Milton Academy - Yearbook (Milton, MA)

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cannon were smashed. At last the younger one was thrown against the table and upset it, and everything was wiped from it. And then both children, tired and beaten and bruised, came to an agreement- the older was to have his two inches of table, in return for which the younger was to have three cannon. Butwas ithey looked upon their little world they saw that it was no longer there, their soldiers were trampled, their houses broken, their world upset, and they knew that they had acted absurdly, selfishly, in sacrificing their world for so petty a thing, and they were ashamed. But what they could not understand and did not know was that they were acting according to the law of life, which, ever since time began, had decreed conflict, not peace-the survival of the fittest to the detriment of the weak. But they could not understand this for they knew not of these things. Katharine Tweed, '38 X 0 DERBY Today-what was today? Oh! How could she have forgotten! The Derby, and Yellow Jacket!! Carrie sat up and blinked. She should be dowfn at the stables where everything was happening. Pops w'as probably down there now talking things over with Postem, their jockey. She bubbled in- side with excitement as she ran out to get Methuselah their old Ford. As old M rattled up to the paddock, Carrie saw Postem trot- ting Yellow Jacket around, and her father viewing his prize pupil closely. As she was not of much help around the stables-except for cleaning harness, which she wasn't inclined to doing at the mo- ment--she remained in Methuselah and watched the goings-on about her with avid interest. Many cars were now drawing up to the paddock, wtih the own- ers of the horses that were to run in the big race. Horses were being brought out and looked over carefully, and being run up and page twenty fnagus ,-li

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CHILD'S PLAY I saw that day what to me is one of the most beautiful sights in the World: two children sitting side by .side playing, oblivious of their sur- roundings, blissfully oblivious of the world outside, that world which someday was to be theirs, that world which was to carry them higher and higher, then cast them down, then pick them up again, only to precipitalte them lower than before, like a cruel and angry wave toss- ing up a grain of sand, regardless of their feelings or thoughts or ef- forts. But they knew not and cared not for these things. Their world was that table in the center of the room and their people were the soldiers on that table. Their land was the table equally divided into two halves by a white tape. Each child had approxi- mately the same number of soldiers and horses and cannon. They were, it seemed, satisfied with their lot. One child had his soldiers all dressed in blues and reds, neatly lined up in one corner of the table. He fondled them tenderly, he cared for themg if one fell down he picked him up, if one was broken he mended him. On the opposite corner were the small houses belonging to these soldiers. Toy trees were ranged along the front of the houses and toy cannon were placed un- der the trees. On the other side of the white tape the other child was playing. His soldiers were just as numerous as his brother's, if per- haps not quite so new and shiny. To make up for this he had more cannon and so was satisfied. This table was their world to do with as they would, these soldiers were theirs to toss about, to fondle, to break, to mend, to care for and then to put away when there would no longer be any use for them. Some day a strength beyond their power to resist would do the same to them. But they knew not of these things. And as I Watched I saw the older child get up and move the tape slightly, oh, barely two inches, to the side, to make room for some soldiers he had just fetched from the closet. And then I saw the younger child look up puzzled and hurt, buft the older one heeded not. And then a light smouldered in the little one's eyes and he said: You shan't have it-it's mine. The minute he had said it he knew that he had done wrong, for he knew his brother to be much sltronger than him- self. And his brother rose and said: I need ity I want itg it is mine. But they stood there glaring at each other, and then like two young bulls they were at each other. The peace of their childish kingdom was destroyed. But they didn't care-they were fighting for their individual rights, and they fought hard and long. And as they fought their soldiers were swept from the table and hurled to the floor and trampled down beneath their selfish feet, and their houses and their the fllag US page nineteen

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down the track for exercise. There were Bob and Ellen with their father's Gad-fly. Carrie hoped fervently that if Yellow Jacket didn't win and Gad-fly did, she would sink quietly into the earth, rather than have to face their jeers next Monday at school. Bob and El- len were bad winners, and even worse losers. Carrie wondered what they would say to her when Yellow Jacket emerged victorious this afternoon. She really could not imagine her future life if Yellow- Jacket didn't wing everything depended on it-she couldn't think of quite everything that did-but heavens-what would she say to the kids at the dance tonight? No doubt about it, Yellow-Jacket had to win-even if Bob and Ellen did say he was doped! At half-past two that afternoon, Carrie was at the paddock tell- ing Postem to win-a rather unnecessary procedure, but it made her feel calmer to look at Yellow-Jacket, who was so sure of himself. She then made her way through the milling mob of spectators to her box and sat chewing the corner of her program nervously. Yellow had to win-but she'd been over all that with herself before, it seemed. She felt all hollow inside as the trumpet shrilled out and, lean- ing over the rail, she watched for Postem and Yellow. After a great deal of maneuvering they were in their places and then-Car- rie was chewing harder tha.n ever-they were off! The crowd rose and yelled madly. However, a calm came over Carrie. and she was not watching the race. Wasn't it all a silly business! This race, looked forward to for so many? weeks. slaved for, and with every- thing sacrificed for it, was being run now. In a few minutes, a few small minutes, it would be all over. and a great amount of money would change hands. Their name would be famous for a day or two if Yellow won-what then? Pops would be richer, but what did that matter? They had enough money to be happy on. This race made no one happy. She looked about. Everywhere were the strained faces of worried people. They came to the Derby for pleasure, but they didn't look very happy. Carrie saw, for the first time, how pointless it all was-all the preparation, all the buildings, time, care, people and money it took so that twenty horses belonging to rich men could run for a minute or so. A great roar roused her from her thoughts. She suddenly became aware that the race was over. All her previous excitement came back. and she leaped up to see the numbers on the judges' board. Yes- yes, Yellow Jacket,-good old Yellow had come through again. All her thoughts about the futility of a race were now swallowed by the understanding of why races were-for the glorious feeling of vic- tory. Yellow had won! Nathalie Bell '39 the ITIGQUS page twenty we