Berkeley High School - Olla Podrida Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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THE OLLA PODRIDA 15 Poor Jack, lying at the end of the field, slow- ly came to consciousness. He had received a blow on the head and it had dazed and weak- ened him. When he saw how the team-work was going to pieces without him, and realized what was depending on the issue of the game, he attempted to rise but could not. As he lay thus, he could seethe props which were holding up the bleachers. Could his eyes be failing him, or was his mind wandering from the effect of the blow? Surely the beams were slipping. He looked again and again; shut his eyes and looked again. He was not mistaken. High upon the bleachers he could see Mabel anxiously and fearfully watching the Hanford team gain yard after yard by Gor- don ' s fierce bucks. She was all unaware of danger. He must save her before the crowd should become aware of its danger and a mad stampede follow. The excitement lent strength to his limbs and he hurried towards her and made his way up to the place where she was sitting. When he stood beside her he whispered, Mabel, you must come with me; you are wanted. She looked at him in surprise, but there was some- thing in his eyes that made her obey and she 3 42T immediately followed him. Hurrying as fast as they could without causing alarm, they were half way to the ground when Jack felt the bleachers tremble beneath him and hastily turning he seized Mabel under one arm, just as he was accustomed to hold the little half-back while helping him along. Far out he sprang at the moment when the bleachers collapsed and the people were hurled to injury and death. But having saved Mabel, Jack ' s weakness returned and he would have fallen heavily to the ground if Mabel had not caught him. Down on her knees she sank beside him amid the cries and groans of the injured. Mabel lifted Jack ' s head to her lap just as the eyelids flick- ered and opened, and the eyes gazed wonder- ment at the sweet face bending over him. Mabel, he murmured, and his eyes closed again. She chafed his face and hands and Jack re- turned to consciousness. Did we win? he asked anxiously. Neither side scored, she said, but I — I think that you that you won Jack. And some- how her hand crept into his. William S. Andrews. A O W. C. C, who is this maiden rare, This fairy queen with her curly hair, Whose voice is like a silvery bell, This stately one you love so well? Is she a maiden who lives and sleeps, Is she a princess one seldom meets, Or is she a dream of vapcrs thin, Who only lives when the fire grows dim? QUESTION NAUGHTY The class was ' merged in English deep] In long dull silence seeming sleep. Then with a wrap the door ope ' d wide And there stood Jimmie in his pride. Is she a belle of the B. H. S., Is she a middler. Junior, or much less Of the baby class who torment our life With their nonsense and their strife? Come, do not keep this vision fair, All alone, but let us share Her stately grace, her beauty rare, Her silvery laugh, and her curly hair. T H R E. PHOTO. Straightway told he with portly airs, The middle class to march down stairs, For the board had given a permit To a photo man to photo it. Soon as the words were through his lips Young Potter through the doorway slips Fell down the stairway with a rush — The camera caught a photo ' ed blush. S. C. H., ' 03.

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i 4 THE OLLA But Jack, I have almost promised him and what am I to do? Then a brilliant idea occurred to him. Do you know, Mabel, whether Gordon expects to win the game next week or not? Yes, she said, he is so confident of win- ning that he would stake anything on the re- sult. Do you think he would stake you on the game? Jack eagerly asked. Stake me? she exclaimed. Yes you. Do you think you could get Gordon to consent to let the game decide. If he wins 1 will leave him a clear field, and if 1 win he must do the same for me. But Jack, she asked anxiously, are you sure you will win, Ralph seems confident that you won ' t? We will win, 1 know, he said seriously, for although they are heavier than we are and have a lot of fallen stars, yet our f el - lovs have got the grit and the team-work and we will give a good account of ourselves. You see 1 am as confident as Gordon since 1 am will- ing to stake you on the game also. If you feel certain that you will win, Jack, 1 will tell Ralph that the game must decide between you, and 1 think he will agree since 1 am sure, she had added archly, that he is a little jealous of you. It hadn ' t taken much persuasion, as Mabel told Jack afterwards, for Gordon was so confi- dent of victory that the thought of defeat never entered his mind, and he imagined it would be an easy way to rid himself of a dangerous rival. But to return to the game, Jack ' s counten- ance brightened as the whistle sounded and the Hanford full-back sent the ball sailing through the air on the first kick-off, straight into the arms of Buckeley ' s left half-back. Like a flash he was off toward the right side of the field but as he sped by Jack, running in opposite direction, he passed the ball back to him and the wily captain was away on one of the runs that made him famous. Three, six, nine, eleven of the white chalk lines were left behind as dodging and straight-arming, he P O D R 1 D A slipped past by the crimson jerseys. It seemed that he was bound for a touch-down, when the rival full-back, Ralph Gordon, tack- led him on the sixty-five-yard line. It was a glorious run — sixty yards— but