Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

Page 12 text:

rHE HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR s distance it was necessary to avoid the stream and when at 1 .st lie came back to tlie bank, he did no; know that he had passed his companions, who were only a few rods away across the stream. 1 hi he ran. At last the land grew so damp that he crossed the creek. The air was cool and pleasing and he did not realize how far he had traveled. 1'inally despairing of catch ng them lie sat down for a time beside the stream and fell asleep. lie awoke to find daylight approaching and arising, lie decided to go back to the shore. He determined, however, to climb a hill nearby and take a look at the surround ng country. Somehow, and he never could explain it in after years, a slight sound caused him to turn and immediately he was Jelled by a blow on the head by a large and sayage native. W hen he recovered consciousness he was lying in a rude hut. Bes;de him sat a native clothed in a dress of material resembling burlap, and woven rushes. Godfrey Gralime had often seen ladies of nobility in England, but never one whom he remembered as long as that African I’rincess. Around her arms hung great hoops of beaten gold, quite dazzling against her ebonv skin. Lumps of coral, twisted together with gold, hung from her neck. I ler ankles, too, were richly adorned, hrom a stone vessel she sprinkled water on his face. This was the first white man she had ever seen. Gralime tried to arise, but a warrior Irom beside the door stepped forward with threatening glance and the Princess pushed her patient back. lie settled down quietly. His head ached from the terrible blow, and now that the sun had risen to some height it was uncomfortably warm. The man did not think of danger in his position, for he expected his friends to appear at an moment. It was not until he saw the warrors setting a huge post, that he wondered what they were doing. Soon from a neighboring hut appeared a large and savage man. His o'lv black skin fairly glistened in the sunl ght. Like the girl, he“toas decked with gold and coral. In his hand lie carried a golden staff, and at his approach the warriors bowed unt'l their heads touched the stands, for this was an African King. He entered the hut and curiously examined the white stranger. When Gralime looked again toward the stake he saw that heaps of wood had been piled around it, and with s ckening horror, he realized his fate. Then the woman sprang up and stood before the King and talked hurried]v and exc'tedly to him, but his hard face did not relax. He spoke to the warrior , and they half dragged, half carried Gralime toward the stake. The hoarse cry and the pleading tone of the Princess ceased and she threw herself before the King. For a moment he paused, then proceeded toward the stake. Swiftly the Princess arose, and entering a hut, returned with a child which she placed on the fuel before the captive stranger. It was evident that the child was to be sacrificed with the Englishman. A look of anger filled the old King's face, but suddenly he pushed the pleading girl aside and with his own hand unbound the captive stranger and set him free. Gralime reached the ship to find that the crew had captured a great manv natives. Niev're so plentiful that we only take the handsomest,” laughed the first mate. I he next day they captured the settlement where Gralime had been a captive. One by one the natives were forced to file past the captain and he chose the strongest and best. Toward

Page 11 text:

THE HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR 7 AN AFRICAN POCAHONTAS. A clear, tropical mo : hone on the “King George II” as she s iled calmly throuj li the peaceful waters toward the shores trf Africa. Land was in sight and preparations were being made for the struggle with the natives, which was sure to ensue. To Godfrey Grahme, on his first trip to Africa on the Engl'sh slave sh:p. th s was a wonderful voyage. As the young EngPshman leaned over the railing his mind was busy with the perplexmg queston of the slave trade. Somewhere he had received the vague idea that these negroes were not mere animals to be isolated from their people at the will of the English traders. So he sought the side of Peter Scrim, an aged Dutch sailor, who had kept careful watch of the young English boy. “God bless and keep King George II, exclaimed the old sailor fervently, as the boy reached him. Til's usual exclamation by Peter was considered a sort of pun, for it was never known whether he meant the King of England or the ship on which they sailed. “Peter,” the young man said, “I want to go ashore.” “Aye, aye, so do we,” the sailor replied. The ship then dropped anchor and soon all talking ceased, but still young Grahme sat by the old sailor’s side. “Letter turn in,” the old man suggested briefly. “I want to go ashore,” the other repeated. Just then the first mate came forward. “The captain has ordered me to take a few men and go ashore to look the place over before daylight.” he announced. Godfrey Grahme was on his feet in an instant. “Til go,” he cried. Silently they embarked in a small boat and set off for the shore, five men in all, three middle-aged sailors, , the male and Godfrey Grahme. As he landed for the first time on the shores of Africa he felt a wild desire to shout for joy, but restrained himself. The mate spoke to the sailor, “John, take Grahme and VVhisby and follow the stream a few miles in search of a settlement. Brune and I will take this branch. Be back no later than s:x o’clock in the morning.” And with Brune as companion the first mate disappeared into the night, as he followed a branch of the river in search of native dwellings. Stealthily John, Wlrsby, and Grahme advanced for several rods when they found it necessary to ford the stream. Still farther on Grahme paused with, “I’ve lost my lucky stone.” “You’ll lose your head next, growled the old sailor. “I'm going back after it.” was the response. “Stay,” said the sailor—then, “well go, but hurry back.” It had been the lucky stone in his family for years and he -could not be the one to lose it, for with it he would also lose the luck of the Grahme family. It was a simple thing to find the place where they' had crossed, and not far from there, glimmering faintly. Grahme found his lucky stone. Thankfully he pocketed its and started back. Coming to the place where he had before forded the river, he decided to go on without crossing, thinking that he could catch the others sooner. At last he reached a marshy spot and for some

