Morris High School - Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

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CHRISTMAS snarl of rage he did as he was told. And there she was left in the darkness, one hand clutching her hairbrush, the other, a chair for support. Her eyes sought to pierce the darkness, to see where he was, to keep him covered. But she couldn't see, she eouldn't see, she could only feel, feel that he had moved, that he was crouching near her ready to spring, to tear, to kill, for his Fatherland, and she couldn't see, she couldn't see. Ile had moved closer, she heard his labored breathing, he was feeling the chair, higher, higher, higher, new her hand, the brush- Up here, she heard as through a dream the voice of the captain of the guards, The light came from the atticl' .... And so, still clutching the hairbrush, she dropped in a little heap on the floor. When she awoke she was lying in bed. Her aunt was bending over her with tears of love and gratitude in her eyes. The blessed light of morning, ot Vhristmas morning, was stream- ing through the windows. And in Betty 's heart there was a prayer of thanks, thanks that she had been given the oppor- tunity to render service. RUTH LRVINE, 5-8 l i 39

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CHRISTMAS ringing of the telephone. Betty sat up and clutched the covers wildly. A message so late at night UZ Slipping on her dressing gown she ran downstairs to the phone. Put all your lights out, we've sighted Zeppelinsf' the voice of the captain of the guards greeted her.. The receiver fell from her fingers. She felt a wild desire to scream, but then she remembered the grave Hsomewhere in France. No. she must prove herself worthy of George, and he had hated cowardice. So she switched off the lights and hurried back to her room. Shivering, and cowering, she sat by the window and watched those shadows of destruction sweep over the skies. Then she prayed that they might not see the little town nestling among its hills. Suddenly she saw something-something that made every drop of color leave her face, something that made her clutch the window-sill for support. There, clearly outlined in the darkness, a light had ifiashed forth. A light! That which would guide the Zeppelins-guide them to their work of de- struction. And the light had come from the attic of her home. Though who in all this friendly town could have done such a thing? And suddenly it came to her in a Hash. The day when she had gone to town to visit the camp, she came upon Jones, the gardener, writing busily upon the barraek walls, she remembered her questioning, his answer. HBut, Jones, she said, you had better not let any of the soldiers catch you here again without a permit or they'll surely take you for a spy.', Who'd suspect an honest old man like meself of bein' a spy, Miss? was his answer, and she had caught a sneer in his eye. New this man was in her home deliberately aiding the enemy, and she was powerless to prevent him. In the morning the town would be in ashes, important plans would be lost, women and children would be killed. Women and innocent children! She must do something. Suddenly she caught the gleam of her silver hairbrush on the dressing table. In the dim light perhaps he might take it for a revolver. She snatched it up, opened the door noiselessly, and on her hands and knees, with the precious weapon clutched closely made her way up into the attic and opened the door. 'tHands up, J ones she said in a voice that she tried to make steady. The man turned around and caught the gleam of something in her hands. His hands went up. HBlow out those lanterns, came the command. With a 88

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Ee 152111 Mfugii -. Ol, je n'ai que onze ans, mais je vondrais bicn ,, ' ' t en avoir dix de plus. Et pourquoi? me A ' demandez-vous. Pour aller at la gruerre tuer ' des Boches. Oui, monsieur, je les deteste, et w ' - qugnd vous aurez entendu mon histore, vous 7 , saurez pourquoi. Y ' Il y a trois ans que j'ai quitte mon pays '75 natal. J'y ai demeure jusqu'a Page de huit ans, dans le petit village de G ........ dans les environs d'Anvers. Nous etions quatre, Papa, Maman et Jeanne qui avait dix-sept ans. Autrefois on m'appelait Karl, mais ce nom est trop allemand, aussi c'est Charles qu'on nffappelle maintenant. Nous etions quatre en Belgique mais ce nyetait pas vraiment toute la familleg j'avais deux freres Pierie et Fritz que je n'avais jamais vus, parce que depuis bien des annees ils dcnieuraient en Amerique. Tout at coup en 1914 la guerre a eclate et dans quelques mois taute la Belgique en emoi. Un soir un je ne sais quoi volait au-dessus de nos tetes, faisant un grand bruit qui suggerait un essaim diabeilles. Mais il ne nous a pas fallu longtemps pour voir que ce n'etait pas des abeillesg c'etait plutot un dragon parce qu'il rejetait du feu, dans la nuit, et faisait tomber des bombes. .Vai toujours eu grand'peur de ces incursions, surtout apres Vliorrible eveneinent que je 'iais raconter. Un soir la famille etait assise aussi paisiblcmcnt que possible dans ces jours de terreur, quand nous avons ete effrayes par le son des zeppelins qui approchaient. Soudainement, avec grand bruit, notre cheminee est tombee. et mon pauvre pere, qui etait assis pres du fop er a ete ecrase par une grosse pierre et il est mort clevant sa famille petrifiee. Pcu de temps rpres, notre petit village a ete pris par les Boches, et a etc presque entiercirent detruit. Un jour Jeanne a disparu, et nous ne l'avons plus jamais revue. Dans ses prieres du soir j'entendais soutent ma mere qui clisait avec douleur, 'tDieu veuille que ma Jeanne soit mortcf' Quclque temps plus tard nous avons quitte notre pays ravage et nous nous sommes enfuis en Hollanrlc. C'est la que nous avons d'abord connu la charite americanine. C'est par elle que nous avons pu aller en Angleterre ou nous sommes restes deux ans environ avant dc partir pour le pays de la liberte. Vous pouvez imaginer eombien nous avons eu peur des sous- marins pendant la traversee, mais, grace at Dieu, nous sommes arrives ici sans accident. .C'est avec une joie melee de douleur que nous avons rejoint mes freres qui nous attendaient avec impatience. Nous avons passe bcaucoup de soirees a leur raconter la violation de notre pays par les Boches. Naturellement leurs coeurg se sont entlanzmes avec des pensees de vengeance contre le crime allemand. Quand l'Amerique est entree dans le conflit du monde, mes nobles freres ont ete parmi les premiers at s'enr6ler. Maintenant dans notre salon, il y a trois drapeaux, celui de la Belgique, celui de l' Amerique, et un autre, rouge et blanc, ayant au centre deux etoiles bleues, qui semblent me dire: t'Pour tous deux, la Belgique et l'Amerique! B. BALFOUR HAAS, 8-2 40