Lowe High School - Towers Yearbook (Windsor, Ontario Canada)

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19 4 8 19 4 9 PAGE SEVENTY-THREE ■THE T OtERS ' acted as a young girl and looked nicer and hap¬ pier than ever before. Before his death. Uncle loe came to see us more than ever, because he knew we were unhappy and lonely. It was on one of his visits, that Mother came home a little eirlier than usual. She asked if he would come to dinner the following night mentioning that she was bringing a guest. That night when we were in bed. Mom came in. She asked. How would you like me to stay home all the time and not to work any¬ more? Carol and f were very happy over this new plan and went to sleep more happily than we had for a long time. Next night Mom arrived home earlier than usual, loaded down with parcels, laughing and talking to a man we hail never seen before. Dinner was all ready when Uncle Joe arrived. We sat down to what 1 thought, was going to be a pleasant meal. The man. whom we were told to call Dave, was very pleasant to us. but he seemed to avoid Uncle Joe as much as pos¬ sible. They acted as if they had met before and weren ' t on friendly terms. We were almost finished when Mom said she had an announcement to make. It was so unexpected, that I didn ' t know whether to cry or laugh. She just simply said that Dave and she were getting married right away, and she had |iiit her job already. Sitting there. I look¬ ed about to sec the expressions on the other four faces. Mom. happy, blushing, with shining eyes; Dalvc. smug, superior, with smiling face. Was he a man that a girl could be proud to have as a father, and he aide to love? Carol didn ' t understand much, but all she cared about was that she was getting a new daddy. That ' s when I really started to dislike him. I didn ' t know him yet, but I knew 1 could never love him as a father, or as I love Uncle Joe. Uncle Joe smiled calmly, not his usual merry smile, but more forced. After the excitement of the news was over. Daive wanted to celebrate. He brought along some drinks to pep the night along, so he said. Right then I knew Mom had listened to her heart rather than her head. 1 couldn ' t understand how she had fallen in love with this man. It just wasn ' t like her. 1 noticed the disappointed look on Uncle Joe ' s face. He drank a toast with them, wishing them happiness together, excused himself, and left quite hurriedly. Dave was at rest now. Uncle Joe was gone. He kept on drinking, and talking to Carol. He was drawn to her at once, as s ' he was so like Mom. and Uarol made friends so easily. I was referred to as the old man ' s kid. which hurt me deeply. I was glad that Mom suggested that we go to bed, although Carol didn ' t come right away. This was a help. They came in to say good night. Carol kissed him. but I couldn ' t possibly do such a thing, when my heart was crying and 1 was on the verge of crying. I pre¬ tended to he -too sleepy to talk. I was still awake when Dave left for home and Mom came in to see if we were asleep. Carol was asleep, but sleep was impossible for me that night. When-she saw that I was awake she sat down to talk to me. She asked how I liked our new Daddy. Rather than hurt her feelings T told my biggest lie then. I told her I thought lie was rather loud, but that he should make a good father. This made her very hap¬ py. while fear and hope was rising in my heart. 1 hoped that some day I really would fed he was a good father. This all happened four years ago. hut much has happened to us since then. Only two months after mother was married, Dave lost his job. and never has had a steady job since. Usually every night he comes home at six-thirty, as do all the rest of the men in the neighbourhood, and expects supper to be ready for him. One would think that he has worked in a factory all day. But Dave has a professional job — a gambler. This is the man chosen as a husband, and father. Worst of all. I hate him for what is hap¬ pening to mother. From a lovely lady she has changed to an aging old woman. She never laughs and smiles with us anymore. She is getting to look like the rest of the women of the neighbourhood — old. worn and tired, al¬ though she dresses neatly. These women look like this, because of the cleaning they have to do. to keep these dirty slums cleaned. Carol still thinks the world of him. and Mom holds him lord of the manor; but my feel¬ ings will never change now. I know if things don ' t change soon. I ' m going to fly up at him as soon as he starts throwing slams at me. 1 know I ' ll spoil things for Mom, but 1 can ' t keep from saying these things much longer. It is almost supper-time now. and 1 can hear Mom pacing back and forth to the window and stove. She seems nervous and restless late- le. I think she is dissatisfied with Dave. He doesn ' t get home till late now. and he ' s jumpy, and is very rude to her. The only time 1 ever saw her that way before was the day we lost our little house two years ago. It seems Dave owed money out to everyone, for wines and cards. Then he thought his luck would change if he bet on the horses. He lost more money than ever. During one of his drinking spells, pressure was put on him for the money he owed. This frightened him badly. He signed the house over for part payment. This almost broke Mom ' s heart. She cried and told Dave she would never forgive him. but it didn ' t last long, because Dave won her over again. We sold most of our furniture, except what we needed. We kept moving to dirtier and poorer neighbourhoods, although Mom kept the house spotless. As soon as Dave ran up a bill, lie would want to move. Mom would tell him they would catch up to him sooner or later, but he didn ' t care, and said “He wouldn ' t do it again. He always has that smug, superior way of his. I ' d better go down now. as Dave doesn ' t like to be kept waiting and especially by me. He thinks there couldn ' t be a youngster worse than I. I guess he knows 1 will never accept him. Mom doesn ' t know how things are be¬ tween us. and I don ' t want her to know either. We ' ve always had our words out when she was not home. When she is home. I: speak to him as little as possible, so as not to cause unplea¬ sant words. He is nice to me when Mom is home. There ' s someone coming, so I ' ll close for tonight. Oh Diary. I hope he is not angry tonight, because I know I won ' t keep my feelings back much longer; and I do not want to come be¬ tween him and Mom. I wouldn ' t want her to hate me. Goodnight.

