Northeast Junior High School - Buccaneer Yearbook (Kansas City, MO)

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IDlS.'E rX1.r-4: Q The Ghost Ship PRIZE FRESHMAN POEM VIRCIINIA POTTER Strong blow the galeg howl the fierce typhoong Loud crashing thunder heralds night's noon. Lo, through the darkness flashes a lightg What strange phenomenon stalks tonight? Hark! 'tis the Ghost Ship wandering hereg 'Tis ill omen if it anchors near. Each man, his place on deck or below! With the Ghost Ship near, what storms may blow? The gray hulk dippedg empty it seemed. In the round-house a ghastly light gleamed. The Ghost struck fear in the hearts of meng There's been such a ship since time began. 'Twas visioned by seamen long ago, Seen in the mists of each storm to blow. You have a Ghost Ship, and so have I, We see its gray hulk on each blue sky. Only the fear of what might happen, Spoiling the joy, making all misshapeng Your Ghost Ship's not real, neither is mine, Still it rides high seas, till the end of time. kbs -KQ,. 1'wX ow Exiov Fifty-nine

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ust a Boy PRIZE FRESHMAN STORY HENRIETTA BONAVIEZ John Rtigles, here t'is seven o'clock and that boy is no tell- ing where. There's the empty woodbox, and I had to feed the chickens myself. It seems that he does less every day-what with the reading a them libr'y books and gallivanting around the woods with his dog. His teacher said, 'Elmer's a real smart boy and ought'a go to High School,' but he don't show any smartness 'round here. Well, Mary, I was calculating to keep him to home next year. What with the mortgage coming due and the barn a'leaking, I can't see my way clear to send him to a city school. He's getting to be a right smart size and could help a lot. N Mr. Ruggles' toil worn face assumed an anxious frown as he 1 perused the county paper. There's another cloudburst at the head of the Elkhorn river. That water already can hardly stay in its banks, and everythin' from trees to hen coops has been floating by all day. Johnl I bet that boy is down watching the river! Maybe he's fell in! Don't worry, Mary. I-Ie'll show up p'urty soon. Tl1ere's his dog barking now. With rising indignation Mrs. Ruggles called through the door, Elmer, hurry in to your supper. It's stone cold. Don't let that dog track up my kitchen floor. But as no boy appeared, they became alarmed, for Elmer, though often straying from home during the day, always came back for his supper on time, and Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles ran towards the river after the barking dog. As the lightning flashed, they saw that half of the railroad bridge had been swept away. The remainder swayed, groaned, and swinging into midcurrent, was carried majestically downstream. The first thought of the bewildered pair was the Flyer which would soon be due. john ran towards the barn and loosening Betsy swung onto her back and galloped madly down the road to town. His wife, left behind, unable to find her son or save the train, returned to her kitchen and, heedless of wet clothing, sat down dazedly. John with the rain swishing by and the spirited mare under him, thrilled as though he were a boy, though it was no time to think of else but the train and its precious lives. Dumbly his mind returned to his son. Maybe the swirling waters of the Elkhorn had closed over his head. As the lights of the town, blurred with rain, came to view, he gave Betsy full rein and she, realizing the need instinctively, gave speed as could be merited of Pegasus, the winged horse. Seeing a crowd near the tracks, Mr. Ruggles wondered if an accident had occurred here. Jumping off, he yelled, The Elkhorn bridge is out! Save the train l Then he saw the panting locomotive. Inside the station many strange and well dressed people, apparently the train's pas- sengers, were talking excitedly, a-nd the warm interior was a bedlam of noise vying with the elements that raged outside. As the crowd parted, he saw Elmer sitting wrapped in coats and shawls, but with a radiant peace on his freckled face he held a hat filled with crisp bills. Hello, Dad, he said, did you get worried? I was watching the river when I saw the bridge going, and so I crawled across just before it tell and ran about a mile and flagged the train with the white shirt Ma made me. But just look in this hat. Now I can go to school, pay off the mortgage, roof the barn, and buy Ma her new dress, for they have given me all this money just for saving the train. I can go to high school: can't I, Pop? Mr. Ruggles, with his eyes suddenly moist, clasped his boy's hand, and turning, thanked the group for the money, and in his heart thanked God for his boy's safe return. pre' . .ezlifrtv 4'afz5x6w..o'r flxqr - Fitty elght o Q o .7

