Ferndale Union High School - Tomahawk Yearbook (Ferndale, CA)

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The Origin of the Five Fingered Fern There once lived a skillful Indian hunter, who had won the name of Wolfclaw in a iierce strug- gle with a pack of hungry wolves. In the iight he received a terrible scratch which made a deep, white scar. He soon became the richest Indian in the village by selling the costly furs which he procured by hunting and trapping, to the neighboring tribes. When he had hoarded away a great amountof wealth, he left his tribe and was gone many moons. A But he returned one day as a Medicine man and worked his magic so wonderfully that all the Indians in his tribe became afraid of him. After a few years a famine came upon this tribe and even extended to the neighboring tribes, but it was the severest for Wolfclaw's people. The rain did not fall for many, many days. The grass died, and the Indians could raise no corn. Even the animals on which they depended for food grew very scarce. The neighboring tribes still had food but they would not sell it unless they re- ceived many skins or a great deal of gold. Wolfclaw, the Medicine man, demanded that food be given him and the people were afraid to refuse, so that he lived in plenty while the rest of the tribe were starving. The streams were rapidly drying up. The Indians implored Wolfclaw to perform ceremonies so that the Good Spirit would send them rain, but he refused to do this unless they gave him gold. They knew that he had a hoard of gold buried in the forest and at last rebelled against him. They called on the Good Spirit to punish him for his cruelty and earnestly begged for rain. In the night they heard a patter, patter on the ground and in the morning it was raining very hard. Far up in the mountains a tiny stream began to flow. It grew larger and larger until it rushed by VVolfclaw's village in a raging torrent. A large tree on the edge of the forest was torn up by the roots and for a moment the terrified Indians saw the gleam of gold. Then it was buried in the water. Wolfclaw ran to the stream and reached for his precious treasure, but he could not get it again. He sat on the bank and gazed steadfastly into the water for several days, never changing his position. At last, when the Indians looked toward the stream, one morning, he was not there. Some ran to the place where he had been and cried out, Here is Wolfclaw's fin- gers reaching for the goldif' When the other Indians came they saw a delicate fern growing on the bank, which drooped its flve fingers toward the water. M. SMITH, 'l0. 4x A S. c I ' 1 M54 4

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Upon our hillsides and in the valley, bright patches of gold denote that they are the blossoms of the State flower. lt revels in the sunshine, and not until the morning is well advanced does it begin to unfurl its tightly rolled petals. Different authorities have stated that this poppy reaches its highest state of perfection in the Eel River Valley, where the large golden blossoms are beau tiful and magnificent. Following closely in the wake of the spring flowers come the early summer plants and vines. Creeping and climbing along the roads, over fences and old stumps, we find the Wild Morning- Glory. Its blossoms are of a beautiful pink color ranging to a light cream. The flowers open in the morning and close at eventide. The Canterbury Bell is one of the most charming flowers found here. It is a familiar sight to see it growing along the dusty roadside, where it opens its fragile bells to greet the passers-by. The stems are very brittle and the blossoms fall early-the lower ones usually having passed away before the upper ones have attained their beautiful shade of purple. Most of us are familiar with the Yellow VVater Lily and have seen its pretty leaves floating upon the surface of a pond, starred with its large golden flowers. A lake fllled with these floating blossoms may be seen by travelers en route from Ferndale to Singley's Station. One of the most deservedly admired of all our shrubs is the lovely Azalea, which generally bor- ders the foothills and is found abundantly on the highway leading from Table Bluff to Eureka. The flower has a pinkish or salmon colored tint, and is often concealed from view by the large mass of green foliage which grows on the bush. Another shrub which covers our mountain sides and which during its period of blossoming makes a beautiful background for our little city, is the California Lilac. The flowers are of a feathery, plume like appearance and blue in color. The Wild Rose is one of the few Howers that bloom so cheerfully through the long summer days along the public highway as well as in more secluded places. ln autumn it often seems in- spired to a special luxuriance of blooming, and it lingers to greet the Astors to mingle its pink flow- ers with their delicate lilac color. A At almost any time of the year the blossoms of the yellow Sand Verbena may be found upon the ocean beach, leading down the coast from Centerville. It bears dense clusters of yellow flowers and the stems are very gummy. I 1 Flourishing upon the sides of the hills in our vicinity we find both the purple a11d white Lu- pine. These flowers thrive equally as well upon our river bars, and many bunches of them re- lieve the otherwise barren rocks and sand. Dandelions grow to perfection, both in size and color in our fields and pastures, Many grounds are made most attractive by being covered so profusely with these blossoms. Towards the end of our summer, after the most. of the other flowers have come and gone, na- ture brings out her last children as welcome visitants to fill the places of our vanished earlier friends. I The iirst of the Autumnal flowers to make its appearance is the Astor, which blossoms all during the fall. It has a delicate pale violet or lilac tint and is much admired by all lovers of flowers.. ' Last, but not least, comes the Golden Rod to stay, perhaps longer than any other flower. It has slender, willow shaped stems and flower clusters of yellow. It was this beautiful flower of gold that vied with the Eschscholtzia for supremacy when the state flower for California was being chosen. It grows profusely along the roadsides leading from Grizzly Bluff to Eel River and is much sought after for decorative purposes. C. A. M., '10.

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ll- Qc -Y ., E -.,.1- . --sa-1 ny.. ,115 Papa'S Walk One of our goody Town Fathers, Has in his day niade 111111311 hay, And used the blessed sunshine To vure and store it away. While, in this storing process, He 31C0lll'lllll21l,6d properties neat: And in one case very unfortunate lt lay just along the street. For the law requires you shall build a walk And its 1ll'O1l0l'l,l0I1S are laid down, But father says Hvvllilll I was a boy l had to walk on the ground. Cement was made to build a vault, Brick is a little too grand, Lumber only was made to lOl, So I'll b11ild mine of sand. What matter if the men profane 01' if the WOHIGH screain, For if l wish to go to town I hire a livery team. But if he would get l1is law From the books by the inaster hand, That a house was never known to stay When built upon the sand. H. H.. '05 1