Brattleboro Union High School - Colonel Yearbook (Brattleboro, VT)

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41 Alden nearly tumbled out of bed when the stranger said, l'How's the head this morning? Guess I brought you home be- fore you had a chance to lose much blood. VVondering who I am? I'm Jerry Lack- land. At these words Alden choked with rage. Stumbling out of bed, his sore head whirl- ing, he leapt at the stranger's throat. Be- fore the stranger had a chance to remon- strate, the door opened and Ellen stood on the threshold. A sweet, alluring picture she made in her heavy cloak slightly open exposing the neat gray dress with its soft, snowy kerchief caressing the wearer's neck and throat. Her fluffy hair, IHOFC golden than any sun, peeped out from under the little white winged cap, in intriguing curls. The red winter berries that she held clasped in her arms lost some of their brightness in their position under her glowing cheeks and sparkling, smiling eyes. Without removing the heavy leggi11gS and mittens, only pausing to latch the door and to drop the berries on the table she ran across the room to her very much astonished, and bewildered husband. Ellen, Ellen, where have you been? Did that terrible brute, Lackland, harm you? Anxiously, he looked at the most precious girl in his world. Gently stroking his hair she replied, Why, no, Hoyt-what makes you ask? 'fWhy! Why Ellen, I thought you were dead! he murmured dazedly. Hoyt Alden! What is the matter with you? Briefly Alden described his home-coming of the previous night. Ellen listened in amazement. Why, she cried, that must have happened after I left. When I returned from Mrs. Mit- chell's house this morning, everything was in order. Mr. Lackland didn't say anything to me about it. Poor Tinker, I wonder who killed him? Even though Mrs. Mitchell was very ill, I wish that I had not gone. Tinker wouldn't have been killed and you wouldn't have been hurt. That man standing right near you killed your pet, shouted Hoyt. Yet Hoyt himself found it hard to believe that this honest, clear-eyed man was guilty of such conduct. Before you condemn me, hear what I have to tell you, said Jerry Lackland. Grudgingly, Alden listened to the man and gradually believed what he had to say. The stranger told of his search for his miscreant brother, John, in New England. john had always been selfish, and arrogant with a terrible, unreasoning anger, which at last became the cause of his murdering a fellow club member, and they forced him to leave England, He had fied to the new country across the ocean-America. He at first lived in Virginia, but his escapades drove him farther north until he came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Here, he The tal f became a confirmed outlaw, murdering for food, or money, and terrorizing everyone. His brother, Jerry, had followed him from England to Virginia. Jerry had tried to put a stop to John's wrong-doing, but he was not able to stamp out the cruelty in his brother's nature. Finally, john had disappeared, leaving his brother wondering where he had gone. Hearing stories of Iohn's outlawry in Massachusetts, Jerry had come north only a few weeks before. Two days ago he had heard of Iohn's refuge on VVhite Horse Ledge. He had started immediately in order to reach his brother at the earliest moment possible. Just before the storm he had noticed a cabin slightly back from the trail. VVith the intention of asking permission to warm himself before continuing his journey, he knocked at the door, but no one answered. Knocking a second time he thought he heard a crackling sound. Glancing at the chimney at one side of the house he saw that smoke was issuing from it. Convinced that all was not well, he pushed against the door. After several at- tempts to open it, he finally called out, Let me enter, I'm a friend. A gruff, disguised voice came from with- in, What's your name ? Jerry Lackland, late of England. The door opened with astonishing ab- ruptness. Amazed, Jerry Lackland stared into the sullen face of his brother. Jerry's quick glance took in the dead dog and the chaotic condition of the cabin. Darn dog jumped on me, wanted to kill me, had to knife him. This explana- tion was given by John. Is this your place? At his brother's negative shake of his head he continued, What right have you in here then? Jerry turned to close the door. A blow between the shoulder blades knocked him down. With a bound John had disappeared into the fast approaching and foreboding storm. Stumbling to his feet, Jerry dazedly reeled over the threshold into the reviving coldness of the snow. Rising, he started in the direction in which his brother had gonej After four or five miles of rough walking in the gathering darkness, the