Arlington High School - Indian Yearbook (Arlington, MA)

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THE ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION Shortly after the mate came below. Here's the doll, Mr. Turner, said the captain's wife. Sweety 'll be too proud. said Mr. Turner, grinning. It's all right, he whispered. Here, let me stick it in her stocking— so I About midnight 1 was awakened by a crash. The stern of the schooner went up, her nose went down. She seemed to rush ahead, then she came to with a lurch. As I tried to pick myself up. Sweety thrust her head out of bed clothes and rubbed her eyes, and then, catching sight of her doll, exclaimed : Oh, oh, Santa Claus has come!” She seemed heedless of the storm, yet the schooner was listed to the port and rolling heavily. The captain rushed in, shouting: Here, get the belts on quick's ye can !” Have we struck?” Xo, but the rudder's gone, and the fore-mast’s down. The schooner's done.” Oh, Papa,” called Sweety, see what Santy has brought me!” Yes, yes. Sweety; it’s nice, ain’t it ?” lie answered absently. But you'll have to get dressed, Sweety, soon's you kin. Fix her up warm, Mother.” When day broke, we all dotted the rigging, like dies in a web. I looked over where Sweety and her mother were. 1 could see the child's lips move as she looked at her doll. Toward noon a smudge of smoke blurred the skyline, and two hours later a large steamer was standing by, two miles away. Then a boat’s oars flashed on the crest of the sea, and came, nearer and nearer. It wasn't until sundown when we were finally lifted out of the rigging and hoisted on board the liner. Tn some way Sweety dropped her doll overboard. For a minute I feared that her Christmas would be spoiled after all. But Mr. Turner, being yet in the boat, as luck would have it, made a grab for the doll, went over- board, seized it, was pulled in, and presently had the pleasure of restoring the treasure to Sweety, where she lay curled up in a bunk with the ship's surgeon busy at work at her little frost bitten fingers and toes. But Sweety didn’t mind her lingers and toes, now that she had her Christmas doll again. Thornton C utter , 14. KFTBOSPFCTIXd. Drifting, ever drifting the white flakes silent fell, Ottering jeweled billows to hill and plain and dell. Moaning, always moaning, the plaintive pine trees weep, (Guarding slumbering nature, reposed about their feet. Laughing, gently laughing, the tiny streamlet sings. Sheltered neath its silvery roof, long- ing just for spring. Drifting, moaning, laughing; how like humanity ! Living in a struggling world, 'midst a troublous sea. Drifting is temptation, that helps us learn to rise. Moanings are the sorrows which lure us to the skies. Laughing comes to greet us. though de- feat stands in our way; AN hile, hoping and believing, our skies will not stay gray. Failures and despomlings give only just a chance To help us fully realize, the worth of an upward glance. Defeat, that seems to threaten our last supporting pride. Teaches us the sooner, in simple faith to hide. Day by day will brighter grow. Let it be confessed, Things which seemed so hard to bear were for us the best.

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6 THE ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION of Christmas wishes men to have, and which they could very well learn from that poor, dumb creature, who was made by the same Creator, and did as that Creator wished him to do. Thomas Lyons, '14. AT TWILIGHT. The sun was set. the evening air was chill. And o'er the grey and naked hilltops drear And thro’ the leafless trees with arms outstretched The winter wind soughed with a mourn- ful tune. The world looked barren, hard, and full of pain. Then suddenly the wind was hushed and still. And all was wrapt in quiet, deep and full, As tlio the world were waiting for a sign That should a promise be of joy and peace. From heaven a token of God's grace was given ; Gentlv the soft white snow began to fall And cover up the sins and scars of earlh With that pure symbol of God’s love and cheer. And the whole world seemed nearer unto God And Holiness and Peace reigned over all. (t. 7 . Morgan. A SIGN OF WINTER. Although pheasants are seen through- out the year, they seem especially nu- merous in the autumn and winter, when one can hardly see fewer than three or four while on a ten-minute walk through the woods. My first introduc- tion to a pheasant was made several years ago in the latter part of the win- ter. 1 was gathering pussy willows on the edge of a small swamp, and had stepped backward into some tail, dead grass, so that 1 might see better the best place for my knife to work, when suddenly, without any warning: Bang 1 bang ! boom ! boom 1 whr-r-r ! whr-r-r! To say that I was frightened was to put it mildly, and if anyone had l een around with a tape he would have found that I had taken the record for high jumping. I landed facing the direction from which the explosion had come, only to see a large bird dapping leisurely away. Yesterday while I was returning through the woods from a tramp at dusk. I saw seven, and heard many clucking on their roosts, while the day before I watched one retreat silently by scooting away on its feet. I have noticed that in the early spring and late winter their explosions are clear, not unlike a bunch of lady crackers going off. but that now the ex- plosions are not so clear: a sound more like someone drumming on a tin can. The clucking in the dusk of in- innumerable pheasants on their roosts is one herald to me of the winter Parry Reiche , '17. A CHRISTMAS OX A COASTER. We were snug in the cabin of the Ellen Bayne, and our captain’s little girl kept asking if it wasn't time to hang her stocking. I lounged in my bunk reading, and when the schooner staggered in a hol- low of the sea I was glad 1 was a pas- senger and not one of the crew. The captain came below at six. Well. Sweety. said he. “What do you think Santy 'll bring you tonight? “Maybe he’ll bring me a doll.'’ “That'd lie jolly. I hope he brings me a let up of foul weather.” We had a large cargo of cypress, and had been beating northward for a week. Tt had grown bitter cold, and the gale had struck us good, but Sweety didn’t mind. Her head was full of Santy, and her stocking was now hung at the foot of her bunk.

