Edgerton High School - Edgertonian Yearbook (Edgerton, OH)

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X am, Nobody knows how green I am, with a promise of freedom after this accomplishment, ' But just at this interval the boys, turning at the sound of a whistle, saw to their astonishment the despised Freshman gaily returning to the dormitory. The Freshman ! muttered Logan. Oh! Heavens! ejaculated Uickg we've persecuted the French Prof! The boys regarded each other with panic-struck faces. Let's beat it, remarked lilake, as he gave a farewell glance to the hideous spectacle in the tree. Suiting the action to the word, the boys faded away. each making a sprint for the dormitory. leaving the bedraggled and forlorn professor to make his way to the ground in a very different manner from which he had ascended. BETTY VANDUSEN, '15, LAST, BUT NOT LEAST. The fire was blazing in the fireplace, a11d the shadows danced over the wall to the music of the crackling flames. Outside 'the wind roared and the driving snow was piled high on the windowsills. About the hearth the family was grouped. Grandfather rested in an easy chair in the warmest nook. Mother sat close by with the baby in her arms, while father drew his chair into the shadow. Isabelle sat with her dark head bent over a late novel by Robert XV. Chambers. Edgar, a boy of fourteen, crouched at his mother's feet with his head against her knees, and Dorothy, a quiet girl of twelve, with large, questioning eyes and yellow curls, cuddled against her grand- father's shoulder with her soft white cheek close to his pale, withered one. jerome, a rolicking boy of nine, rolled on the rug at his father's feet. Suddenly sitting upright he called out, Give us a story, Grandfatherg it's such a jolly night for a storyf' ' Yes, do, chorused Edgar and Dorothy. But Isabelle, who had just celebrated her sixteenth birthday, wrinkled her pretty nose in scorn. Such childishness! And, resting her chin in her palm, resumed her reading. ' VVell, asked grandfather, 'fwhat kind of a story do you want? In- dians? Soldiers, or what? j I should like one about fairies, but Isabelle, with a glance at her sis- ter, says I am too old for such things. f Oh, no!', objected Jerome, 'ftell one about bears and forests. Q Tell us about your youth, Grandfather, insisted-Edgar. And what do you want, my lady?,' asked Grandfather, looking at Isabelle. , Oh, I should prefer a romance, but I don't believe you could tell one, you never have, remarked that fair one, loftily,

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The boys, unaware that a pair of sharp eyes were watching them from the window of the dormitory nearby. assembled and it was reported that the Freshman had not been seen since he left the grounds about live o'clock VVell, he'll have to be on the grounds by seven o'clock according to rules, so We won't have to wait very longf' Everything's all ready now, if he would only.come, remarked Dick. Very well, said Iackg then let us go to the eastern entrance. very likely he will enter there and it is farther from the main building. Humph! remarked the owner of the pair of eyes in the window. 'Those boys are up to something. I'd better keep my eyes on them. So he decided to go out of the north entrance, walk around outside the wall and enter at the east, thus coming unexpectedly on the boys, and tind out the motive of their actions. ' The boys thought to baffle any of thefaculty who might be watching their maneuvers, byiparting and some going in a round about way to the entrance, others straight through, so it would not seem that they were all headed for the same place. But they could not fool the French Prof. The boys, some of them' standing, others sitting in the shadows of the stately elm, but most taking refuge against the wall so as not to be seen. were awaiting the signal of the spies. A tank of water was placed on a straight line not far from the gate. Une of the boys had secured several stale eggs from the grocery on the corner just outside the wall and placed them in a handy and safe place, Shi-I came from a spy. Here he comes, just turned around the corner of the wall. Yes, I guess that's him all right, said jack, Keep quiet, everybody, he commanded. Now line up on each side of the gate and when he comes in you, Hmotioning to Dick and Blake, the boys next to the entrance, catch him and push him down the line, but don't be too roughf' , I guess he Won't be quite so independent and bold in the course of an hour or so, remarked Logan. I-Iushl ejaculated jack, here he comes. .lust then a figure entered the gate and no sooner had he stepped inside than he was caught with a wild halloo by Dick and Blake, who sent him sprawling on between the line of excited and eager boys, where he received from each a push. kick or cuff. Wheii he reached the end he was unceremoniously dumped head first into the tank of water. After he was thoroughly immersed he was drawn from the tank. Then procuring the eggs, the boys proceeded to hreak them on his woolly pate and allowed it to run down his neck and face. Thinking he had had enough of this, -Tack cried. Now, fellows, for the tree, and catching hold of him, the boys dragged him to a young tree near by and giving him a boost, sent him up to the first branches, and then by means of pushes and paddle prepared for the occasion, and now and then a prick with a pin, they forced him to go higher up among the branches. A pretty looking spectacle he made perched in the tree with his clothes and head dripped with water and eggs. The boys then made him sing, Oh, how green I amg Oh, how green I

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You win, returned the old man, and I shall tell you one that is true. A long time ago, he began,j there were bears, forests and fairies, and I was young. Yes, very young: seventeen, I believe? Isabelle sniffed audibly. I wanted to be married, he went on, ignoring the interruption. You see, I had met a fairy,.and like all fairies, she cast enchantments, and like all mortals, I was enchanted. So bewitched was I that I lay awake at night planning a way to make'her my ownf Much to my delight and dismay, I became aware that I was in love. ' At first I imagined I would go at once and tell the maidl-I should have said fairy-but my knees trembled at the thought. Finally I gathered courage enough to consult my father, He was very kind, but he said l should make a home for her before I asked her to be my wife. After much persuasion I decided to do so. ' ' Father gave me sixty acres, and helped me to clear one corner for my house. At first I worked with feverish haste. I progressed so slowly I began to lose courage. Father laughed at me and said what a line husband I would make. This pricked my pride and urged me to do my best. But he did not always jeerg he encouraged and helped me at every opportunity, although he 'said he wanted me to do it all myself. At last my house was finiished. Ihad been almost three years in preparing it. All the time I had been courting in my bashful Way. One day father suggested that I tell her. So I donned my best suit and boiled shirt and sallied forth, feeling certain she could not -refuse one who had worked so hard for her sake. VVhen I reached her home I saw through the window another occupying my accustomed place. Startled, I stood there a moment uncertain what to do. Then I saw him rise and hold out his hands. Glued to the spot, I saw her, without a moments hesitation, cross the room with her arms outstretched to him. Forbearing to look upon such a scene as I knew would follow, I turned and fied. Here the old man's voice broke as he lived over the agonizing hours of the past. How I reached home that night I never knew. Seven weeks later I married my cousin, Jessie Ferguson. She was a good wife and I think she loved me, but my heart was with the other. Have I mentioned her name? It was Margaret. Isabelle's Ibook slid unnoticed to the floor. Dorothy sobbed aloud, and mother brushed a tear from her eye. ' Jessie only lived a little over a year, he continued. VVhen she died I took some provisions and started west. I got as far as the Mississippi river when I was overtaken by a messenger from home informing me of the serious illness of my mother. I returned just in time, for she passed away a few hours later, Then I set about helping my father on the farm. On my twenty-ninth birthday my oldest 'brother and I started out to fell trees. VVe liad cut one tree almost through and had stopped to rest when we noticed that a strong wind was blowing. Wishing to get the tree down before night, my brother and I began to chop on opposite sides.