Willard Middle School - Target Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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The Thrilling Experience of a Little Calf IN THE winter of 1893, while my father had charge of a large ranch on the Sacramento River, there were quantities of snow in the mountains, which melted and caused the river to rise at the rate of one inch per hour. My father saw the danger of the river overflowing its banks and also the levees, which are made of dirt piled up several feet high above the river bank to protect the farms. He called his working men together and they filled sacks with dirt and piled them on top of the levee. They saw that the water would soon overflow the sacks of dirt, so the men raised the levee by using long boards, twelve inches wide. Even this was not sufficient and they saw that, in spite of their efforts, the water would creep over the top of the boards and flood the land. The next thing to do was to save the horses and cows, and all were turned loose except one little calf which was left in the barn by mistake. My father and the men were compelled to desert the farm in order to save their lives. The next day they returned in boats, riding over the top of the fences. The water had come in with such force that the house had been turned around and shifted to another spot. The water stood about three feet deep in the house and was rushing with great speed around the corners of the house and barn. During the flood some boards had been torn off of the barn at one corner and this little calf had walked out. My father found him standing in scarcely any water, while all around him the water was about three feet deep. On account of the swiftness of the water, it rushed around the corner of the barn, leaving a little shallow place where the calf found room to stand and thereby save his life. The men put him in their boat and took him to safety. MARY ROBIN STEINER. WILDFIRE LAST summer when I was north visiting relatives, a rodeo was held in town. Among the horses was a wonderful, milk-white Arabian steed. He was very high-spirited and the most beautiful animal I have ever seen. Arabian horses are very rare in this country so my father and I, both being very fond of horses, inquired about this unusual creature. The

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The boy ' s mother then said to him, Pedro, where did you find this little rabbit? She heard Ped.o ' s story and told him about the little creatures that depend upon the cactus for a Living. The timid little rabbits seek refuge in its shade, the birds make their meals from its fruit and the little mice have their nests underneath. When the little rabbit was stronger, Pedro let it go one morning on h:s way to school. It crept thankfully under a large cactus bush and Pedro rode happily onward. MARY GRIXXELL. OUR SQUIRREL FRIEND ONE summer mv family and I took our vacation in the Sierra Moun- tains. We made the acquaintanc e of many animals and birds, but the one we liked best was a squirrel. His name was Nip Ear, because he had been bitten by a dog on his ear. This happened when we first came. My sister, as soon as she was told about it, gave him his name. Every morning we would put a few nuts on our porch for h:m. and then retire to the house to watch him eat. I had always had a longing to feed him with my own hands, and, as he became more and more tame, I resolved to try it. One morning, instead of doing as usual with the nuts, I sat on the steps with them in my lap. In this position, I waited for what seemed to me an hour, but m reality it was only a few minutes. Finally the little squirrel ran down a tree, and was about to come up the steps, when suddenly he stopped short, his front feet in the air, looking at me suspiciously. hen he saw I did not move, he came slowly up to where I sat, never taking his eyes off me. Suddenly he grabbed a nut and scampered off to a safe distance and ate it. These actions he repeated until all the nuts were gone, each time with less suspicion. After this I often fed him in that way. He grew very tame and once even ventured to climb on my shoulder. But I fed him only once after this. One day, a few men with guns, and hunting clothes on, came up the road. A squirrel ran across in front of them. W e were almost panic- stricken, for we recognized him as Nip Ear. The foremost man shot and our little friend fell on the ground. The man who had shot ad- vanced and picked him up and threw him in the bushes. After that little Nip Ear never visited up again. KATHERIXE DEACOX.

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manager, Mr. Hayden, informed us that the horse had lived the earlier part of his life on the Arabian desert. Wildfire, so named because of his unusal fleetness, was slenderly built. His small hoofs and tapering legs carried him over the ground with marvelous speed. Large intelligent eyes were set widely apart in his spirited head. His massive neck was arched gracefully. A long, silken mane flowed down upon his shoulder, adding to his beauty. At my first opportunity I went up to Wildfire to make friends with him. I saw from his actions that he was gentle, notwithstanding his noticeable spirit. When I advanced to pat him on his glistening coat he made no attempt to jerk back upon his halter-rope, but leaned toward me and rubbed his nose upon my shoulder in a thoroughly friendly manner. I had candy in my pocket and offered him a piece. He took it from the palm of my hand daintily. After eating it, he stretched his upper lip high above his teeth, causing it to quiver, as if in appreciation of my sweets. I imagined he was taking this horse-fashion of thanking me. All too soon I had to leave him. When I turned away Wildfire whinnied a soft goodbye, regretfully, I thought. But his regret could not have been half so great as mine. A lump came to my throat as I parted with this beautiful and gentle-mannered fellow, the handsomest horse I have ever seen. MARGARET THOMAS. ARROW, MY PONY I HAVE a pony, and his name is Arrow. The reason I named him Arrow is because he is as sharp as an arrow. I mean to say, he is very bright. Every morning, after breakfast, we go out into the yard and have school together. That sounds strange, but it is true. First I say A, and he stands up on his hind legs; that means the letter A. I say B, he turns around; C, he paws the ground three times; for D he shows his teeth; for E he lays his ears flat down on his head; for F he lifts up one little hoof and I shake hands (and hoofs) with him; G, he runs, jumps over a fence and is back again with me; for H he lies down on the ground for one minute; at I he runs up to me, I get him, and we go for a little ride. That is as far as I have taught him. But we intend to master the whole alphabet and then seek more to conquer. MARY BURG.