Bristol High School - Green and White Yearbook (Bristol, RI)

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THE (iREEN AND WHITE 7 “THE HAIRY HAND” Dr. Edwards, a well known detective, was sitting at his desk when a young lady entered his office. She was a beautiful lady, with an intense look of fear in her eyes. “Dr. Edwards, I believe. I am Miss Reynolds of Lincoln Hall.” “Yes,” replied Dr. Edwards, and what may I do for you ? ” “There is something terrible which has caused me to fear for my life. I am afraid it will get me. Please help me, cried the lady. “Come, dear lady, tell me what is on your mind. Please try to be calm, and give me every detail.” “Well,” said Miss Reynolds, “for the last five days I have received notes. I do not know where these came from. It is so mysterious. The notes told me to place one thousand dollars at my window, that is, the living room window. I had done so each night. Last night I could not sleep and went downstairs for a bit to eat. As I entered the living room I saw upon the wall the shadow of a hairy hand. Then I saw the hand take the money. I screamed for help and my uncle, who is not easily awakened, came after a while, but we could find nothing. That is all and I could not stay another hour without consulting you.” “Miss Reynolds, I would like to ask a few questions. Is your uncle in perfect health?” “No, he isn't. At times I think he has really gone mad. He drinks quite a lot, and at times I really fear him.” “Good, that’s one point. Now, is there any reason why a person would want you out of the way?” “Well, yes, there might be, as I have been left an enormous sum of money.” “May I ask if you have one of the notes with you ? ” “Yes, I have, here, it is only printed.” “Ahem, a nice piece of work. This will perhaps come in handy. Are you sure you have not seen or heard anything suspicious during the day ?” . “No, well, the servants have been mumbling about their pay. In fact, uncle had an argument with one of the men servants. Antone's his name. Uncle’s anger flared up and the servant had to flee for his life. Naturally he was discharged. I wouldn’t distrust any of the others. They have been with the family for years.” “Miss Reynolds, would you mind giving me the names of the servants?” “No, indeed not. First, there is Antone, he was the table servant. Then there are two maids, Mary and Jean Alvis. These two faithful people have been with us for 15 years. Then there is the cook. Madame Petrone. She is an Italian, and I might sav is mentally unbalanced.” “Fine, I think that will be all the questions now. Is there any time I could come out to the house. That is, when no one is there?” “Certainly, fortunately Uncle is coming to town this afternoon, and the servants have the day off.” “Fine. I will be at the house at three. I just want to look over the place. You may go now, good afternoon. “Good afternoon, Dr. Edwards,” replied Miss Reynolds. “I shall be waiting for you at 3.” “Well, Bill, what do you think about it?” Bill, his assistant and an amateur detective replied : “Pretty puzzling, but I have my doubts about her uncle and that Antone.” “That’s what I say,” replied the detective, “which one, that’s the problem. I tell you it will be no easy matter. I think I will go out to Lincoln Hall and scout around a little. What do you say, want to come?” “Love too, cried Bill, “nothing would suit me better.” Dr. Edwards and Bill took a train for Lincoln. Getting off at the station. Dr. Edwards hired a taxi and they started for Lincoln Hall. On the way, Dr. Edwards questioned the driver about Mr. Reynolds. “Is he ever seen at the village?” asked the detective. “Only occasionally,” replied the driver. “What does Mr. Reynolds do?” asked the detective. “Nothing. I guess, but he has a laboratory at bis home. They say he has an ape there.” “Ah,” whispered Dr. Edwards to Bill, “now enters the hairy hand. “Does he ever take this ape out, asked the detective. “No, that is, no one has ever seen him with it. “Well, here we are, thank you for the conversation. Goodby.” “Goodby,” replied the driver. “I say, be careful of the cracked Italian. “Ah. the crazed Italian lady, say, tell me something about her.” “Well, she has been at Lincoln Hall for fifty years. She came with her husband from Italy. Her husband was taken sick and, as the village doctor was away, Mr. Reynolds tried to help him. The poor man died and during the following years his wife became mentally unbalanced. In this stage she began to accuse Mr. Reynolds of her husband’s death. They say that she is getting worse and has been grumbling about her deceased husband. Well, goodby, I must get more fares or I will be fired. The bus rumbled away down the dusty lane. “Well, what do you gather from that. Bill?” asked the detective. “Nothing much, just a plain case of a woman going off her noodle.” “Think, son, think, couldn't it have some earing on our case.” “Well, a cracked woman and a hairy hand might go together.” That’s the idea, now your using your brains. Of course, a cracked woman and a hairy hand go together. Well, that is our case, we’re working along that line from now on.” “Quite a building they have here 1” exclaimed Bill. The building was an old structure, composed of stone and mortar. The building had two b, COMPLIMENTS OF Belvedere Garage

