Lock Haven Junior High School - Echo Yearbook (Lock Haven, PA)

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30 TH E. ECHO ed his bag and hat and was with her in a minute. Better get a fresh horse, girl, Wilkins told Edith. Not time. Come, and away rode the two people. No time for words as they sped across Bandit's Hole. Doc, shouted Edith, turn southeast so we can get past lVlcGrouth and his men. They're layin' for me, I bet. I'll lead then you'll be sure to know the way. UO. K. was Wilkin's answer. At last the horse Edie was riding began to drop behind. She motioned for the doctor to go on and then settled the foaming, sweating horse into a trot. Thankful that she was past NlcGrough's men, Edie relaxed and took time to wonder, for the first time, who shot Bob and why. Suddenly it came to her that Jack Brickly must have thought Bob was Mr. Trevill and shot him. That was it! When at last she reached X Bar X she found her idea was correct as to season but one of Brickly's men had fired, not Brickly. Bob had been put to bed and Wilkins was ready to leave after dressing Bob's arm. Bob, pale and weak, smiled at Edith and she said tremulously: Forgive me, Bob, please. I am just a little girl. No, sir, a girl who would ride into 'Bandit's Hole' as you did to get the doctor isn't little but is big. Con- gratulations, big sister! I'll tell you what was in my hand. It was a birthday present for a girl who refused to be called little. Bob! you darling! cried the red-faced Edith. 'Tm just a big little girl. Ruth Smith-8. W f-ir NEVER rAu.s I shuffled sulkily down Broadway, intent upon the serious problem of causing sufficient trouble to land me safely in jail for the few cold months of winter. The cold had come uncommonly soon this year, only last night my thin overcoat and a few newspapers had failed to warm my park bench sufficiently. Always before I had managed to commit some minor offense that would sentence me to a few months of luxury in a nice, warm jail, with plenty to eat, but this year all my old tricks seemed to fail me. When I cut capers and act foolishly, yelling and walking on my hands, the policeman, in answer to bystanders' queries, laughingly asserted that I was a foolish Harvard boy, celebrating a football victory. Disgusted, I entered a large expensive restaurant, hoping the waiters would not notice my frayed and patched suit. Unluckily, the headwaiter spied me and promptly chased me out quicker than I had gone in. Perhaps, I thought to myself, I have been a little too hasty. Going down a side street, I came upon a less preten- tious restaurant. I entered and ordered the largest meal on the menu. When I had eaten, I dared the proprietor to call the police, as I had not a cent. At last, I thought, I have gained entrance to jail! But not so- again I was destined to be disappointed. The head wait- er, by a signal from the proprietor, promptly seized me by the seat of my pants and my coat collar and kicked me out into the street, where I lay sprawling. As I got painfully up, feeling for broken bones, I wandered herdlessly on un- til my mad rush brought me to a quiet shaded avenue, up which I walked. I was suddenly arrested by the sound of music pealing from the organ of a great cathedral. I lis- tened, enthralled. All at once I saw the kind of life I was living and for the first time was ashamed of it. I was in- spired to a higher goal in life than a park bench warmer, forced to seek my winter lodgings in a jail. I would square myself with the world-build a home, get a re- spectable job, and have a tidy savings account. These were my rosy dreams of the future. But a hand clapped roughly on my shoulder, broke the bubble of my dreams and I came back to earth with a start. Watcha doin', the cop queried? I had nothing to do but admit. Nothin', I replied suspiciously. Well, come along-a few months in jail won't hurt you. Mary Frances Hickoff. ew MY woons When a certain restless spirit overtakes me, I always feel like walking up a crooked path that leads into a beau- tiful woods located on a round hill-top. just now this woods looks very pretty with its differ- ent shades of brown sprinkled here and there with dabs of green and red. In the summer it has its green leaves and the moss and the fragrant flowers growing along the fences and on the ground. When the winter thaws and spring appears the leaves start to bud and the violets spring up everywhere. This woods then has a scene no costly perfume can imitate. Still, winter with its snows is the most beautiful to me, as this woods has large, branched trees on which the snow Hutfs like balls of cotton. This hill is, too, my fav- orite sledding place. Jean Kunes.

