Morris High School - Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

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TWO NIGHTS was illuminated by a large electric lamp. He would walk in, turn on the switches for the entire building, leaving no corner dark, and he would have nothing to fear even from his fancy. Yes! he would open the door and walk in. He did. And as he did so, the only burning lamp was suddenly extinguished as if by magic, and at the same time the door was quickly closed. The Professor thrust his hand into his pocket for his revolver and turned quickly around to open the door. But directly in front of him, instead of the big black iron door, there was a whitetghost. The Professor emitted a horrid shriek that echoed and re-echoed through the closed corridor. He turned quickly around and ran for- ward. He knew not where he was running. He knew only that he was trying to escape what seemed to him a product-of his fancy. But he fancied he heard the white figure coming after him. Straight through the swinging door he crashed with something close on his heels. He dared not turn to ascertain what that something was. Straight on he ran, straight for the door at the opposite end of the long room, But just as he was a few yards away from it, the door suddenly yet silently swung open and a white figure stood on the threshold. This time the wretched man could not utter a sound. He merely turned again to the door by which he had entered. Yes! A white figure was there, too. Had he murdered two people? Not to his knowledge. But this was no time for speculation. He must Hee, whether there he one or two creations of fancy. The only exit left was the wide stairs on the right side of the room leading to the next Hoor. To these he now sped with the strength he had left, only to look at a row of white figures solemnly filing down the corridor. The Professor fell forward at the foot of the stairs and remained with his face to the Hoor. Then he heard a slow, measured tapping of a number of feet, and he felt that the white figures of ghosts had surrounded him. Presently he heard a low moaning voice that seemed to come from the other end of the room, or perhaps from under the chamber fioor. Thy vile deeds shall end. We are the dead fathers of those whom thou hast wronged. The cries of our sons have dis- turbed our peaceful rest. We have come back together this night to remove the cause of these disturbing cries. Thou wilt either swear now to be henceforth kind and honest in thy dealings, and to treat rich and poor alike, or thou wilt prepare to become one of us imme- diately. What sayest thou ? I swear! I swearli' 14

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TWO NIGHTS They covered the pages he was reading just as the thick grass covered the field of honor he had trodden in the morning. Soon the myriads of little red dancing dots became molded into one whole surface of red-red blood gushing from the motionless body of the fallen man. The books fell to the floor, but the blood and the body remained on the White tablecloth, The Professor rose as if touched by electricity, and threw out his hands. The table rolled over with a crash. The bleeding body fell to the Hoor, and then, to the Professor's great relief, vanished. The Professor ran to the door and barred it, as if he feared lest the body should re-enter there. Then he ran back to the windows, and, seeing that they were shut, heaved a sigh of relief. A few min- utes later he was already in bed. But try as he would, he could not gain the sleep that he so desired. Thus he had lain in bed until the distant sounds of the church bell informed him he had but four more hours in which to gain some rest. Happily for him, the much-coveted sleep came quite suddenly and lasted for a long time. The Professor awoke at ten o'clock, and con- sequently was late for his classes. All day long the Professor was very irritable, and more irascible than usual. He vented all his ill feelings on the students, who were, however, more or less accustomed to his bursts of ire. Twenty students, at rather unusually large num- ber, failed in an important examination that day because they had neglected to bring the usual bribe he required. It was the custom of Professor Mailkevitch, since he lived so near the university, to sit every evening for an hour in the university library, which was closed in the evening, but to which he had special access. That evening he started out for the library more eager than ever, hoping to lose himself among the numerous volumes and forget the plagueing scene of the murder. He started out at a fast rate, and in less than three minutes he was in front of the library. He walked resolutely up the broad, marble stairs in front of the building, but suddenly stopped as he found himself face to face with the big black iron door. Should he enter the vast rooms of this building all alone? Would not the darkness and the vast emptiness bring up the bloody image again? Oh! But what was he to fear? He knew there were no ghosts. He had always laughed at the mere mention of them. And he was neither superstitious nor imaginative. What he had seen the night before was only a vision of his distracted brain. But now he was cool, he had nothing to fear. The main corridor in the front 13

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TIVO NIGHTS To what dost thou swear ? I swear to treat all alike and to be kind and honest. Go thou to yonder Bible and repeat thine oath. The Professor picked himself up. The ghosts spread out to let him pass and then followed behind. When the Professor came to the Bible, which was lying on a special table, he put his right hand on it and slowly repeated his oath. Hardly had he Hnished the last word when the room was suddenly illuminated and a shout rose up- Three cheers for Professor lNfIailke- vitch. The dazzled Professor turned quickly around. But the ghosts seemed to be lying on the Hoor in little heaps. In place of the ghosts there were a dozen jubilant students who greeted the Professor with congratulations on his sudden determination to reform. Another time the Professor might have grown angry, but now he was so glad that they were not real ghosts that he pardoned the boys and smiled cheerfully. But the Professor did not reform. HARRY BRODINSKY, '17. A Gllear Summrfa Bag The grass is glittering with the dew, And all around tls green 'ind fair. No wonder that I love to stare At the world, so wondrous, great and rare. I hear the birds sing sweetest songs, As they flock by in happy throngsg And as they flutter far away, I seem to hear them softly say: f'Awake, awake, to greet the day! HE sky above is clear and blue, , g . . Y LEO FREUND, 19. I 15