Garfield Junior High School - Gleaner Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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T T 1 V THE WRATH OF JOVE In a house on the plains of South Dakota, coal was needed by my mother and her parents. Grandfather, seeing that it was of dire necessity, set out with team and sled to a nearby town to get some. On the way, he saw in the distance, a blizzard coming. Immediately he turned to ard home. In spite of his efforts to hurry, Jupiter caught him in his bag of storms. Thewfirst thing that Grandfather thought of was the safety of his horses and not losing his direction. Seeing a barb wire fence, that led to the house, he grabbed it and used lit as a guide through thc blinding storm. The horses, which he had unhitched, were striving to go in the wrong direction. The strength of the Wind seemed to gather everyt' ing along in its folds. The snow and ice were so thick that he could barely see his and when he held it up in front of his face. He crept along step by step in the deepel ing snow. He had to stop every now and then to break the ice, that had formed on the nostrils of the horses, so they could breathe. l In the meanwhile, grandmother was getting more anxious every minute. She knew that grandfather would surely perish if he did not return soon. Going out on the piorch she called to grandfather, but received no response. At last she fired off a gun a number of times, hoping that he might hear her, and come in that direction. The wind serimed to screech in laughter against the uselessness of the gun. Jove seemed to swallovd the noise of the gun as soon as it was fired, and grandfather never heardit. At the end of the fence that grandfather was following, there were many rows of sunflowers. Coming up to this corner he felt for the familiar sunflowers. The driveway between the sunflowers and the house was just wide enough for a wagon to pass throiugh. Grandfather, following this lane, didn't even see the house in the whirling snow. I-Ie happened to put out his hand and touched the corner of the house, or he would have missed it without even knowing he was near it. As the horses had to be put in the barn, grandmother tied a rope to grandfather, and she held on to the other end. After the horses had been put in the barn, he took old of the rope and pulled himself back to the house. Grandfather had a beard and when he came into the house, icicles were hanging down to his knee. The next morning, many people were found frozen to death. When the neighbors saw the top of my grandfather's sled they came to the house thinking that he was dead. This storm is known as the worst blizzard that ever came to South Dakota. REPRIEVE The prisoner was marched from the death-cell into the little room adjoining the prison tailor shops, by grim-mouthed guards. There he was clothed in a black suit of a iight material. He remained silent and sullen during the whole procedure. The prison piriest implored him, but he remained still-mouthed to the end. His farewell letters were writ- ten, one to his aged mother, and one to his suffering wife. He believed that he had bone his duty by all and ,that he was prepared for death. In his death-cell, the Week before, he had confided his innocence to the prison priest. Why should he deliberately murder an old man who had done him no harm? He, who would not harm a bird. Justice, indeed, was blind. It was purely a case of circum- stantial evidence, but it meant death on the gallows, in the fashion of hard criminals. Tl1e wife, and scores of the condemned man's friends, relatives, and business acquain- tances had appealed for a reprieve. Nothing had developed from this appeal to the Governor, but the wife still held hopes. She even held hopes when the prisoner was led out into the open yard to the gallows. There a dark hood was placed over his head. I-Ie mounted the gallows steadily, feeling his way up the thirteen steps by instinct. Wlien he reached the top the rope was placediaround his neck and his hands were tied behind his back. Then, while he murmured a suppliant prayer, the trap was sprung. Thirty seconds later a messenger came running into the courtyard shouting, Re- prieve! Reprieve! Too late. It was just another tragedy in life. JANE ANDERSON, Low Ninth. IMOGENE BOLSTAD, High Ninzib.

