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

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SOPHOMORE COMMERCIAL AND PRACTICAL ARTS

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12 THE GREEN AND WHITE EXCITEMENT The shadows of night descended so swiftly that the little island was soon engulfed in darkness. The occupants of the “Love Nest,” the only dwelling on Paradise Island, lighted the oil lamps and made ready to retire. Somehow, no one felt sleepy, and as the only clock in the place had stopped, there was no way to learn the exact time. In fact, so little attention had been paid to the setting sun, that no one had the slightest idea as to how late or early it really was. The wind, rising suddenly, howled and moaned through the crevices of the tiny cottage. The five inhabitants moved unconsciously closer to the diminutive fire place. Mother and father attempted to finish a conversation which had been momentarily interrupted by the rapid change of the surrounding atmosphere. The two smaller children—Joan and Gene— raised their voices in an argument resulting from a game of marbles. Ethel alone sat in one corner of the room, shuddering fearfully at the commotion outside. She hated it here. Why should she have to suffer just because her parents had suddenly acquired wealth? What good was money, if Mother and Dad insisted upon using it to buy a lone, creaky cottage on a solitary island, just because they wanted a rest? How she despised Paradise Island. Paradise, indeed! Ethel, was tall, slender, but gracefully built. Her dark, wavy locks rebelliously escaped the ribbon which was supposed to hold them in place. Large brown eyes sparkled or flashed according to the young lady’s mood, and her small, red lips were pressed tightly together when she was absorbed with her thoughts. Most people would have thought that this young lady's cheeks would attain color in this healthy climate, but they hadn’t. When first Ethel had disembarked from the yacht, her cheeks had looked as though a rose had brushed against them, staining them with their rich color. Now. those same cheks had lost their ruddy glow. Oddly, Mother and Dad hadn't noticed this, or at least, if they had they did not mention it. The distant sound of a bell, warning ships of treacherous rocks or sand bars, echoed through the house. Mother sent Joan and Gene off to bed, then started to write a letter. Dad filled several of the lamps with oil. Ethel followed the younger children upstairs to tell them a storv for which they had been clamoring, after which, she. too. retired. It was approximately one a. m. Everything in the house was quiet, as its occupants slumbered on. Suddenly there was a streak of lighting, a clash of thunder, and a frightened movement in the cot upstairs. Ethel, wide-eyed, pale, and quaking, pulled the coverlet over her head. “Ethel, Ethel, came Joan’s trembling voice. ‘What’s wrong, dear?’ ’Ethel queried. “I'm scared! Suppose that lightin' hits us?” Joan cried. She mustn’t know how frightened 1 am. Ethel was saying to herself, then aloud she said, You silly little goose! What is there to be afraid of? Besides the storm is too far away to hit us. Roll over. Chicken, and go to---” There was a deafening clap of thunder, and the sound of splintering wood. Everyone was awake now, Mother and Dad came into the children's room, gave them permission to arise, and after waiting for them to dress, trooped down the narrow staircase to the ground floor. Shortly afterwards the sky cleared, and the stars came out. Dad, Mother, Gene, and Joan went to the west window in the living room to view the island, but Ethel went to the north window to watch the angry surf as it broke over the rocks on the beach. To change the air in the room. Ethel flung the window open. Did she imagine it. or did she really hear someone calling on a large.rock which was a mile from shore. She hastened to the waters' edge, looked doubtfully at the writhing water, hesitated a moment, then turned to her own motor boat, entered it, started the motor, and with the spray flying over the bow. went speeding to the rescue When she arrived she found three women dining to the rock, which was being rapidly covered bv the rising tide. It was an easy matter to get them into the boat and start for homo again. When thev were safely inside the Love Nest, and the story had been briefly related, Dad turned to Ethel, saying, “you don’t like the life here, do you. daughter?” Ethel smiled quietly, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks glowing with all the vivacity of vouth, as she responded. Oh. 1 don’t know. Dad. It's not so bad here, after all. I guess 1 wanted a little excitement.” ESTHER B. PERKINS. ------- --------- THE SOPHS Who are the smartest in the C. M. H. S.? Who are the ones who beat the rest? The only answer—The Sophs! Juniors and Seniors, let me mention. And call to your gracious attention. That we the noble class of 19.16 Are not just mere back-yard hicks! Fruly Juniors and Seniors, we re a great bunch. And I've got an honest-to-goodness hunch; That you’ll soon think that what Iwrite Is certainly most assured right. Our Alma Mater. CM.. H. S. Among all schools you are the best. When as Seniors we are to depart; Deeply engraved in each of our hearts : Honestv, obedience, and lovaltv to you, Colt Memorial High School—we’ll always he true. RUTH TATTRIE.

