Central High School - Interlude Yearbook (South Bend, IN)

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THE INTERLUDE 21 Two minutes later, in response to a wild clanging of the church bell, out came the V01- unteer liire Department. Where? What? Who? They were all question marks, when a little figure rushed headlong past them, point- ing frantically in the direction of the old gen- tle1nan's house. Madly they raced over the quarter of a mile which separated them from the burning mansion. Bucket brigades were formed by the erstwhile astronomers. Servants tumbled out of the house, followed by the old gentleman in nocturnal habihments, while llll'OLlgll the commotion the figure of the girl could be seen rushing back and forth, saving this and that, and quieting the frightened ones by her cool voice. When it was over, the firemen mopped their brows, while a group of unfortunate astronomers looked in vain toward the east. W here's Olive? asked one. NVhy, l guess I locked her in her room, admitted lflora. I never thought-it was only a joke. Lome, girls, said Maude, we'll go and tell her. She wouldn't have seen it anyhow. The crowd had dispersed, and as they made their way home, it suddenly occurred to Ellen that there certainly had been another girl there. Several others were at the same time wondering, but as no one knew, the girls went on very much crestfallen. Creeping upstairs, they softly opened Olive's door and peeped in. She was sleeping soundly to all intents, though a close observer might have detected a slight quivering of the eyelids. And the girls cau- tiously withdrew. fil Pk Pk Ill Commencement Day was not bright and sun- shiny as all such days should be, but a dark, moody day with overhanging clouds looking as if they were brooding over the events and nod- ding their heads sagely. The graduates were nevertheless enjoying to the fullest extent their last moments together. Even Olive, though she felt keenlv disappointed over the loss of the prize, assumed-a brave and cheerful face. as if she had won two or three scholarships. The teachers, too, were in excellent spirits, though there was an inexplicable air of mys- tery about them, as if there was something nice to tell which they were forbidden. In the hall were numerous admiring friends and rela- tives, each proud of his own particular gradu- ate, and each wondering how one ever man- aged to get through school at all. By ten o'clock everyone was quiet and ex- pectant, until the speaker was announced. He had come from a neighboring city, and was very undeservedly famous. he gave the usual advice to graduates, who were facing this great world for the first time: warned them not to expect too much from it, and ended with a long peroration on the qualities necessary to success, which he analyzed almost to a chemical constituency. When he had finished, the principal of the school arose, and the air of mystery increased on the teachers' faces. With formal courtesy, to the surprise of the assembly, and especially Olive, the old gentle- man was introduced. His speech was on an entirely ditterent line from the other, for he mentioned the delights of this life if you can but discover them, and the fact that rightly- directed ambitions would be fulfilled, though perhaps not in the way you expected. With great skill, he introduced the story of his offer to the school, the hopes of certain students to obtain the prize, their disappointment and his. Then he began to tell of the fire, begin- ning at the very first, of how one of the gradu- ates had so hoped to get the prize that she would have risked much to get it. Olive felt her cheeks burn as he related her escape to the belfry, her inspiration to ring the bell, her bravery and quick action which saved his home, and her modesty which led her to say nothing about it. But she was found out, he concluded, and I think you will all agree, is entitled to some reward for her service, though she did not see the comet. Miss Olive, will you come forward, please. Feeling herself growing hotter every min- ute, Olive stepped forward, to receive a me- dium-sized oblong box. Inside was what looked like a telescope, and Olive was exclaim- ing with delight, when the old gentleman in- terrupted her. Press the spring, he said gently. Olive did so, and unfolded a paper with much writ- ing and many seals on it. I do hereby give and bequeath the - Olive's eye glanced quickly down the sheet. She was heir to all his property! Hardly able to believe her senses, she looked up at her ben- efactor. I am an old man, he said. My house is of no value to me, it has needed some bright human being to cheer it up, since-- his voice broke. Then without one thought of the surroundings, Olive ran and threw her arms impulsively around his neck. LILLTAN MARTIN, '10, Q-4 6-C 9 QQ X X U IIQ' . V , 2 9' N r 'Q

