Guilford High School - Rostrum Yearbook (Guilford, ME)

Page 12 text:

8 THE ROSTRUM That, my friends, is my story. My wife and I must again vanish. In a few days I received a letter from his brother, telling me that he would have revenge. He would fol- low me for the rest of my days. I was informed that this brother be- longed to a German Club which has representatives in all parts of the world. They all wear large, flashy rings. The stranger who was here this afternoon was a member of that club. He will return at midnight and my buildings will be burned. There is no help. If you capture him it will only add to my hardships. If the build- ings are not burned tonight, they will be soon. Good-night, friends. With this, Peter stepped out into the darkness and was never seen again. For a week men guarded the build- ings each night and then decided that Peter had been mistaken. The next night the buidings were burned. A new house was built on this site and within six months it was burned. Nothing was- left but the chimney. Since then, no one has attempted to build on that lot. M. Kimball '30 ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE All the people up my way Get excited every day When those brave hunters return home, Tell of deer seen as they roam, Feeding in the sun so bright, Almost get one, but not quite. When my brother's at his play, Hopes to get in mother's way And 'neath her feet those tops roll, Then his ma begins to scoldg Cross her checkered skirt so bright, Almost spanked him, but n-ot quite. Chewing gum at school one day, Up my aisle she chanced to strayg Then those brave jaws ceased to chew Quickly thought of something new, Prayed she might be short of sightg Almost caught me, but not quite. I am lucky, some s-ay, nay! Don't see how they have it that way. When those brave books at me stare, I haven't studied. but I don't care, Like this poem, I get them right Almost-but not quite. P. Welts '32 HOW H. A. JONES WAS CURED Blackford had a large negro popu- lation considering the size of the town. Hiram 'Alexander Jones was considered the laziest negro in the village and he liked to tell about some of his adventures, which were, of course, highly exaggerated. Hiram Alexander's favorite occupation was fishing, but he never had very good luck. Hiram Alexander had some- thing else to take up his mind n-ow. He was very much in love. Although Sarah Jane Smith returned his love, she would not marry him. Yous gits yous a job and keeps it and saves yous money, than I will marries you, was Sarah Jane's an- swer to him. Hiram Alexander tried two differ- ent kinds of work but he soon was back to his old ways. It wasn't be- cause he was not bright, because Hi- ram Alexander was very smart fwhen he wanted to bel, but because he was just lazy. Sarah Jane had just about given up hope, but she de- cided to give him a little longer time to make good. One day Hiram Alexander Went fishing in a strange place. A storm came up and he was obliged to take shelter in an old building. The storm kept raging and Hiram knew he would have to stay there for the rest

Page 11 text:

THE ROSTRUM 7 tonight. He was tall, but not very heavy. He wore a brown suit, an old felt hat, and a large flashy ring on his finger. Another thing I particularly noticed was an ugly scar over his left eye. i At this, Peter trembled violently and turned pale. He started to go home, and then turned back to say, Friends, come back after supper. I have a story to tell you. With this, he hurried off. The men made a few more remarks and then they also went home. It was getting late in the evening before Peter returned. . In fact it was so late that John was getting ready to close up, and the men were about to go home when he suddenly appeared in the doorway. No one said a word. Peter, glancing up at the clock, immediately began his tale. Twelve years ago, he began, I was in different circumstances than I am now. I had been married -about eight years and had a boy of about six years. I had a steady j-ob in a factory and was doing very well. I had but one weakness, and that was for drink. I craved it night and day, but up to this time I had managed to keep it down enough so that I had not robbed the family of their necessi- ties. We lived about two miles from the village of Hamburg in Germany. Many nights after work I would go into the saloon and stay until mid- night, staggering home about one or two o'clock. But one thing I was thankful for was that I was able to control my temper while under the influence of liquor. My wife was very patient with me and tried every way she could to cure me, but all her efforts failed and I continued 'to drink. Several times she tried to get the saloon-keeper to refuse to sell me drink, but it was of no avail. To him my money was as good as the other fellow's, and he had no heart for the family. Peter paused here in his story for a few moments and ordered a drink of soda. After drinking this, he contin- ued with his story. It was a dark, stormy night in No- vember. The wind was howling through the trees and it was raining very hard. I had come home on time tonight and last night, but the crav- ing was still there. My little boy, Billy, did not feel well that night and therefore we had put him to bed ear- lier than usual that night, thinking he would be all right by morning. About midnight I was awakened by lmy wife who, with a very white face, told me Billy was very ill and I must go to the village for the doctor. I hastily dressed and started o-ut into the rain. I arrived at the village in good time, but as luck would have it, before arriving at the home of the doctor it was necessary to go by the saloon. Seeing it. brightly lighted, my thirst was greater than ever, but I decided I would conquer myself and go by for the sake of my child. The saloon-keeper saw me and called me in to have a drink. In vain I 'told him my boy was dying and I must get the doctor. It was to no avail. For two hours he kept me there and then turned me into the streets. I stag- gered over to the doctor's and man- aged to tell him the story. He took me in his carriage and with great haste we hurried 'to my home. Alas, it was too late. The doctor examined as near as he could and said it was a case of acute indigestion. The' boy had died about an hour before we ar- rived. If that saloon-keeper had on- ly listened to my story my boy would be alive today and I should be happy. In the heat of my anger and drunken- ness I -staggered back to the saloon and killed the saloon-keeper. That sobered me for good.

