Antioch College - Towers Yearbook (Yellow Springs, OH)

Page 162 text:

Merlin Otterbein Smelker, Dayton, Ohio Ruth Elizabeth Smith, Chieopee Falls, Massachusetts Howard Nisbet Sokol, Sibley, Iowa Kenneth G. Spencer, Salamanca, New Yorlg Homer Phillips Stall, Norwood, Ohio Frank Iohn Starkey, Mount Clemens, Michigan Iohn Beckwith Steiger, Reezlley, California Beatrice Elizabeth Stevens, Yellow Springs, Ohio Claire Frances Stevens, Proaidefzee, Rhode Islana' Dorothy Marie Stiller, Manasqaan, New Iersey 160

Page 161 text:

THE SIDING ' ' -' HE last shadows of a warm spring afternoon were V fast fading into the cool somberness of twilight y... At the base of an immense cement buttress, Hank- .T:'-if,. -ff' ' ' ' f h- MJ X' ing the bridge s end, glowed and crackled a res ly built fire. lts smoke trailed up the wall into the nothingness of the evening sky. In the glare of the blaze, their faces brought into prominence by the light, sat three men. Over the fire, hanging on a crotched stick, was a pot of stew. The steam, mixed with the pungent smoke, made a most appetizing and enticing odor. With a long stick, one of the ltrio, apparently the cook, would stir the mess. He was short and pudgy-faced. Funny it don't come. The man sitting opposite the cook had spoken. Over one of his eyes hung a patch. His face was continually twitching and had a gaunt appearance. Maybe she's flate tonightf' The answer came from a rat- faced hunchback, who sat with his cup ready for some of the food. Let's have some of tha grub, before ya wear it out with yer stirrinf' I-le shoved his cup across the fire with a shaking hand. Thick or thin, Sir?', The cook held the stick daintily in his hand with his little finger distended. Come off with yer high manners and gimme some of that stuff! My word, Humpy, but you are becoming most over- whelmingly irritable? He took the offered cup and dexter- 159 -

Page 163 text:

N ,f ously dipped it into the stew with one hand while he took the second cup from the patch-eyed individual, with the other. He gave them both their respective shares and produced a cup from the mysterious depths of his copious coat pocket. When they all were ready the repast noisily began. The silence of hunger being satisfied prevailed. Conversation was replaced by the noisy chewing and gulping of the slum-gum. What do you think of it, Patchy? Patchy started to answer but was forced to stop by a spasm of lung-racking coughs. The other two looked at each other and shook their heads. 'When the coughing stopped he lay back weakly on the ground, moaning occasionally. Getting cooler, eh Patehyf' The rat-faced hunchback looked at the Hgure on the ground with pity in his eyes. The cook poked the Ere into a bed of neat coals, sat back and drew forth from the same mysterious pocket remnants of a sturnpy pipe. This he proceeded to pack and light. He sucked the smoke deep into his lungs, looking at the glowing bowl as he exhaled the smoke slowly through his nostrils. For some moments no one spoke. The fire simmered down to a small bed of shimmering coals, occasionally crack- ing and shooting a spark towards the worn shoes of the men. From the distance, far across the river, echoed a long low blast of a train's whistle, followed by three short blasts. A head light Hashed through the far-away trees along the river. 161