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8 THE ARLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CLARION The past year's gone forever (it’s joys and sorows o’er), And shining stars now tell us, eternity lies before. Drifting, moaning, laughing, our por- tion still has been, But may we live more nobly ’til Heaven will here begin. Then gaze with upward glances 1 o where a chorus swells, Of angel voices singing, “All must be well.” Adella IF. McMillan. '14. “MA’S” PRESENT. “Pa” Benson wrinkled his forehead in deep thought. Because of unex- pected profits this year, he was eager to make the approaching Christmas a red-letter day for his worthy spouse. Gift after gift present ed itself to his mind, only to be rejected on one ground or another. Suddenly a thought flashed over him so quickly, he jumped right up as if he were sitting on a hot potato, and just chuckled. There were no more doubts in bis mind now as to what “Ma’s” Christmas present should be. So eager was he to go to the city to select it, he could hardly wait for the next day to come. When it did come, and he found himself in all the bustle and confusion of a big city at Christ- mas time, he felt like a fish suddenly lifted from the water of his native brook, and cast into the roaring ocean. With a “do or die’’ expression on his face he followed the crowd, or speaking more properly, was carried along with it. info a store fairly glittering with lights and the brilliancy of Christmas decorations. II is mind was fully made up as to what lie wanted, but — he looked around, dazzled by so much splendor, — how was he to find it here? Why here was a sma'l town in itself! Finally, after wandering aimlessly about for some few minutes, he stepped up to a beautifully gowned woman who looked as if she might know everything — or nothing, perhaps ! — and said politely : “Could you tell me, ma’am, where I might find — dresses ?” She looked him over from head to foot, while all the time conscious of the shabbiness of his best suit of clothes, he felt himself growing smaller and smaller, fairly dwindling away. At last she condescended to murmur: “I have no idea.” Pa, turning away in utter despair, took out his great handkerchief, and wiped the drops of perspiration from his face. Oh, but Ibis was infinitely harder than a day’s work on the farm! But when he put his hand to the plough at home, he went on, regardless of obstacles. So did he here. Seeing a group of people crowding into a little box-like contrivance at one end of the store, be folowed. As the elevator sped upward on one of its in- numerable journeys during the day, he was rewarded by hearing the welcome words : “Fourth floor, suits, coats, dresses,” and he hastily stepped off. his hopes rising rapidly. Looking about, he descried a gown draped upon one of the forms, which he considered prettier than anything he had ever conceived of. As a haughty young woman sauntered toward him, he ventured to ask its price. One hundred and forty dollars,” was the answer, as indifferently as one might say, “one hundred and forty cents.” Gathering up the last remnants of his fast oozing courage, he heard him- self asking if there wasn’t something not so expensive. Not in this department. She di- rected him to another section of the store with a vague wave of the hand. “Pa,” after following as nearly as possible the direction pointed out, stated his desire to another very elab- orately dressed person, who calmly asked him what size. The question struck him as a thunderbolt from a clear sky.