Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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know that our country is now engaged in the greatest war the world has ever known?” “I had heerd tell a little on’t, but from what I kin figger, it’s just a family quarrel among the furrin royalties, in which we have become mixed through our commerce.” ‘‘No. Mr. Tuttle, you are mistaken. The freedom of the whole world has been threatened by Germany and her allies, all the resources of the United States are being massed for a great drive on militarism. That is why I am here today. 1 came to see you, Mr. Tuttle, because we need good, heavy¬ working, “understandin’ ” mules in the Quartermaster Corps, where all army supplies are handled. What value do you place upon them!” ‘‘Wal, I ain’t hankerin’ after losin’ ’em’ since we have been pullin’ together nigh onto seven years; but ef you l ' eallv need ’em, I reckon you kin set your own price and I’ll be sat¬ isfied. But keep in mind you’re only buyin’ flesh and bone, cause the understandin’ is purely personal, and priceless.” This he said bravely, for as yet he did not realize how much that ‘‘understandin’ ” meant to him. There were two large tears creeping down two weathered cheeks from two big peaceful brown eyes, as a few days later Gabe Tuttle saw his four comrades driven away on what might be their last trip over Lost Mountain. A lump in his throat caused him to gasp and a sob shook his long face. Then as old Daniel turned and gave a long blantant hee-haw of protest, Gabe turned away, and his face reddened as lie choked back a sob and muttered something about bein’ a damn fool. For days Gabe remained sorrowing around the general store, peering always toward Lost Mountain as though ex¬ pecting to see the four white mules appear somewhere on its winding road. The storekeeper urged Gabe to find some more mules and go after a load of supplies, but Gabe only mumbled and remained, face toward Lost Mountain, as if waiting for the mountain to give up his companions of the trail. Then he dis appeared from the neighborhood, and no one knew where lie had gone. Almost simultaneously with his disappearance there ap¬ peared at Qamp Fremont a tall, straight figure, covered with dust from head to foot. He asked the way to the headquarters of the Quartermaster Corps. Arrived, he told the officer in charge that lie had but lately given up four of the finest mules

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threw off the brakes, but the mules, all holding the same rest¬ ful positions, did not move. Although there was a whip at hand it was not Gabe’s habit to resort to its use, for he under¬ stood his four mules, and held that better results could be ob¬ tained by talking to them than by using the whip. Again he entreated the mules, but still there was no re¬ sponse. With an exasperated grin, Gabe addressed the lead mule in his slow Mariposa drawl: “Danyell, ef yuh don’t git to movin’ suddint, I’ll have to come down thar and git yuh.” Slowly the big mule straightened to the traces, followed as slowly by the three other sons of Balaam. Gabe chuckled un¬ derstanding! y, while a slow smile crossed his placid face. The supply wagon came to a stop before the porch of the general store in Mariposa. A man in the olive drab of the U. S. Army stepped from the door and approached the wagon. On his sleeve he wore the chevrons of a lieutenant of the Quar¬ termaster Corps. His coming had caused a stir in the isolated town. Mari¬ posa, a boom town in the days when the West was young, had long ago been deserted for the great cities of commerce and industry, and only the “old-timers” and their sons and daugh¬ ters, those who had seen the birth and growth of the mushroom city, now remained there and kept the tales and traditions alive. Yes, they knew that the United States was engaged in some foreign trouble, being so far from the great centers of war activity, they did not realize that it was anything more than a dispute, of which our history records many. The officer was soon surrounded by a group of natives eager to learn something of the war at first hand. Many and difficult were the questions he had to answer; some were even comical, but all were answered in a careful, painstaking man¬ ner. But as the great supply wagon came to a stop the lieu¬ tenant left his inquisitors and hurried to the driver. “Very nice mules you have there, Mr. Tuttle,” he said. “Y-e-s. They’re a mighty understandin’ bunch,” Gabe answered. “Work pretty well, do they!” asked the lieutenant. “They ain’t no better in Californy fer my work,” said Gabe with pride. “So I have heard,” returned the lieutenant. “Do you

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in California to the Government, and finished by saying: “Since you need mules in this here war you must be needin’ some good mule skinners. I want to jine.” And when Gabe went on guard mount the first time the soldier on the neighboring watch understood when he heard a chorus of joyful hee-haws from the barns and saw the watch of the new recruit was not being covered. So, being a good sport, he covered both watches until the new recruit reap¬ peared, smiling and chuckling to himself. JVlj, jiljtp of tip piestern j§ba! Moon of the west wide-rolling sea, Swing softly low Where the weird winds blow And the billows blow; I await for thee! Oh, the surf grows cold and my feet are bare! Lay still thine oar Till thou reach the shore, And swoop me away to thy mystic air! Who ride with thee on thy wondrous flight? Who spies for the bow, Or guidest tliou? Who fish for stars in the waves of night? In tliine arms afar, can they be like me, Whose tatters flap From thy misty lap, As thou bearest them on to the sights that be? Let me join their crew, ere the night is gone, For I ever yearn To dream in thy stern Or peer from thy bow for the dews of dawn. Let me sail but once! Oh, I’d never tell Of thy magic lore Amd its secret store, Nor the darkling haunts where thine elfins dwell! Ah, hasten, ship! for I stay alone; All my toys forgot With their worldly lot, And the joys of their happy moments flown! —Laurence E. Dayton, ’18.