Wakefield High School - Oracle Yearbook (Wakefield, MA)

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whispered when they moaned in the wind. One day a man came to this little spot. Willi cautious and stealthy tread he passed down the path that only the furred and feathered creatures had known. He was not covered with the black glossy coat of the bear or the bright blue feathers of the blue bird, but stood as a bronze statue in the morning light, his only garments a loin-cloth of wampum. In his hand he carried a bow of ash, and his quiver made of deer skin was filled with arrows tipped with flint and winged with feather. His long black hair was bound by a beaded band, while a trophy from the king of the air, made him appear to be of great height. Thus he trod the path of the wild and knelt and drank from the sparkling ripjiles, while thanking Manito for his goodness to him in his long journey. The creatures knew no harm from the silent messenger of men, and watched him as he glided up the mountain trails away from their kingdom. But one day a white man l roke and blazed his way over the rocky trails, and again the little pool gave its goodness to man. Here the white stranger saw the beauty of this lit- tle spot, and thus that day was heard through the primeval forest, crashes never equalled by the thunder. The giants of the forest wailed their story to each other, for tliey too were strijiped of their branches. The creatures lieard the cries of the pines and saw the white man build his log cabin beside the little path near the little stream. And when they saw the gray smoke rising like a ghost into the sky, they knew their reign was over and Man was King of the Forest. FANNIE LOUISE GEEENE, ' 22. cently found in our neighboring town of Stoneham. It is said by the tamer of this fierce insect that it is entirely a ' one-man ' animal and may be approached only with danger by tliose not listed among its friends. Upon be- ing interviewed, its kee per who, by necessity, is a tall, strong example of humanity, said that an animal of this species could be tamed only by exercising the greatest courtesy and kindness towards it. Its feeding time is at 11.44 a. m., and when it is to be fed it must be approached so that the sun ' s rays will not fall upon its supersensitive greenish-brown back. The most noted peculiarity it has, however, is the remarkable faculty of taking long and extremely arduous journeys. Many times this amazing and astounding batrachian pro- digy lias astonished the most eminent local naturalists. All have heard of dogs, cats, or pigeons traversing great distances, but who has ever heard of a heretofore insignificant hop-toad thus gifted? Often, Teddy, as he is called lias been started forty or fifty miles from home and with hops ever increasing in length, has attained such a speed as to easily outdistance the fastest mud-turtles. Its athletic achievements also include the breaking of all existing indoor and outdoor sw ' imming records. Starting from a stand- still and gradually taking on a water cover- ing gallop, Teddy, will easily leave in the lurch all contestants and will not in the least abate his speed until a shrill whistle from his master calls him back. Volumes could be written on this Nomadic animal, but until he has reached the very peak of his attainments, this should not be attempted. ELIOT CLE]MONS, ' 24. TOADS There are toads and toads. Take, for in- stance, the Mexican horned toad which at first sight seems very ferocious but upon closer acquaintance, is found to have a very meek and gentle spirit. Then there is the croaking tree toad which has on its finger- like toes, full sets of vacuum cups as aids in tree climbing. Nature has almost wholly safeguarded this animal by giving it the use of ])rotective coloring. But the toad of which we arc to speak is the renowned Homing Toad, a famous, but seen-only-on-iiaper specimen which was re- THE SOUL OF A POILU The wind moaned and groaned in the high tree tops. Huge black clouds went scurry- ing across the grey sky and the silent snow was falling, covering the little village in Northern France with a soft blanket of downy white. Far out on the outskirts of tlie village a tiny light glimnvercd. Inside was a weary mother singing her sick child to sleep. The Great War had taken her lius- band and she and the baby boy were left alone to fight against tlio world. Softly crooning to her child her startled 14

