Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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By Marie Simpson Second Prize ' T ' HE dense vegetation, that bordered a small stream of a beautiful island in the East Indies, seemed sighing in the hot wind for the cool of evening. All was (jiuiet and diows , and the birds under the green foliage seemed too lazy to sing. By the stream stood a handsome house, built high from the ground, with broad, cool verandas that prom¬ ised comfort. Wide, soft green lawns stretched from the house down to the thicket, where cultivation ceased. Here vines stretched from tree to tree, and the thick undergrowth was almost impenetrable. On this hot sultry afternoon, Bijou emerged from the cool depths of the thicket, slowly came across the green lawn and painfully climbed the steps. Several times she had to stop and rest, for her small legs were very tired and her heart beat very fast. The heat under the full glare of the sun was almost intolerable, but another purpose besides seeking the cool shelter of the veranda seemed to animate her. Bijou was a brown, silky-haired spaniel, with large, mild, patient eyes. Her home was a pleasant one. She had never known ill treatment, surrounded by the care and affection of a kind master and mistress. However, the crowning joy of Bijou’s life was the baby, and what a soft, roly-poly, pink baby it was, with such pretty blue eyes and little dimples. Baby and dog were best of chums and constant companions. Bijou watched over her young friend most carefully and her time was never so pleasantly employed as that spent with the baby. Thinking of her small charge, Bijou painfully climbed the stairs, and now at last she was there, very tired, it is true, but reviving at the sight of the baby in its crib. Placed there for its afternoon nap, sleep had not yet come, and the happy baby was seriously engaged in taking various views of her wonderful toes, and pulling them to see how firmly they were fastened. Catching sight of Bijou, the investigation stopped ( 15 )

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not decide to whom they might belong. He trampled on through the brush and passed the place where Mandy was sleeping. After that, Hiram, much to his surprise, caught many of the large speckled trout. Mandy, aroused by Hiram’s footsteps, awakened and re¬ turned slowly up the creek by the way she had come. When she arrived at the place where she had caught so many fish, she decided to try her luck just once more before going home. She caught a few trout and at last one of the largest she had ever seen jerked the line. The pole cracked and Mandv hurriedly tried to land the fish; the pole cracked more. A footstep soinnded on the dead leaves and looking up, Mandy saw her husband looking at her with a very strange expression in his eyes. Could this he Mandy, be wondered, this woman with sparkling eyes, flushed cheeks and flying hair? Suddenly the pole broke and the fish dived toward the bottom but was still held prisoner by that part of the pole which floated on the water, just out of reach from the bank. Mandy, in her excitement, forgot her aston¬ ishment at seeing her husband, and dancing excitedly around him, shrieked, “Hiram! Hiram! get that fish quick! Oh, do hurry!’ 1 ’ Hiram was greatly astonished at his wife’s be¬ havior but the fishing instinct was strongly in him. Without further thought he plunged into the water and Mandy, hard¬ ly knowing what she did, plunged in after him. The two finally managed to get hold of the pole which the fish was jerking vigorously. The trout was a magnificent one and well worth the trouble- it caused. The two old people waded slowly to the hank, ashamed to look at each other. At last Mandy said, “I’ve been thinkin’ Hiram, I’ve been pretty hard on you, mebbe I was more to blame that you ’bout work- in’ so hard and never takin’ a holiday.” Glancing affection¬ ately at his wife, Hiram said, “We’ve both been sort of crazy, Mandy, but now mebbe we’ve got some sense in our old heads. After this we’ll try to make up for the good times we’ve lost.” Despite the cold water and torn gar¬ ments, Mandy and Hiram went happily homeward, hand in hand. ( 14 )

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and she laJujghed gleefully. The little dog went at once to the cradle and put her paws on the edge as though assuring the child that all was well now, that she had come. But the baby was not half so serious and thought this a fine joke, clapping its hands together a nd crowing loudly. Today, how¬ ever, the dog was in no mood for romp and soon lay down before the cradle and closed her eyes. The baby’s disap¬ pointment did not last long for it was time for a nap. Soon both baby and dog were asleep. Peace and quiet reigned. The breeze was quiet and gentle and the bees droned lazily by. There were no grating sounds of toil or industry. All nature seemed resting. But sudden- ly a scraping noise startles Bijou. A long sinuous body glides from a far corner of the vine covered porch and moves toward the little sleeper. Terror and instinct of self-preservation hold sway in Bijou’s little heart. Wild dread of this unknown thing seizes her. Which will conquer, the instinct of ages or devotion to the child? The time is short, already the snake coils, startled by the dog’s movement. Who shall say what struggle took place in that doggish heart? What devotion put aside the overmastering desire to fly? In a second Bijou has thrown herself upon the snake and is caught in its coils. The struggle seems hopeless, but terror and rage lend Bijou supernatural strength and she succeeds in fixing her teeth in the head of the snake just above the eyes. Her teeth sink in and reach the brain. Gradually the coils relax. Savagely Bijou shakes the snake until it no long¬ er shows signs of resistance. In the struggle the cradle was overturned and the baby thrown on the floor where it lay crying lustily. The poor tired dog released itself from the relaxed coils of the snake and paused at the cradle side to comfort the crying child. The parents heard the noise of the fall, and very much alarmed at the cries of the child rushed up the steps. There lay the child on the floor, its cheek besmeared with blood. Hastily they came to the conclusion that the dog had hurt the baby. To think this was to act. Looking around they saw the dog still patiently waiting. They saw the blood on Bijou’s mouth, and, with a heavy blow, the angry father kicked the dog down the steps. There Bijou lay for a few moments, stunned, then she got up feebly and looked back with won¬ der, amazement and pain in the mild eyes. The fierce am} ( 16 )