Mechanic Arts High School - M Yearbook (St Paul, MN)

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JUNE, 1924 T H E 11 Brotherly Dicipline By AGNES SWANSON, 2456 SECOND PRIZE My sister Alice is the most careless girl in high school. Everybody says so. She leaves her locker open and then complains when some villain steals her lunch: she loses her books and thinks it isn't fair if the teacher calls her down for not knowing her lessons. But, her most careless habits are with money. Of course, if I could coax money from Dad as easily as she does after my allowance has vanished, I might be careless. too. But I never can picture myself sitting on the arm of his chair and telling him how I'll just die if I can't see some young hero at the show. But, as I was saying, she takes twenty-ive or thirty dollars and crumples the bills all up in her pocket or ties them up in a handkerchief or anything. The worst of it is that she's never been frightened into being careful. One evening Mother and Dad and Alice and I were sitting around reading-don't think we often do that but it just happened that it was before eight and too early to go anywhere. Well, we were sitting there and all of a sudden Alice gave a little squeal and said, Oh, Mother! just look at the perfectly adorable sale on at Brown's tomorrow: new spring dresses in the beautiful new shades and in all new materials, twenty-five and up. Mother put down her book resignedly: Father put his paper down in alarm. Well he might: he knew what happened to him when Alice saw an adorable sale. Mother, I don't think I can really afford to miss that sale. You know, we've been saying for ages that I must have a new dress. My old one's just a rag: I've worn it so long. Alice, said Father, NI can't afford to have you go to that sale. Times are hard: business depression and all that, you know. Then Dad surrendered. The less arguing, the more peace, and the sooner he handed over the money, just that much sooner could he read his paper. I always wish that I were a girl when Alice tries that stunt. The next day was Saturday and I saw Alice go off with that money stuffed down in her pocket. She had on one of those blue colored suits and hats, like the ones all the girls are wearing. If she'd only have shown a little individuality in the way she dresses aid combs her hair, I wouldn't be writing I IS. Because I took a brotherly interest in that girl and felt that she needed discipline, I fol- lowed her downtown. I tracked her stealth- ily through Brown's. Once I lost sight of her, but a few minutes later I saw her blue suit and black hair. When she became engrossed in a wonderful bargain, I slipped up, took the money, and sauntered gracefully out of the store. I went home and stuck the money under my mattress. Of course, I intended to hand it back after I had given her a good scare. I went over to Jim's for a while, and we fooled around, and then I came home. I wanted to be around when Alice told Mother. Just as I got inside the door, I heard Alice say, Mother, Marie and I bought it together. Then we went to see a show. It was won- derful, and the dress is a dream. And listen, Mother, I have fifty cents left after buying a dress and all. Isn't that fine? I listened with wonder and then with alarm. If I hadn't taken her money, whose had I taken? Across the street were some girls: they all had blue suits. I looked farther on: there were some more girls with blue suits. I went upstairs. My legs were weak: my knees trembled. I went into my room and shut the door. I was a thief, a robberf My tongue was dry and my hair stood on end. I'd be arrested. And who would be- lieve my story. What could I: what should I do? When Tillie called dinner, I didn't want to eat. I went down because I felt that I must keep up appearances. It seemed to me that a thief has a pretty hard life. I looked at Dad and Mother. Would they stand up for me at the trial? Alice talked incessantly: I wondered why she didn't stop. Then I heard her say, Oh folks, I know the best joke! Marjorie Moch has a blue tweed suit CUo1ztinued on page 703

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10 THE M y JUNE,1924 and two more dark figures sank to the wet earth. The other members of the gang hesi- tated, overcome with fear. Who was this man with the courage to fight and defeat their leader, a leader who had never before been beaten? Get over there in a bunch, Grinnell ordered with a voice full of command. The gang obeyed, trembling in the presence of one who was not a coward, Take those ties off them tracks. No one moved. Again Grinnell's pistol spake and again a man sank to the ground in agony. The gang instantly became alive. Under the threatening eyes of Grinnell, the ties were removed, one by one, from the tracks. Through the driving rain, the train could be seen coming on, unmindful of its possible ruin. Faster, ordered Grinnell. The men worked on, watching with fearful eyes that weapon which had already wrecked havoc among their members. Would the track be cleared in time? Grin- nell was becoming desperate. He knew that he did not have strength enough to lift a tie, yet he also knew that he must keep command over these brutes. The train was but a hun- dred yards away. Three ties were left-now two, now one. With a mighty heave prompted by a stern command, the men shoved the tie aside, leaped to safety and, as the train rumbled by separating them from the desperate man, they escaped in the dark- ness. The prison siren still shrieked. The ele- ments raged on. But Grinnell was unmind- ful. He had collapsed, a victim of the great physical strain imposed upon him. ln the early morning hours, as the grey dawn crept over the tempest-tossed landscape, a group of prison guards stumbled upon the prostrate form of Grinnell the prisoner, lying amidst the bodies of his victims. The scat- tered ties, the dead bodies of the well known bandit leader and his followers, told all too plainly how the revenge of Grinnell had saved the lives of perhaps scores of human beings. Grinnell had secured his revenge and found his freedom in an heroic death. BY ACCIDENT KTrcmsIated from the Spanish by Mr. Woltmanj The fable which I now present Occurred to me by accidentg And whether bad or excellent, ls merely so by accident. A stupid ass one morning went Into a field by accident And cropped his food and was content, ' Until he spied by accident A flute, which some oblivious gent Had left behind by accidentg When, sniffing it with eager scent, He breathed on it by accident, And made the hollow instrument Emit a sound by accident. I-lurrahl Hurrah! exclaimed the brute, 'il-low cleverly I play the flute! A fool, in spite of nature's bent, May shine for once--by accident. -Tomas Yriarte.

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