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“THE TOWERS I 9 4 S — 19 4 9 PAGE SEVENTY-TWO FIRST PRIZE— A SHORT STORY— By HENRY HAZEL, T4B A heavy dense fog descended upon the little town of Puce and 1 was at a loss as to my sense of direction. I glanced at my watch—3:00 a.m., and still, as far as 1 knew. I was no where near home. After walking several minutes I came to what looked like “Home Sweet Home . AH was dark and silent in the house. Slow¬ ly I turned the door knob, but, to no avail; the door was locked. I shuddered to think what might happen if Paw should awake and find me out so late. To avoid any trouble. I decided to go in through the bedroom window. Slowly 1 lifted up the bedroom window and crawled in head ■first. No sooner did I enter, then the window came down with a resounding and thunderous crash. My heart skipped five beats during that seemingly everlasting five seconds that I waited. But no one came. I was then sure everyone was dead asleep. Seating myself on a chair, I took off my shoes. I took a deep breath and felt eased at the thought that I was safely in the house without a care or worry in the world. Finding the chair very hard. I decided to tiptoe over to the bed. For years I had taken those few steps to the bed. but tonight of all nights. I had taken six steps resoundly right into the wall. With five more pounds force I would have walked through the wall. My brain began to function and I knew then that if the bed was not on this side it was on the other. With an about-face anil out¬ stretched band 1 passed slowly forward. — — Crash. 1 then drove my clumsy bony knee directly into a dresser bureau. Again 1 tried to search for the bed. With two painful paces I found the bed. Slowly 1 slid my hand along the bed rail: my hand then went over an oddly- shaped bedpole. That ' s funny . since when did we own a lied with such a peculiar-shaped head¬ piece ?” A million thoughts ran through my head. The chair in the room, never do I recall having a chair in nty room: the five paces to the wall, the lied, the ease with which the window alien¬ ed. ”1 was in the wrong house! A wave of panic surged through me as 1 heard the low muffling sound of an automobile and saw the light flash by as a car drove up the driveway. I then heard the voices of people and the slam of a car door. What was I to do? Where did I leave my shoes? Groping about the floor on hands and knees. I searched intensively. “Ah. 1 found them. At the instant that l heard the key in the door 1 flung open the window and raced limpingly down the street. The fog had lifted. As 1 walked home. 1 rejoiced that I had escaped from the neighbour ' s house safely. My next problem was to gain entrance into mv own bedroom without distur¬ bing the family.’ I lifted the latch of the hack door, entered the kitchen, turned the knob of the living room door and climbed the stairway. Creek, creek — tho e unfriendly stairs. Paw heard a noise but knowing that occasionally 1 walked in my sleep, he said: Joe. go hack to lied, ii is too early to get up — go to sleep. These were the kindest words to my ears — my fears were gone. 1 uttered a sleepy response, and finally reached my own lied in safety. SECOND PRIZE- SECRET FEELINGS REVEALED By JANE BALLANTYNE Oh Diary: I don ' t know how much longer I can keep this pretense up. The longer it is. the more hate there is in my heart for him: and the one thing I ' don ' t want to happen is that my love for Mother is starting to turn, too. only because of her love for him. and her willingness to be or¬ dered. and pushed around in her own house. Before there was always Carol. Mom. and I. and of course. Uncle Joe. Dad died when we were very young. But we were always hap¬ py. We lived in a pretty little house which Dad had bought before he died. Carol and 1 had a cheerful little room where the sun peeped into our window in the morning, which made every¬ thing look bright and fresh. I ' ll always remem¬ ber that little room, and hope I ' ll have another like it some day. When we were old enough to take care of ourselves, coming from and going to school. Mom got a job. She wanted to help buy some things for the house, and a little extra spending money. She liked working and enjoyed the people she met. Then all at once we noticed a great change in her. She seemed as if she was in a daze or dream all the time she was home. She said crazy, silly little things which didn ' t mean much, but which were enough to tell my uncle she was in love. Uncle Joe was always good to us and 1 could tell him some things 1 couldn ' t even tell Mom. He was good to us like a father, and now I often wonder why Mom never married him. because I knew he was always in love with her. Maybe, if he had lived, things wouldn ' t be like this now. Mam star ted to go out frequently at night and to leave us at home more than ever. She

