Jesup Scott High School - Scottonian Yearbook (Toledo, OH)

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:V T A 1 'g if f picious anticipation the men cast toward Mr. Baxter as he wended his way toward the house, cursing and finding fault with everyone he met. Larry approached one of the peons who had a particularly nasty disposition. When did Senor Barton return? he asked him in rapid Spanish. Senor Barton returned at sunrise, the native answered, em' phasizing hsunriseu with a lift of his brows in a meaning look at Larry. Larry pretended not to understand. L'Why do you suppose he came during the night? he asked inf nocently. The peon snorted with rage. He fairly lung the words at Larry. 'LFor God's sake! don't you know what day this is? Yes, it's Thursday, the thirtyfiirst of October, Larry answered. He knew of no national holiday or great saint's day, but the native was not verv long in enlightening him. Why man it s the day we re to get our money he screamed He crept close to Larry And the trouble is he whispered gleefully he hasn t the money to pay us' Larry turned pale but he hastily controlled himself He knew he could acquire a lot of information from the angry native Well why hasn t he7 he asked Oh playing the races the peon chuckled rubbing his hands together and then his eyes took on a savage glare of the infuriated black But he s getting his soon he said slowly with satisfaction Larry sickened He knew what this meant he had heard of similar cases on other plantations If the administrator failed to pay the men at the end of the season and they knew it was through careless ness in managing the finances of the company or through gambling of the company s money no good would come to him The men as it was had no respect or liking for Mr Barton as an administrator and fa. t t . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 - , , , 1 1 . . , 1 , 1 t 1 1 1 , . t 1. 1 1 1 , . . t I. . 1 1 . , 1 1 1 , c 1 t 1 . . 1 1 , . , , . L , , . ' 1 L , ' 1 . . 9 - 1 1 - 1 lv: i .W ,i1.-fii,,. ,Ls -.T 1 ?.f..,1ASa-.i.,.,,,-:as .eats 1,13 .W--.... ..-, W .. ..,,?..-an-V-fi-as .. - -. -N N. -YA . L, . ., , . .. , , 1 .. . .... -- .-.. .es-.sv :gr-,Ac :zur-3.9.-,. ----' .XA-4 -,-1-alarm-.11.::i JL... V ,.N..a::.n.g..1 -x ,us - 4. ,g,,., - f. ,, - - , .1-v.g:.:rr:-:-4: - . .L...,, .:...:g: 'z -r ,s-1:5 ..-uns--af.t.,.,..f.1., Q. smsrgz-rrsazns...-g,-T A-1141...-.Ts,, gag. ,4. 1: ..- a?H1f.x-1.-3.1-5 - .. ..L visa 1' 12- ,,.L,1.-- ---- --1-F Lxws: - .-f V .. ...... D . - ,....... .5....,, .. ' 1 . 7 175- V- 't 'i' ' ' 1 .. ' . ' ' K . .:.'iii ' , ' I. . T- . - 'TT V, 3' A ij ' gf Ti -C llrorll

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over the land, going over the reports of the three mills situated on the plantation, examining the peon huts, questioning the section foreman, and returning dead tired to the house at dusk. Sometimes Ethel accompanied him. From the manner in which she spoke to the men, Larry noted that she also gave orders on the plantation, and that the men obeyed them. She went into the most lowly huts, asking the mothers about the babies, fussing and laughing with the children, and even giving old juan, who was recovering from the fever, some precautions against taking cold. Larry could see their adoration for her in their eyes. But in the fields he felt the growing tension of discontent. As he looked at the men swinging their long knives and cutting the stalks of sugar cane, he saw a look of greed, cunning and mysterious, which Ethel also seemed to feel, as she went from one gang of workers to another. One morning, upon walking into the little office, Larry was surf prised to see a tall, darkfhaired man, a stranger to him, examining the reports of the week. As he casually walked forward, the man turned suddenly and his steel'grey eyes seemed to bore holes through Larry. Before the abashed Larry could muster courage to speak, the man said: USO you're the young fellow the government sent out? Yes, sir, and I Hnd everything in fair condition. Larry spoke to Mr. Barton, for it was he, as to a superior ofhcer. i'You do, eh? Mr. Barton chuckled sarcastically. Then his manner changed completely. Sorry I wasn't here. Hope you get along all right, he yavvned. Well, see you later. I've got to get some sleepf' He picked up a bundle and walked unsteadily to the house. Larry went out of the little shack and leaned against it, conf templating his next move. He noticed the looks of hate and susf lliooll

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I . l V l is as this only increased their fury. lt would probably result in the slaughter of all the whites on the plantation. Larry knew he had to get Mrs. Barton and Ethel away from the plantation before the pentfup fury of the natives broke. When do you purpose to give it to him? he asked, with a matter' offfact air. 'iTomorrow-at sunrisell' the native flung over his shoulder as he walked hastily away, sensing that he had spoken too much. Larry walked slowly up to the house, thinking of the course he should follow. As he stepped up to the porch, Ethel came out of the house. She treated him as an equal now, and remarked to him of the return of her father, but Larry decided that there was no time to lose and detained her as she was walking away to the stables for her horse. Miss Barton, do you have a peon here that you can trust? he asked, trying to control his desire to shout out to her the danger that threatened. She looked up at him, wondering at his question. L'Why, yes, I can trust the Jap as much as anyone, she said slowly. . Larry had noticed the shiftyfeyed Jap who waited upon the table and took care of the house. 'LI think it would be best if you and your mother could leave just after sunfdown, because the natives - S Oh, you know, then? Ethel asked excitedly. She leaned against - the pillar and seemed to lose all strength and courage. When Larry nodded in the affirmative she slowly lowered her head. 'LIt's been going on like this for the past year. The natives made a fuss their last payfday also, and they told him not to let it happen again. It's a penitentiary offense, isn't it? Yes, but God knows what the natives will do in the meantime, l V ' r . - - . -- '.r.' 5 Hiozzl