Oakland Township High School - Oak Leaves Yearbook (Oakland, IL)

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THE LOG CABIN Near a little woods in' the state of New Hampshire stood a little log cabin. This cab' in, which was very old, was surrounded by a large garden which contained many beau' tiful flowers and shade trees. It had a small front porch just large enough to contain a comfortable rocker and two boxes of red geraniums which were in full bloom. Climb' ing up 'the south side of the porch was a honey'suckle vine which was also in bloom. Around this vine were two humming birds which darted in and out among the flowers. A small old woman sat on the porch watch' ing the birds flying here and there to their nests as the last rays of the sun sank into the W6St. -CLARA SWINFORD, '331' A GRIZZLY'S SLY LITTLE JOKE e I know an old Indian who was terribly frightened by an old monster grizzly and her half'grown cub one Autumn while out gath' ering manzanita berries. But, badly as he was frightened, he was not even scratched. It seems that, while he had his head raised and was busy gathering and eating berries, he almost stumbled over an old bear and her cub. They had eaten their fill and fallen asleep in the trail on the wooded hillside. The old Indian had time only to turn on his heel and throw himself headlong into the large end of a hollow log, which luckily lay at hand. This, however, was only a tempo' rary refuge. He saw, to his delight, that the log was open at the other end, and cork' screwing his way along toward the farther end, he was about to emerge, when, to his dismay, he saw the old mother sitting down quietly waiting for him! After recovering his breath as best he could in-his hot and contracted quarters, he elbowed and cork'screwed himself back to the place by which he first entered. But lo! the bear was there, sitting down, half smil' ing, and waiting to receive him warmly. This the old Indian said, was repeated time after time until he had no longer strength left to struggle farther, and turned on his face to die, when she put her head in, touched the top of his 'head gently with her nose, and then took her cub with her, and shuffled on. A friend of mine went to thespot with the Indian a day or two afterward and was convinced that this story was exactly as nar' rated. And when you understand that the bear could easily have entered the hollow log and killed him at any time, you will see that she had at least a faint sense of fun in that cat and mouse amusement with the fright' ened Indian. -LOIS GAEDE, ' 3 3. XMAS The children were all gathered around Grandfather's chair, for it was a winter eve' ning and they wanted him to tell them a story. Grandfather smilingly laid his pipe aside and asked: What do we celebrate tomorrow? Of course, there are not many children who forget on Christmas Eve that the next day is their long'waited'for day of celebra' tion. The children, therefore, loudly voiced their suppressed excitement. Then Grandfa' ther began: ' Many centuries ago, Christ wassborn in the city of Bethlehem. Many people pro' claimed Him as their king and there was much rejoicing. During the years following the birth, people were very faithful to Him and many wonderful sacrifices were made. Then came a time when Christ's own disci' ples denied Him and helped with his perse' cution. There were gradually more of those people who forgot Him and now the world is full of those carefree persons. Well'meaning people celebrate Christmas as a time of worship and good cheer. They think of the first six letters of the word. Then there is another class of people who celebrate that day as a time to have a feast and receive.gifts. These people get lazy and careless. In Geometry, x stands for an un' known part. That is why this class of people write the word XMAS . ' -MAYNARD MINOR, '33, SMILES ' Smiles are the cheapest things in the world. When anything goes wrong, don't cry, just smile and keep on trying. Remem- ber-It's perseverence that kills the devil! lt's the person with the smiling face, who wins friends, and the grouch who is left 'in the corner-a wallflower. Sometimes it is difficult to smile in the face of disappointment, but smile just the same, and almost before you know it, that smile is a habit. Many things have been accomplished with smiles, and there are still more to be achieved. The world needs cheerful people, and you will find a place in this old world if you smile. In any game you play, in any task you undertake, a ready smile and a cheerful man' ner will cause the person upon whom you have smiled-to remember you, because it is the first impression that lasts, and a ready smile always creates a favorable impression. So the next time you. feel inclined to grumble over the way the world treats you, and the corners of your mouth turn down, just remember that old saying, Smile, and the world smiles with you, weep, and you weep alone , and quirk up the corners of your mouth, and smile, smile, SMILE! -LEMUEL COOPER, '3 3. ' - ' Page Fifty-seven

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s- - I LITERARY SECTION A CONVERSATION MISER As through this world you walk, Choose the course that's wiser, Let the other fellow talk, You be a conversation miser. Speak fewer words, but plainer words, That all can understandg Let mumbled words, and jumbled words Be thus forever banned. Speak fewer words, but pleasant words, Words of kindness and good cheeerg The kind of words that the kind of folks You like, will stay to hear. - -VIOLA ALLEN, ' 32. ' SPRING Look! See the robin redbreast, Out upon the lawn, Hark! Hear the cheery Bluebird Sing at break of dawn! See the trees in blossom, Fragrance fills the air, Violets, dear wild flowers Are peeping everywhere! The golden sun shines brightly, All? hearts are light and gay, All thoughts are of God Almighty, Who made this joyous day! ' -ALICE M. KITE, '31. - ' LIFE Life is like a river green, Flowing with the tide, Never will the end be seen, Throughout the whole world wide, Moving with a rapid stride, It almost fades from sight, Do not shrink away and hide, When the day is turned to night, Go along and help to fight, Rout out the unseen foes, You then shall see a conqueror's light Like the beauty of the rose, ' Old age will then be pleasure, That is valued as a treasure. -ALBERT CHILDRESS, ' 31. A PUZZLE It is so persistive, so resistive, ' Makes you so disgustive, so enthusiveg Then turns all inducive, all confusiveg Why is it amusive, ever elusive? Oh, what's the use? It's only Love. -K. B. HALL, '32. THE LEAF just a little leaf am I, Sailing down a stream Whose water oft'times lift me high- 'Most to the sky it seems. Many are the sights I see As I go gliding along, Happy to be with the murmuring brook That sometimes sings a song. I sail between two grassy banks, And beneath a blue, blue sky Happy birds above me sing As they soar low and high. The stately trees and nodding flowers, They seem to bow to me. How glad am I to be sailing, just a leaf who is happy andsfree. Sometimes in calm waters I glide along, Then, they will laugh and shout, But often in eddies and whirlpools I'm madly thrown about. , But isn't that the way to all lives As onward and onward they go, Sometimes in eddies of madness, And sometimes serene and slow? -MARGARET SNYDER, '32. Written '29f'30. GRAY WOLVES IN THE SNOW At twilight we heard the clear call of the wolves in the distance. We piled more wood on the fire and started out in the direction from which the call came. Hiding behind the trees we looked across the plains. At the same time we located the wolves, they caught our scent. They stood as still as statues sil- houetted against the white snow. At Hrst we lifted our guns to shoot them, but impressed by their beauty, we could not fire. Silently turning around we slipped away to our camp. -MARY JANE CARTER, '33. Page Fifty-six