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14 THE GREEN AND WHITE SMALL BOAT CRUISING Probably there is in the world no sport more thrillingly adventurous, and, at the same time, lucrative as small boat cruising. By small boats, of course, 1 mean boats under forty, and in most cases, under thirty-five feet in length, and by cruising I mean voyaging to little known parts of the world. During the past few years small boat cruising has become an important sport, and many round-the-world cruises have been made by men who have afterward written thrilling books about them. For the present let us ignore the financial gain of such a voyage, and consider the adventurous. romantic side of it. There is no doubt in my mind but that every person, at some time or another, feels a powerful urge to dissolve the bonds of more or less monotonous surroundings and associates, and wander away to some far distant land where he can see new faces, be thrilled by new experiences, and enjoy a life far removed from that which he has hitherto known. Such a cruise as that of which I have spoken is often the result of such an urge, and generally serves to whet one’s thirst for adventure rather than to quench it Imagine yourself, for a moment, slipping easily along before a gentle, tropical breeze in a thirty-five foot, ketch-rigged yacht. It is night, and as you lie back in the cockpit, drinking deeply of the sensuously languorous beauty of a tropic night, you arc indescribably thrilled by surroundings. The blue-black vault pf heaven blazes with millions of diamonds, twinkling and Hashing as though in the light of dickering candles, while every now and then the white flame of a meteor sears its lingering scar across space. The gentle breeze, laden with that exotic perfume peculiar to the tropics. shakes the white sails softly as the boat slips through the little waves with a rustle at the bow, a murmur alongside, and a sharp tinkle of salt bubbles in the wake. You are somewhere in the South Pacific. You don’t know exactly where. All you know is that you are alone in the majestic silence of the night, that you are living at last, living a life of which you have often dreamed, but hardly dared to hope for. Of course, such scenes as this are tempered by wild storms at sea. when you pit your strength and knowledge against the fury of the elements in a great battle for existence. In the face of such a prospect even the coldest and most practical of people revolt against their comparative!v drab existence, and yearn, with all the intensity of their beings, to live through adventures like these. Among the many Americans who have circumnavigated the globe in small vachts, three men, in particular, stand out. The first of these three men is Captain Joshua Slocum, who sailed around the world in the thirty-seven foot sloop “Spray” in the latter part of the eighteen hundreds. The hook in which he recorded the events of this voyagle is entitled “Sailing Around the World.” The second of these three men to succumb to the irresistible “call of the running tide” was Harrv Pidgeon. who also sailed around the world alone in a thirtv-four foot yawl, “Islander.” and who told of his trip in Around the World Single Handed.” William Albert Robinson, the third man, made what was perhaps the most fascinating trip of the three. For three and one half years he sailed his tiny, thirty-two ketch “Svoap” ( Svoap” meaning Dream” in Norwegian among the least known islands of the South Seas, and the thrilling saga of his accomplishment, Ten Thousand Leagues Over the Sea, has become a classic in yachting circles. Of course, many of them have writen successful books about their experiences, but these three men stand out because of their daring, and because of their well nigh unbeliable experiences. The financial gain of such a voyage is almost wholly from writings of various natures. Many magazines and neswpapers are willing, even eager, to print these stories that attract and hold the public interest. The Rudder” and Yachting” magazines, in particular, are always anxious to run articles written by men who arc cruising, or have cruised, in far distant. romantic parts of the world. Writing a successful book may seem impossibility to the average man. but one must realize that, while it takes an extraordinarily clever author to write interestingly about nothing, practically anyone with ordinary intelligence can write interestingly when he has experienced thrilling adventures which to write about. You may protest that such a trip would be far too expensive, but one can live more cheaply in this manner than under ordinary circumstances. For example, William Robinson bought a sea-going ketch, outfitted it. and cruised in distant parts of the world for three and one half years, buying fod and equipment for himself and his crew of one. a Tahitian native, on a total of five thousand dollars ($5000). He financed the trip largely by submitting articles to various newspapers and nautical magazines. and he has received a fortune from the sale of his book. In addition to the expense, many people believe that a long cruise necessitates a fund of knowledge far beyond the ken of the average man. However, these people are under a fa’se impression. While seamanship, the ability to handle a boat under any conditions, is acquired only by practice, this practice need not be extended over too long a period, and sufficient navigation to take a yacht to any part of the world mav be acquired in two or three months of studying during one’s spare time. From these facts one mav readily see that a long, deep-sea cruise is within the reach of every man. that every man can make his dream ot adventure and romance come true, so let it be our purpose to “sail beyond the stars” in quest of—adventure ! GEORGE H. WILSON. U -------- ------- Mr. Burke—Celone. how far were you from the answer to the third question? S. Celone—Three seats, Mr. Burke. -------- ------- Mr- Burke—How old would a person be who was born in 1894? E. Bense—Man or woman?