Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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T H E A E G I S 25 ANYWHERE IN AUSTRIA Lotus EPs'r1a1N The battle was over and all was still and motionless on the field. Perhaps it had once been a green pasture, dotted with passive sheep and their joyful lambs, or with peace-loving cattle grazing on the fresh grasses. Now-all was changed. The turf was cut and overturned in many places where heavy wheels had crushed it. Unsightly holes showed where shells had exploded-on men? A shallow trench crossed the field, and near it were the ruins of cannon. A huge oak had been struck by an exploding shell, and its limbs, half-buried, now lay prostrate. Mangled horses lay about, sometimes upon their riders. Near the oak, a French peasant felt that the wound in his breast was soon t.o prove fatal. All night long he had prayed that Death might still the cruel pain in his chest, but now numbness had silenced the burning nerves and his thoughts were free. The sky was clear, and fresh, and blue. A strong, warm sun was in the ascent. Somewhere in France, was that same blue sky and that same bright sun, looking down on a pure, simple cottage. Far away, Oh! so far away that simple little cottage. And its inmates-Sophie and the chil- dren, Emile, Remi, Francois. Never, never would he see them again. O, God! lt was unbearable. His head rolled over and his eyes fell upon a tiny flower that still dared to lift its head on the field of Death. lt was the muguet. How Sophie loved its white blossoms! How she had loved to gather them in the Spring! ...... Oh ! what misery! After all, what was the difference? Here was the same sweet flowers as were back there in France. The same blue sky and the same golden sun looked down on the same big Mother-earth. A few yards away lay another form. Slowly, laboriously, painfully, he dragged his body over to the other. It was a German soldier. A deep red cut across the head and temple showed what had caused his death. He was an enemy. Was he an enemy? What was it all about anyway? Back at that little cottage, all had been peaceful and happy and contented. Then came The War. He had been told that the Germans were cruel, and would invade his tranquil little home. A slight breeze arose and stirred the fair locks over the peaceful face of the dead man. He was a German. After all, did not the same sky and the same sun look down on Germany that looked down on France, and on Austria? Again the breeze stirred the dead man's hair. Perhaps he too had somewhere a humble cottage and his own Sophie, and his own little Emile, and Remi, and Francois. Farther off somewhere, a dying soldier was trying with his last breath to sing a hymn. Scarcely audible, the words floated to him on the breeze: Tu notre Dieu, Pere de bonte. Nous sommes tout tes enfa'n,fs. Yes, we are all His children. Still-? Even a man would not want his sons to fight each other. Surely the Great Father does not want his children to kill one another? Oh, what was it all about? Why must he die here, far away

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T H E A E G I S INTERRUPTIONS HELEN H Anmsox When we all came to school at the first of the year, And started our classes anew, Things continued as smoothly as if well in gear, And we acted quite calm, for us, too. VVhen the teachers arrived on the morn of each day And they started their classes with spirit, There appeared on their faces expressions quite gay, ' But lo and behold -- There was hustle and bustle-no one was cool, For in line and according to size, Two by two we marched over to our new high school And we waved at the camera's eyes. - After this great event, we had hardly calmed down, When confused but slightly elated, Since the germ of a smallpox had sailed into town, We were sent up to be vaccinated. Then- It was awful, and terrible, quite vexing, too, And created a shocking sensation. How we fussed and we fumed till we felt mighty blue, They compelled us to take spring vacation! VVhcn we came back to school, I truly believe That you might have seen curious things, Such as limping on crutches, and empty coat sleeves, Also arms that were bound up in slings. But 't is now almost over, and no one seems ailing, So perhaps we shall have pretty soon, Just a short little stretch of some quieter sailing From this uproarious time until June.

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26 THE AEGIS from the children and his wife? XVhy niust the others die far away from their homes and their families? Little golden-haired Emile, sweet little Francois, and Reini who was just beginning school. A little hird alighted on the hlasted oak and commenced to sing. The peasant ceased st ruggrling with his thoughts. His hody relaxed and his head fell on the ii0l'Ill2lll'S hreast. Sweet and elenr the little hird's song floated on the air. NVhite, fleeey clouds were hegxinning' to appear in the hlue sky, hut the sun still sent its bright rays down to the earth. 'Phe pure little muguel nodded its hells in the breeze. A tiny field-mouse ran across the field, scranihling' over the soldiers' hodies. A cloud floated hefore the sun, veilingr its bright rays. Out aeross the field, the dying' soldier's hymn sank into a despondent wail and was lost. 1 1 t 'ff' I MR. BALDWIN RAISES THE NEW FLAG tPRESENTED BY THE D. A. RJ TO THE TOP OF THE NEW BUILDING. FEBRUARY 22