Cleveland High School - Legend Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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upsm vanced with neL ' k feathers erect. At this minute, Tommy gave his warcry and took his course for the innocent gander ' way over by the iron kettle. Tommy never knew just quite how it happened. But anyhow a sybilant hiss sounded right behind him. This was promptly followed by the spat, spat, spat of hard, bony wings urging on an angered vengeance. The next instant something clamped on his pants and it didn ' t take Tommy long to guess that pants wasn ' t all the clamp got. Tommy responded with a startled yell and tried to whirl himself free. In vain! The lusty gander was of the bulldog type and somehow Tommy suddenh ' didn ' t want t(5 chase that old gander ' way over by the iron kettle. In fact, he wanted something else. He wanted to be on the outside of that gate so far, far away and he wanted to get there badly. A hurried glance confirmed this desire considerably. He saw gander upon gander all making their can- non-ball charge upon him with long necks stretched in anticipation and wide open clamps fairly ach- ing — Tommy didn ' t look any more. Mother ' s last words came to him vividly. They won ' t take on fat — Tommy was gaining on the geese and had he not tripped probably would have made it. But he tripped, and tripped he stayed. Bony wings beat him back. Clamp after clamp fastened on him. It didn ' t hurt so bad when they clamped on, but when they slipped off — Tommy writhed with pain and covering his face with his arms, resigned himself to death. Suddenly Tommy came to life. Not only to life but fighting mad. A gander had deliberately fastened on his big toe and Tommy fought. He lashed out left and right and kicked mightily. The geese withdrew and stood hissing at him from too short a distance. Tommy came to his feet and at the same time the innocent goose from ' way over b ' the iron kettle arrived. He wasn ' t the least bit bashful and Tommy fled. He tore through the gate and shut it in time to stop another assault of infuriated geese. Two days later Tommy was gazing thought- fully at the waddling geese. Tomm ! Oh, Tommy! came from the smoke house. Don ' t go and bother them geese. They just can ' t stand being flustered. Now stay away from there! Tommy?!! All right. Mom. Tommy sincereh felt certain spots tenderlv. I won ' t! And as he headed for the pig pen he murmured positively, ' ou bet I won ' t! THE HARP OF WINDS F.-vYE Howe On the harp of winds I played a song Like the wail of trees at night, Like the laugh of water in the sun When May buds pink and white. I played on threads of thinning air That throbbed in a wine-mad way. As if a dream were struggling there And half-unfettered lay. I played and played till the slim strings broke And my mind had lost its gleam . . . Still on the lips of winds I heard The echoes of a dream. Page 29

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I ERGER TOMMY JUST TOMMY Elmur Lincoln Tommy anted to chase tlie j cesc. cs, sir, liis whole soul and hody longed just to chase those {jahbiy old kpcsc all over the yard. But there was Mother, — she was always meddling; around in what- ever he wanted to do. Al va ' s she was telling him to Don ' t do this or don ' t do that. Leave Dad ' s hammer alone! Tommy! Come right this minute and fill the wood box. TomiriN ! Tommy! Don ' t };o in the goose ard, — they ' ll peck your eyes out. Tommy-e-e-e ! ! Aw, what does she know about geese? Wh ' I ' m pretty stout and 1 guess I can show an old goose that ever lived how to fight. With eyes filled with longing and wistfulness he would stand for hours at a time watching the old ganders strut about ; their sole ambition seemed to be in waddling just a little more awkwardly than their immediate neighbor. And poor Tommy gazed upon this vanity with pent up emotion. His heart seemed to expand ; he kept swallowing rapidly and his breath came in quick succession. Yes, indeed, Tommy wanted to chase geese. He was destined to have his wish. One day Aunt Hallie came on a visit. She did not like little boys, and so she didn ' t like Tommy. Tommy didn ' t shed tears over this fact; he didn ' t like her anyway. She was constantly combing his hair when he came around. Rats, Tommy trotted toward the geese pen from force of habit. She makes me sick! Tommy! Tommy! Mother ' s voice halted him midway. Oh, Tommy! Tommy cast a regret- ful look toward his intended destination then obedi- ently shambled back to the kitchen door. What ch ' want, IVLi? he made his voice sound as tired as he could. Son, came from the depths of the kitchen, Dad and I are goin ' over to Uncle Dudley ' s with Aunt Hallie. You stay here and don ' t scare them geese. They won ' t take on fat if you go and bother em! Dy ' d hear me? Tommy! Yes, Mom. Tommy was properly overawed. Can ' t I have som ' in to eat? Nope. We just had dinner an hour ago. My! You ' ll dri e nie to distraction with ' our eternal hunger. Go away and play! Tommy did get away. His way led incidentally to the geese yard. As he eagerly glued his anguished eyes on the in- different geese, a sudden thought caused him to scamper hastily to the old apple tree. From here he had a good view of the road. Yes, sir, there they went. Hurrav! Me and the geese are gonna mix and I ' m goin ' to have my way for once! Tomm approached with eager steps; he was bubbling over with rising excitement. Geese, geese, geese, he chanted. Geese, geese — you ' re goin ' to get exercise! With some difficulty he unlatched the gate and for the first time, he stepped into the forbidden territory. Yes, sir, that old gander ' way over by the iron kettle. That was the one. M-m-my, I bet he c-c-c-can g-g-go! stuttered Tommy. His ambition was about to be gratified. This was the supreme moment. All the stored up passion of da s, week, months, and as far back as he could remember, surged up in him and with a whoop he flung himself forward. So overwrought had he been that he had not noticed an old gander eyeing him attentively at one side. The gander had him sized up as a very little boy and one who shouldn ' t be there. Plainly it was his duty to drive the nuisance out! He ad- Page 28

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- UJPSoUl Sea Bound Kennktii Collins Oh 1 met a man whose body was bent Like the bmbs of a wind-blown tree, And whenever I jjazed into liis grey eyes, 1 dreamed of a distant sea. Oh liis whispered words were alwa s few, And whene er he walked with me, it would seem that 1 made my way alone On the dunes of a distant sea. Oh the dust of death now has closed his eyes, And his year bent body is free; So I know it will journe) to join his soul AVhere it drifts on a distant sea. Fall Pruning GnoRGi; PoHL I loved to watch a waving tree, That grew before our door. The lisping soft winds lingered there Starved from a treeless shore. The Brook WiLDRED M.ARK Gurgling, laughing, dancing little brook, Flashing in the sunlight, through the shady nook. Sparkling little riplets, tossing in the summer air, ' Neath the pretty butterflies in the summer air. I loved that saddened lonely tree That blossomed new in spring, I knew each rustic, curving bough Where orange-hued songsters sing. One day a crew of strange men came, With axes, saws, and blades, A wild fear swept thru me in fright, I vaguely watched, afraid. They cut those shapely rounded limbs, And wrenched them from her side, A tremor shook her naked form. Grey stumps in sorrow cried. They dragged away the bleeding limbs. Of that old maple tree; I wondered why those wretched men Had torn the limbs from me. Birdies in the tree tops who sing their pretty songs. Stop to hear its murmuring as it rolls along, As it flashes in the sun, this merry little brook Gliding through the marshes and through the shady nook. Dancing little brooklet, joyous little stream. When the sun is shining how your ripples gleam, Traveling in the sunlight, in the starlight too Laughing in the day time, and all the long night through. Never seem to tire though your journey ' s long. Always singing to me your murmuring little song; ' our course is sometimes westward, and sometimes to the east, But ou ' ll never, never stop, and your song will never cease. Pae e .W