Central Junior High School - Reflector Yearbook (Saginaw, MI)

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YD .9 18 aka THE ANNUAL REFLECTOR H 1+ Mystery of Huntington Mansion Story Contest, Honorable Mention, by ROSEMARIE RAYMOND, 8A s THE sUN went down beyond the hori- zon, Carolyn Blain, the pretty young heiress to the Huntington Mansion, walked wonderingly through the large halls and peered eagerly, yet a little hesi- tantly into the large library of her grand- father's old mansion. Grandfather Huntington had died near- ly two years before and some neighbors said the house was haunted. Carolyn had been graduated from college two years before but had been very sorrowful because of her mother's death. Her aged father al- most died of shock and could not stay in the home any longer. Thus this New York girl now came to live in this lonely old mansion with her father and several ser- vants. As Carolyn peered through the great doors, a strange feeling came over her. The huge fireplace had a blazing tire with- in it which gave the room a somewhat cheerful look. Yes, there was grand- father's old easy chair near the fireplace with the cat's cushion nearby. The Walls were all lined with rare and expensive books. It looked very mysterious to Carolyn in spite of all this cheer and luxury. As she was meditating as to what to do, one of the maids hurried by. Carolyn asked her about the strange-looking lib- rary. It is a long story, she sorrow fully said. It was in this library your dear grandfather died-of poison. The crime was committed by some unknown creature. We have unsuccessfully tried to find clues. Unseen by either maid or heiress,ahairy black claw with scarlet nails stealthily crept from behind the silken drape. lft hes- itated above Carolyn's head and then-all of a sudden, it grabbed the frightened girl and both quickly vanished. The maid, up- on hearing a scream, looked up to find her- self alone. She ran out ofthe library, down the stairs and to Carolyn's father. He at once phoned some New York police who came immediately but could find no clue whatever. After they had gone, Carolyn's father went into the library to think things over. As he sat there with his head in his hands thinking his life was in vain, a note was dropped in front of him. It was on purple parchment. In the right corner was an address as follows: BEWARE OR DIE ! He read it over and over not quite be- lieving it, although he knew it must be true. He did not see the wicked, yellow face that watched him from a corner of the window. The figure crept stealthily away, but Mr. Blain sat still-very still in a faint. In the meantime, Carolyn had been car- ried blindfolded, through many narrow, winding, low passages to a bare, cheerless room. Wicked-looking Chinamen were standing all about her. Here and there wasatimid whiteslave. Shewas afraid! How she wished her father could help her! Little did she know what was happening at home. Jane had entered the library again to ind Carolyn's father in a dead faint. Jane saw something in his limp hand. lt was the purple parchment. So this was the cause! She showed it to a detective who had just entered. Luckily he could read Chinese writing. We'll get them this time, laughed the detective. We've had plenty of trouble with these Chinese. They're the trickiest gang in the country-and the most wicked. The father, terrified, sent for all the police and detectives available. He ordered them to search every corner in Chinatown. They went to the address written on the note but, apparently, the room was bare. Then a policeman noticed a niche in the floor. He stuck his finger in it and to the other's surprise, he opened a small door with a steep stairs leading down. They all hurried down till they came to a small room. Certainly, they thought, this must lead somewhere. They pushed against the walls and looked everywhere but could see no other door. When they turned to go a partition slowly descended from the ceiling. Only two men escaped. The rest were trapped ! f The two men who had escaped sped the way they had come. As they were going through the last passage, one of the men saw his partner fall to the ground. K 'D 4:51315 0422 N.