storm broke. The demoniacal voice of the wind and the furious, blinding lashes of snow-whips made it impossible to go on. ,Turning back, Jerry felt his way along in the rapidly increasing snow drifts. The wind pulled at his cloak and the fancy trimming fiapped and fluttered about him. About three miles from where he had turned to come back, he thought he saw, during a lull in the storm, a black figure approaching, Suddenly, he heard the break- ing of a branch and the black figure dropped to the ground. Surmising what had happened he rushed forward. Coming upon the unconscious form he knelt and found that the 1nan's head had been severely cut and bruised. He had half dragged, half carried, the wounded man to the cabin that he had left that afternoon. After caring for the unconscious man he set about to arrange and clean the disordered cabin. He had been awake all of the previous night tak- ing care of Alden and replenishing the fire. . When Ellen returned home the next morning, he had explained his presence, but had said nothing about the disordered cabin, preferring to wait until Alden was well enough to hear his version. A little later the sun cast its golden splendor on the bowed heads of two men and a woman silently saying Christmas grace in a rude cabin in the heart of New England wilderness in the year sixteen hundred thirty. THROUGH DISOBEDIENCE 1-Edward! Come up here at once! The door into J'unior's room is locked and the children will not let me enter. It was the twenty-fourth of December at exactly ten olclock that, upo11 hearing these Words, Edward, known to his parish as the Rev. E. 'M. Sprague, came slowly up the stairs-too slowly considering the importance of this unprecedented occasion, but it seemed that nothing short of an earthquake ever stirred the Rev. Sprague from the customary. However, do not be- lieve that he was not agitated, for although he was ostensibly unconcerned, he was really in a most disturbed state of mind, in fact, the most disturbed state of mind since he had been ordained. But was not the first sign of disobedience upon the part of one's children provocation enough for being upset? joining his wife before the locked door Edward commanded in his sternest tones, Children, let your father in -a slight movement in the room, but no response. Again entrance was demanded, this time in almost menacing tones. Finally Edward resorted to an unusual method, and threat- ened. This unaccustomed method of persua- sion seemed to take effect, for after a short consultation Within the room, the door was thrown open to reveal a small Christmas tree, around which were grouped the three rebels-Eleanor defiant, Junior bewildered, and Joan plainly terrified. For -a moment their parents stood speechless on the threshold, viewing with mingled emotions the scene before them. As soon as they realized that their own children had broken the precedent set by Jonathan Sprague, many generations be- fore, had planned and carried out an idea in secret and above all had disobeyed for the first time, they were prompt to take action. Eleanor and Ioan were ordered to

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don. Finally the eyes of the prostrate one opened and in them there gleamed intelli- gence. The other grinned and his eyes were not free from moisture. It's all right, bo, the 'Doc' says you'll pull through. Brandon looked far away. What's the date? Heskwith calculated. By George, it's the twenty-fifth o' De- cember! Brandon closed his eyes and smiled faintly, his mind on faraway things. Just what I wanted old man. Thanks, much. A -L. W. SEXTON, '26, FAITH The cheery scenes that passed through the lone traveler's mind as he trudged along the snow-covered trail presented a great contrast to the scenes around him. Eddies of snow swirled and danced about, each new rush giving him a heavier coat of powdered snow. The voice of the Northland King, in his exquisite palace of ice, was heard in the furious, chilling blasts of the wind. As Hoyt Alden struggled through the fury of a New England blizzard, he thought of his snug cabin nestling in its bower of giant northern pines and midget spruce trees. A table, hewn from an oak by him the previous summer, would be covered with a brightly dyed, homespun cloth, the work of Ellen's industrious fingers. Instead of the usual pewter plates and cups, Ellen would undoubtedly use the best dishes- heavy chinaware with the stamp Ye Olde Dishe Co., Yorkshire, England. The knives and forks would be scoured to their orig- inal brightness with sand collected from the brook-bed last fall. Alden could almost smell the fragrant, delicious, snowy-white biscuits made from their precious little hoard of wheat fiour brought over in the last boat from