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20 THE INTERLUDE 1 1 THE COMMENCEMENT COMET 1 if I T was all verv nice to be a Freshman, gil, I though you felt rather small. And a Sophomore-well, you skimmed over that state of being very easilv. W'ith the Junior year, you began to buckle down and study Cunder the tutelage of a wise teacher, who lets no one escapel. Tint the Seniors! Why, thought Olive. couldn't one be a Senior the whole four years, instead of having to go through a preparatorv stage? It was so nice to think you knew so much, and to have other people think you did, toog but in three weeks- the thought brought a train of recollections to Olive's mind. This was certainly the night the comet was to be seen, and she must see it. There was no doubt about that, so she quick- ened her step accordingly. Her reason was this. The pupils of San Bourne school had long been 'interested in as- tronomical observations. To encourage this, a benevolent old gentleman in the vicinity had offered a prize for the one who earliest discov- ered the comet. The nature of this prize was unknown, but it was reported to be worth trying for. Each was to hand in the time he or she saw it, and say nothing about it to the rest of the students. Excitement reigned for some time among the ambitious ones. who were all determined to get the reward. Of course there were a few dullards who scofferl at all the proceedings, but it was well-known that those who did so never rose earlier than seven o'clock at the very least. Olive Gould was not one of these latter. As she hurried toward her boarding-house, she re- membered with dismay that three other girls were likewise bent on seeing the comet. lt would take some ingenuity to outwit them. for thev were not easilv conquered or daunted by a slight obstacle. Still she thought it was her due to get that prize. The girls had been together during the four vears of their course. and now Ellen was valedictorian, Flora took a medal. and Maude was famous in athletics. It would be nice to get it, too, just for the sake of the honor, for she had never been as popu- lar as the other girls. Not that she cared for popularity, but still it came only once in a life- time, and she was only human. VVith these thoughts intruding themselves. she entered the house softly, knowing that as it was about eight o'clock, the other girls would be up studying. She would have about an hour for her own work, retire early, and set the alarm clock for two-thirty. She heard whispered comments in the rooms about her, and a bang of the door now and then which indicated that her arrival had been noted. But ignoring these interruptions, she set diligently to work and finished at the prescribed time. As cautiously as possible. she got everything ready for her early morning exit, as she was going to the most advantageous soot in the neighborhood-a vacant lot, where the view to the east was unimpeded by tall buildings or trees of anv sort. A very sleepy girl shut off a slightly muf- fled clock next morning and tumbled into a queer-looking costume. consisting of a blue skirt, red waist, and one shoe of tan, the other black. Groping her wav to the door, she turned the knob and found it was locked from the outside! Again that sofe chuckle down the corridor. That put her on her mettle and she resolved not to be daunted. The window first suggested itself, for there was no time to fuss with doorkevs. Her window opened upon a sloping roof which reached within eight or ten feet of the ground. Tt took but a moment to open the window, slide gentlv downward, and jump to the ground. fShe said afterwards she would not have been surprised to have found a tub of water awaiting herl. VVith great celeritv she set off. and reached the lot not a moment too soon. For as he stood under the shadowy branches of a tree. she saw two or three figures approaching stealthilv from opposite directions and peering cautiously around, each unconscious of the other's pres- ence. It was her turn to chuckle, for each thought the other safelv locked in her room. Now how was she to see the comet without the knowledge of the others? Possiblv the ap- ple tree would serve as a temoorarv observa- tory, but just then her eve caught sight of the church not far distant. The belfrvl Tust the place for, as she was the last to leave the practice, she had the kev in her pocket. A few moments later she was climbing the dustv, winding stairwav to the little tower which overlooked the greater part of the village, or as it preferred being called, the town. To all appearances it was sleeping now, but Olive's sharp eve detected strange figures lurk- ing here and there amid the trees, or a field- glass sparkling in the pale light, as it was di- rected toward the skv in search of the heaven- ly body. Olive laughed softly to herself as she saw what a fine observatorv she had, and placing herself in a comfortable position, she studied the stars intently. She was becoming impatient at the delay of the stranger, when a bright light, outshining Halley's comet. at- tracted her attention. It was a wavering, flick- ering light which spurted up and then died down. Olive watched it, fascinated, until an unusually bright flare brought her to her senses. The old ffentle1nan's house was on fire s !

