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

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4 THE i R E E N AND WHITE THE WHITE BLANKET Dorothy Clifford had just completed a three year’s nursing course at a small hospital in Quebec. She had to remain there for there was no chance of getting into a larger hospital. Still, she didn't mind, especially as wonderful winter sports could be enjoyed there. Dorothy was a lively girl, just glowing with health, so full of the spirit of youth, looking at life as a great game full of promise. The first few months of the winter season dragged on. Dorothy was eager to be in the thick of things. The little hospital offered no opportunities, but still Dorothy managed to learn quite a bit. Her cases were few, but interesting. She liked especially to take care of the children, who liked her immediately. Way off in a small village, diphtheria was raising havoc with the little colony of Eskimos, Canadian-French. They were sadly in need of anti-toxin. One night, a man almost dead with fatigue stumbled into the little hospital on the outskirts of Quebec. He begged for help for the people of his village. A few doctors immediately offered their services, but only one nurse offered her’s. It was Dorothy Clifford. She gladly welcomed this opportunity for excitement, not taking into consideration at all the dangers involved in a long trip over that huge white blanket of snow in dog sleds .with other snowstorms on the wav. The necessary supplies were carefully packed in dog sleds. The next morning three doctors and Dorothy started off for that unfortunate village. Speed, speed, alone could help those doomed people who had not the slightest idea of how to deal with such an illness. Speedily the dog sleds glided over the snow, Dorothy chatting gaily, but no one responded to her mood. She couldn’t under- stand why the doctors wore such glum expressions on their faces. But she soon found out. Beautiful white flakes began to fall slowly, then a little faster, faster, until a blizzard was raging. Dorothy became numb. It was impossible to keep on. Their guide suggested that they stop for they would surely be lost. In some miraculous way they managed to pitch those queer little tents. They remained there until morning then hurried on tired and cold. They arrived at the village that night. What a pitiful sight met their eyes. Those poor creatures huddled in their cabins, some dead, other not far from it. Horrible moans rent the air. The tired travelers immediately set to work. For days they labored almost unceasingly accomplishing wonders with that great anti-toxin. The three doctors knew that their expedition would attract attention, would make them, yet they labored on. caring little for their own welfare. In a brief period of rest one of the doctors said to Dorothy, “Well, my girl, you won’t have to worry when you get back to Quebec. They’ll want you all over. You’ll be famous and you certainly deserve to be. You’ve been too wonderful for words. Dorothy went about her work with renewed energy. Then came another message. Fifty miles away, another village was afflicted, perhaps was worse than this one. They just begged for some sort of aid. With only a small quantity of anti-toxin left, Dorothy, one doctor and a guide set out. They had grave doubts about the success of their journey, but bravely they went on. As feared, a terrible blizzard came up. But this guide kept on ; he was stubborn and anxious for his people. The dog sleds were heaped with snow. The tired dogs plodded along. No one of the three spoke. A blanket of white held them down.

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THE GREEN AND WHITE VOL. I. JUNE, 1931 No. I ISSUED BY THE STUDENTS OF THE COLT MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL. BRISTOL. R. I. Editor-in-Chief—CLAUDIA DeWOLF. Associate Editor MARY MAGEE Business Manager HILTON LEVY Assistant Business Manager VINCENT MESCALL Circulation Manager GENEVIEVE PAGNANO Assistant Business Manager ANTHONY RUGGIERO Senior Editors MARGARET CICERCHIA ANGELINA RANALLI Junior Editors LILLIAN DUNBAR ALBERT METCALF Sophomore Editors MARY MASON VIRGINIA MARSHALL Alumni Editor MISS ANNIE D. SISSON Advisor MISS SADIE CALLAN BOARD OF EDITORS LITERARY ....... SPORTS .......... TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... 3 ALUMNI NOTES .. ...... 4-21 SENIORS .... ... 22-26 ADVERTISEMENTS 27-40 41-55

