Norway High School - Caduceus Yearbook (Norway, ME)

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20' THE CADUCEUS' The terrible War of 1937, when one-half the world fought the other, had finally come to an end and peace once more ruled the thoughts of people. Japan, Great Britain, France, Germany, and America had been the conquerors, their power now swayed the universe. There were no more naval conferences, standing armies, navies, and large battleships. War had been success- fully outlawed. The world itself had progressed in this time of peace. The people had finally at- tained contentment and happiness. Chi- cago had become the largest city in the world, and boasted about skyscrapers and elevated streets. Why, the Empire State buildings-some of them were over a mile high! They were contructed with no Win- dows, the air being pumped in by means of tubes. These great structures were erected on an unusual kind of a base that they might move with the sun. Huge air cars carrying about a thousand passengers hitched to these Vast towers of aluminum. These air cars could circle the world in less than a week. But what was the use of let- ting my thoughts wander like this? Why not brace up and face the Boss? The next morning I stood before a. large desk in a private office. I was faced by a small, squint-eyed man about seventy-five years old. He was The Boss. The Boss was the master mind of the age, the terror of the younger generation, for he gave out the young man 's life work, picked out his wife, told him where to live, and held con- trol over his possessions. The Boss and I had a long talk during which I learned that I was never to be married, but, worst of all, I was assigned a terrible job. I, HD. X, was to go to the center of the earth and explore. In a very short time preparations were completed and I was off. What a terrible noise the rocket made as it started! This rocket was pencil-shaped with a point al- most minute. There was one window made of strong, thin, polished steel, so thin that one would mistake it for glass. The com- partment became very dark and hot. I choked for breath 5 I fell to the floor. Af- ter consciousness returned, I staggered to my feet and rushed to the window. Why, it was as light as day without! I must have gone straight through the earth. But no, the earth's surface did not look like this-all honeycombed rock of myriad strange hues. The rocket was still plunging forward, cutting right through the rock. Occasion- ally it would pass through a large open space, like an enormous hole. At last the rocket stopped, and I got out. I was on a large plain. I could not see any sky over- head, but there were many strange lights moving back and forth. In the distance I perceived what ap- peared to me to be skyscrapers. But how silly! Skyscrapers at the center of the earth! And there couldn't be anything like that without people to build them. I finally reached the city. But what was the meaning of this strange silence that rested over everything? Were its inhabitants concealed and watching my movements with curiosity, or possibly with animosity? I experienced several cold chills as I walked down that silent street with no sky over- head and only those strange lights moving back and forth, back and forth. Every- thing was vacant, not a sign of life any- where. On my exploration, I passed through many buildings and streets far more mod- ern than those on earth. And although everything seemed to be in the most excel- lent state of preservation, I came upon no sign of life of any kind. At last my wan- derings took me to a large temple-like build- ing. I opened the door and looked upon millions of human bones and skeletons. Just limagine my sensations, when I was all alone in the center of the earth in the heart of a great, deserted city that was far more

