Hill Military Academy - Adjutant Yearbook (Portland, OR)

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she threw it on the coals they began to die down and from another part of the room a panorama came into view. It seemed as if the wall had opened up. I saw a drill ground with numerous detachments of men moving about. One body which seemed to be coming toward me had a particulary military leader I noticed. As the detail approached me I heard a familiar voice sing out, HCompanyee-ee-Haugh! I I started to think where I had heard it before when the leader turned around, and I beheld the pride of the class of '25, Charles Bonnett. He was still the same broad-shouldered Charley of school days and his army uniform looked natty, just as his school uniform always did. I noticed his sholder straps bore captain bars and I was just going to ask him how his chances were for being made a major when the scene changed. Fields of waving grains came into view. There were patches of dots moving around in different parts of the picture. At first I wondered what they were but as the outlines grew more distinct I saw they were groups of men. I was wondering who would be in this picture when on the skyline I saw a silhouette. It came down from the hills and as it drew near I saw it was a horse and rider, but it was still too far away to distinguish the features. I excitedly waited. Finally it drew up to a group of men who were working fairly close. I recognized Carroll Dean. He wore a real cowboy suit. It was for the first time that I really thought he would be a cowboy. I remembered when back at school how he used to get us cornered and begin, Now one day at Rufus--- . I was just get- ting ready, to step up and congratulate him on his cowpuncher ap- pearance when the scene faded. The first thing that I noticed this time was the tiers of seats that rose on an incline and surrounded something in the middle What was it? I strained my eyes. Oh, yesl- it was a ring. The minute I discovered it was a ring I tried to recall those who had pugilistic tendencies in our class. The only one that I could recall was Steven Edwards so I got all set to see f'Steve have a workout. While I was meditating, the picture had drawn closer to the ring, I heard two familar voices. One said, 'tBut, Mac we need 12,000. Besides when I can get more why turn it down? Yes, but remem- ber if we take that offer the newspapers will all run us down. 'iWell, as you are my manager I guess you know best. just then, those speaking stepped into the picture. One was dressed in ordin- ary street clothes while the other had on a bath robe and boxing shoes. Even though -they had their backs to me I recognized them. I then laughed to myself. I had guessed wrong at first. The one in the robe was not HSteve but Milton Dean and his manager was our old friend, Edward MacClean. Mutt still had his old fighting chin and aggresive look. tfMac looked older than when he had been in school but I could tell by the same old smile he was still our optimistic Mac. While I was noticing these things Milt had stepped into the ring and had doffed his robe. From the other side of the ring his partner stepped in. When they began sparring I

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A CLASS PROPHESY '4But darn it, Ted, I said, 'II canlt write a class prophesy. You must , he emphatically replied, ftbecause at the meeting I said you would! 'I HBut- I protested. 'LNo 'fbuts about it. If necessary get Lee to help you but please do it for my life is at staken. He let out a little chuckle at the same time diving for the door knob, intuitively seeming to know I was going to grab for him. I worried over the matter for months. The Adjutant was ready for press. The day before graduation came and still I racked my brain fruitlessly for the class prophesy. I met Ted that afternoon. He could tell by the crestfallen look on my face that I hadn't written it. I won't take no , he said, 'tI'll hold the press until tomorrow night at twelvet' and passed on. It was graduation night. The armory fairly glittered with the splender and itself seem to reflect the combined spirit of sorrow and gaiety which prevailed in the audience. The ceremonies were over, the hall was filled with mothers crying, smaller cadets and girls laughing and teachers and friends congratulating. I was near the door watching all this when gradualy I noticed things getting dimmer. The din of the hall seemed fainter and when every thing turned black I felt myself going up--up ---- up --------- . Suddenly I felt my ascent stopped short and feebly opened my eyes to find myself in a dome shaped cavern. I rubbed my eyes and strained them to try to see my surroundings. All was dark before me but as I stood there a dark red hue from behind gradually became a little brighter as it threw my shadow on the rocky walls, which I discovered by this lightelay in front of me. As I stood there bewildered as to what to do I was startled to hear a deep, rather judical voice say, f'Turn aroundlt' I did. To my horror I beheld a most grotesque sight. There in front of a pile of glowing coals sat a hideous old witch. For a second my thoughts returned to my childhood days when to comfort my troubled mind I had been told there were no real witches and now I wondered why they tell children lies. She sat there in a long flowing black garment glaring at me with a half twinkling, half crazy look in her eyes. She wore a tall peaked cap from which straggled numerous grey hairs. Her fingers were made to look long and bony by the tapering finger nails. Finally she spoke. It was the same voice I had heard before. 'tYou are here to see the doings of your class mates. Do not ask any questions concerning your arrival or about what is to be revealed to you. Time has passed. Some of your former class- mates have been fortunate, others not. While she had been speaking she had been fumbling in the folds of her gown. As she finished, she took something from her gown and threw it on the coals. It was just a few grains but the minute

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could see that Milt still had his famous guard. I looked for lVIac. Oh, yes, there he was leaning against the ropes on the 'other side. He had both forearms on the ropes with his chin resting on the back of his hands. It was indeed interesting to watch the changes of expression on his face as the sparring went on. He seemed just as interested in this work as he used to getting out the mark sheet OD I was pleased to see two old chums working along lifels way together. When the scene had changed this time I saw a beautiful manslon sourrounded by large grounds. The approach was a red gravel drive- way which after leading up to the front porch disappeared among the trees to the right of the house. On either side of the drive and on the lawn adjoining the house were scattered numerous flowerbeds and shrubs. Set here and there on the lawn around the house were towering pines whose moans seemed to make one aware that they were the house's guardians. I was aroused to the action of the picture by hearing the strains of Insufficient Sweetie float from the wide piazza. The picture drew closer. All that was in the picture now was the door and the porch immediately in front of it. I watched closely. The screen door opened and a man stepped on to the porch. He was a large man with a considerably larger waistline. I looked closely at his face but saw no features that I recognized. But wait- what was that on his upper lip-a moustache. Where had I seen that before? Then I remembered it was Steve Edwards. Surely, I thought, Steve could'nt have gotten so fat and bald headed as that. Why he was going to be a fighter. I was puzzled for a minute un- til I recalled how Steve told me he was going to be heir to a fortune. It all seemed clear to me then, how he inherited this fortune and how he must be using it. My eyes again turned to the picture in time to see him waddling along the porch with the characteristics only of a fat man. As I viewed his profile I inwardly smiled at the appropriateness of his old school nickname 'fOne round Edwards. Again the picture became indistinct and again when it focused itself I saw a new view. The place seemed familiar. It was a large stage with a grand piano in the middle. just below the footlights to the right of the pit was an organ. Oh yes, I remember that place. it is the city auditorium of Portland. The stage grew smaller and as it drew away I could see that the whole place was agog. In every aisle the ushers were hurrying up and down trying to seat all the anxious people. Suddenly the lights were dimmed and all the scurrying seemed stopped. The footlights flashed ong a deathly hush seemed to sweep over the audience. From the right wing of the stage a young looking man came out. He walked with a quick light stepbto the piano stool. After adjusting it he flipped back the tails of his coat and sat down. He drew a handkerchief from his sleeve and after flicking a speck or two of dust from the keys wiped off his finger .tips and tossed the handkerchief on the end of the keyboard. With a motion familiar to me, ,he lifted his hands and struck the first chord. The minute he started to lift this hands a memory flashed across my mind. It was of this person when he used to say to the school orchestra, already now, one, two, three ,