Newton High School - Newtonian Yearbook (Newton, MA)

Page 14 text:

10 THE NEWTON HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL The F lame BY S. FOSTER DAMoN, 1910 Scene 1. CA wild tangled opening in the heart of an African jungle. Prostrate on the ground is a man, an African warrior, regardless of the burning sun which floods the forest. The foliage is that of lurid autumn.j QThe man remains still for a while, then he lifts his head.j The Man.--But still I remain alive, and so do they .... They are so weak, there, back in their villageg they could not endure a murderer, who merely asserted his rights. What though I did kill him, the sheep !-vdid he not dare to steal my meat, my gazelle that I myself had waylaid? He lives by theft! Oh, I could burn the whole ant-heap of them! . . . The very vines, reddened by this late, hot autumn, are as Sanguine as my thoughts. Nature herself seems to be urging my plans on to completion. As I left the mud huts, I warned them that my vengeance would be terrible. The women skulked more than usual, the young men laughed their scom even more boastfullyg they drove me still harder, and with difficulty did I escape them. They seek me no further, I know their infirmity of purpose. But I am not infirm! No, they shall suffer, all of them! . . . The spear kills one with many blows, while fire, the gift of Joba, eats all without effort. What though I perish in the flames myself, if so many die with me? The knowledge that they will scream in agony will cool me like a spring breeze as I offer myself as a first victim .... Joba, the sun, was I named after. He took me under his protection after I killed my first tiger fso said the old priest, if he is to be believedj. joba gave us fire, so I shall be dutiful in using his gift, as well as in destroyingg for is he not the great destroyer? I will burn the forest with its multitudes of beasts and snakes, the forest will burn the village, the plains, the deserts, even the great sea, until the entire world will blaze like a huge platter of palm-oil! Joba him- self will grow red with envy at his son's handiwork! CI-Ie tries to make a fire. His impatience is soon rewarded: a tiny smoke springs up. I t is fed with dead leaves,' it is blown upon,' soon it bursts into flame. He drags dry branches on it,' it grows higher and higher, until it is taller than he, always crackling and hissing spitefully. Then suddenly a woman's form is perceived in the fire, very faint and indistinct, but constantly growing plainer as the flames flash up. She is dancing wildly, flinging her arms and long, black hair over her head in purest ecstacy of new-born existence. She seems to be the genius of the jire. He sees her, awestruckj joba.-Who is that wonderful creature there in the fire? Whence can she have sprung? Will she do me a hurt? But no, she does not heed me, she sees nothing, she is thinking of nothing but her dancing. I never saw such dancing,

Page 13 text:

WI SGA 1 n A f M7712 I ll' 0 WWW! 1 ms .1numnmnmmngnmn llllllllllllf NY I S1 J Xx WIIIIHIIIIHIJIIIIIA G I f l.2 an X Q,--rf

Page 15 text:

THE NEWTON HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL 11 not even at the king's balls. She is different from anything I ever saw. Where could she have gotten such a wonderful red tinge to her skin? Her hair is long and wavyg one cannot tell it from the smoke at times. Her lips are redder than the lion's gums, they are not so full as the village women's lips, they are much more delicateg and how they smile! They smile brighter than the lake after one has been huntingg they are more refreshing than the water on one's own lips. She is more beautiful than the gods themselves. She must have had Joba himself for father. No, Joba must have sent her to me for a bride! tHe dashes into the fire. For a moment he remains there, struggling in the swirling smoke and cinders, trampling on the burning coals with his naked feet, trying to drag the woman out of the flames, till at length he succeeds, and the fre is extinguishedj CShe stands upright on the opposite side of the opening from him, her arms drawn close to her sides. Her long dark hair drapes her as in a mantle. She is shivering, but one cannot tell whether it is from cold or fright. They look at each other.j Joba.-Who are you? . . . She.-I-I do not know .... Joba.-Whence do you come? She.-Out of the flame .... It is gone .... I must go, too. Joba .-Where? She.-I do not know .... I do not belong here .... Joba.-But where can you go? The fire is out .... Do you come from the great Joba, the sun? She.--It was hot, and I was wild with joy. I was dancing and you stopped me. You seized me by the waist and pulled me out into the cold .... Look, you can still see the ashes with a little smoke floating up .... I will die. Joba.-You will not die .... I will keep you warm .... Joba sent you to me for a bride. He is my father. She.-Who is Joba? Q Joba.-He is my father. He is the sun. One can see him now, up through the leaves .... He sent you to me, did he not? She.-Perhaps he did .... fShe looks at him with greater confidence.J I am cold .... Joba.-We cannot stay hereg you might die. The beasts prowl here at night. Come, follow me, swiftly. She.-Where are we going? Joba.-Back to the village. They hate me there, but I am strong and I can make them let me in .... Besides, there is no other place, as it will soon be winter, when it rains and the nights are very coldg and you might die .... QExit quickly. She pauses to look back on the handful of ashes in the center of the opening, then follows swiftly after him.j