Arlington High School - Indian Yearbook (Arlington, MA)

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ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION. I 2 A dull crash below, as some partition wall fell, roused him from his revery, and with haggard face he prepared to launch himself out on the air. He stretched forth gingerly one foot to the edge of the sill, he brought up his next, his left wing he squeezed through and last his right, and bending far over he prepared to give that one fateful leap which was to mean life or death to him. But as he had almost left his footing a sudden fear seized him, he waved his wings madly forward, and then tried to clutch the side of the casement. The crowd below became hushed and only the crackle of the flames cut the death-like stillness. For a moment he wavered there eight stories above the pavement, when the issue was suddenly decided for him in a most businesslike manner. There was a rush and a scramble inside the small chamber, a streak of fur flashed through the air as the obsequious feline before alluded to made a flying leap from the old bedstead, and landed all fours on Hiram’s back. What was to happen next was not left long in doubt. Poor Hiram, imagining no doubt that grim Death itself had fixed its talons upon him, gave one horror-stricken look over his shoulder and bounded out into the air. For a moment there he floated far, far above the crowd like a huge bird, his bare legs kicking convulsively up and down,, his bright red dressing gown floating far out behind like the train of a shooting-star, his great, broad wings fiercely beating the air, his drawn face and starting eyes, and above all the cat, perched securely on his back with a firm and perhaps painful con- nection with his neck, all presenting a sight calculated to change the seeming tragedy into an uproarious comedy. The pair had shot past five stories in as many seconds when Hiram’s equilibrium was suddenly disturbed, one wing went down and the other went up and Hiram’s position was changed accordingly. Indeed, it seemed as if he had passed the principal focus and now the concave mirror of the sky had inverted him and sent him towards earth in a position highly dangerous to himself. But fate again intervened. A sudden stop, a feeling as if a hundred switches had been laid over him and Hiram sat up in a cradle of telegraph wires. What his discourse was in respect to that great invention which bridges the widest seas, which brings together the uttermost parts of the globe and yet kept Hiram from the embrace of his dear old Mother Earth, is not exactly known. Perhaps the opera- tor took his words down as they sped along the wires, but if so they would be only a series of dashes and would not therefore interest the reader. A life net was spread below and when the word was given, Hiram, with his insep- arable prefix, flopped over and in a flash of white and red landed safely in the net. The cat still holds an honored place in Hiram’s household and his set dream ever since, prompted I suspect, by a considera- tion for his own neck, has been to make a miniature flying apparatus for his feline friend. Edward L. Viets, ’05. Try our Delicious Sodas and College Ices Milk Shakes by Electricity. C. W. GROSSMITH, REGISTERED PHARnACtST, Mass. Avenue, cor. Mystic St-, Arlington. Two-thirds of your life is spent in Hosiery. A practical acquaintance with the lines we carry assures you a contented other one-third. Central Dry Goods Co., 477 Massachusetts Avenue.

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ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION. 1 1 louder and clearer upon his ear beat the dread, hoarse cry “ Fire ! ” Quickly he looked down at the structure beneath and with a look of horror saw the fourth story was a mass of roaring flames. The third and fifth were scarcely better off, and the mighty conflagration was eating its way with terrible rapidity towards his own floor. Even now, little bright tongues of fire curled out of the seventh story windows and pointed their bright fingers mockingly at Hiram’s pale face. He drew in his head and made a dash for the stairway. His slippered feet had pattered down three steps when he stopped short with a cry of horror. The five upper floors had already been partly burned away and the blaze, now under a powerful draught, roared up in a great column of flame five stories high, which threatened to change the sky-scraper into a rubbish heap in half an hour. For a moment Hiram stood still and tried to think cooly. He looked down the roaring pillar of fire and decided wisely enough that even an urchin clad in the toughest corduroy would hesitate long before shinning down such a trunk. He rushed over to the window again but one glance in that direction was enough. “ The time has come, ” he cried, “ when the fury of the elements shall yield to the cunning of the human mind. ” With this pet phrase scarcely out of his mouth, he ran over to the long white object and with a rapidity and ease born only of long prac- tice fitted the thing on to his waist and tightly drew the straps. His face now was of deathly palor, his eyes shone with almost unearthly fire, his hands trembled as he strained the straps and his whole form quivered with that tenseness of strain which a person can feel only in the shadow of death. With as firm a step as he could com- mand he sidled over to the window, his long red dressing robe flowing out behind and the two wings flopping awkwardly by his side. Stepping upon the edge of the chair he attempted to thrust his wings out. But, alas, they were too big. Quickly he jumped down and grabbing the chair, almost maddened by the thought of being trapped, he hurled it with all his might at the sash, with the result that it, together with a shower of broken sticks, pieces of glass and such bric-a-brac, de- scended on the crowd beneath. It was said afterwards that the bottomless chair would have collared one of the big policemen had not a pair of big lopping ears arrested its further descent. Having thus broken up housekeeping with characteristic energy, Hiram again mounted the broad sill. For a time he stood motionless as a statue, gazing far out over the dull gray sea of slated roofs to the distant horizon where the sun, barely peep- ing over the brim of the ocean, was begin- ning to shoot long streaks of rosy light over the arch of the sky ; wondering, doubtless, whether another such sun would see him in the realm of the living. The advertisers in the Clarion are worthy the patronage of its readers. They are a factor in its success. J. Henry Hartwell Son, DOW GTLIfiS, Undertakers . Medford Street, Arlington. ..Dry Goods and Small (Oares.. Tel. Con. Residence and Night Call 792 Mass. Ave. POST OFT ICE BL ' CK, ARLINGTON, MASS.

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ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION. »3 The hockey team has once again proved its merits to the pride which the school feels in it. The team won both games played in the Interpreparatory League, defeating Rox- bury High by the score 2-0, and winning from Mechanics Arts by a score of 2-1. These victories w r ere the result of clean, honest playing, and that protests should be made seems unmanly in the extreme. Early in the season, Capt. Hicks, finding himself unable to continue the work, re- resigned. The charge of the team was undertaken by Howard Viets, who soon brought the squad into fast winning form. Practice was daily in progress, first in early wdnter in the school basement, and then, as soon as possible, on Spy Pond. Snow, in whatever quantities it came, proved no hindrance to the work, for many willing hands quickly cleared a space for the prac- tice. Too much credit cannot be bestowed on those who made success possible by their energetic efforts. When we consider that the team was recruited, to a large ex- tent, from inexperienced players, the team ' s work is still more to be praised. The for- wards, Clifford, Captain Viets, Hicks, J. Taylor and Marston all played a fast, aggressive game, good team w r ork being responsible for most of the scores. Phil. Taylor, at cover point, played his position with credit, and together with Grey, point, and Bullard, goal, made a defense which would be hard to beat. Winchester, our old rival, suffered defeat tw ' ice by the decisive scores of 7 to i. Somerville High, Cambridge Latin, and various scrub teams were also defeated. Long live the fame of A. H. S. hockey team ! Through the provisions of the Pratt fund, the school has been able to enjoy this win- ter a series of six lectures on the drama. A limited number of tickets were offered for sale to the public, and many availed themselves of the opportunity to hear lec- tures of a high order of excellence. As the proceeds from the sale of these ticket s were turned over to the Athletic Associa- tion. It is to be regretted that more interest was not displayed in disposing of them. Since athletics cannot long continue with- out the necessary funds, the urgency of the situation requires much greater activity on the part of its promoters. Let that spirit of energy and loyalty now show itself and make it evident that difficulties, fairly met, can be overcome. Try Napoleon Flour The Highest Grade Flour on the Market Wm. Whytal Son, Arlington Agents.