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

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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

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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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6 THE GREEN AND WHITE rode into the midst of the Arab army, cutting down, what seenid to the French, to be their own men . Fighting like madmen, the Red Masked Devils fought their last fight. They slashed right and left with their swords, getting deeper and deeper into the Arab army until at last they were surrounded and being attacked instead of attacking. The Arabs closed in on the little circle cutting them down as fast as they could. Their end was inevitable, but they were determined to take a good many of the enemy with them. While this was going on the soldiers in the fort were not idle. When they saw that they were getting some help they were not so down-hearted and were ready to fight as they never fought before. As the Arabs were bunched up together, it was easier for them to be destroyed. Hand grenades were issued and everyone thrown was well aimed and caused death and destruction. The destruction done by the grenades and machine guns was too much for the Arabs, so as soon as they had cut down the last masked rider, they retreated. As the sun began to set a troop of cavalry arrived. Half continued in pursuit of the Arabs and the others stayed at the fort. The dead bodies of the masked riders were brought into the fort. Their leader, the last one to be brought in, was found to be unconscious but still alive. They laid him in the barracks to try to bring him to. With the exception of the guards, all the men crowded into the barracks to see who the leader of the band of masked riders was. Everyone stopped talking and not a sound was hedrd as the Major in command of the fort, and the Captain in command of the cavalry, walked over to unmask the man. The mask was lifted from the man’s face, and his head was raised onto the Major’s breast. It was quite dark and his face could not be seen, so a light was brought. Exclamations of surprise were uttered by the men as they recognized the man. It was Sergeant William Grayson of the Penal Battalion. The man opened his eyes and told this story: There were two hundred of us in the Penal Battalion at the prison and only thirty soldiers to guard us. Having worked there a month, we decided that the hot sun was too much for us and we planned a mutiny. One day a guard came quite close to me and I hit him on the leg with a sledge hammer. He went down with a cry of pain and as he did I hit him in the jam and grabbed his gun. This was a signal for the others to mutiny and a fight ensued. A band of Arabs happened to come along at that moment and joined in the fight and helped us. All the soldiers were killed and fifty of our men. The Arabs had two men wounded so that is why they left no trace to show that they had helped in the fight. We were taken to the Sheik and we promised to help him in an uprising he was to start in about a year. He gave us the clothes and horses and was pleased with our idea of raiding towns. In this uprising we had planned to act as his cavalry and I had it all planned out with my men to help you. This is what we got out of it, but we died loyal. That is all I can sav. Vive la France 1 ALBERT METCALF, '32. “Advertisers Make This Hook Possible” THE ENCHANTED IDOL In the temple of a high priest of Japan stands a tall statue. It is the figure of a Japanese Budda. In the forehead of this idol is an enormous red ruby. This ruby is worth thousands of dollars. The idol itself is made of bronze. It was rumored that this ruby was enchanted, and anyone touching it met with disaster of some kind, either death of bad luck. The Budda is guarded night and day by a large band of Priests. These Priests keep up a steady chant all the day and all the night. One day an American mililonaire, by the name of Harry Grenfield, a collector of precious stones, and old relics, came to this temple. He discovered this ruby almost the moment he entered the temple. The ruby fascinated him, and it aroused in him a feeling somewhat akin to greed. Regardless of the warning given him by a Priest who stood near the Budda, he moved slowly toward, as if drawn there by some enchantment. Suddenly Grenfield reached out his hand to touch the ruby. Immediately the air was filled with horrible sounds and shrieks, and a veil or mist seemed to float over the Budda, and hide it from his eyes. Harry drew back in astonishment, and rubbed his eyes as if to clear them from a mist of film that seemed to cover them. When he looked again the Budda. and ruby were in plain sight, and the Priests continued their chanting. Harry reached out his hand again, and again the air was rent by shrieks, and the mist floated over the Budda. He did this several times, and each time the same thing happened. and when he would look again the Budda would be in plain sight. Harry left the temple, but he was determined to get this ruby by fair means or foul. He visited the temple several times trying to buy the ruby, but he met with no success. Finally he decided to disguise himself as a Japanese Priest and enter the temple, and secure the Budda himself. At the temple he became acquainted with a Priest who was discontented with his position, and who had been ill treated by the other men. Harry told this Priest who he was and also told him that he wished to secure the ruby. He told the Priest that he could not understand it, but that every time he went near the Budda a mist seemed to float before his eyes, and hide the idol from his sight. The Priest told him that there was nothing mysterious about this, but that the Priest who sood guard over the Budda. pressed his foot down on a lever, thus making a veil drop over the Budda, every time anyone went to touch it. He also said that the shrieks were made by a mechanical device. Harry bribed the Priest, and after much discussion the Priest agreed to help Harry to secure the Budda. They planned to go into the temple at midnight the next night, drug the Priest on guard, and remove the ruby