Page 13 text:

THR HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR 9 the end of the line walked the King closely followed by the Princess, with the child clasped in her arms. “This one and the little fellow,” said the Captain and two or three men stepped forward to bind the prisoners. look of fear filled the eyes of the Princess as she tightly grasped the child. Grahme, white and s ck, stepped before the Captain who had listened w th interest to the boy’s story of his escape. Now it was the man’s turn to plead, and with a good natured smile the Captain ordered them to unloose the captive and move the procession along. With express:ons that were meant to portray joy, the royal family moved on. The Captain smiled quizzically at Grahme: “She’s an intelligent looking savage, but I quite blush at the look of gratitude she gave me when you were the real deliverer,” he said. “You are welcome to it,” replied the boy, “and may God and King George help me if I ever sail on a slave ship again.”—Ruth Melrose, ’13. JUNIOR FABLES. A Good ()nce upon a time there was a farmer named Jones who owned two dogs. )ne dog was a large Newfoundland, named Jack; the other was a small poodle, called Fido. One day Mr. Jones went out to feed his dogs; he took with hint a large, delicious looking piece of meat. He had no knife to cut the meat, so he threw the whole p ece on the ground and told the dogs to divide it equally between them. Mr. Jones stood watching them for a few minutes, but seehig that they were getting along all right, he went into the house. As soon as he was gone Jack growled savagely at Fido, snatched the piece of meat, and ran off towards the creek. Fido, who was very hungry, followed Jack, but took great pains to keep out of his sight. Lesson; Jack soon came to the old wooden bridge wh ch spanned the creek, and there he stopped to rest. As he stood there, holding the meat in his mouth and gazing into the water, he was much amazed to see another great Newfoundland holding a still larger piece of meat. Ilis selfish nature got the better of him and he dropped his piece of meat on the bridge, and with a warning growl, dived after the other dog. He struck his head on a log, nearly breaking his neck. Meanwhile, Fido came running up. and taking the piece of meat, he ran off to the woods. W hen Jack came up the bank and found his meat gone, he felt so sad that he sat down and cried. Moral: Re not selfish.—L. IT., 14. Why the Owl’s Eyes Are So Large. Once upon a time there was a school in a large forest. This school was not for boys and girls, but for little birds. They did not learn to read, write and spell, but they learned to know the best food, the best grasses, and twigs for their nests and the best places to bn Id these nests. Instead of studying out of books, they were to keep their eyes on the worm, grasshopper, or twig that the teacher was explaining to them. In this school there was a very bad little Owl, who would not obey his teacher. When she spoke to him and told h m to keep his eyes on his lesson, he would look at it' for a short time and then naughtily look around. On this particular day, he had caused the teacher much trouble, because he would not obey, and she had spoken to him a great many times. W hile he was looking around the most curious little bird flew down in the midst of the school and said, “To those who do not obey, I bring punishment,” and then flew away. Instantly the little Hvl’s eyes began to grow bigger and bigger, until they were as large as they are now. and all the other little birds flew away from him because they were afraid. And this is why the Owls have snob large eyes and why all other little birds are afraid of them.—B. G„ •14.