Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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THE AEGIS Arriving at the pier, they threw the corpse into the foaming waters of Lake Michigan. That was the last they saw of Big-foot Liz. The body floated down the canal into the Illinois River on its way to the Mississippi, but by the time it reached Peoria, a heavy storm washed it upon the beach at Al Fresco park and it was soon covered up by the sand washed over it by the Waves. Q W 'li ill ll ll' ll if i U If About ten years later, a Bloomington contracting firm was building a pier on the beach of the park and in excavating for the concrete base, the bones of Big-foot Liz were unearthed. The contractor, remembering that the biological department of the Bloom- ington high school was in need of a human skeleton, had the bones scrubbed and mounted and presented them to our school. The skeleton in Mr. Phillips' room can be identified by the hatchet cut in the back of the skull and the upper front teeth missing, due to the blow re- ceived by the stool thrown at her. Few students who are called upon to point out the bones of the human anat- omy, realize that they stand before the bones of Big-foot Liz. As one sits and looks at her in silence, little does he realize that her cracked skull once contained much knowledge of criminals and their crimes. PLAY THE GAME LUCILE SPALDING. Come on, canst hear the battle 's call? Nor feel the challenge hurled to all? Oh What's the goal for which you aim, Do you play for honor, love or fame? As on the field, vibrant, intense, You plan to break through the defense, You heed not the falls, nor the battle 's din, It's heads up always-pep and vim. If you can smile in a losing game, Can keep the goal in view just the same E 'en rough and hard, as it may seem It's testing the mettle of our team. So 'tis in the game of life, You must carry your colors thru all strife, And here 's to those who start in to win Who'd lay down their lives before they'd give in. 15

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THE AEGIS t'We'll visit Peacock's to-night, was the hasty decision of Black Pete. At a quarter past twelve, the five crooks left their room bound for Peacock 's. They arrived on the scene just as the policeman on the beat had left the store after giving it its final inspection for the night. Pegleg Bugatti was stationed as lookout and the rest, after filing a bar from the rear window entered the magnificent store of Peacock. They immediately set to work on the combination, which responded without trouble or hesitation. Once the vault was open it was an easy matter to rid it of its valuable con- tents. Their eyes sparkled with joy as they deposited the precious stones in a bag they carried for the purpose. It took them but a couple of minutes to do their work and they were then ready to quit the place. Before they retreated through the window Black Pete cautiously looked out to see if the coast was clear. It was a lucky hunch, for there beneath the window was a husky cop, shaking Bugatti by the shoulder and trying to make him talk. Stamps drew his revolver and was about to send the cop on an endless journey, when his hand was suddenly gripped by Dagger Dick. You fool, he whispered, don't you know that if you fired that gun, there would be a dozen cops on us in a jiffy? Stamps put the gun in his hip pocket, thankful that he had bee11 taught a lesson. It did not take Black Pete long to decide. With all his strength, he picked up a heavy copy press that was standing near the window, and judging ac- curately, he dropped it on the policeman 's head, splitting it clean to his shoul- dcrs. The victim uttered not a sound but fell lifeless to the ground, before the astonished Bugatti. The four hastily climbed through the window and, with Pegleg, hurried to their rendezvous. Arriving at their dingy room, they at once set to work examining their loot. A sharp clang startled them for a moment, but their fears were soon relieved for it was only the church clock striking two. After all the loot was examined, it was carefully put away under the floor, and the group once more hit the dope pipe. Then Black Pete related to Bugatti the method taken in disposing of the cop. Big-foot Liz listened attentively till the story was finished. She then arose and walked over to the group and begged for a drag of the dope pipe. ' A Go lay down, you hag, commanded Black Pete. You are full of the juice now. But Big-foot Liz craved it and became hysterical. Speck Moss picked up a stool and heaved it at her, striking her in the mouth and knocking several of her teeth out. The blow stunned her for a couple of minutes. They had gone a little too far and had broken the last thread of Liz 's endurance. She quickly arose and started for the door. Where are you going? thundered Black Pete. , I'll stand no more such treatment from you bums, she replied. Hlllll going to snitchf' and with that she opened the door. Black Pete was angry and quickly grasping a hatchet, which was lying close at hand, he heaved it with all his might at Liz. It struck her at the base of the skull, and with a loud shriek. she dropped dead to the floor, the hatchet still sticking in her skull. This scene had no effect on the hardened criminals. They immediately wrapped the body up and started for the lake to dispose of it. 14

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THE AEGIS THE OLD PIONEERHS STORY FERDINAND SENSENEY. This is a genuine bear story and was told by an old pioneer, who actually had the experience himself. It was a cold night in J anuary,-how well I re- member it now! The boys were sitting before a roaring fire in a snug little mountain cabin when the old battle scarred native plunged into his favorite theme. He slowly began: The huntin' fever had been pester'n me fer weeks and when the day broke over Black Ridge one New Year's mornin '-way back in the eighties-I jist couldn't restrain my feelins' no longer, so I took my big Win- chester out of the corner, buckled on my hunting knife, called my dog and headed off up Gray's Canyon along Brier Creek. I never seed such a fine day. It wasn't too cold to be disagreeable but jist crisp enough to make a feller step along liv'ly like. The country up 'Gray's Canyon' ain't no ordinary piece o' ground. The scen'ry ain't nothin' to brag on but the briers what grows there is most remark- able. Land o' mighty! yur niver seed such a growth. Why in some places they come clean up to your shoulders. And thick! You niver seed such thick 'uns. I've heard men tell 'bout all the b'ars that have their habitation in this here canyon. Some cal 'late you 'l meet a b'ar ev 'ry mile. I'de always laughed at 'em but the further I went that mornin' the more stock I took in their sayin 's. It sure was a real b'ar country and I was watchin' close. 'II Wasn't exactly surprised when my dog growled and the hair went up on his back. He looked so durn much like a porcupine, that I jist had to chuckle a little, but I remembered and threw a shell into place and waited. Then I hear 'd a rustlin' in the briers and when a bald face grizzly and her cub comes into view I'll have to admit I was jist a little nervous, and a cold chill up my back sent my own hair on end. I sure was serious now and I planned in a hurry. I know 'd thet grizzlys' was hard to kill so I decided to wait till the old b'ar was right close and then I'd have a dead sure aim and the soft nose bullet would do the work. The cub didn 't bother me much, I know 'd I could tend ta' him all right if I could jist git his mammy out 0' the way. When the old b'ar spied us, she growls kind o' vicious like and makes a bee line fer us at a right smart pace. I had a bead on a little spot between her eyes, she warn't mor'n three yards away now, I pulled the trigger but the b'ar niver stopped. It seems queer but that there gun niver went off. I was jist a throwin' a'nother shell into place, but it warn't no use. The old b'ar was upon me now and madder than a hornet. VVith one awful sweep of her mighty paw, she knocked that gun clean out of my hands, as if I 'de been a baby, and sent it a sailin'. I he'rd it light over in the brambles but there wasn't no use tryin' to git it, the briers was too thick. 'Before that b'ar had time to think, I had my long knife in my hand and was ready to do battle. If it hadn't been fer my dog I'de a had two b'ars to fight instead a' one. As it was the little rascal pil 'd on that cub jist as if he'd been a real dog, and kept him occupied, that was all what was nec'ary. The big grizzly was ravin' mad now and looked at me out them red eyes 0' her'n jist like a lunatic might look at you when he's got his hands on your throat. I 16