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

Page 58 text:

45 I Q I at me that way. Jock stop, God! please help me. Jock was prying the ring loose from her tightly clinched finge1'. Cruelly he twisted the wrist till the little hand slowly opened and the ring was forced from her. Witli a hideous cry of exul- tation he sent the ring flying out over the expanse of water. Don't sit there like a half-wit. Take me home and forget me if you can, said Jock with a diabolical grin. Slowly, slowly, the truth was dawning on Carol. -lock didn't love her, he never had loved her, he was gone from her life. A numbness stole over her body as she mechanically set the car in motion. Slowly it slid down the white strip of roadway which shone like a ribbon in the moonlight. Faster, faster, it flew. 50, 60, 70, 72, 74- miles per hour the speedometer registered. Fear never enterd the mind of jock. A fierce feeling of exultation thrilled his whole being, driving every other emotion before it. The car swerved, righted itself, swerved again and-: Crash, 1'-1'-1'-l'-I'-1'-lp, bang, the sound of crumpling metal and breaking glass rent the still summer air. A piercing scream and all was still. The moon again looked down this night. A crumpled smoking pile of wreckage blotted the country side. It peered closer. The still form of a girl lay twisted and distorted in a pool of blood. A gash that had severed both jugulars in the neck grinned hideously at the moon. Beneath the wreckage could be seen the unconscious form of a boy. A sardonic smile still gleamed from the blood spattered face. His' legs were pinned beneath a ton of torn metal, wood and glass. A cloud slowly enveloped the moon as if to shut off this gruesome sight. After a short time an antomobile came to a stop beside the pile. of debris that was once a car. Jock's mother alighted first. Ah why, did fate have to send his mother and father at this moment of all times. The first thing to greet her eyes was Carol. With a scream she turned her back and looked straight into the unseeing eyes of the twisted body beneath the wreckage. Upon recognizing it she fainted. Nor was it possible to bring her back to consciousness. By this time several cars had gathered. lN'Ir. Cartier had completely lost his reason for a time. Finally an ambulance was summoned from the nearby city and the bodies loaded in. Nlrs. Cartier was also taken. By this time Mr. Cartier had quite recovered his composure so that he was able to give the names, etc. of the injured people. First to the hospital, the ambulance swiftly drove. lVIr. Cartier and .lock were left thereg but Caroline who but a brief time before was alive, virile beautiful handi- work of God and nature was slowly driven to her home-deadg never to breathe, never to laugh and love, again. Youth shattered and torn beyond recognition. l'Vhyl Because one girl had played fast and loose with an impressionable boy's heart. Jock recovered after having both legs amputated just above the knee. llirs. Cartier died a few days later from a stroke brought on by the happenings. lVIr. Cartier, a broken! tired old man wandered from place to place, ever seeking the blue bird of happiness that he had had once but which was so cruelly snatched away from him by a wayward son. He left a sum of money in trust for the care of .lock who Fifty-four

Page 57 text:

5. x X Jock thrilled with feindish joy, while Caroline was experiencing her first real love. .. Things went on much the same, Jock promoting the affair until he was sure there was no doubt of the fact that Carol still loved him. Wliat fiendish plan was going on in that wretched mind? Like a serpent play- ing with its' victim before anihilating it, breaking will power, sense of caution, decency, pushing every thing that human civilization is based on, before it, that awful distorted idea of revenge. Nothing can stop it now. As a vampire bat drinks the blood of its victim thus did Jock mean to sap strength, vitality and even reason from this beautiful young thing. Can nothing stop him? Oh Heavens! If there is a God, why do you look on from above and let this horrible scheme develop. Is it necessary in your scheme of the universe, that a beautiful, innocent, sweet child should fall into the clutches of an almost-maniac? Do you allow this? We shall see-: As time went on, Caroline became more and more in love with Jock. He was indeed, a perfect lover. She wanted for nothing that he did not do his best to pro- cure for her. Carol planned and dreamed by the hour of the time when they would be as one. This great love completely possessed her. Every waking moment was filled with thoughts of Jock. Every sleeping moment was crowded with Jock. Happy with him, miserable without himg such was the state of affairs when Jock prepared to strike, swiftlyg and with its' terrible effect made a certainty. On a beautiful evening in june, the moon looked down on a powerful sedan, wending its way over hill and dale. At the wheel sat Carol, Jock occupied the other half of the front seat. After having driven for about an hour the sedan slowed to a stop in a spot beneath whispering aspens that seemed to breathe romance and the earths awaking from its long slumber. This spot over looked a lake, so silent, so still, as though it were holding its breath expecting the extraordinary to happen. The moon Cast its silvery path across the shimmering bosom of the water. All nature seemed hushed and expectant. Could any one with a soul blaspheme the night by performing a horrible deed? It doesn't seem possible and yet God and fate had combined to bring forth an animal in human form, utterly without a heart or soulg one who had no respect for the great law of the universe--loveg one whose very being was permeated with the poisonous germ of revenge. Poisoned blood leaped through the veins of this being. The time was fast approaching when a blow was to be struck that would shatter every code of humanity had ever estab- lished for the welfaregand happiness of human beings. The silence was broken by Carols silvery voice. Jock, do you still love me? I know you do but tell me again and again. It is all I live for. God has been so good to me in giving me you. VVhen I touch you it seems almost saeriligious, you are so wonderful in my eyes. For a moment Jock faltered, was he going on with this? Then the old spirit of revenge surged over him like a wave. Now, now, noir, was the time to strike, - Carol, you will have to plan your future without me. I don't love you. I don't even like you. I hate you! almost shouted jock. Nerveless hands fell from his neck, a pitiful little hysterical laugh jarred the evenings' stillness. ' Jock, I guess you don't mean that. Please don't frighten me so. Don't look Fifty-three'

Page 59 text:

.QF 5-:::::.: I R . ::?:.z.z r- EET? Xlg, 2 ,Z-.ff , 5 r ....,T7 - A, . H. mei ,Y J gg, -if ' was removed to a home for hopeless cripples. It was here that he spent long days in deep thought. After a time he accepted the inevitable and decided that although his punishment was great he deserved it ten fold. You, my patient reader, may say what a sordid and distorted tale this is. I am portraying a young mans' life to you exactly at it was told to me by him during the long sunny afternoon at the cripples home. He seems to be contented with his lot but in reality he has lost practically every emotion and reacts alike to kindness or cruelty. Nothing matters any more. The happiest thing he has to look forward to is when the angel of death comes to transport the torn emaciated body out of this world to-who can say where? This narrative, I grant, may be an exception to the general run of humanity, but there are pitfalls and temptations assailing the young people of today on every side. In spite of constant parental care and protection, many have gone the path that jock travelled even though not quite so spectacularly. . Mothel's! and Fathers! Wake up. Don,t sit in snug complacence and see the cream of the younger generation plunged into an abyss from which they may never ascend, and if they do, they ascend marked for life. I could go on for hours citing evils that are forever beckoning this generation of boys and girls. You may raise your hands in mock dismay and say, What shall we do ? , you who would have us think you so wise for your years? Did you ever stop to think that perhaps there were men and women who were trained to understand and cope with the emotions and new born ideas slowly coming to life in the minds of maturing boys and girls? Men and women who have spent years in studying human nature until they are able to guide your child over the impressionable years? There are these people in our private schools throughout the United States. , Here is the place for your boy or girl when they reach the age of thirteen or fourteen. Here they are taught intelligently, thoroughly and scientifically the right and wrong paths of life. ,L Y L, s .1 a . 1 'Q xx ' . 51 Fifly-Fw