Mountain View Union High School - Blue and Gray Yearbook (Mountain View, CA)

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18 BM ' E AND CRAY ciiKci-s oil the Washington and the tliree nccupaiits of the raft yelling sonietliing iiiun1elligil)lc at hiia. Of a siuldeii. an unforeseen thing liajipeiietl. A man leapt from tile Inirniiig ship, into the water, neai ' where the woman was now afloat and spluttering for help. Lord Archibald saw the man as he hit the water and, not to be outdone for the honors at this stage of the scene, made an extra spurt ; a fraction of a moment ahead of his rival he grasped the hair of the fast drowning woman. He started to swim with his burden toward the raft which was then the closest object to him, when of a sudden his head received the impact of a sudden jar. Looking back, he gazed into the maddened eyes of his rival, who had just delivered a straight from the shoulder ' . His apparently exhausted burden suddenly came to , and simultaneously both the rival and the res- cued proceeded to maul the rescuer, treading water during the melee. This was certainly a funny turn in affairs for De Ray, who was sadly receiving the worst of affairs. At last, well nigh exhausted, he turned and swam. His assailants then jiursued him, but his fear lent him wings and outdistance them he did. The raft was his goal, it being nearest him. On it now danced three crazy men, bawling something or other at him. At last he grasped the edge of the raft and pulled himself half upon it, more dead than alive. Immediately Lord Archibald De Ray was seized by the three maniacs and without any ceremony whatsoever, was spontaneously kicked back into the water, while one gave him this parting shot: C!an t you read English, you blithering idiot, referring tc the sign erected overhead. You ve spoiled one of Pathe Freres two reel features. —Jack G. North, ' 16. unriBF on ttjf ioutitain |f PEW red streaks across the eastern sky And spreads o er the east like some rich dye Dispel the dim gray light of eai-ly dawn, . As if to bid the gods of night be gone. The canyons dim in purple shadows sleep. As though unmindful of the coming day ; While from the pine ' s dim shadows dark and deep A tiny warbler sings his morning la,y. A silver haze o ' er all the earth is spread. And echoes wake that through the night were dead. The dew-drops sparkle on the long green ferns; The hillside seems a lake of glist ' ning gems; The golden poppy to the sun her chalice turns, While hai r-bells nod upon their slender stems. The wild-rose sheds its dainty perfume ' round; A gentle breeze steals through the scented grass ; The brook glides o ' er the rocks with mur ' mr ' ing sound; The busy bees hum softly as they pass. Nature in all her beauty greets tlie sun. The night is past and a new day ' s begun. — Leona Armstrong, ' 14.

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17 hcfi tb? O 0at? THE great trans-Atlantie liner Washington slipped away iVoni her moorings in New York harbor, amidst a chorus of good- byes , from the crowd on the pier and those on board the steamer. Handkerchief and hat farewells were exchanged until the signal became indistinct with the lengthening distance. Among the passengers was a rather flashily dressed young nuui about twenty-five years of age. He sauntered about the ui)i)er deck with the air of an Alexander the Great . In liis right hand lie swung a cane while he puffed spasmodically on a gold tipped cigar- ette. His cognomen was Lord Archibald De Ray, late of England, more recently of America, his ambition, to gain notoriety through a heroic act of any shape or form. For this he had journeyed to America, thinking America ottered more opportunities for a hci-o. In this, however, Amei ' ica failed him, so now he was going back to his native sod. The Washington was five days out and was now on the last leg of her journey. At last the liner dropped anchor below Liver- pool and waited the arrival of the pilot. The passengers were stroll- ing on the decks when quite suddenly the air was split with the screams of women. Every heart jumped to its owner s mouth and every step was halted as if by magic. Away some hundred feet was a horrifying scene. A small ship belched flames while its fear nuid- deneil passengers crowded the rails. The life boats of the flaming ship were lowered and all piled safely into them and rowed away. Just as the life boats were about a quarter of a nule distant a woman appeared on the half burnt deck. She gave a terrifying look at the departing life boats and then shrang back. Her hands tore her hair while she cowered hesitantly from the flames and the bulwark, over which it was a di-op of thirty feet to the water. At last with one backward glance at the hungry flames, she mounted the rail and plunged feet foremost into the salty l)rine. In the nu ' antime a rowboat had api)roached the Washington ' s side and its sole occupant, a man, had megaphoned something to the captain, who was preparing to rescue the people of the burning. shi]i. This something, the captain communicated to his passengers and tile strain on them then broke, with the exception of De Ray, who paid not the least attention to the captain ' s announcement. They turned their gaze toward a raft on which was erected a huge sign. On the raft itself .stood three men, one looked as if he were describing a circle on the side of a cracker box while the other two iiawled orders of some sort. Lord Archibald stood nervously against the rail, intensely watching the launching of the burning ship ' s passengers. At last, ba Jove, ' ere ' s my chance. I ' ll save the young woman from ' er watery grave, he muttered, just as the deserted woman climbed the bulwarks of the flaming ship and jilunged over board. At this i)sychological moment De Ray flung off his coat and dived into the sea, sixty feet below. Xow De Ray was an expert swimmer, iiut that was the limit of his accomplishments. Straight he swam for the place where the woman had disajipeared, while he could hear the voices of the pass-

