Ensley High School - Jacket Yearbook (Birmingham, AL)

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THE GLEAM 29 “John, John, do wake up,” pleaded Mrs. Dratmouth, “Mr. and Mrs. Weatherstone are ringing the doorbell.” John sprang from his chair, and with a sickly grin, murmured, “I guess it was the turkey.” ALENE SMITH, ’26. ----------o---------- Thanksgiving The Pilgrim Fathers in the days of old, Were full of courage and were very bold; Many hardships and dangers on sea and land Had they faced together, this trusty band. The Mayflower had sailed far away, And left them on Plymouth Rock to stay. Captain Miles Standish helped them to plan The best ways to deal with the Redman. After a winter of sickness and pain, God sent to them a plenteous crop of grain; They brought at last a bounteous store Of corn, pumpkins and wild turkeys galore. Governor Bradford in his own wise way, Planned to have a feast and name this day, That brought to them the joy of living, It is known today as our first Thanksgiving. So with thankful hearts we meet each year In our schools and churches that we may hear A message of faith and hope and love And gratitude to God above. For our wonderful country with its bounty of wealth Its fertile fields and climate that gives us health; Again we thank Thee for the joy of living And offer Thee our heartfelt Thanksgiving. MARY EMMA MEANS, ’28.

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28 THE GLEAM Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is nearly on us, The gladdest day of the year, And yet my heart is heavy, And on my cheeks, a tear. This bright blue autumn weather Now holds no charm for me, For I’m at the shrine of the muse, A-pleading on bended knee. Yet despite my suppliant begging The muse turns a very deaf ear, And that’s why I’m mourning Though Thanksgiving is nearly here. WALTER BROWN, Jr., ’27. o Too Much Thanksgiving Dinner The sun was sinking to rest and a fine cold rain was falling fast. Mr. Dratmouth, who had just finished a New England Thanksgiving dinner, led little Dratmouth into the drawing room, selected the largest soft chair, sat down in front of an open fire, and began telling little John about the first. Thanksgiving the Pilgrims had had. Mr. Dratmouth diligently filled his friendly pipe and puffed away with the greatest of pleasure. Suddenly Mr. Dratmouth felt queer, something unusually strange was happening to him. First the stem of his pipe began to stretch until it was almost a foot long, then his suit changed into a Quaker gray, tightly belted with a wide black belt about the waist, his shoes had large silver buckles on them, and the thin gas flames flickering uneasily around the logs in the grate were no more. Glowing, greedy flames were licking the green sap out of a giant oak log newly felled by his own ax. His quietude was rudely interrupted by a savage yell, even louder than little John yells when he is on the warpath. An arrow whizzed by his head and stuck, quivering, into the opposite wall of the room. His wife came running into the room. She too, had gone through this extraordinary change, for the dinner gown, which had been much discussed in the past week, was no longer a dazzling affair, but a long grey dress with a severely white collar. The door burst open and amid the howling winds and hideous cries, a stream of painted savages poured into the room, rushed upon them with raised tomahawks, and one brave child of the forest seized Mr. Dratmouth by the hair and raised his tomahawk--

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30 THE GLEAM A Thanksgiving In the far regions of the North there is a small Esquimo village of about one hundred inhabitants called Welcome. This village of twenty huts was about seventy miles from any other. Welcome boasted some of the best and fastest dog teams in the North. During one very cold winter the hunting had not been very good and the supply sled that had been sent to the nearest village was three days late. There was at this time a mysterious disease breaking out in Welcome and the remedy was a serum. And the supply of this serum had become exhausted. Another team of dogs, the very best in the village, and Musta, the best team driver in the North, set out for more serum. The usual time for a run there and back required three days, but Musta said that he could make it in two. He left and had a good wind at his back instead of in front of him. He had very good luck until he was two miles from his destination when a pack of hungry wolves attacked him. He spurred his dogs on and then he turned his rifle upon the foremost of the wolves and brought him down. The hungry wolves tore him into shreds and by the time they had finished him, Musta was entering the outskirts of the village, and as he drove in one end the other driver, sent for the supplies, came in from another. He had encountered a blizzard which had blown him off his course. This village, being closer to civilization, was visited frequently and some adventurers had arrived the day before. And as Musta and the other driver rode in these men were holding a Thanksgiving program because it happened to be Thanksgiving Day. Musta got the serum and the other driver his supplies and both men started out together the next morning. Nothing occurred on the return trip and they arrived in Welcome in about ten hours. They were greeted by the few well villagers. The serum was given to the sick who recovered at once, but before the day was over Musta told them of the Thanksgiving program of the other village, and all the inhabitants gathered and gave thanks for their deliverance. Each year after this they take one day off and give thanks. ALBERT DODD, ’26.