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

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gcmaf Mice org . 77 JANET HILD THE WAGONS creaked and groaned their way over the muddy road. The horses sank into the mire, snorting with fear. Their tired riders slouched forward in their saddles, trying to guide them and keep them from losing the path. The flash and sparkle of their blue uni- forms gone with four days' riding, they made a forlom sight as they plodded on through the slowly falling rain. One of the soldiers. a bit younger than the rest. who rode his mount with the easy grace that distinguishes a cavalryman. sat erect in alert curiosity. He leaned forward in the saddle. rising slightly to look over the barren fields and up toward the huge plantation house which was their destination. At last they'd be able to get out of that everlasting rain. For the last day or so. it had been coming down steadily with- out the faintest sign of letting up. The thought of a dry floor and a roof over his head made him spur his mount to a gallop. His eagemess seemed to spread throughout the group. for in- stantly they all gave a shout and sped up the winding road as fast as the mud beneath their horses' hooves would allow. The two wagons were left to struggle for themselves, their drivers cursing the horsemen vehemently. In all, there were fifteen m-en in the group. part of a Union outfit in McClel- 1an's command. Their regiment was en- trenched outside of Yorktown. waiting 30 to see what the Rebels wer-e going to do. They had been sent back up the line to get more supplies. mainly band- ages and medicine that would be needed in the event of a battle. The racing group pulled up shortly in front of the tall white columns of the main veranda. They could see now that the house was deserted. for no light shone through the rain-streaked windows. nor was there any sound from within. The men immediately set at the task of breaking in. Their com- mander made no move to stop them. being as water soaked and saddle weary as they: in fact. he was among the first to enter the house. Close be- hind him came the young soldier. laughing iovially with his friend while they stamped the mud from their boots. Someone found a lantem and soon the dim forms about them became clear. The light flickered for a moment over the young soldier's face. revealing a rugged complexion accentuated by blue eyes and straight black hair that crept down onto his forehead from be- neath his hat. Although he was no longer laughing aloud. an inner laugh- ter that rose from a joyous soul shone out of his eyes. He looked about him in wonderment. He'd never been in the interior of a Southern mansion, had only seen them from afar. He not-ed that the hallway alone was twice the size of his living- room at home. The group split up to take a look around. He and his friend went from room to room. marveling silently at what they saw. Finally. the grandeur of each room prompted him to poke his friend and comment. You know what. Ed? Those Rebels sure know something when it comes to building houses. Why. you could hold a ball in that room over there!

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Ol'l'leO an age! There were two lovers long ago Whose love was quite taboo For the maiden was a Cap-ulet And the lad a Montague Their families had fought for years, Which made it all quite plain Tho' Romeo loved Juliet, Their love was all in vain. So, secretly these two were 'wed And ere a little while, Misfortune came, and Romeo Was put into exile. Juliet then had a plan So with Romeo she'd be, But it failed and her love had died, So quickly followed she. But all's not sad for them, As they enter another life, For side by side they'll always be Forever, Man and Wife. RITA BARSKY ,cg ul: J 35 Fl JH 4 1, .1 .- 'L l 'J l IA pl All -. f 1. - x Y H 1 X, i 'll R , 1 -l ,xi A tx, iw NEI 2 1 ' X I 'S - si 1 ,lf , ,ff fi asv ' as ' Agra 3 , ' gag e 'f 1-:ff .Q Liu D I7 ,M if mf , 12? tri ll' if M R W ff xii . ' 1 X tia l ff' 'fix ' 5 fly, PQQZ- i yiaf xi -s My if E '-1. -ij' 1' 4,1 gxwm ly- . X Jil . Sf if 15 ' :gEi,i?Pb5' Q niiz' 1 F fajizfi f ' ' '

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But all during the time he had been walking from room to room, the shouts of his buddies all around him. he'd had the feeling that he was an intruder. It was obvious that the owners had left hurriedly, for the furniture had not been covered and not all the clothes had been removed from the huge cedar closets that lined the walls of the bed- rooms. He didn't mind breaking into an old deserted house, but one so recently lived in made a difference. He glanced into one of the bedrooms again and saw that the two wagon drivers, late- comers to the search, were pulling sev- eral dresses from one of the closets, turning them over roughly in their hands. The gowns were beautiful- flowing silks. stiff organdies. rustling taffetas-and were probably l-eft be- hind because of their obvious imprac- ticality. Suddenly. acting upon impulse, Steve ran forward and grabbed one of the men by his lapels. yelling, Let that stuff alone. It wasn't meant for the likes of you to handle! Sputtering madly, the soldier did so. However, his friend was not to be put down so easily. Well, well. Now who do you think you're giving orders to? As far as I can see. you're wearing a private's stripe. So get about your business. And if you don't know how. I'll be forced to show you. His partner now stood beside him, glaring and daring Steve to fight. Realizing the futility of the situation. Steve tumed and left the room. He brushed past his friend Ed, ran down the stairs. and went out to the edge of the veranda where he stopped and leaned against the stout column. The rain was coming down steadily and darkness had come. He knew that he was mad but at what he wasn't sure. It wasn't iust at the man inside. It was something more. The time passed and still he stood there. Slowly the realiza- ttion came upon him. Everything was so senseless in this war. They had no right to be here in a stranger's house. tearing and destroying at will. They were ransacking a house that could well have been his own had the cir- cumstances been reversed. Had any- one that privilege? All right, this was war, but there was still human dignity to be considered. All the shattered homes, broken families, the useless waste of life-brother killing brother in the biting smoke of battle. What was it getting anyone. how could it possibly solve the problem that faced the nation? Gradually his anger cooled. but the convictions that had come upon him were fired by the turmoil of his mind. His friend Ed was beside him, talking to him and laughing in his character- istically care-free way. He remarked that it was about time for those clouds to blow away and take their rain with them, but Steve wasn't really listening. His answers came seemingly without his command. The night was spent in fitful sleep. When finally the dawn came, the party set about preparing to leave. Each man had something either stuffed inside his jacket or rolled in his saddle pack. Steve looked with enmity at the men with whom the day before he had been proud to ride. He hung back for a moment after the group was mounted to take a final look at the place. When at last he tumed and galloped down the road. he knew that for him this war was over, his ioy at the thought of battle gone. But how long would it be before the rest of the nation came to feel as he? 31