Momence High School - Monesse Yearbook (Momence, IL)

Page 19 text:

The Long Road to ------ by Amanda Johnson. It was a dark, stormy day and the rain beat heavily on the small encampment in the midst of a lonely forest. The soldiers had been assigned to that lonely station to guard the big road that led from Washington city southward. All that the soldiers saw were the armies of the South marching northward into the battle-fields. But the command for them to move forward never came. All the soldiers were downhearted and tired. But of all of them the most dejected was a young man of about twenty years. His duty in the camp consisted in being a picket during the early hours of the morning. He would slowly march back and forth along the wide road during his watch, thinking of his happy home in the South. In his imagination he would picture the winding avenue of trees and the large house with its spacious veranda. He could almost see his mother in the doorway watching for him, and far away he could hear the song of the negroes at their work. Then he would make up pleasing fancies about the places to which the wide road led. All the places were wonderful lands where there was no war and all was peace and quiet. He never would ask anyone where the road led, for that would spoil his dreams. He wanted it to be the Long Road to- somewhere. One day the hurried command came that all the soldiers in the encampment should march northward to a certain place where a battle was expected to occur. The young man never forgot that day—the awful noise of exploding shot, and the excitement when the call came for his company to advance. He was in the front rank that was rushing to the battle, when all at once he saw a flashing light and heard a great roar. Then all was darkness. When he opened his eyes he found himself in a carriage with several other wounded soldiers. His head was bandaged, but he managed to lift him¬ self upon his elbow and look out of the window. He found that he was being taken down the large road, and looking forward he saw the winding river and the old plan¬ tation house of his dreams. He had found the old turnpike was “The Long Road To¬ wards-Home.”

Page 21 text:

The Freshman Class Prophecy, These last twenty-one years have brought a great change to our class. The first evening that I played trap drums with the Imperial Theatre orchestra, I saw that the first scene was to be the “Merchant of Venice.” As I looked over the programme I thought to myself that some of the characters sounded familiar! The heroine of the play, “Portia”, was my old friend and classmate Ethel Bennet. The next character was “Bassani” who was Fred Melby, and “Shylock” was Harold Wicks. Philip Sweet was “Lorenzo” and Ruby Shaffer was “Jessica.” Mattie Hayden was playing the part of “Nerissa, ” These were all of the characters from the Momence High School, After the first act a boy came down to the orchestra pit selling peanuts, pop corn, cracker jack and chewing gum. Imagine my surprise when I saw my old friend Henry Conrad. The first thing he said was, “why, hello Brainless.” He sat down by me and told me the history of the rest of the class. Aimee Bigelow is playing first violin in the Thomas Symphony Orchestra; Clay Hayden is captain of the Illinois foot ball team; Charles Stevens is conducting a lunch counter at Union Corners and is doing a big business; Alfred Purkey is running the Blackstone hotel in Momence and Pauline Nichols, his wife, helps him in his prosperous business. Irene Nelson is a ballet girl in Chicago; Irene Lunt has married a Frenchman and lives in Paris. Clara Dixon was anchored by the editor of the Grant Park Anchor and lives in Grant Park; Ethel Clark is the society belle of Exline; Robert Dennis is a college professor; Mildred Storrs is a great poetess in New York City. “Bub” Renstrom is the editor of the “World To Come”; Mae Jones is counting pickles at at a pickle factory; Mae Hunt is leading woman in literature; Margaret Greenawalt is the vice-president of the First National Bank of Momence; Bernice Hicks has married Earl Violet whom she is teaching to sing rag time. Harding F edde is a wonder in algebra, and is taking a course in Yale college. Joe Fingerhut, my dear old pal, is the snare drummer in the Old Hancock United States Regimental Military Army Band, and is making a big success in life. Mable Cremer has just finished a trip around the world in an air ship. Susie Dunn is running an auto garage in Exline, Ill.; Ruth Hanson is living in the old country where she is a nurse. Florence Bright is a doctor in New York City; Lucile Peterson is the widow of a rich farmer; Leonard Smith is an avatior in France and has become quite a noted man. Marie Seavey is teaching dolls to play the piano and has a large class; Margaret Nelson has been gifted with a very strong voice and is a great speaker on women’s rights. Elva Turrell is a grand opera singer and is mak¬ ing the hit of the season. Katherie Peterson is walking the tight rope in Ringling Bros’ circus. Thus ends the career of such a fine old class, and here say good bye to the Fresh¬ man class of the Momence High School.