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THE (i R E E N AND WHITE Only the guide seemed alert as he urged the dogs on. Hours later he cried, “Come, we are der. Come I say. You hurry or my people die.'’ But no one in the sleds made a move. The guide reached over through that blanket of white. He looked closely at that still form of Dorothy’s. He turned away sadly. MARGARET CICERCHIA, ’31. “Advertisers Make Tills Hook Possible” THE RED MASKED DEVILS OF THE SOUDAN “Major Lebair. “Yes, Orderly.” “The whole Penal Battalion mutinied two days ago and killed all of the soldiers guarding them. When the supply train arrived to supply the prison with provisions, they found nothing but dead bodies. The men, living when the battle had finished, were put to death so they could never repeat the story. About one hundred and fifty prisoners escaped. among them being the young American. Sergeant Grayson. “Get word to the cavalry outposts to send out searching parties.” “Yes sir.” Six months had elapsed since the prison outbreak, but still not a trace of the Penal Battalion was to be found. No serious Arab outbreaks had occurred and life at the French Foreign Forts was quite dull. However, this dullness did not last very long for another problem faced the French commanders which was very perplexing and queer. A small band of men clad in red boots, turbans. masks and white cloaks were raidng towns and outposts throughout the desert. Known to the French as the Devils of the Red Mask, they stole food, arms and amunition from the places they raided, but they never killed. All attempts of the French to capture them were without avail, for the masked riders vanished mysteriously into the endless sands of the great French Soudan. Time soon decided the fate of these riders and solved the problem which for so long had puzzled the officers and men of the Legion. “Major.” What’s the trouble?” asked the officer, noticing the excitement of the orderly. “A rider is approaching the fort, sir, and it looks like one of those red devils,” said the orderly, hurriedly. ''I'll be right out there in a moment.” No sooner had the Major got his cap, revolver and sword on than the Lieutenant came “Just picked this up about fifty yards from the fort. The rider, the orderly told you about, threw it and then rode away. I guess it is a message of some kind.” He then unwrapped the string from around the paper and opened it. Upon the paper was written the following words: “Arab uprising to take place in three days. You are to be attacked first.” It had a red mask at the bottom for a signature. Lieutenant, do you realize what this means? It would take at least three days for a message to reach a cavalry outpost and I think that is exaggerating. Let’s say five days. We have supplies and amunition to last us maybe a week. It looks pretty bad for us. but you had better send out two men to try to reach the outposts with a message. And. while I think of it, you had better put extra guards on tonight; the message may be a fake, but we had better prepare.” “Yes, sir.” Two days passed and the Arabs had not shown themselves. It was on the third day as the bugle was calling the men to supper when suddenly the notes changed. The men stopped. Were they hearing things? No. that bugle was calling them to arms. All the men ran as fast as possible to the barracks. Hardly three minutes had elapsed before each man was lined up in the middle of the fort receiving his orders. Then to their posts to fight to death. Dawn broke out of a clear sky and the sun flamed up in the heavens. Rations were being served to the men as they stood at their posts watching the Arab army slowly advancing although still miles off. No one spoke and silence settled over the fort as if all were dead within. Cigarettes were lighted and the men resumed their positions on the walls. Suddenly the voice of their commander broke the stillness of the atmosphere. “Brave soldiers of the French Foreign Legion, today we battle with a force which we know we cannot overcome. I want you all to fight till the last and fight like men. As most of us know, we have but a slight chance to come out of this alive. We are going to meet our Maker, meet Him bravely. If anyone of us should live to tell the story. France will reward him. That is all.” For thre days the attack continued. The Arab forces charged and charged again, but each time they were driven back by the bullets from the steadily aimed rifles of the men in the fort. Each charge cost the Arabs many men but they kept charging. In the fort few men were left. Amunition had gone down to the last round and there would only be enough to repel one more charge, then use cold steel. To help the situation, the Arabs retired and held a council of war to prepare for the last charge they were to make in the morning, therefore giving a rest to the tired soldiers. The black hand of death hovered over them, death at the hands of the cruel unmerciful Arabs. With staunch hearts they awaited the fateful morning. That morning the Arabs charged in force backed up by some horsemen. These horsemen were the Red Devils of the Soudan. When the Arab army was nearly up to the fort it was observed by the soldiers in the fort that the masked riders were separating into two groups as if they intended to make the charge on the fort first. Each group spread around until they had surrounded the Arab army. The army continued on until it was close to the fort and then suddenly to the amazement of the officers and men of the fort, the masked riders drew their swords and realize