Morris High School - Yearbook (Bronx, NY)

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-W -- --.-,. liiamvt -.gI :,. I SUPPOSE almost all fellows have particular 525251: ' friends who come around and tell. their troubles '.-.-, and discuss Socialism and go out together, and all that sort of thing. I am no exception to the general rule. My particular friend is Traske,Qhe comes around once a week or so, GE' usually on Fridays, when there are no lectures '-j-5 :.:.:.' next day, to play a few games of chess and - 5::5:E D talk. You would laugh to hear us, I dare say, i I-' NVhen Traske .-- un n but nothing ever comes of what we say except in very roundabout ways, sometimes. came over the Friday evening just after war was declared on Germany, I could see he was boiling. I-Ie is a terrible Prussian-hater, although a great believer in the German efficiency idea. I beat him that night, he kept talking about our unpreparedness and paid no attention to the game at all. Later, we went out for our usual soda on the way to the station. There is a power-house right on our corner, and at that time guards were stationed there. These made Traske burst out afresh. He pointed derisively at a peg-post policeman at the door, talking to a Home Defense Leaguer and a bicycle patrolman. What earthly sense is there in that? he cried. t'Two policemen-not sentinels, but policemengeating sandwiches at the front door. NVhy can 't trained soldiers be ready for just such an emergency? Now, I think that if you attend decently to business, some- thing will always turn up when trouble comes, to help you out without any great fuss beforehand, and I said so. Bald Traske snorted. That's no way to go about it. Call out twelve thousand IIome Defence Leaguers to do soldiers, duty-at the last minute! Those amateurs don't amount to rats! I just snorted 'tIIuh! Why, what's to prevent me, or anybody else, from going around to the back and blowing the whole business? That got me. I'd like to see you try it, I said. Traske was quiet for a while-a short while. Then he burst out, I'll be hanged if I don't! I looked at him, but he was rapt in thought. Suddenly he grabbed my arm. Will you take me up? he demanded eagerly. We'll 16 ,

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Elirienhahip OR me, life holds no greater charm, And sorrow no more healing balm, Than knowing through some simple deed That those I love are friends in need. II. It's then, the world looks bright and gay: I feel as happy as the day. My cup of joy is brimming o'er, Kind fate 's brought true friends to my door. I feel at peace with everyoneg These friends will share with me their fun. Or comfort me when things go wrongg They make my life one grand sweet song. III. For me, life brings no harder blow, And joy knows no more crushing foe. Than learning of a trust misplaced, The ties of friendship quite disgraced. IV. That friend, who confidence betrays, Or love and sacrifice repays VVith toleration and no more, Or those all rotten to the core, lVho wear dark masks to cover faultsg In Joy 's great march, theytmake the halts. It matters not what cause the breach, All such are ever out of reach. V. Then send me friends, Oh God above, Good friends, who help, and watch and love, And give me strength to do my part ' In taking care from each friends heart. SADIE L. GORDON 15

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KISMET just get into the back yard, to show you how easy it is. Efficiency -that 's the idea ! I thought it over. The policeman would start to patrol the building after finishing his sandwich,-there were probably watchmen at the rear anyway, and the whole place was shut in by a spiked fence. VVc would never get anywhere near the building. I'll do it, I said. Traske immediately took command-he has a habit of doing that-and led me past the building into the adjoining lot. Got a match? he whispered. Silently, I handed him one. He lit it, and shading it with his hand, crawled mysteriously on the ground. He was so earnest about it that cold chills started running up and down my spine. Suddenly he straightened up, and by the last flicker of the match, I saw he held a fat, cylindrical object in one hand. What's that? I asked. A bomb. A what?,' Sh-sh-sh! he hissed. A bomb.- - An oil-can, he added by way of explanation. 'WVhat's it for? NVe have to carry something in, don't we? We wouldn't go in with empty hands would we? This was too much for me. It'll be bad enough if we're caught at all, much worse carrying a bomb, I objected. You leave that to me. XVe can't just climb in and climb out again. We 've got to carry something in, and leave it there, and be careful of it on the way. It wouldnit be a fair test, any other way. I groaned. All right. Traske then motioned me to follow him. With cat-like tread he advanced along the spiked fence'to thc back of the powerhouse. I brought up the rear, in fear and trembling. as the poet says. When we reached the back yard, Traske carefully set the bomb down and made deaf-and-dumb motions to me to the effect that he would go over first. I was to follow as soon as I had handed it to him. He then shinned up the fence and put one leg over. There was a terrible ripping sound. He carefully lifted his other leg 17 I' H A