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DIARY OF MARY, BROGKS May 8, 1920-Well, it's been nigh onto two months since I wrote in here. It's just that long since Bill's been gone, too. Seems like I can't get used to not havin' Pa around. Why, it just seems like my old heart's goin' to break when Ilook over there and see his pipe aflayin' on the mantel piece, right where he. always laid it, and his comfy old house slippers afsettin' by his old arm chair. I nevf er used to feel so lonesome'like, but I guess I'll have to get used to it. I looked for a letter from Joey today, but I didn't get any. I guess maybe he is pretty busy workin' up in,,that.big city. May 10-+I kept Janie's baby today. She's the best little critter. I wish Pa was here to see her. We're settin' out under the grape arbor, and the sun's afshinin' down on Ba' by's curls, andgmakes them look all gold and shiny. She keeps lookin' round here at me with them'big blue-eyes of hers with long 'black lashes, I know now what 'tis they re- mind- me of-them blue gentian flowers. Pa'd be proud of 'his little grandfdaughter, all right-said she was the prettiest baby God ever made,'and he said it just right, too. May 11-I'm making rice custard today. That's Arty's favorite dish. My sakes! I'Ie's liked it ever since he was a little tad. I like to do all I cannfor Arty. He's such a good boy-such a comfort to me since Pa's gone. I guess makin' rice custard's about the least I can do for him to try.to pay back all he does ,for me. June-'12-I've been so busy helpin' Melba get ready for the wedding. It's so foolish for an old 'woman like' me to cry-but it's hard to see your baby taken away from you. Of course Ralph loves her. He told me he did a few nights ago. Said she cou1dn't help but be lovable-a 'girl with such a wonderful mo- ther as me. Of course he just said that for fun-but I' guess I did feel sort of flattered. June 13-Joey came home from the today. Said he didn't like his job. Arty awful mad at him. Said he was just lazy no count, or he wouldn't come home sponge off me. But I,can't think Joey's city was and and like that. I guess people don't understand Joey, only me. Melba thinks it's awful, him comin' back here, just like Arty does. But Janie doesn't say anything. She's quiet and good like her Pa was. June 28--I met Ralph's mother today. She's a mighty fine lady, and I'm just a lit- tle afraid of her, but she seems to like Melba, so of course she's all right. My! She was dressed so pretty with all her fine furs and jewelry. I must have looked a sight in my old gingham dress, with mud on my hands from weedingithe Flowers. Maybe I can have a pretty new dress sometime, though. July 30-I guess Joey thought he'd celef brate the Fourth right-he got married that day. I guess Sadie must be all right, since Joey loved her enough to marry her, but somehow she doesn't seem to take to me very much-maybe I'm too old to understand a young girl-but still, Melba loves me, and she's as young as Sadie. Sadie says such fun' ny things, sometimes, like only yesterday when she was smoking cigarettes for her asthma, I told her maybe she was smoking too many of them and that made herrhave asthma so bad. She gave a funny laugh and says, Aw, so's your Aunt Emmy . I told her Aunt Emmy died years ago, and she just laughed and laughed. I guess I don't under' stand Sadie. ' September 2-Arty got a raise. Bless his heart! He was so happy. He said it wouldn't be much longer until he could marry the loveliest girl in the world. Well-Leo is a pretty girl all right. She's so tall and slender, and fair, and -Arty's so dark 'and tall, that they do make a right likely looking pair. It won't be long until all my children have gone. That's why I miss Pa so much these days. It wouldn't be so hardif we had each other. Oh well! There's Baby Janice. She gets to looking more like Janie every day of the world. November 1-Life seems mighty hard. I wonder why I keep writing parts of my life down in this little book? I guess I feel bet' ter after I tell my troubles to someone, though. Poor little Joey! I've thought and thought why he should want to die. Maybe Sadie meant more to him than I thought she did. Maybe she's happier back with folks who understand her. Arty and Melba said it was a good riddance of bad rubbish, when she left. They said. Sadie was a bad girl and for me not to worry over her any more. Oh, I wish Joey had never seen her! I'll always hate the water now. So cold and black and heartless! Little Joey's grave! But I know God must be caring for him up there some place. I've prayed so hard, God surely must have heard me. ' December 2--I saw some awfully pretty percale up at the storetoday. I think I'll get me some next week, after I sell the eggs, and make me one. It's so much cheaper than buying one. v Page Fifty-eight