Eastern High School - Punch and Judy Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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THE EASTERNER him so red in the face and made the pain in his foot so very annoying that he couldn't stay seated. And he never could sleep in any other window. The truth of the matter was, the Major was used to watching the bird-like figure of the little widow flutter around watering her plants and feeding her chickens, But, of course, he didn’t know it. Five days passed and the Major's rooster was still gone and the widow’s which had not received the sad fate, after all, still crowed joyously and proudly on the wood-stump in the widow's barn- yard. And the Major, because he couldn't sleep in his sunny bay window and couldn’t sleep any place else was enough to worry anybody's nerves. “He carried something in a sack of burlap” Late Saturday afternoon, old Sam Hawkins, the colored man who chopped wood for almost every family in Lacony. appeared at the rear door of Booth’s and asked for the Major. His eyes were al- most white, he was so badly scared. He seemed to be uncommonly nervous and agitated about something which he car- ried in a sack of burlap. This some- thing made queer little noises that sound- ed precisely as the Major's Dorking rooster would have made if it were shut up in a sack of burlap. The Major glared at him, in the very worst way. “Well?” he grunted. “Even, suh! Muh conshuns done tole me suh, it says, suh, deed it did, suh, “Now Sam’ Hawkins ain’t you-all done shamed yo’self?, You march that ‘ere rooster right back to Major Booth.’ An’ T’se done it, suh. Deed I has. I was 11 a-fattenin’ him foh muh wife’s birfday but I fot it was to purty foh to kill. Ah done hopes you-all ‘ll fohgive me, suh.” Old Sam, being an exceedingly wise old colored man, laid the sack on the steps and, while the Major was rejoicing over his returned Dorking, took French leave. “Well, I'll be blowed!” ejaculated the Major very much in earnest. “Well, I'll be blowed!’ Ahem!” And he blew his nose vigorously. “Well, I'll be blowed!” “Cock-a-doodle-doo !” crowed the Dorking as it flapped its bril- liant wings joyously. The Major put it under his arm and went off in search of Emily. But Emily had seen the whole performance from the pantry window and had taken such an excellent oppor- tunity to carry Mrs. Montgomery a piece of chocolate cake. “Oh, Danny!” she called across the low white fence lined with holly-hocks. Danny came running. He couldn't get there fast enough. Danny ate his share while Emily talked so he could tell her how delicious it was before he went in. When she finished “explaining,” he threw back his head and laughed, as though it were a joke. “Why, Em,” he said, “Mother has been dying to show off her new Dorking rooster to your father and compare the two. Uncle James sent it from Eng- land, and Mother is proud as Lucifer “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” he crowed laugh- ingly. “If a Dorking rooster had given you as much misery as it has me, you'd hate even a joke with a rooster in it,” pouted Emily. That night, while the young people were at the Leonard dance, the Major went over to talk to the widow about Dorking roosters, but he got side-tracked and found himself, much to his conster- nation, of course, talking about a thing he knew nothing about. You see, the Major was getting old and gouty and when Emily was gone he'd be needing someone to chase away the bothersome flies while he slept in the sunny bay win- dow where the sun-beams danced across his slippery head. The widow was the very one and—the Major knew it! Dorotay R. SHANER.

