Weymouth High School - Campus / Reflector Yearbook (Weymouth, MA)

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I REFLECTOR boys, though Bedouin didn ' t understand what the trouble was. Intelligent as he was, he couldn ' t be expected to know that the United Colonies had declared themselves independent of England and that Dan had gone away to serve as Colonel Morris in General Washington ' s army to help prove to England that the Colonies were independent. One day the stables were cleared of all the horses save two. Of course, Bedouin was one, for the Major loved and valued him too much to see him go to war as a cavalry horse, and the other, Cleve, the Major wouldn ' t let them take because of his age. In December, 1776, the entire region about Princeton was stirred up and worried, too, but the worry was short-lived. You must know that this was caused by Washington ' s retreat from New York through Princeton and Trenton across the Delaware. A few days before Christmas of the same year Major Hamilton was out exercising Bedouin, and saw one of his neighbors, a John Howard, accompanied by three British officers, cantering down the road ahead of him, turn in to How- ard ' s estate. Although he was somewhat puz- zled by what he had seen, because Howard was known to be rabid for colonial independence, any further thought (for the time) about it was ob- literated by the much more important and very welcome news of Washington ' s successful cam- paign in New Jersey, which culminated in a vic- tory at Princeton, a little more than ten miles away. As the war went on, so did Bedouin ' s life go on, but his life was quiet — totally unlike the war — until nearly two years after Washington ' s campaign in New Jersey. One day in June, 1778, the twenty-eighth, to be exact, a dusty and breathless man came running into the yard and up to Major Hamilton ' s house. When this man and the Major came into the stables, Bedouin recognized him as a frequent visitor at the Ham- ilton ' s, John Howard. He heard them mention his name and guessed that they wanted him. And right he was, for Sam unfastened the door of his stall and led Bedouin out. As soon as he was saddled and bridled, John Howard mounted. Remember, I ' m trusting you to take good care of him, Bedouin heard the Major tell Howard, and above all, get that message through to Lee. Don ' t use the curb too hard, and bring him back safe, John. With that they were off. How John Howard rode! Never in his life had Bedouin had such treatment. First dozens of needles pricked his ribs and when he reared to try to unseat his rider, vicious jerks on the curb cut his tender mouth and soon his sides ran with blood and his breast was plastered thick with reddened foam, but still John Howard stayed on. They rode for a long time and then Bedouin began to fret again, this time because of the crack-crack of the bullets and roaring of the cannons. They were nearing Monmouth. Straight for the army of red coats the traitor Howard rode, and there dismounted. Where ' s General Clinton? he asked an or- derly. Having received his directions, he hur- ried away, leaving Bedouin with the soldier. In a few minutes he was back again and rider and horse became a part of the moving mass of sol- diers, horses and artillery that was driving the Colonials before them. Bedouin was terror stricken — never before had he heard and seen these bullets and guns, but Howard kept him fjoing straight for the disordered ranks of the retreating army, using his spurs when Bedouin flinched at continuing, or cruelly jerking on the curb when he shied at some fallen figure. But suddenly these retreating soldiers were changed into an orderly army, and they turned about to give chase to the British. In the midst of the battle in which you know General Clinton and his red coats got away to the coast, Bedouin felt his rider slide off the saddle, and he was free — but where to go? All around him bullets were cracking and he rushed about blindly, seeking a way out of this din and confusion. Once he stopped to get his bearings, and it seemed that he heard a voice calling his name. It was faint — yet familiar, and looking about, he saw the figure of a man lying on the ground. Bedouin, come here, boy, come, this man said weakly. Bedouin hesitated and sniffed suspiciously. The man sounded like Dan, but how different this man looked from the man he had known, and Page Four

