Governors Academy - Milestone Yearbook (Byfield, MA)

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T H E M I L E S T O N E Why, itis the largest ocean liner in the world. It completes the voyage from New York to Liverpool in twenty-three and a half hours. And Lem Fowle is first mate. The skipper! I exclaimed. You bet,,' said Fitz, and moreover 'Lem' has attained distinction by the publication of his third book of poems, blank verse at that. His nom-de-plume is Sandbugf' Remarkable,', I replied. What about 'Terry,? Seems to me I've lost track of him for the last twenty years? Oh yes, Terhunef' said Fitz, reflecting, why, man, he's the American ambassador to England. Oh, yes! He and the Prince of Wales are very clubby, don't y' know, they play golf together all the time. I think 'Terry' beat the Prince in the last round so the old thing is going to take up polo. They spent the last week end at the King of Czecho-Govina's palace. You know Ernest I, head of the House of Ferdinandoff, our old friend 'Ferdie'? Yes, the Czecho-Govinians got hold of him and elected him sovereign. Heis quite the berries of a king! Evidently this famous bit of vernacular had clung to c'Fitz throughout the years. Tell me, I asked, what church does Neal Boyd preach at? I need a little religion after two decades of religious abstinence. Church! ejaculated Fitz, with a grin. Why, the last time I heard of Boydie was when he was running a dance hall at Mobile. He,s got the slickest gambling joint south of Mason and Dixon's line. Boydie's quite a snake. A little bit taken back by this most startling information, I lapsed into silence. Fitz,' Went on talking. Saw a good movie last night. It was produced by Berry and Valentine, the biggest cinema producers of Hollywood. This picture starred Tommy lVIacLeod in a revival of that ancient masterpiece 'The Sheik., Can that boy make love? F ! I made a mental note to see it if my aged bones would land me in the theatre. Another feature of the show was a lecture by Travis Ingham, president of Yale University. He spoke on 'Vergil and His Contemporaries., Very interesting. I I certainly shan't miss it, said I. By the Way, where is old B. Mosely?,' At Sing-Sing,', replied Fitzsimmons, sadly, his 'air fliv' ran into a transcontinental airship last night. It was the third offense of his. He survived the House of Correction. And Kuki? asked I, wishing to change the subject. I29!

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'I' H E M I L E S T O N E CLASS PROPHECY I T was the fall after Commencement. I was seated at an open fire and had finished an absorbing tale, fantastic and unreal. I heaved the book on the table with a sigh and gazed into the dancing flames, my eyes heavy and my senses numbed by the enveloping warmth of the fire. Strange, eerie shapes swarmed before me, characters of the story I had read, about a dare devil Yankee of this age hurled back to a by-gone day when King Arthur reigned in Britain, and glittering knights rode forth for the Holy Grail. The idea of living in another age thrilled meg I was seized with an obsession to dwell again in the past or, better still, in the future. Vainly I craved a mystical potion to drink that would waft me into new surroundings and tear away the veils that hide tomorrow. This crazy meditation was interrupted by a furtive noise behind me. Stealthy footsteps stole upon me. I was paralyzed. I heard a Swish above me, the passage of a heavy object in the air and a stunning blow was dealt me on the head. Blackness followed and the years rolled on . . . II Awaking I experienced the same sensations as had that distinguished gentleman of yore, Rip Van Winkle. A Howing beard covered my chest, my clothes were in a state of decay, and my poor bones were as stiff as those of a centenarian. I arose and shook off a veritable cloud of dust and cob- webs. Hobbling out of the house, I enquired of a passerby what year it was. He gave me a quizzical look and told me it was 1944. I was mildly as- tonished for I had steeled myself for the worst. The air was full of buzzing although I saw no bees. However, I dis- covered this phenomenon was caused by the vibration of hundreds of air- ships above me. A small aircraft swooped down and lighted near me. A man jumped out whom I recognized as Ed', Fitzsimmons, one of my former classmates. I approached him and finally won his recognition. He was a dealer in Mercury airplanes lathe Ford of the Airnj. Moreover he was a bootlegger, to my immense surprise. I asked him where the rest of our old classmates were and found he was very well informed, they all being his customers. Did you hear,', he said, that our old friend 'Mullyl is the captain of the Levi Nathan F What's that? I asked. l28l

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.m Q...-. va:-zfw. 'wx .9-13-? l'5' i ' I-Ii: If T H E M I L E S T O N E Oh, 'Takhoma' Kuki is a member of the diplomatic corps. At Wash- ington now I guess. Well, I must beat it. Won't you come along? See how you like my Mercury. I was soon soaring over the rooftops, comfortably ensconced in the trim little plane with Fitz by my side. We glided on through space surrounded by many other aircrafts going this way and that. We had been traveling for five or ten minutes when Fitz declared he was going to show me a trick. The nose of the Mercury', pointed down suddenly, I lurched from my seat taken wholly off my guard and consequently off my balance. With a sickening sensation I hurtled down through theoair, twisting and twisting. Hitting the ground with a dull thud Calso sickeningj, daylight was jolted out of me. A III Of course I came to in the usual place, by the fire, with a splitting head- ache. Only two hours had elapsed. When my befogged senses cleared I realized the fact that my watch and sundry valuables had been stolen. Evidently stolen, for a window was open behind the chair in which I had sat and a bludgeon lay on the floor nearby. I had no hard feelings for the dishonest intruder, for he had given me the revelation of the future. True or false, it shall mean a lot to me. . W. T. C., '24. lsol