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6 THE GREEN AND WHITE ROSITA As Rosita was walking home from work one noon, her thoughts were very dark. She was the oldest of twelve children, and the black sheep of the family. Rosita worked in the basement of a downtown store, quite a distance from the East Side, but she walked to save carfare. Her home, a ramshackle, dirty house, was not a pleasant place tog o to at the end of a hard day. Rosita’s folks took her money, but showed no appreciation. Besides having to work all day. she had to do a large amount of housework. Good times were not for her. Rosita was planning to give it all up. She was sick and tired of it all. As she walked a beautiful limousine stopped a few feet ahead. When Rosita reached the car, some one leaned out and asked for directions. She gave the desired information and was turning to walk away when some one from the car threw a fifty-cent piece at her feet. Rosita was furious. She resented being treated as a dog, so quickly she picked up the money and flung it with all her might at the moving car window. A crash was heard, as the expensive glass broke. A man. woman and child alighted rapidly from the car and came toward h' r. The woman was ready to strike Rosita. and she in turn being a strong husky girl, was ready to strike back. There was a furious quarrel, and the man was going to get a policeman when some cries made her turn around. She saw the little girl in the road, and an auto was speeding up. Rosita ran into the road and just had time to fling the child in a safe place. She was less fortunate, and the wheels passed over her body. She was conscious for a few minutes. Rosita recognized the one who ran over her as a young man of high position, Gene Cornway. He was slightly intoxicated, hut the accident had brought him to his senses. Gene was terribly scared when a few minutes later, Rosita’s limp form was borne away in an ambulance. Rosita’s folks were furiously angrv, for there would be one pay less for a while. They visited her only once, while she was at the hospital, in fact she had no other visitors. The bills were paid by Mr. Corn way’s lawyers. He however, was enjoying himself down south. He didn’t think much about worrying over a poor Italian girl. She’d be all right soon, and lucky to have her bills paid. The child’s parents, the child whose life Rosita had saved, sent dainties for a while, then they too forgot all about her. Weeks later, Rosita left the hospital on crutches. She was thoroughly broken in mind and spirit. At home she received no encouragement. They all nagged her about saving a rich man’s kid, and a lot she got for it. Rosita prayed daily that some miracle would happen and make her well and strong once more. One day, after a visit to the church, Rosita was hobbling through the park. A man in a roadster recognized her, and was conscience-stricken. It was Gene Cornway. He ran over to her. Rosita would not listen to him at first, but when she realized that he was terriblv sorry and was suggesting a plan through which she could be recompensed for all she had gone through. He offered to take her to a good specialist and have a difficult operation performed. Two days later. Rosita was operated on. There was little hope for her life. Cornway was desperate. He realized that he was to blame for all she suffered. Money talked in getting him out of the scrape at first, but now lie too was suffering. He was constantly at her bedside. Finally Rosita took a turn for the better, and a few weeks later she left the hospital minus her crutches. Gene and Rosita came to realize that their interest in one another was more than a friendly one. When Gene asked her to marry him she refused. She knew how it would be to marry above her class. Gene thought she didn’t love him. so they broke up. The child's parents had finally taken an interest in Rosita. and had sent her out west to recuperate. By this time Rosita had broken all connection with her family who were doing pretty well without her. Rosita found ranch life wonderful. She read good books and studied a great deal. She would have made a brilliant scholar if given the opportunity. She was gaining strength rapidly and could now enjoy horseback riding. Meanwhile, back east. Cornway's firm had failed. All he had left was a ranch out west, so there he went. Rosita knew nothing about this, neither did he know that she was close by. When Rosita was riding one day, she was very much surprised on meeting Gene. When he told her what had happened to him, he was astonished to see how happy she was. When she told him the reason they agreed to try ranch life together. M. CICERCHIA, ’31. “SUMMER” Summer in all its glory Ts like a fairy story. With the flowers gav and bright. And the birds are all a-flight. The grass is green, green as can be. With insects buzzing near a tree; And the Lord displays His treasures In this array of Summer’s pleasures. ANDREW IVERSON. ’29. COMPLIMENTS OF LOUIS TORTORICE PLUMBING AND HEATING CONTRACTOR 24 State Street Bristol, R. I. Telephone 147=R.