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A TERRIFYING MOMENT Katy stood hesitatingly at the top of the steep hill. Buckled upon her feet were the skates which had been given to her the day before as a birthday present. Katy had only learned to skate since then, and though she did want to have the thrill of skating down that long hill, she said to Helen, the girl behind her, that she didn't think she ought to attempt it. Oh, go on, scare-baby, sneered Helen. I dare you to. Katy gave her one look, and started out, pumping with all her might. Helen stood where she was left, watching her jealously, and wishing that she had as much courage. I know what I'll do, she said to herself spitefully, I'll bump into Katy and knock her down. Helen did not think that she would probably get hurt too, so away she started. Katy began very nicely, but when she got half way she discovered that her feet kept running away from her. Upon glancing back, she saw Helen's sneering face not a yard from her. Desperately, she tried to slow up, but her foot turned under her, and her head hit the sidewalk with a thud. Well, said Katy, as she climbed back into bed, I'm certainly glad that was a dream, but it taught me a lesson, and I'1l never do anything dangerous just because somebody dares me to. LENORE H1:NNEssEY, High Seventh. SUSPENSE I awoke with a start and stared with wide open eyes into the dark sky above. It was my first night in the open in snake country, and some horrible, unknown creature was slowly crawling down the blankets in my bed. Into my mind rushed the tale that I had heard of a rattlesnake that had crawled into a cowpuncher's bed on a cold night, coiled on his stomach, and gone to sleep, while the poor puncher hadn't been able to move a muscle for fear of the snake striking. With this pleasant thought in mind, I held my breath and tensed my body, as that thing kept nudging itself into my bed. I didn't dare make a move, and I doubt whether I could have made one even if I had wanted to. The thing finally reached my stomach and then, sure enough, it coiled up. I clenched my teeth and shoved my hand slowly, very slowly down and touched it. It gave a start, coiled tighter, and then something cold touched my hand again, again, and again. But it was not the quick, deadly strike of a rattlesnake. No! Far from it! It was just the familiar, caressing tongue of my young pup. MARJORIE SHEETS, Low N infb. DUTY The wind raged and the waves beat against the wooden sides of the good old cruiser, Commodore Franklin. In the dense fog the ship had struck a rock and was slowly sink- ing. SOS calls had been sent to the Coast Guard but no reply was received. The captain's order of women and children first was gladly obeyed by the men, but some of the women were still below deck trying to save their most valuable belongings. The crew were lowering the life-boats. just when the two small boats on the star- board side were about halfway down, the ship suddenly lurched to port, and the boats crashed against the ship! Boards flew in every direction, leaving these two life-boats useless. All the people were clamoring to get in the remaining boats. The captain had given up hope of gaining control of all his crew again, although some of them were crowded around him waiting for the order to abandon the ship. As a crew always does, they wanted him to go first, but he said, You must get back to shore, but I don't need to. I have done my duty. Wfith that he gave the order to leave the ship and climbed the ladder to the bridge. Just as the highest mast of the Commodore Franklin disappeared under the water, the Coast Guard boat came in sight. It was too late, for the captain went down with the Ship, DoRoTHx' TEMPLETON, Low N infb.

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HWATER! WATER ! U In the dusk of a late summer evening could be seen a man sitting on the rail of a Great Lakes steamer, smoking a corncob pipe. The man, Mr. Jenks, was tall and lean. He was a veteran ocean traveler, having crossed the Atlantic many times, but never before had he been'on one of the great fresh water lakes of North America. Mr. Jenks was tired. His pipe dropped from his mouth unnoticed. He was sleeping on the rail of a lake liner! The ship gave a sudden lurch. He had a rude awakening somewhere in the middle of Lake Erie. He came up sputtering and calling for help, but in vain. All that night he kept up a tiresome routine of swimming, treading water, and floating. Early the next morning the sun arose, casting its rosy tints across the water, lighting up the horizon, and showing him the whereabouts of a large tree trunk with some of the branches showing above the water. Mr. Jenks swam over to the tree, pulled himself up, on to, and off the other side of the tree. He tried again with better success. He found the most comfortable place on the tree and sat down. All day the sun beat down on him, and he grew hungry and thirsty. By evening, his throat and mouth were patched. The night brought little relief, as he was very restless. All the next day the sun poured on him. His tongue became swollen and cracked. Next morning the sun, rising, showed him a ship. He stood up, waved his shirt, tried to yell but failed. The crew of the ship evidently saw him for they lowered a boat. Swiftly the boat came towards the tree. a The boat was swung broadside to the tree, and willing hands lifted Mr. Jenks into the boat. Water! XVater! he croaked. . An amazed sailor dipped a bucket into the lake and brought it up brimming full of good, clear, fresh water! JACK ZIVNUSKA, Low Ninfb.. . THE ORIGIN OF THE BRIDGE OF THE GODS On either side of a valley in Rainier National Park lived two tribes of giants. They were always at war with each other, but things had been going on peaceably for several years and nothing had happened. The tribe's chief, on the west side of the valley, had a very handsome son, while the chief of the tribe on the east side had a verv beautiful daughter. The handsome youth's name was Deerfoot, and the beautiful girl's name was Smiling Waters. These two had been in love for many years, but since their tribes were enemies they could not marry. When they would meet secretly, Deerfoot would be very impatient, and would ask Smiling Waters why she would not marry him then. Smiling Waters would look at him out of her dark eyes and smile and say, Be patient, Deerfoot, we must wait, and when our tribes are at peace all the time, we shall wed with great festivityf' But one dark night when both tribes were sleeping peacefully, Deerfoot got out of bed and walked out into the clean, fresh air. He could not stand it any longer, he told himself he would go and carry Smiling Waters away, and they would be married and live happilyi So he stole across the valley silently and carried the sleeping girl away. Smiling Water's mother thought she had heard a noise and when she went to her daughter's bed, not finding her there, she roused the tribe quickly. They guessed imme- diately who had carried her away, and they called across the valley and asked the other tribe if they had her. Deerfoot, elated at his success, was hurrying across the valley. One of the enemy tribe saw him and they began firing large stones at him. At that, the other tribe started. A rock struck Deerfoot and Smiling Waters and they were killed. The rocks fell until they made a bridge across the valley, thus sealing the fate of two lovers and making the Bridge of the Gods. E NANCY Rice, High Eighth.