Central Washington University - Hyakem / Kooltuo Yearbook (Ellensburg, WA)

Page 29 text:

%irniitm Shankaghmuj Qai| at inmtf T O me. Thanksgiving Day had always I wen associated with home and turkey. The first year 1 was away front home, the people I lived with planned to have a big partv on Thanksgiving. When asked to stay and share the work and pleasure of entertaining I said. “No. 1 can ' t. 1 have never been away from home in Thanksgiving, and this isn ' t going to be the first time.” This settlement was out in the country, where there were only a few girls hut any number of boys, and I knew 1 would greatly oblige the hostess by staying. Be¬ sides, 1 had taken quite a fancy to some of the young men and would Itave enjoyed the day. The more they urged me to stay, the more determined I was to go. The nearest railroad was eight miles away. The mail carrier, who was an obliging fellow, would take anyone who wished to ride with him. He started at seven. I was at the postoffice long hefore seven o’clock. The roads were very muddy this time of the year and. as lurk would have it. he took his one-seated rig. When he drove up I saw that he had already picked up one passenger, so my going with him was out of the question. There were smiles of satisfaction on everyone’s face when l went ! ack to the house. Now you may as well make up your mind to stay with us.” ”No, I ' ll go if 1 have to walk to the depot. No one offered to take me. so. 1 had a short walk before me. There was an old forsaken county road which made the distance to the railroad some two miles less, I decided to take this. If there is any one thing I am afraid of. it is that some day I will meet a wild cat. My friends knew this; and this morning, while I was waiting until time to start, it seemed as if they all wanted to air their experiences with wild cats. They told how one had l een seen crossing this old road the day before, how one had been shot the week before, and so on. ’The train left the station at two o ' clock. As I went out of the kitchen door about ten, I caught a glimpse of a turkey nicely brown¬ ing. As I went out uf the gate. I looked up the road and saw the party from town. They were laughing and singing—hut I was going home for Thanksgiving. The first part of the journey was up a long hill, called the Hill of Heaven. I never knew how the hill got its name, and this day 1 was quite out of patience with the name and the hill. A number of skid roads arc on top of this hill. The old county road had been used for a skid road for alniut half a mile. Any one acquainted with skid roads knows that they all look alike. 1 picked out the one I thought was the main one and followed it. After going about three-quarters of a mile it ended in (29)

Page 28 text:

discuss the far-reaching laws enacted through Senator 1-aFollcttc’s efforts, it is sufficient that they are successful and that what he has done for one state can be done for all, it is only a matter of area. And this matter of area does not amount to much, since the same force is at work everywhere. 1 have given only a few examples of what we term the new man, there are many more in all sections of our commonwealth, men who feel with Chaucer, that “ Truth is the highest thing a man may keep, and who find their own life in the service of others. Since truth is to become the predominant force in public life, it must be and is the predominant force in all walks of life. In commerce, the abuses and privileges of the large corporations will soon he of the past: the action of nearly every Legislature upon the liquor question is of the same source; the wiping out of the graft in so many of our large cities is the result of men banded together, who feel more keenlv their duty of service to their fellow men. and who have the courage of their convictions. We who see and judge him as those may see and judge who are just taking up life’s work, admire and respect this new man. and feel that in answering Nature ' s call to work we can-fill our place and serve our fellows better if we have such men to inspire us to the letter things of life. He presses himself upon our notice most often perhaps, in puhiic life, hut we recognize this truth seeker, wherever we find him and hold him as the ideal of the new century. Newtox H exitin ' . ' 19. ( 28 )

Page 30 text:

a pile of logs. A fine drizzle had set in, and I was so afraid I would miss mv train I ran nearly all the way lack to the landing. This time I was fortunate enough to pick out the right rise! and in a short while was on the gravel road again. 1 shall never forget that lonely walk. The trees had grown together overhead and a death¬ like silence prevailed. 1 didn ' t dare look l ack for fear I would see a wild cat fol¬ lowing me. Every time a leaf fell or a twig broke. I was sure a wild cat was creeping on me, and when a flock of grouse went whirring through the air I knew I was taken. I reached the station about I o ' clock. 1 have called it a station hut it was only a rough shed which served for a Ixaggage room and a ticket office. There was no stove and I was damp and cold, hut 1 did not mind that for I would soon he home 1 waited until two, and inquired at the office and found that the train was half an hour late. The half hour dragged on to a whole hour, one whole hour lengthened out into two, hut no train came pulling along. I began tu realize what a small break¬ fast I had eaten. At the little grocery store I bought ten cents worth of dried up stick candy and tried to eat it, and this was Thanksgiving l ay. When it l egan to grow dark I thought how I would enjoy a fire. One of the party from town had carried something that resembled a violin case. He was probably stringing it up now, and how I loved to dance! Hut still 1 waited. Some time near five the train came. It took alwut an hour to travel to the next station At this junction I expected to take an intcrurlnn. which would take me home in about twenty minutes. I figured it all out and found that I would get home just in time for supper. 1 always did like cold turkey best, so I did not mind missing my dinner so much. When we got to the junction 1 found the car had just left, and they only run every hour. 1 gave up hojies of being in time for supper, but then they knew tile part of the turkey 1 liked best and it would lie ready for me. It was seven thirty when I reached home and was greeted with, “Why, it got so late wc thought you weren ' t coming, so we ate the last bite of turkey. (1. K„ ’09.