John Adams High School - Clipper Yearbook (Ozone Park, NY)

Page 24 text:

which some instinct told them was the object of their desire. But five of them whose instincts werenlt up to par continued their furious chase after Ralph. Now our hero found himself well up in front of the panting runners. At the five and one half mile mark, he found himself in second place. In front of him was Johnston of Eastville, who had maintained his lead from the start of the race. Suddenly the East- ville star broke into a mad sprint for the completion of the remain- ing half-mile. He drew rapidly away from the exhausted Ralph, The Roxford ace felt a tug at the heel of his sneaker. He glanced down and saw one of the mice trying to crawl up his leg in an effort to reach the pocket from which the smell of cheese still emanated. Witlm a scream of terror, Ralph broke into a mad sprint which carried him far into the lead. He dared not look back now for fear of stumbling, but a sharp squeak told him the mice were still on his trail. He came into the home stretch with ,fa-at ff-sa ,S X '! -'XX-X x xx, H X, -f.:- '. tubs. ' 42' f f:-' -2- X fa? MSE: f -- Staff-'c I I . - - v 1 I the beat of johnstons running steps drowning out the squeak or his pursuers. Witlm the finish line but a few yards away, Ralph roared past the grandstand like a century sprinter. He broke the tape a full thirty yards ahead of johnson. He came to in the locker room surrounded by his joyful team- mates. Weakly he inquired, Did we win?', '!Did we win? shouted coach Bradley, We sure did! Your strategy gave us FIRST PLACE! When your opponents saw you flash past, they set out to catch you with the result that most of them were so winded, they couldn't finish. Our boys realized what you were doing and let the others run themselves out trying to follow that pace you set up. Not only did we win, but you broke the meet record, by doing the six miles in twenty-nine minutes Hat! That's a record that will stand for a long time! Tell us Ralph, what put that extra speed into your feet ? I don't know whether it was because I was a piece of running cheese, or because I'm the Pied Piper of Roxford! was Ralphls happy reply! Twenty

Page 23 text:

Ever since a mouse had playfully taken a nibble out of his hand when he was still a toddling youngster, Ralph could never remain calm if he knew that a mouse was in the vicinity. Yet now, he had not one but two of the fearful creatures running directly behind him! He glanced back to see if he wasnt suffering from some awful halucination. Three more had joined the couple. Ralph could stand no more! With new-found energy he increased his pace and rapidly widened the distance between his enemies and himself. After a few hundred yards, he glanced back again to see if the mice had lost his trail. To his horror, he discovered that the Eve had increased to a full dozen of the awful rodents-the nearest of iwhich was no more than ten feet away from him! He tried to relay his predicament to several groups of laughing people at the sides of the course, but each time he was answered by some jibes and increased laughter. He cast another glance to the rear and was petrified to find that almost fifty mice were scampering along the course! Once, upon glancing back, a slight hope arose within him when he noticed that his pursuers had decreased in numbers. Once before he had heard something about a host of rats following a man. He racked his brain for the answer. Then it dawned upon him! The Pied Piper of Hamlin! And he-Ralph Woods was the Pied Piper of Roxford! He laughed aloud at the thought. Then suddenly he saw something which sent his heart reeling with joy, for there not thirty yards in front of him, was another runner. just as he reached the four mile marker, he passed this lone runner. His swift glance backward told him that the runner whom he had just passed had fallen to the ground where he lay in the throes of hysterical laughter. He tossed wildly around on the hard ground with loud piercing laughter which followed the speeding Ralph for many yards. Soon he drew close to the cross-country men who were stretched out in a line. His furry companions were right behind him although their numbers had decreased considerably. A mere twenty remained in place of the fifty which had pursued him just a few miles back! The thought of those mice following him was infuriating. What had he done that they should pick on him? Those mice followed him as though he were a piece of cheese! Cheese!-the words aroused memories within him. Suddenly, he thrust his hand into his back pocket and from it drew the uneaten sandwich which he had carlessly thrust into his pocket. He tore the two slices of bread apart. There in the center reposed a thick slice of yellow store cheese! Savagely he threw the sandwich as far from him as he could. Three-quarters of the hungry mice sped after the falling sandwich, Wi PM WZ .iw ' if ,L 5.2 11 ':,, if . , - by . 71- .. Fi' I . ,. 1 ' Nineteen X W fl if

Page 25 text:

Q ADAMS AT PLAY BASKETBALL