Newport News High School - Anchor Yearbook (Newport News, VA)

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THE BEACON 29 name, chanced to pass by a curious and low shaped oriental shop. In the hopes of finding some clue, he enter- ed and appeared to gaze at the orna- ments and trinkets nonchalantly. Im- mediately the Chinaman inquired what he wanted. In order to assume an unsuspecting appearance he asked for an article. The clerk, hobbled to the rear of the store and brought forth a curious trinket. “Me sellum cheep, me no likee keepe him, sellem for $1.50.” He ex- amined the article and saw no imme- diate need for it, but the chinaman persisted, “Me buyee for $2.00, no neede him, buyee laste week.” At once O’Riley became interested and noticed that the Chinaman seemed anxious to sell it, just to get rid of it. He bought it and upon reaching his quarters he immediately placed the trinket under an X-ray. He was amused, or rather very much interest- ed, for inside lay a vial which contain- ed a small amount of liquid in which could be seen tiny organisms in mo- tion. Becoming perplexed he decided to take this to the police headquar- ters. Upon arriving there he explained his experience and the leading scien- tist was summoned, who was given the details of the exploits of O’Riley. Having difficulty in determining what the nature of the contents of the vial might be, he summoned several other leading scientists and chemists. They were also unable to come to any di- rect or imported conclusion. “We must call the attention of Dr. Mc-Borough Jarl to this. He surely will be able to explain these myste- rious germs,” said one scientist, and upon his advice they set out to inform Dr. McBorough Jarl of this vial, for which they could find no immediate or comprehensive solution. Dr. McBorough Jarl was working in his laboratory when they called and upon explaining the detective’s story and showing his trinket, he almost succumbed to his fears by crying out. How they had found his Chinese or- nament, for it had gotten away from him, and how it had spread contagion to the community killing so many people, were questions which he was unable to answer. They asked him to explain it and he did so, due to the fact that he had discovered it, but he refused further explanation until they had found the Chinaman and brought him to court. The newspapers all over Chicago, and in fact all over the country were overflowing with the account of this wonderful discovery. As the day for the court session opened, crowds waited to gain their entrance and hear what the world famous scientist, McBoroughjarl, had to say. Finally, the session began. There sat the Chink, in one corner, shrunken with fear and before the jury box sat Dr. Jarl, gazing stead- fastly and serenely into space. He knew his time had come and the truth would be known sooner or later, mak- ing him a disgraced and well, he would be tarred and feathered, — nay, even worse than that. As he pictured all this he shuddered. He was brought back to himself as the judge rapped for order. The Chinaman explained all that he knew, saying that a man had sold the trinket to him and as he needed money, persuaded the detective to buy it. Dr. McBorough Jarl testified next, suddenly as if an eruption had taken place, everybody in the court began shouting, “Dr. Jarl! Dr. Jarl! let’s hear what he has to say, he can prevent all this;” Then, when the peo- ple grew quiet and order was restor- ed, he began. “This disease is very deadly and practically incurable. In the body of the rat family, there is a certain sort of fluid, which creates germs, these germs are what I hold in my

