Clifton High School - Rotunda Yearbook (Clifton, NJ)

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THE REFLECTOR Arrangements for a fight with Alexander were immediately begun. The time was the next Monday, the place, Reiter's back yard, and the conditions these: QU a ring was to be made, CZJ no one but the referee and the two roosters were to step into the ring Cpenalty, for-- feit the fightj 3 Q32 if one contestant was disabled, he would lose, or, if one contestant had been backed out of the ring three times, he would lose. Wilhelm Hoffman was chosen referee because he was thought to be least partial, since he had moved to the town only the week before. Hold your roosters in opposite corners!', cried Wilhelm. Ready? The boys nodded. uG0!rs The roosters stood staring at each other. The Roman General ad- vanced first and looked at Alexander. As he neared, the Macedonian leaped at him. Caesar was ready, and landed a blow at his opponent,s unguarded belly. Both were the type to ight to a finishf' They fought furiously. Blows were raining on both of them, neither one gaining anything, until Alexander got careless and began to leave openings, of which his opponent took advantage. These constant hard blows were beginning to show on the Macedo- nian as he backed up slowly. He tried to rush, but only landed in an- other shower of blows. Suddenly he advanced, regardless of the peeks he received, and hammered at his opponent's throat. Not liking the head attack, the Macedonian backed to free himself. Julius Caesar rushed at his enemy and peeked away with all his might. Alexander drew his head back and peeked the Roman just above the beak-a painful blow. Caesar backed and tried pecking, but Alex- ander leaped on him and knocked him down. Julius struggled, but it was futile. His opponent peeked at his throat till Caesar just clucked submissively. Then Alexander gave a victorious crow, while standing on poor Caesar. The dejected Holbeins went home with the injured battler. From day to day his temper increased as the pain of the wound stayed. Finally it began leaving, but his temper stayed. About two weeks after the first defeat the Holbeins asked for a return battle. It was granted, and the same preliminaries were gone through. This time there were bets! The four boys put all their marbles in a box, and the winning team would get them all. William called UGO! and the fight was on! Caesar wasted no time, but backed Alexander out in about two minutes. One!', called the referee. Get your fighters in the corners! This was done. i1Go!ax Another rush, and Alexander fell out again. The Macedonian's wing had been injured. Twenty-Iiv

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THE REFLECTOR imilian, the king for the last two years. The German Emperor was the type that let his opponent get the better of him, and then suddenly landed a blow or two that named him winner. Since the boys wanted to be sure that the German was opponent, they placed the dish before the champion and held Caesar directly behind the emperor. The German was not hungry and merely peeked the food once and walked away. When Caesar was let loose, he won as usual. The battle was, therefore, not of much interest to the boys. After a daily repetition of Maximilian's actions for four days, it was clear that another plan had to be devised to start a fight between the Roman and the German. One day Franz got an idea! He explained it to his brother, who enthusiastically agreed to try the plan. Two boxes were built, each having room for only one chicken. The boxes had sliding door fronts made of staves. Next, a small dish was made out of wood. It was one inch long and one and a half inches wide, so that only one chicken could eat from it at a time. Now all was ready! The two desired roosters were caught and one put in each box. The coops were put into the large coop, opposite each other. The regular large food dish was placed between them, and they had to look on while the other chickens ate to their hearts' content. After their meal, the non-participants in the fight were locked up in the hen-house, clearing the yard for the battle. The specially-made dish replaced the large one. When the boys assumed that both roosters had sufficient appetite, they were let loose. Maximilian was the first to reach the dish and began to eat hoggishly. Caesar desired some food, too, so he made his desires known by pecking the food-indulger's head. The German looked up, clucked, and then resumed his food partaking. Caesar was enraged by such impudent actions and peeked at the champion,s head several times. Maxie peeked back and began eating again. His scheduled opponent peeked again, and the Emperor looked up and reared. The feeling between the two was mutual-a Hght must settle the dispute! Caesar wasted no time but leaped at the suspecting German and landed on his opponentis back. Maximilian rolled away and Caesar was thrown off balance. ' The champion's honor had been abused, and now he was ready to defend it! Caesar leaped at his opponent several times and each time landed a good blow. The Emperor was getting ready for his favorite attack, and as the Roman leaped again, landed it! Right in the center of Caesar's throat! The General rolled over but picked himself up and flew at the champion again. Maximilian tried to land another such blow, but Caesar peeked the championis wing and thus disabled him. The squelched fighter slunk into a corner as the new champion flew on to a cross-bar and let out a triumphant crow! Twenty-four

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THE REFLECTOR Two for Julius Caesar, none for Alexander! The roosters were taken to corners and at Go started again. Alexander made up his mind to fight to the finish this time. He mixed blows with Caesar, but for some reason or other, Caesar's blows had more effect. Now and then Caesar would fly at his opponent, but the Macedonianis injured wing prevented his doing so. Finally Caesar stepped back and made a rush at Alexander, and in less than a minute, Alexanderis throat was bleeding. He was down under' the triumphantly crowing Julius Caesar. That night Alexander died. After school the next day all attended the simple rites on the spot where he'd fought his last battle. Even the Holbein boys were present to express their sympathy. When the boys came home, their mother had a letter to read to them. It was from their grandfather, asking them to visit him for the first two weeks of summer vacation. The lads needed no coaxing. On their arrival home a celebration dinner was on the table. Two big chickens, roasted to a crisp! 'lWhich chickens were they?', Hermann asked anxiously. Those two old lighters, their father replied. That brown year- old and the four-year-old reddish brown! Julius Caesar and Maximilian!,' gasped Franz. Then Mrs. Holbein wondered, i'Why donit you boys eat! Chickerfs your favorite dish, I thought! The truth never came out, but at a quiet ceremony the double funeral was held. What bones of the fighters the boys managed to save, they buried. ERICH HARDT, June 1932. Nocturne After dusk when the trees are black And the trail is just a silver track That cuts the dark of the woods in twain, And lighted cabin windows stain The perfect sombreness of night, And high above the stars are brightg Then who can say the woods are mute When every birch tree is a flute And brooks are minor symphonies And lakes lap rhythmic melodies, And katydids and crickets speak, And owls whirr from the mountain peak, And frogs recroak their serenades In lonely swamps and marshy glades, Why, some folks must have ears of stone To think they walk the woods alone. VERNON GROUNDS, February 1932. Twenty-six