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-ega- THE ANNUAL REFLECTOR 17 +I 1+ qhe Hidden Treasure Second Prize, Story Contest, by VIRGINIA WYSOPAL,9A X N AN'ANCIENT house in England there used to live a very wealthy count who was a miser. Now the house was a- bandoned and many parts were falling into ruin. People were afraid to go near it as they thought it was haunted, but a poor fisherman and his family decided to live in the back part of the house which was still in good condition. Doris, the daughter took care of her mother who was ill while her father went fishing to make a living. Many times Doris would go on the hill- side to pick flowers to cheer her mother and when her mother fell asleep she used to wander about the house, finding many interesting things. One day she climbed the old winding stairs that led to the attic. As she finally got to it, she pushed open the creaking door with its old and rusty hinges. As her eyes got accustomed to the dark, she found that everything was covered with dust and cobwebs. As she walked further into the room she heard a noise which frightened her. It was only a mouse running across the floor and a bat flying around the room, but she was ready to run out of the attic. Then she picked up her courage, for she spied a small trunk in the corner. Quickly she went to it, and found it vvasn't locked. She knelt beside it and found it was only filled with old papers and letters. She was taking them out and looking them over when she noticed an old, much- used map which showed directions to the hidden treasure. Curiously she studied the map which was faintly outlined. She fol- lowed the directions, moved the trunk to one side, as the map said, and there she found a board which was loose. She lifted the board up and saw a lever which the map said to pull up. To her suprise she heard a creaking noise and found the wall moving slowly to one side. She stood root- ed to the spot, dumbfounded. For there was a secret room unknown to everyone. After she got over her fright, she dashed out of the attic calling her father. Her father ran to meet her asking her what was the matter. Breathlessly she told him of the attic and the secret room. Her father went to get a light and both went into thesecret room. There he found a wonderful carved iron chest. He picked it up, and' carried it down stairs only to find it locked. Finally he took a hammer and broke it open, for the lock was old and rusty. It was filled with jewels and gold which themiserhad boarded away. They were all overjoyed for their troubles were over and they were rich. Now Doris's mother could go to a doctor and get well. Doris had always dreamed of going to college. Now she knew her dreams would come true. They could now live in a big city and be happy. ' were Finding Amethysts By MARY LOU OSWALD, 7A , 3 , HILE on a motor trip through Nova Scotia we saw beautiful amethysts in many ofthe shop windows. 1 p On asking some of the townspeople we learned that they were cast up by the tide on certain beaches, so we decided to try our luck at finding some. It was a beautiful sunshiny-day when we drove to Port Greville. Across. the Basin of Minus we could see the outline of Cape Blomidon which guards over the little village of Grand-Pre and the Evange- line country. We scrambled down a steep, clay bank leading to the shore. As we gazed at the rocks it did not look as if there could be any of the lovely stones which we had seen. We poked around in the seaweed. finding starfish, sea-urchins, and jelly-fish. All at once I found a large rock which looked as if it must have iron in, it for there was a kind of rust on if. I called my brother, he picked it up, but it was so heavy that he dropped it. It broke, dis- playing the inside of beautiful lavender crystals-we had found what we were looking for. While so occupied, the tide had come in and almost cut off our Way back. We siezed our pieces of amethyst quartz and ran back over the slippery rocks. We climbed the steep clay bank just in time for the tide was at our heels. -VEH-

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Zn egg-b ang THE ANNUAL REFLECTOR 19 I +I 14+ He wanted to help the man but he knew many lives depended on him, so he sped onward. He at last reached his destina- tion. They're trapped! he blurted out to the chief. I'm the only man free ! We must have more men! They gathered more detectives and police to wipe out the place. They followed the man swiftly until they came to the Chinamen's hideout. Mean while the Chinamen, thinking no one had escaped, were trying to decide what to do with so many captives. This is where the policemen found them. Sur- rounded by police and guns, the Chinese surrendered. They freed the slaves and hurried the Chinese to the station. They had found Carolyn asleep in a small room. At the station, after going through the third degree, the chief confessed to his part in the affair, You might as well know, he sobbed, Here is my story. Old General Huntington in the war, sunk a ship he knew my mother, sister, wife, son, and daughter were on. They had long dreamed of coming to America. I vowed Iwould get my revenge. One night I knew I had my chance. Hunt- ington was dozing off in the library. I climbed in thru a secret door and poisoned him. When his granddaughter came, I vowed I would take her for ransom. I put on an ape's suit with an immense claw. Itook her blindfolded to my house. It was I who dropped that note! I was going back to China with the money I got for ransom. Now I am lost forever ! Carolyn was glad to be back with her father and the rest. She is not afraid to stay in the house any longer. They have no enemies now. Shortly after her return, her father bought her a beautiful dog which she named Pal Often Pal and she wandered thru the meadows and woods of the state. She has almost for- gotten that terrible happening and really enjoys her life at the mansion. GNWKS Some have much and some have more, Some are rich and some are poor, Some have little, some have less, Some have not a cent to bless, Their empty pockets, yet possess, True riches in true happiness. -john Oxenliam. I Our Central Junior High SCHOOL everyone loves! Children who are in the grade schools cannot wait till their six years of elementary work are over. They keep dreaming of the year to come when they shall step inside the door and be able to say, I am a student at Central Junior High School. This school was built twelve years ago and still contains the loveliness and beauty it did then. To say farewell to Central seems impos- sible tor it seems as if it were but yesterday that I was in the seventh grade. I have en- joyed Central and the teachers immensely and know that every other ninth grader has also. A group of about five hundred boys and girls will be leaving this school in June but there will be other children in September to take our places. . The seventh, eighth and ninth grades of 1931-1932 have cooperated very well. When the new comers come, cooperate with them also, so that it maybe said, Central has a fine student body and always shall have. , I shall now say farewell to Central, and wish it the brightest of futures. Marjorie Frenzel, 9A. GNQXD Honorable Mention, Poetry Contest Ouf SCl lOOl By THERESA MUSIELAK, 9A Each day I go to a certain school Where we obey the safety rule, This school belongs to you and me, 1t's Central Junior High you see. We all learn to be happy and bright. And see that every thing goes on alright, If our good work was to stop, Central Junior would be losing a lot. Your school and mine is very great These pupils, have loads of fate, They try to do their very best, Believe it or not, they're not like the rest. Happiness here and there, The teachers marks are all so fair, We all pitch in and do our best Joining together like birds in their nest. This school does need a lot of praise, From you and me who helped it raise It's American children who learn so much, Sending them on the road of good luck. -ag-fav H! .ri