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28 THE BEACON years old (tho he looked seventy) and would with doubt have thirty years more in which to increase this wealth. With mock gallantry, he insisted that all other passengers and even the sailors should proceed him in mounting the rope ladder. His gray hair shading his gleam- ing, calculating eyes, his clothes clinging wetly to his body, he mounted joyously near the top, he turned for a last defiant look at the sea. That look was his destruction. He had counted his success too soon. His foot slipped and he fell headlong into the foaming deep never to reappear. (B) THE LURE OF SCIENCE HARRY GREEN February ’22. The last rays of the setting sun streamed through the window of the sequestered room. Casting its golden rays upon the walls, it seemed to set the room aglow with fire. Along the walls could be seen bottles and tubes. Tables were strewn with generators and distilling apparatus. In fact, there was in evidence all the paraphernalia necessary to equip a labratory for the scientific and experimental work of the great scientist and chemist, Dr. McBorough Jarl. Dr. Jarl had wonderful persever- ance of character, calm, cool and aus- tere. The perspiration stood out upon his forehead. The weather had been extremely warm and he had laboured continuously for thirty-six hours without leaving his laboratory. These hours of long, hard labor had produced in him periods of insanity. In the ecstacy of his madness he had come upon the solution of the prob- lem for which he had striven. “Now, I can do as I wish,” he mum- bled. Immediately he examined the dreadful solution and poured it into a little vial and put that in a curi- ously shaped Chinese trinket, having a secret opening. K nowing that the new discovery was dangerous he care- fully hid the formula, to prevent any- one ever learning the nature of the dreadful menace. Having concluded his work, he went into his library chuckling hoarsely to himself and muttering in an undertone. His spell had again taken him into its clutches and he audibly said, “At last, at last, I am the first one to find it. They will fear me, they will learn who I am. This continued until, at last, tired and gaint from overwork he fell into a deep slumber. When he awoke he went to his laboratory to see whether he had left anything incomplete, and it was then that he discovered, to his amazement, this his treasured vial was missing, vanished as if it had gone off into space. He was perplexed by this but feared to say anything, knowing that he would be given a long term in pris- on for creating and allowing this deadly menace to escape into society. The next week found the city of Chicago in the clutches of one of the most perplexing and unheard of dis- eases in the history of science and medicine. It astounded the greatest professors and doctors in the. city. Every method and means was tried to check the disease, but failed. Steadily and rapidly the death rate increased until the inhabitants began to die by the hundreds and thousands. This aroused the police and everyone tried to find the cause or nature of this malady. One day in the Chinese quarter of i, city, a lone detective, O’Riley by

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no THE BEACON hand. First, they attack the people and cause death, leaving no clue or sign of struggle at the time of death of indicating in any manner its symp- toms. The person seems merely to go to sleep and never awake.” With this speech the audience be- came intensely interested and regard- ed him with amazement, entirely dumbfounded. Then, Dr. Jarl, realizing that he was on the verge of having another spell of insanity, hurried on, “At pres- ent, the formula to cure it is known and it can be checked, but without the formula never!” Upon hearing this the audience im- mediately became excited and mur- muring began to take place, but as he began again, a heavy sigh escaped the audience and he continued. “All my life I have studied the species of rats and at last I have discovered this (B) deadly menace. I, do you hear, I did it!” With that he swayed and tot- tered but continued, “The formula is hidden in my desk, take it and cure this dreadful malady for which I now pay my price!” Saying this, he dropped dead at the foot of his chair, and after releasing the Chinaman and subduing the au- dience Dr. Jarl was taken away. Thus died the greatest scientist and chem- ist that the world had ever known, who in his desire to achieve fame, had destroyed thousands only to pay the price with his own life. The formula was found, the vial destroyed and all the people cured thru the aid of this agent of destruc- tion. Thus died a great man, whom some appreciate, revere and honor, while others, hate, loathe and think of him only in disgrace. A STRANGE COINCIDENCE. RUTH BELLE February ’22. Bill Cameron, a fisherman in the village of Concord, set out early one cold December morning to his daily task. There had been a terrible storm along the coast, the preceding night, and much wreckage had been washed ashore. A few feet from his boat, Bill came to a sudden halt. He was too star- tled to further investigate the object of his excitement. When he had re- covered from his shock, he slowly bent over the form of a little girl, not more than two years of age. The unconscious child was hurriedly taken to the fisherman’s home, where his wife immediately attended to the little one’s needs. Mrs. Cameron anx- iously watched over her, and it wasn’t long before she regained conscious- ness. From the child’s clothes, one could readily guess that she came from no poor family. Mrs. Cameron’s atten- tion was attracted to a small gold locket that she wore, and upon which, was neatly engraved the name “MARY.” The Camerons lost no time in try- ing to learn who her parents were, but in all their attempts, were unsuc- cessful. Therefore, little Mary be- came their adopted daughter, and was given every advantage the small in- come of Bill, who was now growing old and feeble, could offer. Sixteen years have elapsed since the exciting adventure of little Mary, who has now become a beautiful