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THE CADUC EUS' 19 On one side of the narrow road were stony cliffs and on the other side was a steep embankment, sloping down to an old logging road. All of a sudden she heard the back-firing and rattling of an ancient and none too de- pendable engine. As Connie stepped out onto the edge of the embankment into the soft snow, she felt herself slipping. Wild- ly she clutched out and grabbed at some tough ground pine. Luckily it held. She could not see the road, but she heard the banging car go past and on up the road. But she did not feel discouraged. All she had to do was to scramble back and con- tinue her hike. This was easier said than done. As she braced her feet in the snow, the ground pine that she was holding onto broke, and Connie went slipping and slid- ing farther down. When Connie at last picked herself up and looked around, she discovered she was on the old logging road. She knew if she followed this road that she'd eventually come out on the highway. Suddenly there came to her ears the sound of familiar laughter on the road above. It must be Beverly 's party she said to herself. But the team seems to be headed toward town. Loudly she called as she struggled on through the deep snow. The hilarious voices drowned her cries, and so she was obliged to keep on and just wait. In the meantime, Paul and Billy had made good time, and had caught up with Beverly's party. Neither group had seen a sign of Connie and they were consider- ably worried. 'tConnie may have fallen and broken an ankle or something,l' Beverly declared, 'tWe'll all go back and look for her. 'tWhat? Again! inquired several sar- castic voices. Yes Again! Beverly answered. HWhy, Connie 's one of my best chumsf' The team was turned around. 'tPark that car here, till we come back, Beverly directed. I don't want Connie scared olf the road. You two can ride with us. Even though the bob went almost back to town, Connie of course was not found, and it was a very sober crowd that returned to Billy 's car. And then such squealing and laughing arose that even the tired horses reared and plunged. For there sitting in Billyls car, was Connie herself! How did it happen? everyone asked, at once. I fell over the embankment, Connie explained, Hwhen a car went by. I can understand now that it must have been Billy 's. Then I couldn't get back up again 5 so I walked along the wood road. I heard you go by, and called, but you couldnlt hear, so I had to go on. When I finally came out on the highway, what should I see but Billy's deserted car! I knew you id all come back. Oh, Iim so sor- ry I caused so much trouble. Beverly, I-I-. 77 I understand, Connie, said Beverly, and looked squarely at her friend. Somehow both girls knew that all petty misurfderstandings and grudges betwxeen them were forever at an end. -Perry, '34. -Agni DOWN TO THE CITY OF DEATH Perspiration stood on my brow. I felt a chill run down my spine, and my hair almost seemed to stand on end. I became :faint and stumbled to a chair. After a while, my brain grew clearer and I gath- ered the scattered ends of my thoughts to- gether. All I could utter was t'The Boss I While 'sitting there the events of this age crowded on my mind. g s

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THE CADUCEUS' 21 advanced than any on earth, as I stood in the presence of countless human skeletons in that gold-colored burial temple. Had I entered a city of the past where everyone had perished thousands of years ago? I returned to the plain where my rocket rested. I started the controls for the re- turn journey. It roared loudly and sud- denly stopped. There was nothing to do but try and get a message to the upper world. Through my television set, I final- ly got, The Boss. I told him what I had seen, and that the rocket was no longer of any value. I asked him how I was to re- turn. He didn't seem at all pleased, but he told me to return to the temple and fol- low a street that was in front of it. I must keep going in a straight line. I did as I was told to do. I left the City of Death behind me and came upon a dark tunnel. Thanks to the food pills I had for food and drink, I did not have to carry a huge sack on my back. I followed this tunnel for days. These days were meas- ured for me only by my desire for rest and food. They turned into months. I was driven almost crazy at times for there was always the same long, narrow tunnel. .Sometimes I would have to crawl for miles. One day I noticed a change in the tempera- ture, and I could smell fresh air. I decided that I must be nearing the surface of the earth. I hastened my weary, wasted body along. I had arrived, but blocking the entrance was a huge boulder. My food pills had given out. Human life at hand, and I was stopped by a boulder! Vainly I tried my weakened strength against it. I lay for hours becoming weaker every min- ute. Wliat was that? I screamed as loud- ly as I could. Now, I have fully recovered and am en- joying life to the full. The Boss has be- come a great friend of mine. I told him of my adventures and struggles. He mere- ly nodded his head and handed me a long telescopic instrument. I looked through it as he had indicated and feature my aston- ishment at realizing that it was the City of Death in the center of the earth at which I was looking. The Boss said he had been aware of my progress every day, and it was he who had the rock at the entrance re- moved. I asked him what he knew about this city and he informed me that Way back in the ice age, when the world was partly covered with ice, humans sought refuge in the earth. For many years they built that long, narrow tunnel into the center of the earth. There they lived for thousands of years, and their brains developed to such an astounding degree that they reached a stage far beyond that of even our own age. These people were not able to live at the center of the earth after the ice age had passed. Many of them chose to die there and so betook themselves to the temple of golden hue, where I had seen the bones. The rest vacated their vast city at the earth 's core , and followed the tunnel to the surface. However, they did not return to this land lighted by the sun in the same civi- lized condition. They emerged as wild, un- civilized cavemen. I was given freedom to marry by The Boss. I did not care to accept this grant, however, because I could not have the wife I wanted. I requested that if I were to be rewarded in any way at all, it should be in the form of another dangerous, but thrill- ing commission. The Boss gave me a glance of approval and ordered that the tunnel be converted into a deep shaft, through which huge elevators would carry thousands with lightning-like rapidity. He then turned to me and outlined his plan to have this dead city repeopled. My com- mission was to be his, The Boss', personal representative in this great undertaking. --H. Dyer, '32,