not to a touch- down. For a few moments pandemonium reigned among the Buckeley sympathizers, but it quickly dwindled to a su rprised silence when the Hanford team took the ball on downs. Jack ' s run had been due to a momentary ex- cess of zeal on the part of the Hanfordites and when they saw the result of their care- lessness, they settled down to work. Up and down the field the ball was carried by fierce line-bucking, repeatedly changing hands, and now one line, now the other held for downs. Captain Jack was playing as he had never played before, for he knew that a pretty pair of brown eyes were anxiously following him in every play, but for once his accurate passing and splendid generalship seemed of no avail. The first half ended without either team scoring and when the second half began, the excitement rose to a fever heat. The team work of Buckeley was perfect and slowly and surely they were forcing Hanford backwards. Suddenly a spectator cried, By Jove! but that was a tumble! Mabel looked across the field and saw the mass of writhing humanity untangle itself, but there lay one form, white and still, on the ground. The figure was borne off the gridiron, another player was substituted and the game went on, but that motionless fig- ure held a fascination for Mabel. She followed with her eyes, and as it was carried past the spectators her heart gave a great leap. It was Jack! She started from her seat but then she re- membered that she was not yet his; the game must decide. Offering many silent prayers for Jack, she watched with dismay the Han- ford team bucking their way steadily down the field. Now they were only five yards from the goal and it seemed that a touchdown was bound to be made. But Buckely responded to the entreaties of her rooters and got the ball on downs, when they soon kicked it out of danger.

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i6 THE OLLA PODRIDA How Robert Arrived. (SHELDON W. CHENEY.) The end of the second month of school was drawing near, and Robert Waitt had not done well in Latin. At the end of the first month, he had found opposite the word Latin on his report card, the number fifty-eight. He was Miss Burke ' s poorest student, but she had kindly offered to give him another chance. At the same time, she had warned him that he w ould be dropped a class if he did not bring his mark above seventy the next month. His weakness did not lie in his translation. He did fairly well in. that. But he had care- lessly neglected to study the constructions and look up the many references for rules which Miss Burke had given in the class. And then too, though he was a good-natured boy and liked among his companions, he was not par- ticularly bright. As he entered the Latin room on Thursday morning of the last week of the month, he was very nervous. He knew he was not perfect in the rules which Miss Burke had assigned to the class, and he had been specially warned on the preceding day. He was not called on until the recitation was nearly finished. But as he began to compli- ment himself on escaping so easily, he suddenly heard his name Mr. Waitt, ' Allobrogibus imperavit. ' What is the case of Allobrogibua, and give the rule ? Robert ' s heart gave a sudden leap and for the moment he could not think at all. Almost before he knew it, the answer came: I ' m not prepared, he stammered confusedly. The teacher ' s face took on a stern expression. Mr. Waitt, she said, you will please come to the desk before leaving the room. Robert sank back into his seat, ruefully wish- ing that he had at least tried to recite, and his angry mood was not helped by the low-spoken comments of the class. Look out, she bites, you ' ll get it now, and other equally cheerful remarks come to him in whispers from behind. After the recitation Miss Burke talked to him in what he afterwards described as a two-dol- lar-lecture style. Mr. Waitt, she said severely, in conclu- sion, I ' ll give you just one more day in which to learn those rules; if you do not know them then, I shall send you to Mr. Wolf. As he left the room he felt greatly depressed. He knew ? really, that it was his own fault, and yet he had tried in his own way and had thought that his work was better than it was. He felt that in some way it was unjust that she should be so severe. He studied his other lessons during the whole of Thursday afternoon, so that he might have the evening in which to do his Latin. He had made up his mind that he would know those rules. After dinner that evening the Waitt family gathered in the living-room, as was their wont, for a few minutes of quiet companionship before the boys had to begin studying. Walter, Rob- ert ' s older brother, flung himself into an easy chair and took up a book, while George, three years younger than himself, brought a chair up to the table and began trying vainly to draw likenesses of the different members of the family; and the others settled down to their usual evening pursuits. Suddenly they became aware of a sort of low buzz in the room, that grew louder all the time. It was one of those indistinct, annoying mur- murs, that seemed to come from everywhere at once. As it grew r more distinct, they located it as coming from Robert. He was reciting over his Latin to himself. Most verbs mean to favor, help, please, trust, and their contraries; also those — Oh, shut up, Robert, can ' t you? It ' s enough to drive a fellow crazy, broke in Walter. I can ' t help it, Robert snapped. I ' ve got to learn this rule. ' Most verbs signifying to favor — ' ' O, keep stili, can ' t you ? said George in t u r n .