Metropolis High School - Illohmet Yearbook (Metropolis, IL)

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directed to a large barn by the gentle blowing of cows. To my great delight there was Arthur, a healthy old man, attaching an electric milker to his herd of cows. He made a noble picture, one which was alluring to the eyes, but the tempting smell of supper from the nearby house was better still. On reaching the house a surprise greeted me, for there preparing supper, unaffected by the years was Laura Leukering. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver were kind to me but they shook their heads pathetically at my strange gestures. They spoke of sending me to an insane asylum, so early the next morning I slipped away. The first person that I met was Minnie, who was instructing electricians in the building of wireless stations. She stared at me coldly and promptly ordered me away. Dinner time was drawing near, but I had no hopes of obtaining anything to eat from the cold hearted Minnie. In the distance was a little red school house, where I thought I might get some. On reaching the building and glancing at its inmates my nerve deserted me, for there in the seat of honor was Juel Jackson, a straight dignified teacher. Leaving the occupants of the school undisturbed I journeyed onward. After several hours I came to a city whose entrance sign was marked “Big Bay”. The first place which attracted my attention was a large cafe. Weary, worn and hungry, I sank into one of the vacant chairs. A small woman with sunken eyes and shallow painted cheeks was playing a ballet dance on the piano. From the front came a long line of swaying dancers. The leader was a small woman with jet-black hair, as the line drew nearer I recognied my old class mate, Alice Miller. Feeling confident that she would remember me 1 touched her flying hair to attract her attention,she gazed at me angrily and left no token of friendship except the black dye upon my hand. Suddenly the music ceased and the player turned and faced me, in the withered little body and sorrowful face I remembered many familiar features and knew that it was Verna Helm. A waitress came to take my order, who was no other than Madge Morgan. When she discovered that I could not talk and I had no money to offer she immediately turned me out into the streets. Disgusted with my once old friends, and cruel treatment of the world I took refuge in a nunnery, where I received a warm supper and a cozy bed. The next morning I was sent to the Mother Superior. She was peaceful looking creature with brown eyes softened by a back ground of gray hair. The woman was the mischieveous — 25 —

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(Ela00 Prnpltmi r The sun was doing its best to set the school house on fire with its rays. The occupants of the assembly dozed in the sultry heat. Several heads had already dropped on the desks in restless slumbers, while mine was swaying to and fro and my eye lids growing heavier every second. Soon my head was resting on the desk, and I like the rest was dreaming. For forty long years I slept undisturbed, and then someone began tormenting me with music. How I wished that he would go away and let me sleep a few years longer. But the noise seemed to be an endless nuisance; at last it became necessary for me to get up and order the tormentor away. On arising and surveying the once old familiar assembly I observed that great changes had taken place; dust completely covered the few remaining desks, the plaster had crumbled away, and the windows had passed out of existence. At last I spied my tormentor out on a green lawn shaded by great trees. He was a shriveled little man, whose attention was divided between a grind organ and a monkey. I attempted to yell at him, but found that I could not make a sound. As I stood there perplexed and dumfounded, the odd little man glanced upward, his eyes rested upon me for a moment, then his mouth popped open and his expression turned to that of horror. He turned and hurried away dragging his jabbering monkey behind him. I tried again to call him and beg him to come back, because in the wrinkled old face I distinctly recognized my old class mate, George Slimpert. Jumped out of the window, determined to overtake my old friend, but soon discovered that my muscles were stiff and my joints had rusted; running was impossible. Great buildings towered to the sky in every direction. The air was full of monsterous machines which darted hither and thither. . The sun was sinking into the flaming west when I reached the cool reviving meadows of the country. I was — 24 —

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Luella Cox, whom time had turned into a creature of sanctified appearance. She spoke in an undertone to the Sister, but I distinctly understood that I was to be sent to the home for the feeble minded. The Sister, who was to conduct me to the dreaded place, signaled an airplane. On descending and seeing the Nun the driver removed her goggles and I beheld Alice Dugger unchanged except for the heavy coat of tan and the glow of health upon her cheeks. The huge plane frightened me ,and the Sister seeing my plight placed me on a under ground train, which seemed much safer. The conductor who collected our fare, was George Yetter, a gray haired old man. When my destination was reached I was ushered into a gloomy building. After several hours of waiting Ihe supei’intendent made his appearance he was a heavy man with a Buffalo-Bill mustache jdespite this disguise I recognized Sam Willis. I was placed in a small room witih another woman of aged appearance. She was sharpening a knife muttering over and over to herself: He went to Europe to lick old Prussia, And fell in love with a maid of Russia Now they live in their home “over there”, I’m going over and slay the pair. The wretched old woman was Theresa Williams; my consoling gestures only maddened her. At last it became necessary for me to flee for my own safety. Climbing the high fence around the asylum was no easy matter. On the opposite side of the wall was a strange building with only one door for an opening. Squeezing into this I beheld a strange sight, for there was Henry Austin surrounded with chemicals. His face was as cold and hard as the wisened humped woman beside him. Both were busily engaged, so, shrinking into a corner, I ) watched their strange maneuvers. Slowly the little woman turned and stared, piercing me through. Then inch by inch she came closer; I hid my face for it was one of the teachers coming after me as in days of yore. Breathlessly I waited then some one shook my shoulder, meekly I look up and gazed into the face of Mrs. Cutting. Not the wizened creature, but the one who curtly said, “Wake i p! what do you mean by sleeping in school? Don’t you know that your class has passed?” — 26 —