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THE. ECHO 29 MA BTG LITTLE GIRL!! What's that in your hand, Bob ? asked Edith Trevill. Something to make little girls ask questions, retort- ed her brother. Little, am I? cried Edith, eyes flashing. I'll show you I'm not little! The next time you want your coat brushed or you tie cleaned, don't ask me to do it. I'm too little! she ended sarcastically. Now, Edie, fEdie was her nicknamel, don't be like that. Be a sport. You know I didn't mean it. You never acted like this before. What's the matter? Bob asked, as he tried to calm his sister. Matter ? repeated Edith, sneeringly. You always call me little and you're only fourteen! A year older than Elsie Linden and two years older than I and you're always talking to me about Elsie. You like Elsie better than me. Idon't care. I'll show you and that catty Elsie Linden something! and she walked off, hurt but determined, leaving a very red-faced boy behind. Sis, protested Bob. You can't act like this! This and other protests fell on deafened earsg Edith-head up, walked out to the corral to watch the men branding the cattle. Perhaps this rather fiery introduction needs an ex- planation. The Trevills lived at the X Bar X Ranch and lVlr. Trevill owned a considerable amount of property. Robert, better known as Bob, a tall, blond, blue-eyed boy, was the image of his father. Also Bob was known to like Elsie Linden better than other girl acquaintances. This was the cause of a great amount of teasing among Bob and his friends. Edith, a slim, golden-haired girl, was like her beauti- ful mother, quick tempered and very easily offended as the opening of the story will reveal. Never-the-less she was a great favorite among the girls. Edith was a trifle jealous of Elsie and that accounts for her words about ucatty Elsie although Elsie was a very companionable girl. After watching Bill and Harry brand her pet calf, Edith sauntered up to the house. She met her father, guns hanging at his hips, coming through the door. Dad! What happened? Has Jack Brickly been stealing our steers again ? inquired Edith, peering into her father's face. Yes, sister, he has, and I'm out to get him for it. Goo'-bye, honey, and be good. lVlr. Trevill jumped over the porch railing and landed on the back of his waiting horse. Edith wondered what her father meant by out to get him. Would he-. But Edith broke off her thoughts and went to her room. How was she to show Bob that she wasn't little? For she felt very small and lonely as she sat at the window watching her father slowly fade out of sight. She heard Bob slowly come up the steps and step over the big chest in the hall. Why was he going that way? That was the attic. Edith flung open her room door. Suddenly a shot rang out and Bob whirled, clutching his left arm. He fell down the attic steps and landed at his sister's feet. The bullet was the direction of the clump of trees in front of the house. It came through the open window and after going through Bob's arm, sank in the wall. Edith screamed and Mrs. Trevill came running toward her daughter calling as she ran, Did that shot get Bob? Edith frantically nodded her head as Mr. Trevill came up to her. She, IVlrs. Trevill, took one look at Bob and said to Edith, Saddle your broncho and ride out to Doc Wilkins, the doctor. The bullet went through Bob's arm and he may have his ami broken if the bullet struck any bones. Ride as you've never rode before and don't ask questions. The last was lost to Edie as she ran down the steps and out to the barn. She saddled her own horse and was across the field and out to the road. Doc Wilkins lived ten miles away and the girl had to bring him back in an hour at least! Wilkins might be gone to town for the mail as he sometimes did. Edith had to get to his home before four o'clock because the mail al- ways came at four o'clock. Could she make it? Gritting her teeth and bending low in her saddle the girl cut across the five-mile strip of deserted land which would cut two miles off the ride. Mr. Trevill had positive- ly forbidden his girl to ever cross the strip, known as Ban- dit's Hole for the many places for refuge. But 'Edith never would stop if it was for her brother. Bob! The recollection of the quarrel brought stinging tears to her eyes. She just missed a huge hole and a large mud hole. Never had Edith