Indiana State University - Sycamore Yearbook (Terre Haute, IN)

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THE NORMAL ADVANCE 3 was no God. If it were not true, if he were harassed by a vivid night mare, would he never wake up? Then a message from Juneis parents had called him to their home. They had asked him if he knew of any cause for her act. He had sadly replied that he did not. Then they had said J une had quarrelled with her mother over some trivial matter. That had been their only explanation. Then he had gone alone into the room where June lay dead, with the roses faded in her cheeks, the sunlight vanished from her eyes, and the bubbling music of her laughter stilled for eternity. For the lirst time grief touched him. Before, he had been too stupified to realize. that June was dead. It had seemed as if he were asleep and would wake up, or that he were being made the Victim of a ghastly practical joke. He had wanted to tell them all that the jest had gone far enough7 but now it all seemed real, he was alone. What should he live for? After sometime he had left and had gone home again. Exhausted by the wild outburst of emotion and the sustained mental strain, he had gone to bed. Now, in the bright light of day the dream seemed infinitely less terrible than when he had dreamed it. George was unspeakably relieved to thing it was merely an empty phantom re- sulting from an over-tired mind and body. He decided he would tell J une of it when he saw her the next evening, because this day was Sat- urday and he would be too busy to meet her. None of the household was up when George went downstairs. He carried down the text- books for his Saturday morning recitations. He left them on a table and stepped out on the porch to get the morning paper. As he leaned over to pick the paper up, the words, ciSunday Comic Supplementf, met his horrified eyes with all their hideous meaning. ttTemperance is a bridle of gold; he who uses it rightly is more like a god than a many eBmeton.

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2 THE NORMAL ADVANCE 1113132 lust Eap ARTHUR F. 'TURMAN EORGE awoke to full consciousness in a fraction of a second. His sieep-sodden mind did not enjoy the delightful haIf-siuinber that comes between deep sleep and awakening. He was tired. His body ached with real fatigue and was elammy with a Chill perspiration, while his mind seemed unable to exercise its aC- customed faculties. He sat up in his bed, with his head resting on his arms, attempting to clear the cobwebs of dreams and the dust of sleep from his brain. Today was Saturday. Of that he was certain, because he had gone to the dance the night be- fore on Friday. Therefore, today was Satur- day. His weariness was the result of the dance, not of his hideous, horrifying dream. He had taken June to the dance the night before. After it was over he had driven out into the country for a few miles. He had not spoken much on the way out, but had listened in speechless contentment t0 the songs J une had sung. Her alto voice had the strange Vibrant sound of a Violincello and its soft music had quieted his excited mind. Then for long in! tervals both had been silent, listening to the gentle purr of the motor as they rolled over the smooth, White roadway. At last he had turned the ear and had started back. From the hilltop they could see the twinkling arc-lights 0f the city far below. All the rest of the landscape was dark, spotted in a few places with lighter patches, where the full moon shone on the fields of silver wheat and oats. The breeze was heavy with the sweet perfume of locusts, for it was spring and the roadside was bordered with the locust trees with their clusters of waX-like blossoms. They had come back to the city quickly and he had left her at her home. That had been Friday night. 'After he left her he went to his home and in a short time had fallen asleep. Then had come that hide- ous nerve-raeking dream. It seemed as if he had gotten up the next morning, had gone to school, to make up some work and was coming home. He had stopped at the garage where the family car was kept. As he had entered the place he saw the pro- prietor reading the noon extra. The man had called, as George approached him, 4tGreorge, have you heard that June killed herself W Too stunned to reply, George had dropped down on the running board of one of the ma- Chines, gazing at the proprietor in mute agony. He had taken the paper and had. read the meager account. Then he had asked the pro- prietor to take him home. As they sped home George had been silent. His intellect refused to credit the awful report. Surely the paper had been wrong. What rea- son would June, his June, have had for doing such a thing? Why had she not taken some- thing swifter, less painful than acid? George had thanked his friend, as in a half: dazed way one fuliilis the nieeties of courtesy without retaining any knowledge of having done so. He had gone into the house and had gone, without a word to his mother, to his room, hoping to regain his mental equilibrium and find some small hope with which to com- bat the haunting fear in his heart. Hours passed while he sat there gazing at a picture of J une, thinking of her as he had seen her last, as he had seen her at dances, pica nics, at school, and at home. Doubts and hopes tormented him. Why had God allowed it, if it were true? No God of love and mercy would have suffered this thing, surely there

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4 'THE NORMAL ADVANCE mime 33021115 PROF. J. J. SCHLICHER MEN WANTED EN wantedHin letters of red The placard hung on the wall, In blood-red letters foretelling the dead WYhO lay in the distant fields and bled With the pitiless night for a pail. Men WVantet1;the crowd passed by, All set. upon pleasure and gain, But one stood still and I heard him sigh, A haggard old tramp With a tear in his eye And a look of remembrance and pain. Men wanted-in years long gone He had been a man With the rest, Had stood in the long line facing the dawn, Ten thousand chosen for service and drawn From among his countryts best. Men wantedeand forward they went, And their comrades cheering them on; With generous hearts and eyes intent, Not a one but Wished he too had been sent Into that bloody dawn. Men wanted-and then when at night Their broken ranks returned, Three out of four Who entered the fight Lay dead and silent upon the height Where the enemyas watchtires burned. Men wantedwathey had been the best, As the morrow7s burial told- Powder-burned faces and cuts in the breast, Save one, and he was not With the rest Nor had returned to the fold. Men wantedein letters of red The placard hung on the wall: It Was not for the living and not for the dead That the haggard old tramp uncovered his head And sighed, unregarded by all. T7170 FLO TVEBS W0 flowers, pale and red, beside The pathway bloomed and grew; On one I pressed my lips, and praised L The otherts burning hue. Two flowers by the wayside grew- ttChoose which you Will;7 said I; The red she fastened on her breast And passed the other by. WERE IT FOR ME EAVENWARD the tree-tops nod, Their solemn, stately measure keeping, Irksomely upon the sod The lonely, silent beetle creepinge All things living, great and small, Obey their inner call; They need no teaching to divine Their place in Godts design- Would I knew mine. Flowers dancing in the light By summerts perfumed breezes driven, Drooping With the autunints blight, Desiring only What is givene All things living are content With Natures government; Their longing and their lot agree In simple harmony-' Were it for me.