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PAGE SEVENTY-FOUR THE TOWERS 1 9 4 R 19 4 9 Dear Diary: 1 haven ' t written ior almost a week, not since the night that Dave did not come home. Mont was more restless and nervous than ever. She walked the floor, looked out the window al¬ most all ni ' ht. Next morning she pretended that she was not worried. Just as we were finishing breakfast there was a loud knock at the door. Mom jumped up and ran to the door. It was a policeman. He asked her many questions we could not hear. Then we heard Mom give a cry. She left with him. telling us to go to school. We got home that night faster than ever before, as we ran all the way. Dave was dead! It was not till later that we found out that he was shot during a hold-up the night before. He was buried a couple of days later. 1 cried all that night. It wasn’t really lor him I was crying, but for Mom. Mow she will have to start life all over again. I know she ' ll try her hardest to get another little house for us. and I want to help her all 1 can. 1 realize now that the first night 1 met him 1 was just as much in the wrong as he was. I disliked him before I even knew him. and most of all I never even tried to know him. 1 turned away from Mom and Carol, too. Maybe they saw some good, loveable things in 1: in that I tried my hardest not to find out. That is all gone now. it will seem only like a dream to Carol and me later, but I know Mom will never get over it. 1 feel this a turning point in our life, and luck is coming our way. There i- one thing I have to admit even to my¬ self — this has made me grow up and come to my senses. Goodnight. Diary. THIRD PRIZE— A FRIEND By MARIO YOIN. T4B-A John, the fur trader, jumped from his chair when he saw the lank figure go by his office. He ran to the door and yelled, Tim! Hey, Tim!” A tall half-breed trapper stopped for a moment, then walked back to John ' s office. Howdy. John. he said. “What ' s all the commotion?” . , Tint. I received a letter from Ontario ' s Trappers Association telling us that most of the valuable fur-bearing animals in this district are being killed ofi by bloodthirsty mountain lions. What ' s another mountain lion got to do with me?” questioned Tim. They help us keep wild life properly bal¬ anced and all that, but it is a pity to see a few- innocent dead deer in this valley and a valuable dead fox or mink in the next. Something ' s got to be done about it. The Government is paying as high as $2 X .00 for every pelt you turn in , argued John. Not much I can do with the equipment I ' ve got , replied Tim. There certainly is! John exloded. You can buy yourself a better gun. one that lias more power, and throw that pea-shooter away. ' Tim smiled grimly. Well, I reckon it s an opportunity. I ' ll go and hunt with what I ' ve got and if it ' s a good business. I’ll buy a new gun next spring when I come back. With that. Tim thanked the fur-trader for the good advice, and started out. But. Thu! But. Tim 1 You ' re not pre¬ pared. ' . argued John. Oh, I ' ll get along”, said Tim, already on his way. Going hack to his trap line west of town, Tim thought over John ' s words. It did not make him too happy to know that a greater hunter than he lurked somewhere in the sha¬ dows. . Following a slow winding creek, he noticed the trail of a mountain lion, the prints not over a day old. Ilis movements from here on were cautious and he proceeded with great care. By the time he reached the gorge, the sun had be¬ gun travelling toward the horizon. It was this, the setting rays of the sun. that reflected a sleek, dark b-own shadow in the pool below. It was a lion crouched on an overhanging branch waiting for his prey to pass underneath. 1 witch¬ ing his tail nervously he moved slowly to a new position, and made ready to leap. Tim ' s heart began to pound and with a flash, the ping of a rifle broke the silence fol¬ lowed bv a heavy thud and a screaming screech was heard for miles, as the monster leaped in mid-air. and fell helpless to the ground. The male, who was in the nearby .shrub¬ bery. sighted the tragedy of his mate, and was off in leaps and hounds before Tim had a chance to sec it. A skilled hand and a few well-placed stroke:, of his skinning knife, a sudden jerk, and the animal was skinned within a matter of a few minutes, and Tim was under-way again as if nothing had happened. He crossed a shallow valley and headed toward an opening in the face of a cliff. Look¬ ing hack now and then, knowing that male lion would follow the scent of his mate ' s pelt. Tim saw the lion’s head bobbing up and down be¬ hind bushes, but lie was too far away to shoot It was strange territory to Tim. but he remembered the gorge slightly. It was in the early spring of last year that he had heard the wailing scream of a wounded hear in this gorge. He grinned at the thought. Curious to know what was below, lie slowly crept into the gorge and found a giant male, the largest hear he had ever seen, with its paw caught under a rock slide. Apparently it had been there for some time, for its ribs si lowed through the tawnv hide, and his eyes were dull with prolonged pain. Since Tim was an honest hunter, and knew that the hear was out of season, he de¬ cided that the best thing that lie could do was to rescue the animal. From a scrub pine, he had cut a stout branch. Then staying away from those terrible daws, had pried the great boulder away. Tim remembered the hear- eves watching him as he worked. Hostile? No — almost knowing. Once he had slipped, and for a second was within reach of the free paw. but the animal never moved. And when the rock finally gave way. the hear had withdrawn its injured foot, stared at him for a short space of time, then hobbled away 1 With dusk coming on. Tim hurried on to reach camp before darkness. He entered a