Pembroke Academy - Academian Yearbook (Pembroke, NH)

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.HE -' EM 1943 BARBARIANIBM , Arthur Fowler Four walls cut him off from' the world. There was no light whatsoever to enliven his environment. He had been here for two days now, since his last encounter with his captors. The world did not know of his plight. The only thing that reached them was the headlines and radio broadcasts which stated in worried tonesthat.Arch Launch, the noted explorergwas missing somewhere in Siberia, where presumably his plane had been forced down. What the world didn't know was that he had been found by some barbaric tribes, sold to the Japs, and was now in their hands. Also the world did not know that he was on a secret mission when he left the capital of Russia. Certain information was wanted by the Japanese Government which was in his mind and that only he knew. They couldn't kill him as his information was imperative to them. When Arch had been picked up in the lorth, half-frozen, he expected that he was in friendly hands and had told where he had come from who he was, and where he was going. He had been imme- diately taken to the Jap underground, and after approximately a week's trav- el he had been put into the hands of a Jap concentration camp official, who intended to obtain information which Arch held. They hadn't laid a hand on him yet, Arch reflected, but if he knew the Japs, he wouldn't have to wait too long. All they were doing now was breaking down his will through mental torture of his own thoughts. He sat dejectedly on the wooden bench which served as a bed, table, and chair in one. He was getting hun- gry again so he knew it must be pretty near time for another meal. Presently the slide in the bottom of the door was shoved aside and a .dish of food was shoved in at him. Before he could get to the food, a half dozen rats had attacked it and ran off with the best part of it. Arch took what was left and went to his bench to eat. He won- dered how much longer he would have to stay in this damp, filthy hole. He had an idea that they would give him some excitement very soon. Arch had not long to wait. Pre- sently an officer and two soldiers came before his cell and informed him that the commanding officer of-t he camp wished to see him. It was a few minutes before they got out of the prisong, then he was marched across a sort of courtyardg hundreds of Chinese soldiers and civil- ians alike were getting their daily ten minutes of sunshine. Shortly they came to-a small building which he took for the office of the head one of the camp. A pompous captain sat behind a massive desk surveying his visitors criticallyg a non-com sat in a corner evidently to take notes on what was said. nYou are Arch Launch?' the captain inquired in precise Harvard English, uYes,n Arch stated, wondering why all.the formalities. You have certain information which the -Japanese Government deems necessary that I obtain,n the captain exclaimed 11 with an icy nasal tone. uYou will tell me all that I want to know and then you will be set free. You will be only hurting yourself if you try to play heroic.n Arch laughed to himself and said, 'You know that is impossible for me to do. I am on my honor to my govern- ment that I would give my life before giving information.u nTake, him to our guest house,n chuckled the captain, Hand we will see how long he keeps his ideas of honor.n Arch had been through bad exper- iences but he began to think this was his last. ,They had tied his wrists with strong, thin wire and strung him up so that the balls of his feet just touched the floor. That had been per- haps an hour ago, he surmised. The room was very hot and the air was thick with blood and dead flesh. With that and the pain of the wire cut- ting into his wrists, he was fairly

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L I Al E R 1'4!1K S . Once a man got black-market gas, In order to save a little cash. One day on a trip, His tongue did slip, And now he's a had-been flash. - ' Bernice Higgins There was an old preacher named Ware, Who said, UI declare, where's ny hair?' It was here before, But it now is no more- No wonder the people all stare! Dorothy Adams There was a young lady of Pembroke, Who smiled and sang as she wrote, She said to her son, It cannot be done, No gentleman will take off his coat. Dorothy Adams There was an old thief named Ladope, Who always was sipping a coke, He said to himself, nNow where is that elf?n I only hope that he didn't choke! Dorothy Adams There was a young man from Clime, Who lived to take girls out to dine. He ate to his fill, The girls remained still, Now, how can I make this thing rhyme? Barbara Saturley To the man who is having a bath, And the soap seems to get in his path. True he may be polite, But am I not right, It provokes his full passionate wrath. Charles Whittemore

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well to the point of nauseousness, and he wondered how he would ever get out gf this situation. Footsteps sounded on the stairs leading down to his torture cell. Arch 'braced his will for what was to come. He wondered if he would be able tohold out until he was dead. He knew they wouldn't let him die very soon,if they could help it. He was much too valuable. It was the Jap Captain with some of his things with him. The Captain held in his hand a vicious-looking whip which he showed Arch that he intended' to use. When the first lash flashed across his chest the pain was terrific, but after he had been lashed for 20 or 30 times,he no longer minded it. His mind had passed the that now he only felt er against his flesh. When he came to again,he was lying on the floor of his cell, Siddenly he sat up with a Jolt. A couple of rats had been licking his wounds. He shook them off and they scurried off to their nests. Arch got weakly to his feet. The pain in his body was terrific. His welted skin was covered with blood. He wondered if he would get infection from the stage of pain so the JET of rats and the filth of his cell. Tortured thoughts of home, his secret mission, and the pain passed througm his mind until finally he fell into a restless sleep. He awoke by the kick hours later. His body was one single smarting pains of aboot a few ache combined with the of his open wounds. They dragged him back to the torture chamber and tied his hands behind him to a ring in the wall. ' Presently the Captain came in, Have you decided to talk, Mr. Launch? he asked in sarcastic tones. It all depends, Arch replied with a weak grin. 'By thenway what day is it The Captain laughed, What does it matter? You are not going anyplace. If it will make you feel any better, it is the lst of January. I'll not fool with you any longer. Will you talk or won't you? We know something very im.- portant is brewing and we want to know what. I've only got to hold out twenty- four hours more, I've got to hold on, Arch thought. We will' wait no longer, screamed the Captain, get the rats. They brought in a cage of rats and a sort of metal bowl with straps on it. Hwy put a. rat in the bowl and lashed it to Arch's stomach. Then they left. Arch could feel the starved rat squirming in its cage against his naked middle. After a few minutes he felt a sharp pain and realized the rat had bitten him. The thought of what was to happen nauseated him. He could feel the pain of the rat eating its way out through his body, He shuddered and vomited, His mind began to grow hazy from weakness and, pain. He finally passed out, When he came to. again 'the grawing had stopped. He realized the rat had become 11111 and gone to sleep. He couldn't feel anything on his stomach. at all. He was week and dizzy. He knew now that he had not long to live or wait. The Jap Captain came in. We can wait no longer. You will tell us what we want to know or we will burn your eyes out with red hot needles. Suddenly they all grew stiff,listen.. ing. A great roaring sound could be heard, seeming to come from every 41- rcctiorl. Arch started to laugh hysterically, Now I'll tell you what you wanted to know. This is an attachdon the Japanese Empire. Russia, Britain, and the Amen- ican planes are attacking you. Thou- sands of planes will be over night and day until you sons of heaven are down on your knees. The Captain stared at him horrified. The roar was growing louder till it was practically overhead. Terrific explos- ions could be heard. Then a direct hit on the prison camp of Tokio.