Chinook High School - Breeze Yearbook (Chinook, MT)

Page 12 text:

THE CHINOOK BREEZE Must have a bunch of bucks and plunks, My helpmeet lets me know; My nephew needs some new silk socks— It gives poor me an awful shock To see the nickels go. Then I should send some gifts and things To my own relatives, by jinks, But simply do not dare. My brothers dear amount to naught And other presents must be bought, My darling wife declares. When Christmas morn at last is here, For others there is lots of cheer And every kind of stuff; But as I look up at the tree There’s just a loud bow tie for me— They wonder why I’m gruff. That’s just the way it always goes, As any men with families know— And it is rank abuse. They never send a thing to you, When gifts and things for them are due; It peeves me like the deuce. SHRIMP, C’18. (With apologies to Walt Mason.) Mabel Blackwood rushed into the geometry room breathless. “Oh, Mr. Provow, don't scold me for being late to school, because I’ve just had such a disappointment,” she said. “A horse fell down and they said they were going to send for a horse doctor, so I waited. And what do you think? It wasn’t a horse doctor at all: it was only a man!’’

Page 11 text:

THE CHINOOK BREEZE 9 talking and Billy, urged on by the eager questions of the two men, told the whole story of their misfortune. When he had finished, one of the men inquired innocently what the names of the two missing men were. Billy told him and the man exclaimed, “Oh, I know them well.,, “Can you tell me where they are?” asked Billy eagerly. “Right on this wagon,” answered the man. Billy was over-joyed when he discovered that the men were his two long lost brothers, but was not any more elated than the rest of the family, who almost smothered them when they came into the house. Soon the family were again seated around the fire, listening to John and Abner’s story. They had been taken to the ca bin by the two trappers and had been taken care of for almost two months until they were able to travel. Then they had made their way through the Confederate lines by disguising themselves as Confederate soldiers, and had rejoined their own regiment. When their commander heard their story, he gave them six months furlough and they had returned home just in time for Christmas. “Well,” remarked Billy, when they had finished their story, “I guess we’ll have a happy Christmas after all.” —Leo Gesell, ’18. UJterry? Cljrfatmaa When Yule-tide comes around again, It costs me stacks of fives and tens To pay off all my bills. The wife must have a brand new hat, The children long for this and that— My heart with anguish fills. My niece’s cousin’s husband’s unks,

Page 13 text:

THE CHINOOK BREEZE 11 Slljtf ©ih Jffolks’ Christmas Silas Jones sat on the manger, stroking Betsy’s black head and telling her, “Those kids o’ mine will be home two days after tomorrow.” His meditations were interrupted by a shrill voice calling him. He immediately went to the house for he seldom went against his wife’s wishes or contradicted her—not more than once in five years. And the five years were almost gone since Silas had told her John might go to school as long as he pleased. As he neared the house he saw Mira out feeding a very fat goose and an equally fat turkey, which were to be killed in one or two more days. Mira saw Silas coming and had a scolding ready for him. “Here y’come t’the house without an armful of wood and there ain’t a speck in the wood-box. If you ain’t the most unthinkin’ man I ever saw, I’ll eat my hat,” snapped Mira as Silas stepped on the porch. “Sure Mira, I’ll go an’ git y’ a big armful, if thet’s all what’s botherin’ y You should hev told me thet before.” “If thet ain’t like a man,” soliloquized Mira. “Alwus thinkin’ they’re not t’ blame. Silas! You lay thet wood right down on the step there and take off your over-shoes ’fore y’ dare walk in on thet floor I’ve been breakin’ my back scrubbin’.” While supper was being prepared, Silas read one of the yearly letters, saying all the children would be home for Christmas. His honest face glowed with pride when he read them. They (the children) were all such good child- ren.