Butler High School - Magnet Yearbook (Butler, PA)

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THE SENIOR MAGNET 15 But there came a time when the boss exploded, Ben, I’m warning you! Forget once more and you go!” Ben reddened. He had no comeback. He had meant to phone to town for the gas supply to be sent out but had forgotten. It was his fault. Any boss would be provoked when the work of the whole gang was held up for three hours. Jim fairly trembled. Ben needed the money. If Ben were fired, it would be hard for him to get another job that paid so well; and that would mean for Ben, no college. For the sake of your college fund, Ben,” Jim exclaimed that night when the two were together, Dont forget again! The boss means what he says.” For the next few weeks, Ben was careful. He did not forget. Then it happened. The fellows in from work were sitting in the mess house waiting for dinner. The boss came stamping in later than the others. Ben, sitting at one side, started at his appearance. That gate! For several days, the men had been rebuilding a bridge that had gone out during the fall rains. It will be done today,” the man in charge of the construction gang had s d to the boss that morning. The boss had nodded. Then as the men were goifl| out to work, he had turned to Ben and said, If the bridge is not done, be sure to close the gate across the road above the bridge.” Ben remembered now that he had forgotten to close that gate. Halfway across the creek, the bridge had been finished; but the floor boards were not yet down on the other half. Ben’s face went white. What if the boss asked him about the gate. It would cost him his job! The minutes passed, talk in the room became general, and the boss did not question him as to whether he had carried out orders. Ben breathed more freely. If the boss did not ask about the gate, he was safe! It didn’t matter anyway. All the men knew the bridge was out, and the detour signs had not been taken down. He’d just keep still and say nothing. So Ben sat silent trying to avoid the eyes of the boss, listening as the men talked of this or that. It’s a dark night,” some one said, a dark night!” Fragments of talk came out of the general buzz of conversation. A storm’s coming, and the creek is high.” I remember,” a man spoke up, when the rains filled the creek bed so the rocks under the bridge were covered. Imagine that, can you! Clear covered, those jagged rocks!” Under the bridge, jagged rocks rose from the bed of the stream like a series of stepping-stones between which water rushed with white foam edging the waves. It would take much to cover those rocks. And then in the noise, Ben heard some one ask, Jim coming back tonight?” Three days before, Jim had gotten a leave of absence to go home for Thanksgiving. Saturday, he was to be back, and this was Friday night. I phoned for him,” the boss spoke up. Rush of work made me have to

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14 THE SENIOR MAGNET later, that he would do as she wished. He put the dog in his car and started out for Middletown, about twenty miles distant. When he got nearly there, he opened the door of his car and let Suds out. The dog, thinking that his master was going to play a game with him, frisked and played about. When Wesely turned his car around and started back, Suds started to run along beside the car, still thinking that they were having a romp. Soon he became tired and sitting down in the road watched the rapidly disappearing car. Three miles from where he let Suds go, Mr. Powell stopped at a roadside stand for gas and a bite to eat. He could not understand why he had no appetite, even though he had not eaten since morning. He also could not understand why he saw things in a blur every once in a while. When he got home, he went into the sitting room and sat down on the lounge before the fire. Soon he was lost in thought. Then, waking suddenly out of his reverie, he noticed a black scar in the floor, and the whole story of Suds’ heroism, accidental of course, but, nevertheless, heroism dawned on him. He ran through the house, calling his wife; and when he found her, he could hardly gasp, S—S—Suds was laying - pant - pant - on the skin when a coal popped out and set it on fire. Pant—pant—I just discovered the scar that the coal made when it burned through to the floor. If it had not been for Suds, the whole house would probably have burned down.” Well, it is too late now,” said Mrs. Powell. The dog is gone.” Just then they heard a scratching noise at the door. When Mr. Powell went to investigate, there stood Suds. He had jumped on the running board of the car, while Mr. Powell stopped for gas, at the wayside stand, and he had ridden all the way home. A few minutes later, Mrs. Powell could be heard telephoning to her butcher, Send me two pounds of the best meat that you have and the biggest bone in the shop.” Lest We Forget Anonymous BEN IDE went to work in the fall of the year for the Northern Lumber Company whose holdings were in the upper regions of Michigan. He was a good worker, one who made friends with the men, likeable and trustworthy in big things, but in little things, frequently forgetful. That was Ben’s one fault; and though it seemed a little matter to him, it proved to be otherwise. Ben easily made friends, and the friends more than once went far out of their way to do Ben’s forgotten tasks. More than once, Jim Lacy prevented Ben’s receiving a severe reprimand. Ben and Jim were inseparable. Where one was, after hours, the other was certain to be; and Jim, who worshipped the ground Ben walked on, kept an eye on him. Have you done this?” he would ask, and Ben would go and do it.

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16 THE SENIOR MAGNET do it. Told him the bridge would be done today. Told him to take the late train to the junction and walk over from there.” Jim was coming back, and the gate was open! To Jim, it would be an assurance that the bridge was finished, and he would come direct instead of by way of the detour. Jim!” Ben hardly knew he spoke. Everybody looked up, curious. Then the boss nodded. Ben, did you forget to close that gate?” Running, stumbling forward, Ben knew that this meant that his job was done; but that didn’t matter. Fired, he deserved to be. If only he could get there in time to warn Jim, they could fire him and welcome! His first thought had been to rush to the bank of the stream and call out a warning across the water; but that would not do. The distance across to the side from which the half finished bridge jutted was too great. He had to make the detour, cross the stream on the temporary bridge, and race up the farther bank. If he should fail! He was terror-stricken at the thought. So he raced; and panting, he made the bridge, only to see that he had gotten there a moment too late. Jim! Jim!” he called. The form on the bridge was only a blur in the darkness, but it could be no other than Jim. Jim! Jim!” again Ben called as he raced out onto the planks. The roaring wind and water drowned the sound of his voice. There was only one more step between Jim and the unfinished portion of the bridge. Just when he’d reach Jim, Jim would step off into space. Pull him back! That could not be done. He might possibly reach Jim, but not if he checked his own speed. Then Ben took the one chance left. It was only a slim chance; but if it did not save Jim, it at least meant they would die together. He plunged forward and hit Jim hard, using all the skill he had gained as a tackier in the games at the high school. And,” as Jim told the story later, he certainly struck me. I had thought I heard some one calling, but the wind was making the trees sing, and I wasn’t sure. Anyway, I was in a hurry. So I passed on and started forward on the bridge. I heard some one shout 'Jim!’ The same instant, I was thrown; something hit me like a shot. The next I knew, Ben was holding my head above the waters of the big pool and saying, 'Jim! Jim! You’re not hurt, are you?’ ” I wasn’t. I was wret and mad! 'What’s the matter with you?’ I asked. Clear of the rocks and into the pool, Ben had thrown me. Six feet out from the planks far beyond the jutting rocks.” Later, Ben went in to see the boss. I left the gate open, you see. It was pure carelessness.” He did not try to excuse himself and had already packed his bag. I thought,” he said, I’d confess before you fired me.” Ben knew he had it coming to him.