Eng- land. Potatoes, roasted amid the ashes in the great stone fireplace, would repose in state on their heavy wooden platter. Toasted corn-bread to be spread with wild crabapple jelly and flavored with quince. Of course there would be the usual veni- son and bear-steak, but to celebrate Saint Nicholas' pending visit, a huge roasted tur- key prepared in a way of which Ellen was master. The delicious, appetizing odors seemed to be borne on the wind to Alden's nostrils. This was too much for his poor hungry stomach and it groaned in protest. The curtain of snow was brushed aside several times. With a start, Hoyt realized that he was within a few rods of the cabin. ' Queer, thought he, that there is hard- ly any light within. Ellen must be ill. He became alarmed when his mittened hand touched the slightly opened door. The ial Entering cautiously he closed the door and put thc bar into place. Placing his back against the heavy oaken door he surveyed the one room with amazement and dismay. Some of Ellen's prized china cups lay on the floor in pieces, the crudely made stools and chairs were over-turned and Tinker, the dog, lay dead against the opposite wall, his blood still flowing slowly from a great ragged cut in his side. Alden groaned in anger and sorrow as he saw that the head of the well-loved household pet had been crushed by a blow from some blunt in- strument. Tinker had evidently been faith- ful to the end. Hoyt suddenly became aware that the fire was almost out. Crossing to the fire- place he took shavings and bits of wood and placed them on the fast-greying em- bers. Kneeling, he feverishly fanned the smouldering heap with his big, wide- brimmed conical hat. Once the tiny blaze almost died, but by careful nursing the fiame gave place to two, and the second to a third, until finally a great fire was roaring in the fireplace. Lighting a candle, he took off his knitted muffler and cloak and placed them over a chair before the fireplace to dry. Bewildered, he sat down on a stool. Clasping his head in his hands he tried to collect his scattered thoughts. Raising his head again after a few moments of haunt- ing silence, broken only by the crackling iiames and the scratchy, gritty sound of the snow as it was hurled against the oiled paper which was used in the window in- stead of glass, Hoyt looked again thought- fully about the disordered room. The dried ears of red and yellow corn still hung down from the rafters, Ellen's precious Windsor desk in the corner was open, the papers and the quill pen lay scattered over the top. The stools and chairs, so painstakingly made last sum- mer out of oak and cedar lay upside down on the floor. Suddenly sniffing the air a noticeably scorchy odor prodded Alden and aroused him from his daze. Unable to think of the cause or place of this odor he rose from the stool and turned slowly around, snifiing the air. As he turned once more to the fireplace, he noticed that the warming pan was not in its usual place near the bellows. Quick- ly it dawned on him that Ellen must have put coals in the pan and placed it between the sheets to warm the bed before the now prevailing disorder had been brought about. Running to a bed in one corner he threw back the quilts and pulled out the missing warming pan from the scorched sheets and returned it to its place. Deciding that there must be some clue to the mystery, he dropped on his hands and knees and began searching among the broken crockery. ,His eyes suddenly bright- ened with excitement and expectation as 3 he pulled out 'the hilt of a bowie knife. Only a little of the blade remained, and the hilt was covered with blood. Was it Ellen's innocent blood? Ellen, his sweet young wife of only a year, this very Christmas Eve? No, no! God forbid! Tearfully, shudderingly, he thrust the hate- ful 'thing away from him, then took it into his hands again, realizing that it was his only clue. Turning the hilt over again he perceived I, Lackland faintly carved in the wood. Dropping it as though it were a hot coal, he stared down at the object with agonized eyes. Lackland, the rene- gade and outlaw, the brute of the country- side, had carried Ellen offg whether or not she was dead, he could not guess. Hot, stinging, blinding tears came to his eyes and he lurched to the table for sup- port. Mute with grief and anxiety he could only move his head in protest at this over- whelming catastrophe. Realizing that this was not getting him anywhere he donned his heavy cloak, jammed his hat down on his head, wound his long mufiier around his neck several times, put on his heavy Woolen mittens and rushed out into the storm once more. Current rumors said that Lackland's hide-out was in the cave on White Horse Ledge across the river by,the same name. Half crazed