Granville High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Granville, OH)

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BLUE AND WHITE 17 a, few stammered phrases he decided silence was safer. Soon, however, Mary be- came enveloped in her woman's curiosity and asked what the matter was. Still there was silence. But suddenly the car stopped. Willie opened up the hood and, after a brief hunt, came back with a greasy nut from the engine. This he proceeded to polish with undue energy. When it was of uncommon brightness, to the astonishment of Mary Day, he grasped her hand and forced the nut on her iinger. Then she began to see light and a smile played on her face. Willie was waiting for the encouragement. And what is your answer? he asked summoning all his courage. With little hesitation she spoke, You had better put the nut back until we get to the preacher's, don't you think? It took no time a-t all to comply with her wish and the little Ford ran as only a Ford can run. The next town was soon reached and Lizzy rolled on, for Day and Night were united. -KENNETH BREEZE, '22. A STRANGE EPISODE Joe Grimes was seated in his little room on the top floor of the boarding house, with his feet comfortably higher than his head, and his only companion his cigar. He seemed to be deeply engrossed in reading one of Edgar Allan Poe's most terrifying stories. He had just gotten to the most interesting place, when he heard a slight tapping on the wall just outside of his door. His hair fairly stood on end, his blood ran cold. As suddenly as it began the noise ceased and Joe had just time to for- get it when it occurred again, this time a little louder than before. As he looked carefully at the door, he saw a slip of white paper appear under it. Hardly daring to move, but with a great desire to know what these strange signs meant, he slowly crossed the room, every moment expecting to be snatched away by one of Poe's monstroslties. His hands fairly shook as they opened the letter and a puzzled ex- pression appeared on his face as he read it. Here are the contents of the letter: Meet me out under the old maple tree at midnight. Just outside the door is a box of clothes, put them on. No one will know you. Do not fail me. -UM. W. What in the deuce do you suppose he wants with me?5' muttered Joe. Do you suppose he's trying to get me into trouble? But now since he had gotten over his fear, he was perfectly willing to try anything to break up the monontony of his daily experiences. As he opened the box which he found in the hall a dark colored cloak fell out, and then another dark colored garment. Joe regarded it ruefully for a moment and then said with contempt: A dress! Does he think he's going to make a fool of me? Imagine me with a woman's dress on. Well, I'll show him, and he chuckled to himself. But later his longing for something exciting got the better of him a-nd after a great deal of difficulty and many exclamations such as, Well, if I ever have a wife, I'll gladly hook her dress for her, he succeeded in don- ning the articles of feminine apparel and with grace and elegance, sported before the mirror admiring himself. At five minutes of twelve a girlish figure dressed in dark clothing and with a heavy veil over her face stole down the hall and out the door of the boarding-house. As the.clock was striking twelve another figure was seen standing as if waiting for someone under the old maple tree in the yard. It was a dark night. The moon had gone behind a cloud, and it seemed to be just such a night as goblins, witches and ghosts would choose for their revelries From afar could be heard the dismal dole of the doodledoo. Save for this the night was quiet and this solemnity, seemed to make it even more gruesome. As Joe walked slowly and with great reserve, Cas if in fear of stepping on his skirtsl towards the old maple tree, he saw the dark figure, stealing silently from tree to tree. It would stop every second as if listening but hearing nothing would move on again. As Joe aproached the figure, he soon found himself held in a strong embrace He started to cry out. But the mysterious person only exclaimed in a low whisper, Hush! They'll hear us, that would end it all for us. We must hurry. What can be the matter with Mark. I-Ie doesn't sound natural, Joe thought to himself. We must get away fl'0l1l this place at once, continued the low voice, mysteriously. Joe, too startled and surprised to protest, let himself be pushed and pulled by turns across the yard and through a little grove of trees, on the other side of which was a small roadster. At almost every step, Joe could hear the beautiful silk dress which he was wearing, tear a little more as it caught on his

