Hammond Central School - Spotlight Yearbook (Hammond, NY)

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HAMMOND' HIGH HAPPENINGS bordered this creek had been cut down by the beavers and used to make the dam. In cutting down the trees they gnawed them so that they would fall in the water. On my trip I saw a tree about 18 inches in diameter which had been cut down by these ani- mals. When a tree has been cut down it is then cut into short pieces and floated to the dam. A beaver house, which in shape resembles an Eskimo's igloo, is a large structure and is about eight feet in height and twenty-five feet in circum- ference. The entrances to the houses are made under water. As the streams are frozen over in winter the beaver has to pre pare food for this season. He stores poplar sticks in his home and also sinks them to the bot- tom of the creek. During my visit to this col- ony I'saw about eighteen bea- vers. They were swimming around in the water and look- ing for something to eat. When a beaver hears some- one approaching he slaps his tail, which is about ten inches long and five inches wide, up- on the water with a resound- ing whack, which warns the other beavers. If you stand perfectly still a beaver will •£' sometimes come near you. I A was fortunate enough once to get within six feet of one. -x A beaver has a fine fur that is worth from fifty to sixty'dol- lars. It is on account of their value that beavers are becom- ing extinct. Because of the scarcity of beavers laws have . been passed prohibiting the killing, of them in certain sec- tions of the country. Maurice Edgar. EDITH CAVELL Edith Cavell was a young English nurse in Brussels at the outbreak of the world war. She performed her work with amazing success until the Ger- mans took the city. Twenty thousand Germans then took up quarters within the city of Brussels. Edith Cavell, however, was allowed to stay and care for the wound- ed soldiers. Her letters give one the impression that she felt very sorry for the young Germans, who she asserted, did not wish to fight. Edith, however, aided sever- al Belgian and French troops in escaping. One day German soldiers burst into the room

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HAMMOND HIGH HAPPENINGS from the chimney. After he had accomplished this he left the room. As soon as he was gone we began to discuss what we had better do—watch him as long as possible or go for a sheriff. Finally we decided that we would stay where we were and find ouj: what we could before getting help. Presently the man came back carrying a tin box, which he at once thrust into the hole in the chimney. Next he put the bricks back in place and left the room. We waited on the roof and soon we saw him coming out of the cellar door which hap- pened to be on the same side of the house. The man stop- ped, looked all about him, and then ran into the nearby bush. We then hurried downstairs, took Helen's car and went into town for the sheriff. We ar- oused him from sleep and told him of our discovery. He did not seem very an- xious to come with us but we finally persuaded him to do so. We drove to the house and showed him where we had seen the man put the box. He removed the bricks and took out the box. When he opened it we found that it was filled with precious jewels. The sheriff, upon examining the chimney, found more holes which also contained boxes of jewels. He told us that we had made a great discovery, and asked us to help him to catch the thief the following night. We caught the thief just as he was about to enter the door He confessed that he had been stealing jewels for the past five years and had used Will- ow Glen as a place to hide them. The news of our dis- covery spread very rapidly, and as soon as the jewels were returned to their owners and the thief put in jail, we were awarded eight hundred doll- ars, which we divided equally. Ella Mae Carter. THE BEAVER Last summer I had the pri- vilege of visiting a colony of beavers which was situated in the foothills of the Adiron- dacks. The beavers made their home in a small creek which they had dammed. It was about four feet high and extended in arcs for about one hundred and fifty feet. The trees that

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HAMMOND HIGH HAPPENINGS and led her off to prison. For two months the young nurse was kept within the gray stone walls without trial. The trial and execution were to take place ip quick succession in case the young woman was convicted. As she entered the court ro0m alone and afraid, many an old soldier thought of the wrong about to be com- mitted. Several times tears welled in the eyes of the war tired veterans as the trial con- tinued. Throughout the or- deal Mi s Cavell never denied her guilt. After being sentenced to die she walked from the court room with a steady step. Her shattered nerves, however, could sthnd the strain no long- er and she swooned. A young German captain advanced and sent a merciful bullet through her head. Marshall Tyler. QUEER PETS I HAVE HAD God's creatures sometimes have peculiarities which dis- tinguish them from their fel- low creatures. I have had sev- eral of these animals for pets. They ar , some of them, ludi- crous in the extreme, while some of them impress one with their gentle pathos. I once had a pure white cat with black rings around his eyes and back over his ears, so that it gave him the appear- ance at a little distance, of an old man with black rimmed glasses. That was not the only peculiarity that “Zike” as I called him, had. In addition to his glasses he had six toes on each front foot and seven on each hind one, instead of the usual five. I also had a white mouse with a forked tail. To the gen- tle reader who thinks that my mouse must have been an imp of satan, I wish to say that in fact, he was quite the contrary I never saw a better behaved mouse. His tail was not very long, but about half an inch from the end it branched out into a beautiful black fork, which contrasted strangely with his white body. Such freaks of nature seem to be wrought with danger and bad luck, for my cat got run over by an automobile and my mother rocked on my mouse. The other pets, with peculiar- ities, were not as striking as these two and were more pa- thetic, for they were handi- capped. —Donald Ellsworth.