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lUterarp An Unsung Hero Though the year 1775 saw many famous events, important in the life of our country, an event occurred in New Jersey that few people know, since it was important in the life of one man. But let me tell you the story connected with this event so important and so vital to the life and happiness of Daniel Morris. Dan came from a fine New Jersey family who lived on a beautiful estate about ten miles east of Prince- ton. The place adjoining theirs was owned by Major Hamilton, a wealthy old gentleman, who lived there with his daughter, Mary Jane, his servants and — his horses. Mary Jane and Daniel had grown up together, and as our story opens Mary Jane had just passed her nineteenth birth- day and Dan was almost three years her senior. The first of this chain of events occurred at the Hamilton place early in May, 1775. There was great excitement in Major Ham- ilton ' s stables. The black boys, who kept his horses ' coats shining and their stables spotless, were preparing one of the empty boxes for a newcomer. The Major himself was superintend- ing operations, for everything had to be in the pink of condition when the latest addition to Major Hamilton ' s fine string of horses was de- livered. This horse was an Arabian, a thorough- bred, and he must be cared for as such. Sam, barked the Major, the corners of this feed box are not clean, and, Jeb, here ' s a nail sticking out. And so it went until the Major could find not a wisp of hay out of place or a bit of dust on the floor and then Heah he is, Massa Hamilton, said Jeb; and sure enough, there he was. Phil Davis stood in front of the stable door, holding the halter of this fine specimen of horse flesh, the finest ever seen by the Major and no doubt one of the finest in the Colonies. Cream- white he was from the tip of his long, sweeping tail to his quivering nostrils. His coat shone like satin and his bright eyes seemed so intelligent that the Major was almost disappointed when he didn ' t speak. His lines were long, graceful curves and the muscles of his slender legs flexed under their delicate skin as he pranced and fret- ted, restrained by the hand of Phil Davis. The Major, usually fearful lest he not get his money ' s worth, almost smiled as he paid the man, for he thought that the large sum was not one half what this Arab steed was worth. In Major Hamilton ' s stable there were many fine horses, but there was no comparing them with Bedouin, as the pride of the stables was named. Bedouin had a temper, a fact that the stable boys soon found out, and his whims were many; but though he caused the grooms many difficulties, Mary Jane was a privileged person. She could smooth his flanks without his lively heels becoming active, and she and Sam were the only ones he would allow to put on his bridle — that is, until Dan rode over one morn- ing to see the horse that everyone was discussing. And Bedouin liked him. Thus, every morn- ing would see Dan at the Hamilton ' s to edu- cate Bedouin, so he told Mary Jane. He found this horse an apt pupil and before Bedouin knew it, by Dan ' s patient, yet firm, method of teaching he had learned many tricks, but the best of them was to kneel on his forelegs as though he were praying. It ' s wonderful, exclaimed Mary Jane. But it really wasn ' t. Dan had a way with horses, and such an apt pupil as Bedouin couldn ' t help learning things regardless of the teacher. For many months, Dan came regularly to the Hamilton ' s, although Bedouin ' s education was completed, but then he went away. There was great excitement among the stable Page Three

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REFLECTOR 9 besides he could smell fresh blood. He was about to wheel and dash away when : Come, come, Bedouin, for God ' s sake, come here. There was no mistaking it. This was the man he had known, his friend, and he had found him. Bedouin came and soon Dan was smoothing his nose. Then coaxingly, he said, Now, Bedouin, we ' ll see if you remember your tricks. Down, sir, down. Kneel, Bedouin. Though his legs ached from the unfamiliar strain (for he hadn ' t done it for a long time), Bedouin knelt while Dan dragged himself along on the ground to his side. Easy, now, easy, boy. Steady, Bedouin, he said, and slowly crawled into the saddle. Then came the demand, Up, Bedouin, up. A horse ' s sense of direction is keen and Bed- ouin was no exception, for he got off the battle- field and on to the road that led — home. Dan helped him a bit in getting free of the confusion of the field, but his help wasn ' t for long. He kept his seat more through the force of muscu- lar habit than anything, for he hadn ' t control of all his senses and a man who has learned to sleep on horse-back doesn ' t fall off very easily. The next morning the people at Major Ham- ilton ' s estate were astounded to see Bedouin turn into the yard with the limp figure of a man in a blood-stained, dust-covered uniform on his back. The next year, when Colonel Dan was fully recovered from his wounds, he and Mary Jane were married. The Major gave them, among many other things, as a wedding gift, the dearly beloved Bedouin — one of the unsung heroes of the Revolution. S. Harper ' 32 The Black Cat The black cat has struck a hard blow at su- perstition. One of that color stowed away on the fishing schooner Fharbes lately. The crew called it bad luck and wanted to throw the cat overboard, but the captain refused. One day pussy climbed up the rigging into the crow ' s nest. The captain followed, to bring him down. Looking into the water from aloft, he saw a huge school of bluefish alongside. The dories were ordered out, and four hundred barrels of fish were taken. The black cat can make his home on board the Fharbes as long as he likes. Isabell Dacey ' 32 A iStone .Mountain About sixteen miles east of Atlanta, Georgia, there is a large block of granite which is known as the largest in the world. The rock is so large that the people of the South call it Stone Mountain. The rock is sixteen hundred feet high and it is seven miles around its base. From it the view is beautiful. A few years ago the Governor decided to have the figures of General Lee and his men chiseled out of the mountain. Among the Confederates were to be Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis. The contract was signed, and the chis- elers started as soon as the blue prints were com- pleted. The figure of General Lee and his horse will be one hundred and fifty feet from the top of his head to his horse ' s hoofs. The figure will be about the size of a nineteen-story office build- ing. The rest are to be approximately the same height. The carvers state that it will take eight or nine years to complete it. Michael Striano ' 34 The Origin of Valentine s Day Valentine was the name of several saints and martyrs of the Christian Church. February 14 is the day observed for several of them. These martyrs lived in various parts of the world — France, Belgium, Spain, Africa. But the two greatest were a priest at Rome and a bishop at Umbria, both of whom lived in the third century. The legends which have been reserved for them have little historical value, for Valentine ' s Day is more famous as a lovers ' festival. This has no connection with the priests, but is perhaps the survival of an old festival of a similar na- ture. It was observed particularly in England, but to a certain extent upon the continent, too. Mention of it is found as early as Chaucer. The custom was to place the names of young men and women in a box, and draw out in pairs the names. Those whose names were drawn to- gether had to exchange presents and be each others valentines throughout the ensuing year. Later only the men made presents. M. Hunt ' 34 Page Five