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10 F e “JT am going to take her over © i ing a of chocolate cake this evenIng, ersation, I will find— course of the conv’ : ie Emily ed, She couldn't very GE hen the Ma- have done anything else W jor was looking like that. : a “You will do nothing of the kind. : will stay away from Montgomeries unt I give you my permission to go there. You will also write a note of regret to i rr fer e- Mr. Montgomery canceling your engag' day night. If you ment for next Satur I u may use My wishes, need an excuse, you ; d, cutting commanded the Major in har tones. And, turning on his well foot he hobbled quickly away from the room. Angry tears blurred the sunny blue eyes and the small fists clenched uncon sciously. “Well! T won't! So there ! she told herself determinedly. “He needn’t think because he was a Major 10 the war that he can order me around. 1 ther was a colonel and ¢ blood in me. p Uncle Harry guess my own fa T’'ve got plenty of fightin But, it is so hard to kee in a pleasant humor. Oh, I just can’t stay home from the Leonard's dance. The new engineer, who 1s building the Curry bridge, will be there and everyone in Lacony says he is the catch of the season. Of course, I don’t care about that, because I'll be with Danny, but it will be fun to watch the rest.” And she hurried back to the chocolate cake. The next day, at church, the Major's coolness was most pronounced. It had been the custom, when the feeling be- tween the two families had been friendly. for the Major either to bring the widow and Dan home with him for Sunday din- ner or for the Major and Emily to go to the widow’s. But, instead of the usual congenial word of greeting, the Major was barely polite. He lifted his hat as courteously as he possibly could considering the ill-will in his heart, and offering Emily his arm, started to walk e middle of the street” “Danny stood gumb-founded in th cross, hard-hearted away. But even a old bachelor couldn't get ahead of Danny Montgomery: ) Major,” he cried cheer- “One minute, ‘ ily, “aren't you coming home to dinner today? Its your turn to come with us, you know.” Emily’s hear Major should say, Dorking rooster Pe faint if he did. ¢ stood still. Suppose the “To eat my poor She knew she would But the Major was a eman, even in his wrath, so he lifted his hat again and said, rather sourly, “No, I think not! T thank you,” and passed on his way. Danny shot a mute, questioning glance at Emily but she could explain nothing there. Danny stood dumbfounded in the middle of the street. Never in all his days had he seen such queer carryings on. It troubled him and yet it amused him. But it didn’t amuse Emily as she sat stiff and silent in the Boothe carriage. Tt only made her so very angry that she had to swallow hard to keep down the tears of mortification. But she was still determined to keep her engagement with Danny. She thought the long, lonely Sunday would never end. The Major could not sleep in the sunny bay window where the soft, spring sunbeams danced merrily on his bald head because he could see that aggravating Dorking rooster and when he saw that it made gentl

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12 Now is the time for which we have been waiting since school began. Now is the time to work for new enlistments. If Eastern expects to stand any chance at all for the victory next June, she must get down to hard work and fill up her two com- panies. Eastern must have immediately at least thirty-five more men in the com- panies. Every member of Eastern High School should put all his energy into getting these men. Those who possibly can, should join and those who cannot, should use every effort to per- suade their friends to do so. This is where the girls may get in some good vork. The great influence which may be brought to bear by the girls on mem- bers of the opposite sex is at times ap- palling. Here is where such influence is greatly needed and any effort on the part of the feminine section of the stu- dent body will be highly appreciated by the cadet officers. There is every reason imaginable for joining the cadets at this time of the year. The real work will soon start. Bayonet exercises relieve the monotony at present and shortly, extended order will be taken up. The drilling so far has been rather preliminary and has been regarded as such by the cadets as February! the rest of the But now that the second half of the school year has begun, the com- panies must start the earn- est work of preparation for the final competition. — Another reason for men with former cadet experience is that two, and proba- bly three more corporals must soon be appointed. Corporals are appointed on their previous records and any experi- enced man has a chance of being an offi- cer. If any man wishes to re-enlist in the cadets, let him signify his intention of so doing as soon as possible and his record will be looked up and his name placed in line for a corporaley. And don’t get the idea that such an office is to be despised. To be sure, it is only a step higher than a private but in some cases, particularly in extended order and pattle formations, the corporal is of greater importance and has more respon- sibilities than a sergeant. The position is one to be desired even under its pres- ent importance, and it is hoped to make it a more responsible one this year. Here is the chance for the man with expe- rience. Don’t let that opportunity slip by. And for the man who has had no ex- perience, there are many choice positions in the ranks which he may win if he works hard enough. There will be two more squads added to Company G, with well as school.