Palmer Institute Starkey Seminary - Echo Yearbook (Starkey, NY)

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IJ! - Viv 2 J,- l' I! I 4- LE: 5 .ii i-in 1-'H X w h Q . fxlsg ,iff-ff f 'J There were members of the self styled smart set who had often tried to entice Jock into some of the evils that his parents were continually fighting because they conlsidered it would be a huge joke if they could send straight laced Cartiers' boy home intoxicated. . Hello Bus, said Jock, are you fellows going to the game at Hoosic tonight ? I guess we areg answered Bus, that is if Tony can get that tub of his running. Do you want to go with us ? I would like to but I will have to ask Father, eagerly assented Jock. All right, you go ask your old lldan but don't say anything about going with us because I have an idea the old cuss wouldn't exactly sanction it, said Tony. Jock Hushed and saw red at the disrespectful way Tony had talked of his father, but not wishing to incur the disfavor of the older boys he kept his peace. At the appointed time, jock met Bus and Tony downtown after having told his father that the professor of the high school had asked him to go to the game. This was one of the first lies he had ever told but Jock was bitter at heart this night and was feeling very reckless. Upon their arrival at Hoosie, Tony suggested that they should go over to the speak-easy that he knew of and have a drink before going to the game. At first Jock demurred but, unable to withstand the kidding of his elders any longer and wanting to do something reckless anyway, he Hnally consented. Upon entering the speakeasy, Tony ordered two ryes straight and one rye' highball. Jock was given the highball. With trembling hands and quaking knees, but with an assumed air of bravado, Jock took a long breath and-gulped his first drink. Horrors! How it burned, all the way down. He snatched a glass of water that was sitting by Bus's drink and poured it down his seered throat. This relieved the burning sensation somewhat. How do you like it, Kid ? inquired Tony. Boy, that's great, promptly lied Jock. Let's get over to the game before it starts. Just one more before we go, invited Busy so another order duplicating the first was set upon the table. This didn't burn quite so much and after the third one, jock began to feel giddy and warm inside. XVhen they made their way down-street to the game, Jock's feet felt as light as air. He laughed foolishly when they seemed to insist on wandering off into space and it required an infinite degree of carefullness to keep them on the ground. Bus looked first at Jock, then at Tony, and slowly closed his right eye. When they arrived at the game, Tony purchased all the tickets and they en- tered to find good seats on the second tier. By this time Jock was feeling exceedingly happy and talkative. Look-a-that baby shoot fouls. Jes' seems like he can't miss. Say, Bus, isn't that Tommy Arden over there with Kay lNfIurphy? I'm a son-of-a-gun she said she was sick. I didn't bu-lieve her tho. She's an old bat any- way. Wat-d'I-ca1'e.,' ' Look-a-that funny old man 'ith two ballsh. Howsh he gonna play 'ith two Forty-nine

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Alix ig 2 5 Q new flff 9 whither Guest illihuu In the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and six, there was born, on Lindell Boulevard, in New Orleans, a boy to the family of Cartier. The Cartiers' were honest God fearing people in comfortable circumstances. Bly story hinges about this boy. He inherited French passion and impulsiveness from his father while his mother being Irish gave him the ready wit and sunny smile of the Irish people. We shall skip over a period of fourteen years, during which time, the family had migrated from New Orleans to a little hamlet of Central New York called Hamilton. Jacquis Cartier, for that was his name, enjoyed to the utmost the game of living. He lived for all he was worth every waking moment. I-Ie made many friends but they were, for the most part, among the boys and girls who belonged to a crowd much older than he. Among these friends he was universaly known as Jock. In the spring of his fifteenth birthday he fell violently in love. Kathleen llflurphy, a sweet faced coquetish little Irish girl, was the object of his affections. She was about six years his senior but this fact bothered .lock but little because he was used to associating with folks much older. Indeed, Jock had! scarcely experienced the marble and slingshot stage he passed it so quickly. After a short time, however he suspected her of not playing exactly square with him ac- cording to his idea of the game. This hurt his French pride and arouszd his Irish ire until finally the climax was reached when the following telephone conversation took place. I-Iello Kay, guess who this isf' I'm sure I don't know, unless its' Tommy, came the answer, the last clause was spoken excitedly. No, this is -lock. There is to be a basketball game at Hoosic tonight. NVill you go with me P 'Tm sorry Jock, but I have been sick for three days. lwaybe some other time. Alright goodbye, this rather short and bitter. Upon leaving the drug store from where he had phoned, he ran into Bus Jones and Tony Scherer. These fellows were about eight years ,Iock's senior but they had taken him around to the various little parties, dances and athletic contests held in the sur- rounding towns because -lock was a bright engaging youngster and always had money. Although prohibition had come into effect more than a year before, drinking was fast becoming the vogue among the younger set of Hamilton, to which both Bus and Tony belonged. Jock's parents were ardent prohibitionists and lost no opportunity in advertising the fact. They were wonderful home loving people with a boy to protect and they meant to leave no stone unturned to make the country safe for their boy as well as thousands of other sons. Forty-eight

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sa NNN Til Q ' '7 ballsh, he-heh-he. Pipe down, kid, or you will have every who was growing a bit uneasy about the boy. The liquor had worn off by the end of sober condition, but-he had experienced the first step which, in itself was practically harmless, but it was to weaken his will and deaden his conscience against the teach- ings and earnest pleas of a loving father and mother. The next two years of Jock's life was interspersed by no particularly astounding things, but they had gradually wrought a change in him. Things had happened that had left their mark, never to be e1'ased. If the moon could have talked during those two years, it would have had many things to disclose, sordid affairs where synthetic gin, spiritious liquors and the like Howed freely. It could have told of street brawls, indecent dances, that caught all the human Hotsam and jetsam who knew no source of entertainment other than that of satisfying primeval desires through the medium of latent self expression. It could have told of a boy caught in the whirl of this sordid mess, kidding himself into believing that this was the channel through which happiness was found. It could have told of wretched parents, lying sleepless night after night, hoping and praying, pouring their hearts out to the almighty ruler in earnest appeals to save their sony' They knew that to rule with an iron hand meant a break between Jock and them, then-utter ruin for the boy. Their only chance was to hope and pray that the honest and true tendencies he had inherited would at last make their appearance. All of these things and more the moon could have told during those two years. Jock was now seventeen and according to his views quite a man of the world. About this time he met a girl from Nantucket, a little town about thirty miles from Hamilton. Delores Channing was a very beautiful girl. Jock interested her as, indeed, he did most people. He became so infatuated that he stopped running around with the old crowd and gave up many of his worst vices. hir. and lVIrs. Cartier felt that their prayers had been answered, therefore, when jock insisted on becoming engaged, even though he was extremely young, they consented. This was the beginning of a one looking at us. This from Tony the game so Jock arrived home in a wonderful period in ,Iock's life. Upon reaching the home of Delores on the night that he had arranged to seal his promise with a ring, the whole universe seemed charged with electrical expectancy. Delores nature could tantalise the about them, petrified, for Hello, Father met him at the door. She was divine. A face as nearly perfect as have created, crowned by a wealth of coal black hair, that seemed to eyes until they danced and flashed, by curling most alluringly close cool provocative lips that seemed to beckon to Jock as he stood there, an instant before entering. Jock, I am so glad you are on timef' a musical voice was heard to say. and mother are out to a bridge party, leaving me here all alone. The usual bright, wise-cracking Jock entered dumbly, unable to speak. Finally he roused himself and said foolishly: You are wonderful tonight, Delores, and I haven't been drinking either. I Fifty