with forebodings Alden struck out in the direction of White Horse River with no idea of what he would do when he arrived at his destination. Ioyously the wind caressed its new vic- tim with cold wintry blasts and threw the blinding snow into Alden's eyes. Trees creaked and groaned as they were forced down by the ruling king. Branches were snapped from trees like tooth picks and hurled down about the poor unprotected man. The way became more and more dithcult, making it necessary for Alden to grope his way through the forest. Suddenly a cruel blow on the head tumbled him onto a group of jagged rocks, not wholly covered by a soft cushion of snow. A muffled voice called Are you badly hurt? but Alden had lost his power of speech. - Awaking hours later, Alden stared in amazement around the room of his own cabin. The room was clean and everything, as far as he could see, was in its place-the fire bellows on the hearth and the warming pan beside it. The rude table was set for three. Odors of roasting fowl, potatoes and stew simmering in the huge pot in the fireplace drifted to his nose. Feeling someone's eyes upon him-he sat up to encounter the eyes of a stranger, dressed in trapper's clothing-fringed deer- suit, leggings and moccasins bound thongs. Straight as the straightest he stood, looking into Alden's puz- skin with pine, zled face with honest blue eyes-the kind that are always smiling.

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their respective rooms and Junior was sent to bed. There would be no punishment that night, for it was too late. But both parents and children feared the inevitable in the morning. With a terrible grimness the Rev. Sprague gathered up the tree and its gifts and bore them down to his wife who was quite overcome by the recent act of re- bellion. My dear, said the pastor, grandly plac- ing his burden on the table, you and I know all too well the seriousness of this disobedience and irreverence, and our chil- dren must be severely dealt withfl But, Edward, interposed Mrs. Sprague timidly, I haven't a doubt but that their intentions were good and they are yet too young to realize the irreverence of their act-as you call it, she added hesitatingly. I think you are much too lenient with the offendersf' replied her husband, aroused, yet still courteous. 'tFor ten years have I not attempted to impress upon them how irreverent and sacreligious it is to hold festivities upon theanniversary of the birth of our Savior? Have I not explained repeatedly in what way the presentation of gifts to Christ, nearly two thousand years ago and the give-and-take affair of today, differ? No, at this time I doubt the good intentions even of my own children.', Really believing her husband to be cor- rect, Mrs. Sprague did not respond, but picked up one of the contraband gifts and curiously examined it. Carried further by her curiosity she even opened it to find f'From Eleanor to Junior a necktie, plain- ly homemade but none the less gay. Think as she could the mother could not remem- bered her daughter's sewing within the past month. More secrets! Somehow the hours of labor to which this small cravat testified checked the remark upon the cler- gyman's lips about presenting such a gaudy gift at-such a time. Rev. Spra'gue's curiosity in turn aroused, he picked up a box upon which was scrawled To Ioan from Junior. When opened this disclosed a handmade doll bed. Now, junior's many evenings spent in the workshop were accounted for. If the lad but knew how his parents' anger wilted when they understood how his leisure time had been spent! Anxious to see what their youngest and favorite child had given they both reached for a small, poorly wrapped package for Eleanor. Mrs. Sprague gasped when she viewed the contents of this-Joan's treas- ured necklace. She knew so well how her small daughter loved this bit of jewelry, and yet she was ready to sacrifice that when she had nothing else to offer. At once both parents sensed the spirit of sacrifice in their children and this desire to please one another when their parents failed. . r Zllihe tal After sitting silently for a long time the reverend summed up both his wife's and his own thoughts by saying, To think that we should be shown the true spirit of Christmas by our own children. And through disobedience, added his wife. -MIRIAM Firrs, '27. A VISION During the time of the Holy Crusades many monasteries and nunneries were founded, both on the route to the Holy Land and near the cities of the Holy Land. Wliile the Crusades were taking place, these establishments where men and women might go to spend their entire lives for God, were subject to severe attacks by the Turks. These monasteries and nun- neries were built of heavy gray stone with large stone