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lUl.S'3 'Ni Qixf-ffvfxi ' - The Faithful Guard PRIZE STORY OF SUB-FRESHMEN ALFRED TOSSPAN ' The hills of Montana were full of wolves, and the strongest traps could not hold them, only a few were caught in a single day. The wolf is crafty, greedy, and ravenous. It preys mostly upon sheep for food. Near Kalispell, in northwestern Montana, was the ranch of I. C. Donelson, a well known man about the country, who made a good deal of money in sheep raising, but the sudden coming of hundreds of wolves from Canada for no reason at all, had slack- ened up his yearly income. One night as he sat in his comfortable home in a soft cush- ioned chair by the fireplace, his faithful wolfdog, Lightning, by his side, the out -of doors was full of misery with the rain almost a clondburst and the wind threatening. With his large herd of sheep in the corral, and the gates securely bolted for the night, Mr. Donelson sat thinking. Lightning at the moment, was as still as a log, but at the sudden bang of a door, he cocked his ears straight up listening for a second bang. Another bang, only half as loud, came to his ear. He gave a low growl, and his mas- ter eyed him suspiciously, and then asked, What's the matter, old boy? Another slow growlf was uttered from the deep lungs of Lightning, and as quick as a flash his head and watchful eyes were turned toward the door -opening on the path to the barn some distance away. Did you hear' something, old boy? his master asked anxiously. Lightning leaped up toward the door, and before his master could speak another Word, was clawing at the knob. He gives me the creeps, but he senses danger, and I thought I heard a door bang, said Mr. Donelson to himself. I'll go out and see, but it might be some of the boys. In a few hurried moments, Mr. Donelson had bundled up in his rain clothes, grabbed his rifle from the wall, opened the door, and passed into the threatening storm. As they neared the barn, Lightning lowered himself and crept slowly and cautiously to the barn. His master, a few feet behind, was holding his rifle straight ahead, when the door slowly opened. Both man and dog stood breathlessly, expecting the form of a man to come into view. A man? No, it was a wolf that they saw. It had been prowling around for shelter. As the head appeared, Donelson pulled the trigger, and the wolf staggered and fell to the ground. The shot aroused the boys, and in a few moments they were all close around the wolf inspecting the body. You boys should have been on the job instead of sleep- ing, Mr. Donelson said. But the danger's over now, so why worry? Let's all go in and have a glass of wine. After the beast had been carelessly' thrown into the corner of the barn, the boys passed hurriedly through the slackening rain to the house. The next morning brought sunshine down upon the earth's surface. The events of the night before were almost forgotten. The spring joy was within the hearts of everyone on the ranch. After an early breakfast the day's work began. The first thing was to drive the sheep up in the hills for Lightning to guard. With the help of most of the boys, Mr. Donelson was able to place the sheep safely in Lightning's care. Towards dusk that evening, Lightning noticed a huge grey wolf sneaking upon a lamb. Down deep in Lightning's heart there was a feeling, which if expressed in words, would have been, That wolf shall die. With an action that gave him his name, he dashed through the flock of sheep towards the wolf . He was upon him in a few seconds, and fighting to a finish. Lightning's teeth were now deep in the wolf's throat. As the wolf fell, Lightning gave his signal cry. In a few moments Mr. Donelson. his boys, and several neighbors were on the scene. George Kelly, a neigh- bor of Mr. Donelson, was the first to speak. Why, that's the leader of all wolves in this country. Do you realize we will be bothered no more by wolves? Everyone agreed with him, and his statement was true for in a few days there was not a wolf in the country, thanks to Lightning, the faithful guard. fl ,4?3 lelfwxjw pw ,9v L o Sixty