Page 13 text:

THE ROSTRUM 9 of the night. Negroes are very su- perstitious and get frightened very easily, but Hiram Alexander made up his mind not to get frightened under any condition. But he couldn't help getting a little frightened as it grew darker and the storm still raged. He knew he was better offtoremain there than to try to walk home through the woods. Between ten and twelve' Hi- ram Alexander had company.He was sitting in the dark, trying to go to sleep, when he first heard a noise. Pooh, says Hiram Alexander to himself, 'Tse won't gits 'fraid-it's jests mys magnationsf' Again Hiram Alexander heard a noise, this time nearer. He wasn't so brave now, but still he laid it to his imagination and once more tried to go to sleep. A third time he heard a noise, this time very near. This was about all Hiram Alexander could stand, so he jumped up, saying, Friend, Ise goin'. This here house aint big 'nough for yous and mes, sos Ise vacant. - But Hiram Alexander stopped when he heard a voice say: Hiram Alexander Jones, yous lazy good-for-nothin' nigger, gits youself a job and keep it, or Ise will haunt yous the rest of yous life. On hearing this, Hiram Alexander Jones rushed from the house and ran through the woods. His adventures in the woods that night have never been revealed. When he arrived at Blackford next day, he went to his home, changed his clothes and went out looking for a. position. In a few days he was at work and happy. Hiram Alexander never told anybody about his visit from a ghost as it was too horrible to think about. Anyway the ghost may have been just his conscience. Afterwards? Well, Sarah Jane and Hiram Alexander were married in less than a year. He has never returned to his early ways. They now have eleven little negroes, five girls and six boys. None of Hiram Alexander's children have any of his early traits. He won't allow them to be lazy or tell exaggerated stories. Hiram Alexander was cured of his faults and he doesn't want any of his children to have to go through a sim- ilar experience to be awakened. Madeline Colson '31 THE CLASS OF 1930 If in the Senior Rostrum You should chance to gaze, Slowly read this over And do not feel amazed. For this grade of 1930 It sure is a jolly class, We all shall leave together, That is, if we all pass. I'll tell you of the Seniors, I'll tell of one and all, They were a very jolly bunch Returning to school this fall. First comes Wilda Adams, Who went out for basketball, She made la dandy center Because she is so very tall. Then there is Arthur Ames In classes not too slow, But he'd race around the town, And how he'd make his old Fordgol Next comes Evelyn Boutot, A pretty, tall brunette, If English and History she's done She then feels that she's all set . Now it's Kenneth Bradfo-rd- Quite funny I must say, But hear him start a poem, And you will wish to stay. Well, here is Winton Cobb- In English he is bright., The only fault with Winton He stays out late at night. Now comes Viola Conner, Short, dark, quite fat,