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22 THE INTERLUDE 1 1 1 AN ECHO OF INGOMAR 1 1 . 66 UU 'mayileave the room. the teach- s' er s voice was unusually stern and the poor little Freshman to whom fn' the command was given arose and walked shamefacedly out of the room. He could not understand the reason for this harsh treat- ment when his only offence was to whisper some- thing to the pretty blue-eyed girl who sat in the seat in front of him. And now to be thus hu- miliated in front of her just when he was begin- ning to get a stand-in ! He now stood for a few moments dejectedly in the hall and looked around him bewildered, for this was the first time he had suffered such a humiliation and he did not know what to do. He could not go to the study hall and walk in under the scrutiny of so many curious eyes. He could imagine the the students snickering and whispering to each other as he walked up the aisle to take his seat. The very thought of it caused him to blush for shame and so he crept down the hall on tip-toe, fearing the prying eyes of some teacher. He thought of going home, which reminded him that his hat was in his locker on the second floor. He walked downstairs, and, as he passed the open door of the Assembly, he was greeted by a cool breath of wind. The large, empty room looked so inviting that he could not resist going in. The day was an extremely hot one for that time of the year and the Freshman had a bad case of spring fever as well as the blues, so he thought he would lie down on one of the benches and await the ringing of the bell. Then by mingling with the crowd he could avoid being caught. He threw himself down on one of the seats in the back part of the room and began to ruminate on the misery of a Freshman's life in High School. He had not lain there very long when he heard footsteps coming toward him. lt proved to be Mr. Vvhitenack in company with many prominent personages, among whom he recog- nized Samuel Adams. They were discussing the probability of Mr. Bryan's running for the pres- idency in the next election. The Freshman was very much interested to hear what they would say about it, and in his eagerness he fell off of the seat and hit the floor with a loud crash. He looked around him. The room was empty and Mr. Wlhitenack was nowhere to be seen-but what was that noise in the front part of the room? He peeped out cautiously and in front of the platform saw a group of students gathered, whose actions were the queerest imaginable. A tall, well-built fellow, whom he immediately recognized as a hero of the gridiron, was stand- ing in front of a girl, rubbing his hands and making profuse gestures. He was boasting that his lineage had sprung from the gods and that he would confer a great honor upon her by accepting her in marriage. The girl, whom he had seen leading the singing on the sidelines at the football games, did not see it that way and refused him. A short fellow. who was a stranger to the Freshie, now came in and began knocking on a chair, calling for it to open, saying he brought bad news. He was joined by two girls and, after talking awhile, one of them began to weep, begging for some one to save her husband from the barbarians. A group of fellows .now appeared, among whom he recog- nized the circulator of rlllilf lN'i'ERLuuis and one who had been pointed out to him as the leader of the Socialist party. The pretty girl how be- gan to beg each one in turn to save her dear father , but was refused by each in turn. She then ran out, crying that she would save him herself. At this juncture a short silence ensued and three fellows came in and, throwing themselves down on the floor, began to play craps much to the horror of the Freshman. He noticed that the fellow who always made THIS INTERLUDE an- nouncements was among them. They called for something to drink and one of their companions, who seemed to be very much abused, caught up a few steins and gave them to the players, who seemed to enjoy the beverage immensely. lt did not have a good effect on them however, for they rushed together as though each would tear the otheris throat out. The Breslin was greatly frightened. His hair stood on end, but to his great relief just as the smaller of the combatants picked up a hammer to dash out the brains of his enemy, the school comedian and yellmaster rushed in and separated lll16l'1'l. By this time the Freshman began to realize that he was witnessing a play rehearsal and set- tled himself comfortably to enjoy it. He was not much afraid of being seen for the room was growing rather dark and those in front seemed to be too much interested in themselves to take any notice of him. The maid of the comely countenance was now brought in by a large band of fellows, who called the comedian their chief. She knelt before him and implored him to allow her to ransom her father. After a great deal of confusion the request was granted and the band led off the poor father very roughly amid shouts and laugh- ter. The chief then threw himself down on the floor and demanded that the girl amuse him. She appeared very much frightened at first but soon regained her composure and, as the listening Freshman was quick to notice, the conversation turned to that world-old subject, love. The next act was very exciting. The dice- players did not seem to like the girl whom they