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16 BLUE AND WHITE A NUT-FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT Zip! Just a gust of wind. No! There was a number plate on the back of it. One could merely catch a fleeting glimpse of it, for true it was in this case, He who hesitates is lost. The driver of the wind was a speed fiend. He had graduated from college the year before, but, as his father was rich, he seemed to have no inclination to carry out the ideas he possessed when he had taken his law course. He just loved speed. On this particular day he was not simply speeding, however. He was going to an alumni reunion at his alma mater, and, with a hundred and fifty-six miles to go, the accelerator seemed to have an unusual attraction for his number eights. About Hfty miles of speed told the sad tale of engine trouble. h He opened the hood and gazed at the useless contraptions in a mood of helpless cursing. Then he made his way to the nearest farm house and called a service car. While the engine expert was looking over the unfortunate of the wealthy, our hero bartered with the farmer and, on payment of a remarkably little sum, received the use of an old, battered, ramshackle, wobbly, torn-up Ford of the farm hands. He was in a hurry and his guess had been correct. His car was in a condition to demand several days repairing. So, with the thought of the merriment his new chariot would cause among his old friends, he donned the blue uniform of a farmer and swung into the seat of an old famous. The Ford held up wellg in fact, better than Willie did, for he had just made the resolute decision to stop at the next town and make the purchase of some pillows to aid the springs in their work when he came upon a car which seemed to be under the strain of circumstances like to his own. He became the object of a terrible wave of pity and an irrisistible impulse forced his foot to the break. A marvelous young person was laboring on the opposite side of the car, mutilating the engine by means of a monkey wrench. As he dismounted, her eyes left her work and a coquettish smile played on her face as she exclaimed, Oh! A mechanic here already. That's good service-help within ten minutes after phoning. ' She gave him no chance to refuse. He simply had to lend a hand, and, although his knowledge of machinery was of an unknown quantity, the engine disintegrated easily. He wiped the carbon off of several parts, put them together again, piled the extra parts in the tool case and tried to start it. Nothing greeted his every effort. At this stage of events the real garage man rode up just in time to save the car in general, and, in fact, in time to save everything except some rather keen embarrassment. After a brief examination of the case, the mechanic gave a ver- dict, siimlar to the one Willie had received. VVillie, wishing to make amends for the harm done at his hands, offered to pay damages. But the owner of the second unfortunate vehicle charmingly refused, how- ever, accepting his invitation to 1'ide in his locomotive until they got to a suitable place to make railway connections, for she, too, was in a very great hurry. After a self introduction of Mary Day and William Night, their conversation be- came more friendly. It soon became known that they were going to the same city, so that it took little begging on Willie's part to prevail upon Mary to go the whole trip in the noisy vehicle and seventy-five miles worked wonders with friendship. At their destination they parted-but not for long. After washing, pressing, shining, and arriving at the opening alumni banquet, Willie was surprised, almost overjoyed, to find on the place card next to his own, Mary Day. Pleasant table-talk, charming after-dinner prattle, and wonderful moon- light as he accompanied her as far as her lodgings made the evening marvelous. The next day was similar to the previous night. The day following could only be compared in like manner, and so on until the last night. As he was leaving her at the door of her lodgings, he was silent for a moment, and then spoke, Pm leaving in the morning in the old trusty fruit iar. I may not see you again so I'll say 'good-bye' now. And may I write to you? Yes, she said, you may write. But why say 'good-bye' now? I'm leaving to- morrow morning, too, in the old, trusty fruit iar. And she closed the door behind her. The next morning, game yet doubting, Willie drew up before the door where he had suddenly been left standing, accompanied only by his thoughts, the night be- fore. He had no sooner stopped than Mary came out, suitcase in hand, ready to accept his help as she clambered into the rickety old Ford. The first twenty-five miles went off in a friendly fashion. But soon conver- sation died slowly, until, after fifty miles, silence reigned except for the continuous music of Ford parts as they collected themselves together at regular intervals. Several times Willie tried to speak, but it was a poor attempt each time, and after

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18 BLUE AND WHITE heels or dragged under his feet. As Joe felt himself lifted bodily into the machine he gasped, but could not utter a cry. Before they were fairly seated the machine gave a lurch and started. For the next hour Joe expected any moment to come to and find himself in a fence corner. The machine fairly Hew. Joe, thinking it useless to protest, only sat still and held his breath and as the lights of a city iiared in the distance, he drew a- sigh of relief. This surely would be their place of destination. Sure enough the machine drew up before a large white house. Joe, who was now greatly intrested in trying to figure out what would come next, began to act his part well and obeyed his partner without saying a word, Now his companion's orders were, Hurry, they aren't coming yet, we'll make it after all. Joe hur- ried with all his might and soon found himself entering the unfamiliar house. Take off your hat and coat, quick, was his next command. And Joe mechanically obeyed. As he removed his hat and coat he looked at his companion who took one look at him and fainted away, Soon, with the assistance of an old white-haired man, who had answered their knock, Joe revived the man whom he thought was his friend, Mark. l1Vhen the mysterious man was able to talk he explained. He was in love with the daughter of Joe's landlord and because the landlord was not in favor of the marriage they had decided to elope. The man's name was Marlowe Wilkins and he had made a mistake in the number of the door of the room in which his bride- to-be said she stayed. The old white-haired man was the preacher who said that the wedding need be postponed only to the next night. -LORNA JONES, '22, The end has come, as come it must To all thingsg in these sweet June days' The teacher and the scholar trust Their parting feet to separate ways. l They part: but in the years to be Shall pleasant memories cling to each. O Youth and Beauty, loved of alll Ye pass from the youthful gate of dreams' In broader ways your footsteps fall, Ye test the truth of all that seems. 1 Be but yourselves, be pure, be true, And prompt in duty: heed the deep, Low voice of conscience: thru the ill And discord round about you, keep Your faith in human nature still. --Whittier, in At School Close. Here's to Kathryn Silliman who, from the founding of Blue and White, has unsel- fishly given of her time and talent toward the progress of the paper. The whole school is grateful to her, and wishes her joy and success in the Academy next year. The Class of 1922 extends to her especial thanks for her assistance in preparing this issue of Blue and White. if !X