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8 THE (iREEN AND WHITE wings, one the west on which the masons were working, the other, the east, containing the bedroom. The windows were quite close to the ground, and one could easily put his hand in one. “Hello, here is Miss Reynolds,” exclaimed Dr. Edwards. “Good afternoon, Miss Reynolds, how are you?” Good afternoon, gentlemen, this is a fine afternoon, indeed.” Miss Reynolds, may we look around? We would like to see the living room and the grounds around it.” “Certainly, I will gladly show you around. As you will notice, there are masons working on the building. “Here in the west wing is the living room. “Where is Mr. Reynolds’ room? asked the detective. “This is next to mine, in the east wing. I will show you if you would want to inspect it. “Please do, that would be interesting, 1 believe,” replied Dr. Edwards. They went around to the east wing, but they stopped before a piazza. A door led onto the piazza. Dr. Edwards saw foot prints in the soft dirt. Surely they were those of a man. Yes, and they led to the west wing. The detective took note of these things. “Where, may I ask. are the servants’ quarters?” questioned Dr. Edwards. In the wing that the masons are working on, around in back. Uncle also has a laboratory in that wing. “Has your uncle any beasts there, say, caged in his laboratory?” Yes, he has an ape.” replied Miss Reynolds. Has anyone access to the laboratory excepting your uncle?” asked Dr. Edwards. Only myself, and I may go in only with him.” “Miss Reynolds, I think I will go back to the village and stay for the evening. Good afternoon. The detective and Bill walked away in the direction of the west wing. Here they came upon the masons at work. Watching the masons. Dr. Edwards nearly fell over a heap of rope, and in doing so uttered an exclamation. “Say, Bill, this gives me an idea! Did Miss Reynolds say where the door to the laboratory was? No, I thought not. I’ll ask one of the masons.” Say young fellow, do you know where Mr. Reynolds’ laboratory door is?” Yes, replied the mason, “Over on the other side next to the servant's quarters.” The two men went around the wing and came to the indicated door. The door opened into a lightly wooded section with a few trees near the house. Bill, we will come back tonight. Come on, let’s get out of here before anyone gets suspicious, exclaimed the detective. “Dr. Edwards and Bill went to town, where they hired a room at the village inn. They had dinner and later took a walk. “Say, Doctor, what are you going to do tonight ?” “Well, son, I might as well tell you now,” replied the detective, “we are going to make a trap at the laboratory gate.” “But, what do you want a trap for, Doctor?” “Never mind, boy. wait until tonight, then you will see plenty,” returned the detective. At ten o’clock that evening two men were seen creeping to the west wing of Lincoln Hall. These two men took something from the ground near the mason’s work, and went in back of the building. They were busy for at least an hour. Then they sunk into the bushes to sit and wait for something. Time passed, and nothing happened. Suddenly the village clock boomed out its twelve strokes. It was calm and quiet. The building was silhouetted in the moonlight. A sudden grunt, the door of the laboratory opened and the bulky form of an ape appeared, followed by a woman. Suddenly the ape roared and fought violently. “Bill, cover the woman, don’t let her escape,” yelled the man. An elderly man came running around the corner of the house. As he approached the scene he demanded to know the meaning of such an outrage. “Sir, why do you disturb-folks at this hour? Please explain yourself. “Nothing, nothing, replied one of the marauding men. we have just caught the cause of your niece’s worry. Ah! Miss Reynolds, see what I have for you. An ape. yes, and a lady.” “Mr. Reynolds, this woman whom you know is mentally deficient, has been obtaining sums of money from your niece. She has been forced to do this by Antone, your discharged servant. Madame Petrone, is this not so? “No, it is a filthy lie, exclaimed the crazed woman. “What was that. Bill, go see and please be careful. In a few minutes Bill returned with an unpleasant gentleman at the point of a gun. “Madame Petrone, you know this gentleman?” asked the detective. “Antone, exclaimed Mr. Reynolds, “cer-tainlv she knows him. “Oh, Oh, cried the woman, “why have I done this? He forced me to it, he is responsible. He drugged the ape so it would be harmless, and made me do it. “Look out,” cried Bill, “get away.” And as he cried the ape fought violently. He roared and threw his arms out. In doing so he caught Antone's arm. Pulling the man to him, the ape crushed out his life. Thus ended the mystery of the “hairy hand and also the life of the one who threatened others by the same instrument. A. IVERSON, ’29. DAWN Swaying tulips moist with dew. Shy white violets, purple, blue, Covr’d with dew drops, crystal clear. Nod their heads to Dawn so near. Hyacinth, crocus, blue bell bright, I ift their heads, dawn to sight; Birdlets shirping, pine trees whisp’ring, Hush of dawn sets all a-Iist’ning. KATHLEEN F. KELLEY, ’29.