Greater Latrobe High School - Latrobean Yearbook (Latrobe, PA)

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ORANGE A ND BLACK 13 nace's strength returned slowly but his golden opportunity was lost. The artist had left Moscow. Disobeying his mother's wishes Ig- nace began a new life in the mines. He could not endure the poverty in which his mother was living. The small sum of money had dwindled and was insufficient to supply her needs. Months passed and Ignace became Wan and pale. The effect of the mines was gnawing his very life and strength un- til soon nothing would be left. His mother was bedridden through weak- ness and privation but still remained cheerful begging her son not to aban- don his music and not to give up hope. One day Ignace returned home with good news. Mother, the artist is again to be in Moscow. If I could but get one minute of his attention he might believe me worth aiding or even a genius. A genius, mother! Oh I should be careful in using that word. Ignace you must attend his per- formance. Perhaps there might be some chance of an interview with him later. Play your own masterpiece and the sonatas now. Oh, Ignace, Ignace. they are more beautiful than ever. Your very soul seems to cry out in those tones. And so Ignace went to Moscow after much persuasion, being forced to take the last pieces of mon- ey that his mother possessed. This would be a crisis-either failure or fame. The following evening found Ignace seated in the theatre among numer- ous musicians and artist admirers. The time of the performance was at hand. It became past time. Vifhispers spread that the artist had become suddenly Ill. Ignace, in a fit of des- peration, rushed madly behind the scenes. He gained sight of the genius upon a. couch in one of the rooms as the door was opened suddenly by an elderly gentleman. Oh, may I play in his place? Ig- nace asked frantically and the next moment was upon the stage under the dim lights. He poured forth his very soul into the selection that appeared upon the programs. Each one he knew thoroughly from memory and in their exact order. He ended the en- tertainment with his own masterpiece. The audience was awed and then be- came hilarious and wildly enthused over the marvelous sweetness and depth of his tones. The artist, some- what recovered, stood ready to re- ceive the wizard of the keys behind the scenes. Throughout the audience whispers of doubt as to the real ar- tist were heard. They were soon in- formed and a great shout was heard desiring to honor and see this artist. Ignace, frightened at his boldness in presenting false appearances and dar- ing to assume the place of such an artist, lied from the stage entrance. One wet and miserable day three months later found the son by the bedside of his invalid mother relating to her once more his story of advent- ure. Ignace, you will be forgiven for your deed but please play your mas- terpiece once more. Ignace obeyed with tears in his eyes. Two strangers were passing the wretched hut and both stopped at the sound of the music. A knock, and the door was opened by Ignace. O, my friend why did you flee in such a manner? The world seeks you the sound produced by upon ivory and ebony searched for weeks for Come now and be not and longs for those fingers keys. I have my superior. afraid. I will help you and the world will honor you. Ignace's mother was full of happi- ness and the longing of her soul had been realized. She lived only a short time but heard the first performance of her son before the eyes of the world. Ignace had traveled a long and rough path but his faith in his mother and his trust in God aided him in due time. -Elizabeth Duncan Walker, '21.

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12 ORANGEA ND BLACK self. Moscow was excited and highly honored with the presence of the great- est artist of the world. Through some divine power, as it seemed, Ignace had been granted a few minutes of the ar- tist's time in which he might display his talent before the great pianist. The day for the starting arrived and Ignace arose early that morning bid- ding good-bye to his mother saying, I feel sure I can arrive and return safely although the journey on foot will be long and wearisome, but the rest is uncertain. My son, your talent comes from your faith in God. Some day you shall be great. Ignace started on his journey cheer- ed by the encouraging words of his mother. He had hoped to reach the tavern of .Iuvok by four in the after- noon, but a sudden storm arose. The sky looks threatening, thought Ignace. The storm became more fu- rious tossing the snow in heaps upon the trail and roaring and howling through the trees. It blinded and chill- ed him. Oh, if I could but reach the inn. Is there no one near? Help! Help! he called. But no one answered. I am beginning to feel numb, and I can- not face this blast longer. 0, I cannot lose this golden opportunity. Is that a cave yonder? Ignace staggered to what appeared to be a snow-covered cave or covert formed by the snow drifts. Here is shelter, thought Ignace. For hours the winds raged and the icy blasts hurled their cutting lances against his face. Mother earth ap- peared to have no mercy and the icy nook sheltered him very little. To- wards morning the darkness that had spread over the storm-swept country didused and the winds subsided. Sud- denly Ignace, who was half frozen and dazed, was awakened by the sound of a terrible crash. Unexpectedly masses of snow fell upon him and almost com- pletely covered him. Ignace terrified and stiff with cold could not succeed in getting himself uncovered. A heavy weight was holding him down and his face was covered with snow and sleet. The inevitable seemed to be approaching Ignace and he hoped his mother would be well taken care of by some kindly neighbor. Ignace, still partly conscious, felt himself moving on something and heard the sound of roaring waters but soon these sounds disappeared. Mother, where have you been? were Ignace's words three days later. Ignaceis mother told him of his es- cape by miracle and explained all to him as told her by the rescuing par- ty,-how he had happened upon a block of ice on a river and how the jam had broken and he had been on the edge of the rapids and had been saved from a terrible death by a large dog which a hunter had lost that day. It is not known exactly, my son, how this most gracious creature saved you. It seems probable that he must have dragged you somehow across the ice blocks, upon which you must have taken shelter in mistake for a. land grotto,-to shore. 0 yes, mother, I remember now. The shelter which I reached appeared in the form of a large cave of snow and in my half-dazed condition I mis- took the ice for a land cave of shelter and the frozen river for a storm-swept country. I see also, my son, your probable mistake but let us forget it in the joy of your safety. But let us continue, mother, for I feel stronger and more interested. The dog tore od your glove and returned to his master's abandoned hut some distance away. It happened as by providence, that the master had returned together with others in search of his faithful dog. Upon see- ing the glove the party set out upon their sleds guided by the dog in search of the perishing one. Suddenly they came upon a prostrate form and hav- ing discovered your name in your prayer book they, after administering potions, brought you home. After anxious days of waiting Ig-

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14 ORANGE AND BLACK SCHOOL LIFE Yes, we're leaving these halls of learning, These rooms where we've had such good times, And our hearts call out in their yearning- Call out, in the following lines: We entered, you know, as Freshmen, Oh! they were the good old days, And we gazed with awe and wonder At the Seniors' dignified ways. And the teachers we thought were splendid, And their knowledge beyond belief 5 But our pride in them somehow weakened When the marks came out 3 such grief! When one is a Sophomore, you know, He's getting up in the world, And we had to be careful indeed, Or, in fact, we would have been spoiled. We were bright, and, of course we knew it, But our teachers we could not foil, So We settled right down to endure A whole year of hard work and toil. But as Juniors our real fun began As we chattered and smiled all day long Eager for fun and a jolly, good time And our work we performed with a song. Oh yes, of course, we had work to do,- There were treatises, themes, and reports: But they were not hard when we really tried, At such tasks we were all real sports. Then Seniors one day we found ourselves, So quickly had time passed away 3 We have made the most of this, our last year, By being happy and gay. But now the time has come to part, We must each go our separate way, These four pleasant years at L. H. S.,- These years We'll remember for aye. -M. E. M., '21 THE CLASS OF '21 Like a vessel ill port stands our Class, Twenty-one, Through the years it has sailed with its prow for the end, O'er the ocean of High School from Grammar School land And now all the crew disernbark on the strand. Way back in the 'teens when our ship iirst departed Some good things of High School were not even started, So our wonderful class set about school improvements, We even were first in all sorts of good movements. Our many improvements count up by the ton,