise in one hand and his overcoat in the other, and was the first to alight. He was at first dazed by the mob of people at the depot and the differ- ent trains, trucks, Wagons, car- riages, and automobiles, fso many be had never seen together beforej He soon realized his position, how- ever. and made his way up the street inquiring as to the whereabouts of Mrs. Pagne's Boarding House on Laurel street. With much difficul- ty he found the place was just a block from the college grounds. The next day he started to school. The first days were ones of hard trials for him. He took to his books with a determinationlnto do his best, as he had promised his father, and soon became one of the best students in his classes. It was in athletics that he won the admira- tion of his fellow students. On the track he was a genius as his friends expressed it. Jack Graham made a great many friends among the students of the school, but he had one bitter enemy. Before he came to Princeton, George Manning had been the champlonnof athletes in the school but Jack, with some little practice had surpassed even him, and Manning's popular- ity was shifted to Jack. Manning, being of a jealous disposition, was very indignant at seeing his former honors given to another. He was continually finding, or pretending to find, some flaw in Jack's work or his character and tried in every way possible to shake his popularity. He did not succeed in this, however, for Jack had really more friends than Manning and they, or most of them, were stead- fast ones. One day there was great commo- tion among the boys. George Man- ning had lost his watch, and he be- lieved it had been stolen. He had convinced most of the boys that it had been stolen and all were wonder- ing who the thief might be. No one could 'tthink of any one who was mean enough to do such a thing. But Manning saw another place where he might again attempt to dis- grace his rival. That afternoon Jack overheard Manning talking to Fred Manwell in the labratory. George, who do you suppose could ever have taken your watch? You surely misplaced it for I don 't see who in this school could have taken it, he heard Fred saying. No, you bet I didn't misplace itg somebody's got it, I tell you! and say, between you and me,

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14 Gow AND WHITE. knew they were false? and he was ready to forgive. Manning steadily grew better and when he was able to listen, Mor- ris told him the circumstances un- der which he came to be in strange apartments. On hearing the story, the boy turned his face to the wall and would speak to no one that day. On the morning of the next day, when J ack came up to see how his patient was before going to school, Manning grasped his hand and Whis- pered hoarsely, Jack, I have wronged you terribly. I found my watch soon after I spread the re- port. I had misplaced it. I told that to Manwell for I knew he would spread it over the school and I want- ed to make you lose your popularity for I've been jealous of you ever since you came. If you'll forgive and forget that childish incident, I 'll be your friend forever. That's all right, George. We'll start over again and be friends. Now tell me how you came to be in that lake. VVell, I started to go across the lake hunting. My gun was loaded and went off and shot a hole in the bottom of the boat. I guess you know the rest better than I do. Now give me your hand again and say we are to be the best friends. I do say it, answered Jackg and each was as good as his word. LEOLA GIBSON, '12. fi'