Central High School - Almanac Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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u it creaked under his weight, but he darted across the narrow hall and ensconced himself behind the laundry door. ' He listened intently, and thought he heard the refrigerator door open. But no, for what would a burglar want in it? He stretched out his hand toward the electric button. But,,, thought he, if I turn on the lights now, the thief may escape before I can catch him. So once more he carefully felt his way along the hall, hugging the wall closely. I After what seemed hours he reached the door from which the sound had reached him. He stopped, heard nothingg went in and stopped again. Again no sound reached him, so he glided to the wall, reached out his hand and grasped-what? With a cry this woolly something pulled itself from the Professor's hand and Hed. The Professor started to follow it, in the opposite direction, when he remembered his all-inspiring mission and turned on the lights. He saw the refrigerator standing open, the remains of a pie scattered about the- table, and, trying to squeeze through a window, a trifle too small for his body, aflittle colored boy. Mr. Goodwilly stood dazed for a moment, but finally seized the squirming mass in the window and hauled it down, none too gently. ' . 1 Please, Mr. Goodwilly, shall I clean up the table? said the youngster standing before him, and whom Mr. Goodwilly recog- nized as the stable boy. He was a colored youth not over twelve years old, with a full-moon face and funny little 'eyebrows that accentuated his every emotion. He was rather small, and had been quite a favorite with every one in the house. By this time the Professor's anger had passed away, and the humor of the situation appealed to him forcibly. 'See here, jim, said he, what are you doing here? ' I wanted some pie, and Jane wouldn't give me any when she was baking, and so-I tore my coat, too, coming through the window, see, and he glanced at the master from under those appealing brows to see if this was having a softening eifect. Now, aren't you ashamed of yourself jim ? Awfully, and as there were signs of relenting, in the face above him, he continued, Um-m, that pie was awful good, and maybe jane won't be so stingy now.

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' Professor Goodwilly. . BY GEORGE R. FUGATE. ERE was a chance to show the world he was a hero. Not that it had not always been evident to himself, but he had so long been bound down to antiquities that others had begun to almost regard him as such, one to be looked at and admired, but not to be imbued with animal spirits. So when Mr. Goodwilly heard a noise in the kitchen he welcomed it Qwith some few tremorsb as furnishing the means to gratify his ambition. He walked across the room to his cabinet of curios to take the horse- pistol, a relic of his youthful days and the Fourths of July, then he went to the window, hoping against his will that he might see a policeman. None was in sight-a most unusual thing- and Mr. Goodwilly felt a sinking in his breast. As his grasp tightened on his pistol, his heart stopped beating. What if it should be loaded! Nervously he opened the single chamber and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw it empty. For, of course, the Professor did not intend the weapon for oifense, but merely as a menace. Now he crept across to the cellar door. His hand was laid on the knob. Carefully, so carefully, did he turn it that not a creak was heard. Then he stopped to listen 5 everything was still. Not saying that he trembled, if he had, he would not have sunk in my estimation, for it was indeed a perilous undertaking the antiquarian was engaged in. For all he knew, there was a desperate rufiiian below him. Perhaps the burglar was behind the door at the foot of the stairs, perhaps even now a pistol was directed at the Professor. But, nevertheless, he stepped down carefully and slowly, step by step. He planned his course of action. He was to go down so quietly that he would not be heard g then he would go in the laundry and turn on the lights all over the cellar. This would so alarm the burglar that when a pistol was pointed at him he would at once submit. Allwent well until he reached the last step. Unfortunately

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If I let you go will you ever do this again? Honest, I won't. Hope to drop dead if I do, said Jim, shame-facedly. So the Professor helped him to climb through the Window, and at the last lift slipped a dime in his pocket. J' im paused only long enough to say, Gee, Pm much obliged, and darted ofli A He was back in a moment, though, and called out, Pro- sessor, you be a good Willie, and with this parting, meant both for a compliment and additional thanks, he was gone. The professor turned out the lights and Went upstairs. He did not tell of his bravery to his colleagues.