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which terrified the country folk; but Ignor- ance, suspicious, and fearing the outcome of anything before its accomplishment, abhorred tliis Key of Progression. Hatred found a lock to fit it into with the least difficulty in the world. All, these were terrifying times indeed for the country folk. Every road they travelled, tlicy found to be inhabited by the compan- ions of Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred. Great monsters of Ignorance, called Plague and Famine, carried olf tlieir children and des- troyed tlicir lierds and crops. And worse even than this, every man loathed his neigh- bor, and liad some special cause for griev- ance against liini. Little and deadly serpents of Hatred, Malice, and Vengeance, infused these spirits into men against their neigh- bors, and try as the people did, they wou ld not be east out. And added to these trou- bles, were the mockeries of Vice, Temptation and Craft. The world grew darker and darker under tlie regime of these tluee, all began to cry out to the ricli King Entliusiasm to save tliem. But alas, the King could do nothing ; ithout tlio Key of Progression, desjiite his wealth and power. Then everyone turned to the locksmith. Perseverance, that he might begin another key. But his shop had been closed for many years, and his tools were covered with rust. Then it was, with all other liopes gone, that the people turned their efforts to capture the throe outlaws, Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred; but this was far from an easy task now, the people found, for the scoundrels, with the Key of Pro- gression in their possession, discovered new waj-s to defy the populace each passing day. After many years, however, when King En- thusiasm was dead, and his son. Experience, ruled instead, the task was accomplished, and the Key of Progression was put safely in tlie Palace Treasury. When Vice, Ignorance, and Hatred had been duly banished, the Key was again brought forth. As it lay on King Experience ' s costly desk, it seemed to be the center of a golden harmony of light. It is a sign of coming Prosperity and For- tune, said the people. As the days went by, every one grew prosperous, and happy and no longer were their flocks carried off, nor did any man loathe his neighbor. And, in sooth, it was the Key of Progression, the re- sult of the labors of Perseverance, Enthusi- asm, and Experience, which did all this. MAEY COGAN, ' 24. THE KING OF THE FOREST Out of the mountain came a little stream of clear water, and wended it s way down the rocky side. In the valley it formed a pool, and with vines overhanging its edges, sang its song of life and laughter, and then hurried away to the sea. The wild creatures of the forest found this pool, and gathered to eu,joy its clear, spark- ling water. The fat brown bear, who all day had col- lected honey and slugs, boldly pushed its way through the black alder and swaying rushes to come, after his tiresome day, to enjoy the cool shade. He is the monarch of the creatures, and therefore the little people know his hour of repose, and scat- ter into the deep forest when they hear his low growl of warning. The lone wolf howled all night at the moon; then killed his prey as the moon dis- appeared behind the thickening clouds. Wlien the first pink traces of morn appeared, he fin- ished the last of his feast and stealthily skulked down the rocky mountain side to re- cline on the pale sand of the little pool. Here the sparkling water was discolored with rod from his blood drenched jaws, but the ever moving stream carried the discolored water away to the sea. This pool was his kingdom until the last stars faded into the west. As the sun sent its pure shafts of gold through the giant pines, it awoke every lit- tle creature in tree and bough. Here they gathered to have their morning bath and to break their fast. The white-throated sjiairow fluttered his wings and pure breast in the little pools that lay between the moss- covered rocks, while his neighbor, Mrs. Eol;- iii, found her greatest treasure, a fat lazy worm, under a sod of meadow grass. Chipmunks and gr;iy ■ squirrels switched their furry tails over their arched backs, and chattered with delight at their hoard of gold- en nuts stored in the autumn leaves. The fish hawk, the traflic officer of the sky, made his daily tour in the blue distances of the heaven. Like a thunder bolt he shot from the sky, into the clear water, and rose from it, with his Avhite breast gl6aming with sparkling drops of water. But in his claws he held a bass, for he is always true in gain- ing his goal. Thus the years sped on and all creatures met morning and evening to enjoy the ways of nature, and to tell the tales the pines 13

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ears heard a faint souud at the door. Who could be out on such a night so late as this? Bravely she assured herself that it was only her fancy, no one was there. But her fears grew greater as the sound increased. Hastily laying down the baby she called out bold- ly, Who is there! The door opened to her challenge and a rough, ragged straggler from the army came in demanding food and money. Tremblingly she protested that she was poor and had no money but tluit she would gladly give him food. But even as she said it she glanced involuntarily at a tin box on the mantel- piece. The shrewd thief saw the glance and took note of it as he sat down before the rude table and watched the mother i ut some coarse bread and meat before him. He ate greedily, craftily watching the wom- an rocking the baby. Now and then he would glance out of the window as if in fear of something. After finishing his meal he warmed liimself at the fire taking in all the details of the room. Suddenly he rose to his feet and with an oath demanded money; faintly protesting she denied that she had any money but her eyes still clung to the box on the shelf. The man quickly grasped the box and broke it open finding the woman ' s small earnings and a war cross together witli some tear stained letters. Hastily taking the money he started to put the letters back in the box when a name on one of the letters caught his eye. Jean Gas- ton , he murmured, then turning fiercely uijon the woman, he demanded, Who is tliis Jean Gaston? The woman sobbed, My hus- band, she said, killed in the war. Once more he murmured, Jean Gaston, and a vision came before his eyes. The war swept battlefield lay in front of him, he heard the dull boom of the guns. He saw two still figures lying wounded on the battlefield. Again he saw one figure drag the other back to safety amid the bullets and horror. Once more he felt the overwhelming devotion for this man who had saved his life. These were his wife and child and he had come to rob them ! Horror stricken and trembling he put the money back in the box. Thank God he had not fallen so low as that! Stumbling he reached the door and the face of Jean Gaston seemed to look searchingly into his, wait- ing. For what you have done for me I will try to pay back to your wife and child. , came gaspingly from his pale lips and the face of Jean Gaston seemed to sliine with a great light. ELINOR PAETEIDGE, ' 24. THE BLUE BOY Everybody has at least heard of Gainsbor- ough ' s Blue Boy. Some people have been fortunate enough to see it. There has been much interest displayed in the famous pic- ture of late, as it has passed into the hands of an American and has been brought to the United States. Tlie picture is a portrait of Master Bur- rail, the son of a prosperous ironmonger of Solio, Loudon. Burrall retained it in his possession until 1796, when it passed into the hands of George, Prince of Wales. Since til en the portrait has had many owners and has passed from one collector to another. Gainsljorough painted the picture, accord- ing to rumor, in order to refute the theory of the academicians of the day, including Sir Joshua Reynolds, that a portrait with blue as the dominant color could not be made successfully. It is said that Gainsborough himself never tliought tlie painting would be of any value as a work of art. The portrait was sold last summer by the Duke of Westminster to Sir Joseph Du- veen and by him to Henry E. Huntington of California. The sale was effected last sum- mer and after its removal from Grosvenor House, the portrait was exhibited in the Na- tional Gallery, London. The picture arrived in America early in February. All sorts of precautions were tak- en with it, and the painting was guarded by two men from the Duveen Galleries of Lon- don from the time it left England until it arrived in America. The portrait traveled in a room by itself, and never was left alone. There have been at least two Blue Boys. Al out twenty years ago one was exliibited at the Copley Hall in Boston. It was called the Hearn picture and when sold brought the small sum of $38,000. The original Blue Boy , which authorities agree is the West- minster Blue Boy, ivas sold for $500,000. The original picture is on exhibition at the New York Art Museum at the present time. The price of admission is two dollars, and the money derived from tliis fee is to be given to charitable institutions. MADELINE GOULD, ' 22. 15