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19 Jt Wasn ' t thr Maon T ' WAS noon in l;ii-tinville. Across her tlusty, uninviting main thoi ' ouglifai-f torrid lieat waves wavered lazily. Tlie iiot, mid- suniraer snn heat unmercifully ilown on the glaring, hot side- walks. Save for a horse stamping nervously, switching her tail and flinching her flanks at the hordes of buzzing, insistent flies, the street was desolated. In the office of the Martinville News, assist- ant editor Samuel Slai-tin scowled ii ' ritahly over the work before him. lie was hot, tired, hungry, and worst of all, nervous. The building offered little protection against the blazing sun. The air was stifling. liy the front window a blow fly buzzed. That increased his nervousness. The impatient horse stamped her foot and jerked at her halter, causing the ring of the iron hitching post to jingle noisily. The assistant lost his temper. Why the devil don ' t the boss come back? He ' s been gone long enough for two dinners. He threw down his pen and rose for a drink. The water was tepid, nauseating. He drew a cigar from his waistcoat and seated himself at his desk to resume his work. Again the fly buzzed; again the horse stamped. The assistant chewed furiouslj- at his cigar with a muffled curse, then again scowled at his work with a counterfeited intenseuess. The boss entered. Samuel, smoking is strictly forbidden during office hours, especially during my absence. People will think that you are wil- fully disobedient. If ,vou expect to succeed as an editor, you must learn to abide strictly by the I ' ules of a superior. Samuel Martin tossed the otfending weed into a cuspidor, the scowl deepening. He hated sermons such as his uncle was con- tinually giving. And furthermore, Samuel, a successful editor never is im- patient or irritable. He must hold his temper no matter how humili- ating or obnoxious his work or dealings with others may be. Just for fun, suggestetl the assistant, listen to some of this from one of these manuscripts. This, by the way, is the sixth story from the same person since you started the monthly supplement. Here ' s the ending of the rotteuest, mushiest ' ' romance I ' ve seen : He looked deeply into Jasmine ' s soft, melting, blue eyes. ' Jasmine! Oh Jasmine! sobbed Oliver, my very soul will oxidize if you answer me wrongly. Jasmine, tell me. Jasmine, my own, tell me that you love me. Just say ' Yes. ' ' And then upon the lovers rose the moonful and shining-sil- very through the upper mists. And that self-same moon, which, for countless generations has faithfully governed the waters of earth, l)eamed kindly down upon them, and the same mysterious power which so bewitches earthly waters, bewitched the lovely maiden, for her soft answer was given in such tones as are known only by lovers. T ' was a kindlier smile; a softer silver radiance that twinkled from the bewitcher ' s beaming face as he watcheil the two embrace. ' The editor was furious. Of all the rot I ' ve ever heard that ' s