walls around the outside, giv- ing them a somber and desolate appearance. They were isolated from the village, the nuns believing that in being away from the social life of non-Christians they could better lead pure, undefiled lives. Their life was the same, day after day, year after year. They all had certain duties to perform at such a time, certain hours in which to sleep and eat also. The nunneries were really small colonies in themselves for they were entirely independent of the vil- lages around them. The nuns grew their own food and made their own clothes. Each day they went through the same routine, in the morning doing their regular work and later in the day studying, print- ing or reading. Our story opens in one of the newly founded nunneries of Constantinople, so that it is centered very near the Turks. It was Christmas eve, the first Christmas eve this nunnery in a foreign It was late, and, since the were finished the sisters to be spent in land for many. evening duties gathered from all parts of the nunnery in- to the one large room, a reading room. The late sun was unable to enter the room because of the huge gray walls which made nuns it oppressively dark and cold. The were all dressed alike in leaden gray robes with no ornaments other than golden- crosses on chains. They all held in their hands the Bibles which they themselvesihad printed. They seated themselves upon long, rough, wooden benches which extended round the room, This evening service was the only time during the day that they all assembled together and the only time when they could converse. They all filed in with the same solemnity of expression .which they had borne throughout the day, and talked in low tones together. Sister Theresa and Sister Cerice, the head nuns, came in last, Sister Cerice at one end of the long room and Sister Theresa-at the other. The few tall candles around the room were lighted and the evening service began 5 with Sister Theresa reading several chap- ters from the Bible and the others follow- ing her, reading in their own books. VVhen she finished, several chants were sung and they talked in groups of two's and three's. The general subject was the work of the terrible Turks. There had recently been a fearful massacre a few miles distant in Constantinople where they had burned the schools, churches and monasteries, as well as every home they could reach, cruelly shutting the people into the buildings and setting them on fire, burning them alive or dragging them out to be killed with axes, and knives. Every day the Turks were drawing nearer and nearer but every day these nuns Ukept the faith and even seemed to grow more serene and silent, ap- parently oblivious of the catastrophe that might come upon them at any moment. Each day might be their last, each hour, or each moment, but still they showed no outward signs of grief or despair. Soon they began talking of their Christmases at home, what fine times they had had, of the Christmas dinners and gifts, but these were only memories. No more would they ex- change gifts and sing jolly Christmas songs for they were confined to lead the life of nuns by the holy vows of the church. After this first service they had a lunch in the refectory or dining-room. Here a very simple supper was served consisting only of the foods which could be grown on their farm. The refectory was long and narrow with plain benches running along each side of the one long table. The meal was very short, no one being allowed to speak during it. After all had finished, they went across the open courtyard to the chapel on the further side. It was an im- posing building, the only one with any elab- orate trimmings. It presented a striking contrast to the other plain square buildings of the nunnery. Inside, the ceiling was high and slanted down on either side with carved beams and supports of Gothic archi- tecture. The altar and platform were finely carved and a large Bible lay open upon the desk. Back of this platform and high up was a painting of Christ,-wonderfully colored, and illuminated by candelabra on either side. Filing slowly into the chapel, the sisters took their places for prayers, not in rows and close together but separated, in dif- ferent parts of the room the better to con- centrate their minds on holy things. In their seats they sang a chant together and then reverently knelt towards the altar to pray. It was truly a time for prayer, for the din of the fighting was heard not far off. The terrible Turks were drawing nearer to seize upon the nunnery and mur- der these sisters. A track of desolation and death they had left the entire four hundred miles behind them and this nun- nery was to be added tothe list. Were they never to look upon another sunrise, another