been across Bandit's Hole without her father with her. And at that time it was said that Dan lVIcGrough was with his men at the old tumbled down shack nestling at the foot of a hill. The girl was almost there. What if the men should stop her? Dan bitterly hated her because she used to call him Dan lVlcGrouch. Yes, the men had seen her and came running out to stop her even before they could see who it was. Edith expertly swung around and sent her horse -to the west. One man pulled a gun, but seeing that his intended target was a girl he dropped the .45 back' into its holster. At five minutes of four, a frothing horse and a girl rider rode up to the small Wilkin's home. Jumping off her horse, Edith, for the girl was she, knocked at the door which was opened by Doc Wilkins. Come-come to-X Bar X-right away. Bob is- shot. H-hurry! grasped Edith. Doc Wilkins grasp-

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THE ECHO 31 Spooky-Grams Say, fellows, said jim lVlartin, the leader of our gang of ten boys, ul overheard Sol Jenkin's crowd talk- ing about going for a moonlight hike to explore the old house down the road. They don't know its our hangout. What do you say we give them a scare ? That will be fun, we chimed in. When is it to be? I asked. Tomorrow night at 7:00 o'clock they are going to start. The next evening at 6:30 we met at Jim's house with our bikes, and we each had a sheet. After a fast ride along the road we arrived at our hangout. 3-96-15 This place looks spoofyf' said a timid member of Sol's crowd as they came in sight of the old house. Oh, don't be so scary, said Sol, who was somewhat of a bully. As they went up the path to the house they heard a moan coming from the direction of the house. They al- most jumped out of their shoes. That is just the wind whistling through the trees, said Jack Barton, Sol's right hand man. When they were all in the house the door suddenly closed with a bang. That is the wind also, volunteered one of the les- ser members. As they went up the stairs they heard a scraping above them. few That's the old tree rubbing on the roof, said Sol, somewhat shakily. They were at the top of the attic when Joe Browne, who was leading, stepped in a sticky substance. Sol lit a match and studied the mass. B-bloo-o-d, he whispered fearfully. just then they heard a blood-curdling yell, and a white form glided softly toward them. They let out a yell in chorus and went down the steps, lickety-cut. On the second floor a slimy hand reached out of a closet and brushed Sol's face. He went down the remain- ing steps, five or six at a time. He tried the door but found it locked on the outside! That capped the climax. Slimy hands grabbed them from behind and bound, gagged and blindfolded them. They were carried up the road a few hundred yards and their bonds released. Before they could untie their blind- folds and gags the ghosts had disappeared. Those boys never stopped running till they reached home. Hs vs as A laughing match took place in a few minutes at the old house. Those wet gloves made dandy 'slimy hands', laugh- ed Jim. That red paint for blood sure got them, I giggled. Thus ended the episode of the old house. Donald Ardnt-8. The Indian Trail As we walk along the path that they say the Indians first traveled, we look down over the steep, rocky hill-side and see below us a stream. The trail is very dangerous for the bed of the stream lies many feet below. It is very pretty in the fall. The trees are all dressed in their gay W colors. Here the trail is so steep that you have to get down by steps made from the roots of a large tree. Along the trail are many tall stones. ln the hot summer. the trail is very cool and inviting. Delores Graham. Thais Hallowelen Jack-O-Lanterns all around, Ghosts that never make a sound, joyous children roam the street, That's l'lallowe'en. Little pumpkins all carved out Make curious faces all about, Corn shocks now, stand all in row, That's l'lallowe'en. Ghosts to frighten lassies gay, Stop their joyous, petty play, To run away and yell and scream, That's l'lallowe'en. joyous children play around, Oh, don't you hear that shrieking sound? Oh see! A ghost is after them, but That's l'lallowe'en. The most joyous time of all the year, Time of laughter, song, and cheer, Jack-O-Lanterns, clowns, and spooks, That's l'lallowe'en. Loreta Petrucci-7.