Commerce High School - Commerce Yearbook (Cleveland, OH)

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 As luck would have it, a friend of Evelyn’s who had seen the ill news in the paper in America, went abroad where she met Evelyn. Among other things, she mentioned the supposed death of Jack and showed the piece which she had clipped from the paper. What was her surprise to see her friend blanch to a dealthly white and suddenly throwing her hands forward mutter a little cry of despair and fall upon her face. “Many weeks later, on board a steamer bound for America, a pale, beautiful girl lay on a steamer chair covered with many wraps and steamer rugs and waited on by her mother. The elder woman had not entirely recovered from her recent illness, which had left its furrow on her brow. This strange pair, as you may imagine, were none other than Evelyn and her mother. Peculiar as it may seem, Jack landed in his native land on the day Evelyn arrived. Jack had not been slain nor had he fallen prey to natives or animals, but had fallen in with a friendly inhabitant, who in the course of time transported Jack back to camp and to the delighted soldiers, who had missed their erstwhile companion a great deal. However, the soldiers were not long pleased because our hero told them he had had enough of soldiering and was going back to America to marry an old sweetheart. So, making all haste, he arrived in America on the same day that Evelyn did. “Once in Cleveland, he went as soon as possible to the old High School and looked at the two hearts with the single arrow which he and Evelyn had carved as a little emblem of fidelity. In reflective mood he stood, thinking of her and wondering if she had been as true to him as he had been to her. Then suddenly turning he gazed straight into the eyes of Evelyn, who was staring wide-eyed at him. But he did not stand there long for she swayed and would have fallen had it not been for Jack, who caught her in his powerful arms. Suddenly some finicky person brought cold water with which Jack proceeded to revive Evelyn. But it all turned out right, continued the stone, in a voice which sounded far away; and they were married and lived happily ever afterward, to my certain knowledge.” Saying this the stone lapsed into silence quite as suddenly as it had started. Oh, you sleepy-head, shouted some comrade into Tom’s ear. And Tom woke up to the fact that he had been dreaming and was now being ridiculed by his comrades for falling asleep in mid-day. Well, anyhow it was worth it,” he thought, and so he ‘beat it, as the boys express it. They thought he was running to escape their taunts, but in reality he was making tracks” to his home where he wrote the story much better than I ever can or ever hope to write it. This is all, but, dear reader, would you care to know how Tom’s story was received by his teacher? It was just one grand success, from beginning to end. 119 DORIS NOBLE, 1913.

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ease, yet his active brain was busy concocting all manner of speculation about a peculiar mark which he had discovered carved upon the side of this old stone. This mark was not artistic in the smallest sense of the word, but to Tom it appeared to be full of pathos, for it was composed of two hearts pierced by a single arrow. Finally, tired out with wondering, as well as by an overpowering sense of his own stupidity and laziness, Tom closed his eyes in sleep. Gradually through his slumber, he heard a voice which, though soft and low at first, became stronger and more distinct as it proceeded. “Tom! Oh, Tom! it whispered; have you not been wishing I would tell you a story?” “Yes,” murmured the half-conscious boy; “fire away.” For Tom would occasionally lapse into slang. “Well, it’s a long story,” continued the stone; but here goes. Twenty years or more ago a beautiful girl and a handsome boy, both about your age, went to this school and sat on the very stone upon which you arc now resting your lazy bones. This boy and girl loved each other with the first and sweetest love of youth and had ever since she wore short dresses and pigtails and he had been the bashful, barefoot beau who gave his sweetheart apples and carried her slate.” “The girl’s name was Evelyn and her old playmate, with whom she had been used to climb trees and jump fences, was named Jack. “Now,” the stone continued, “after a while the girl’s mother became ill and the girl had to be her nurse, then the physician prescribed traveling for her mother’s health. Evelyn went, too. “Before the companions of years said ‘adieu to each other, they carved these hearts and the arrow, which you now see, and promised to be faithful to each other till death us do part.’ One thing which made the leave-taking doubly hard was the thought that they could not correspond, as Evelyn was to be traveling continually and never knew the next place at which she was to stop.” “Several years passed and not a word did Jack hear of Evelyn. In the meantime, Jack had graduated from West High School and, after much drilling and practicing, had, through a relative taken a military post in the Philippine Islands. “In the Philippines he suffered many hardships and privations, but by his kindliness and generosity to his fellow sufferers, he became a prime favorite with his superiors, as well as with the subalterns. He also advanced in rank quite as rapidly as he did in the favor of his comrades. “One day while leading an expedition into the interior of the island, he became separated from his men, and they were obliged to return to the camp minus their bold, fearless leader. Days passed and no word was received from Jack, so the soldiers, with much sorrow, reported him as lost, or killed by the natives or some beast of prey. This news was sent to America and published in the newspapers with an account of his brilliant, though short, career. 118

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®f)f Sstorfailt (Cast FFER $500 for the return of my son, and the stockbroker was almost purple with suppressed emotion. Why, for the love of Heaven, man, I would give all I have for the return of my boy. It would be an insult to my name to offer that. Make it at least $10,000. No, ycu are known to be very wealthy. Now, only $500 will make you seem stingy and--------. But, interrupted the broker. And, continued the detective, that is just what we want. You offer a large sum, and the parties holding the boy, will keep him all the longer, hoping for a still larger ransom.” Anything, of course, to hurry his return, but if he is not found soon, make it $10,000. Whatever ransom is demanded, I will pay it, but get the villains if you can.” The above conversation took place between Mr. Harry Astorbilt, Sr., and the head of his own detective force, Chief McConnel. Harry Astorbilt, Jr., the only son of Mr. Astorbilt, multi-millionaire stockbroker had disappeared, and the only feasible theory was that some one was holding him for ransom. Harry was attending a High School of Commerce, in which he was very much interested, and in this his father encouraged him, as he wished to have his gigantic business continued and kept in the family. Those who watch the newspapers closely will remember that on the third day of May, there were big head lines in all the papers, announcing the disappearance of the broker’s son, and reporting the futile search for the missing lad. Mr. Astorbilt had been reading but recently of the Jameson case, in which it was said a letter had been sent to Mr. Jameson demanding $10,000 within a specified time, and because the money was not raised in that time, Mr. Jameson’s only child, a little girl of six years, was never heard of again. Now Mr. Astorbilt knew that he was able to pay any ransom, yet he was afraid something might happen to his son. But what had become of Harry? He was walking to school that bright morning in early May, the trees were just bursting into bud, and the birds were vying with each other as to which could pour forth the most melody. He thought not at all of what was soon to take place as the result of which he was not to see his parents for some time to come. He had just turned down the street on which the school was situated, when he saw a large limousine car, approaching from the opposite direction. He thought nothing of it until the car stopped suddenly beside him and a man beckoned him to the door. He approached slowly, as though suspicious of he knew not what, when suddenly a hand was placed over his mouth, and strong arms drew him into the car. Before he had time to appreciate his surroundings, but not without a hard struggle, a damp sponge was placed to his face, and he knew no more. 120