Pembroke High School - Mattakeesett Yearbook (Pembroke, MA)

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THE WAMPUM Character of Ben Hur. Ben Hur was a young man, quite tall and very dark. He had a lithe and athletic figure, and his muscles were very strong. His features were rather sharp and dusky, showing that he was a Jew by birth. His hair was black and straight, and it was always combed in a becoming style. He was careful of his dress, because he belonged to a wealthy family in Palestine. Ben Hur had a playmate, whom he loved dearly, and that love had been returned. Messala had been to Rome, studying to be a soldier, and he had come back again very different from what he was when he went away. Now he scorned the Jewish nation, and ridi- culed Ben Hur. This was a sad blow to Ben Hur, because he expected him to be the same as when he went away. Ben Hur ' s love was very sorrowfully blighted, and he was crushed under his disappointment. He was a young and innocent youth, trusting completely in Messala, and for the first time his faith was shaken, and he did not know how to grapple with his sorrow. From now on, Messala and Ben Hur must be as strangers to each other, and Ben Hur was deeply wounded. After the sad interview with Messala, Ben Hur went home and poured the whole tale out to his mother. He was like a little child seeking comfort from its mother, and he found it. After a long talk with her he told her of a long cherished desire. He was very ambitious and wanted to go to Borne to study to be a soldier. This was his main aim in life, and he could hardly wait until he was old enough to go. About the time of this talk with his mother, the Roman Governor passed the streets of Palestine in front of Ben Hur ' s home, and he went to the edge of the roof to see him. As he leaned over the railing, a tile fell and stunned the Governor. Quickly, officers came and took his mother and sister away to prison, and him to the life of a galley slave. He tried in every way to shield, them from the officers, but they would not listen. He loved his mother and sister, and he was very sorrowful be- cause he could not help them. No thought for himself entered his mind, only for the other two. The hope to be a soldier was crushed for the time, be- cause those who are galley slaves are considered the same as dead. They are chained to the ships and made to row the boats in time, until they are dulled to every other sense, but the ceaseless motion of the oars. But Ben Hur had a strong will-power, and he determined to keep his mind from that condition. He had hopes of being free some day, and he was more fortunate than the other slaves. He was not chained, be- cause the owner of the boat liked him. Through his mind ran a desire for revenge upon Rome. He was more anxious than ever to be a soldier. He made up his mind that he would make Rome teach him how to reek vengance uoon her. The opportunity was nearer than he thought. In a battle on sea he and the master escaped, and the owner made Ben Hur his son. He went to Rome and very zealously he studied, and progressed rapidly. No part of the art was left unstudied by him, and he became an excellent sol- dier. When his studies were completed, he went back to Palestine. In his heart still ran the desire for revenge. He met an Egyptian girl and a Jewish girl. At first he thought he was in love with the fair Egyptian, and he was very ardent, and devoted to her. He was happy, but running through his happiness was a sadness and long- ing for his own people. The Egyptian scoffed at this devotion, and Ben Hur discovered that he did not love her, but the Jewish maiden. Day by day his new love grew, and absorbed his whole being. About the time of his return from Borne there was going to be a chariot race, and Messala was a contestant. Ben Hur saw at once that here was a grand opportunity to humilate Rome and ruin Messala. He trained his horses until they were in excellent con- dition. He had a knack of making

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THE WAMPUM Six Years Hence. There is among the students of Pem- broke High School a certain individual who, outclassed by none in his capacity, is making marked progress in the line of civil engineering. Already he has been engaged in small undertakings with promising results, and for odd jobs to take up his spare time he fills the place of surveyor. In six years he will have finished his high school and a four years ' college course, immedi- ately after which a successful business opening will be established in his home town, Bryantville. A little later, branch offices are put up in Plymouth, Han- over, and Rockland, and in the course of three years he will have more work than he can rightfully attend to, but he works incessantly until he receives, a warning in the form of sickness. Re- gretfully he gives up his work for a while, but beginning again too soon, he quickly finds himself in the same position as before, only a great deal worse. Constantly under doctors ' care, he gradually becomes better, but they tell him not to work for a year or more. Completely discouraged by this great setback, he falls into the clutches of nervous prostration, which immediately leads to his being sent to Europe with doctors and nurses. Here he seems to remain in a normal condition, but does not regain his health as he did before, and he is constantly longing for this country and its beloved charms. The doctors, after several consultations, de- cide to bring him home where he seems to get better by jumps and leaps. At the end of six weeks he is working and accomplishing as much as before. The doctors say nothing, though greatly mystified concerning his recovery, and suppose that it is due to their devoted care. He is visited a little later, and is re- quested to take the position of chief government surveyor and territorial draftsman. Overjoyed at the prospects, he accepts and works in Washington for five years filled with happiness, return- ing occasionally to visit his family and friends in Bryantville. At the end of his stay at the capital, he is sent to hold the same position out West, but with doubled salary. His headquarters are located at a place named Caseville, a town which springs up under his super- vision and influence. One day, while reading the paper, the man who is the chief doctor of the recovered patient notices this testimon- ial in an advertisement: — Dear Mr. Case: — After six weeks ' treatment I realize of what value your medicine might be to the public if they knew of it, so I write these few words for their benefit as well as yours. I was wholly cured of a sickness, based on nervousness, which the doctors could not cure. I took eighteen months ' treat- ment with them which availed nothing, while, as I have said, six weeks ' treat- ment of Case ' s Regal Rheumatic Pills, brought immediate relief and a lasting recovery. W. F. S. ' 17. The Mill. As I approach the mill, the first pic- turesque object seen is the mill pond. When standing on the opposite side from the mill, I have a fine view. The edge fringed with alders, and all kinds of other bushes can be seen, which turn into the most beautiful colors in au- tumn time, and also here and there a majestic maple lifts up its head to view, rivaling its beauty with the dark color of its pine tree background. As I walk nearer to the mill, the roar of the water rushing through the waste- gate can be heard. The mill itself is a large cumbrous affair, almost falling to pieces, with trees and vines growing all about it. Most of the shingles have fallen off of the roof, making the mill have a very antique appearance. Every once in a while a swallow, whose nest is in on the rafters, flits through the paneless window near the roof, then comes out again to join its compan- ions, who are flitting and circling around, sometimes within an inch of the water. A. C. S. ' 17.

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10 THE WAMPUM anything bend to his will, not through fright, but through love for him. Pa- tience was his motto, and he followed it very closely. Finally the day of the race dawned clear and bright, and the contestants looked very beautiful in the sun light. At the last round Ben Hur ran into Messala ' s chariot and broke it, thus winning the race. This was not consistent with his character. It was below Ben Hur generally but he was so anxious to win the race that he let his desire overrule his judgment. There had been many bets on the race, and Messala ' s followers were heavily in debt; but Ben Hur was relentless and exacted the last cent from them. He might have been more merciful, but no, he was firm. One redeeming virtue was his zeal- ousness in following Christ. Many times he was disappointed, but he did not falter. His faith was strong and he believed. All this time he kept up the search for his people, and when he found them, he did not forget to thank his Master for his joy. Through all his troubles and misfortunes, through all his baser and more degrading ac- tions, there ran a faithfulness to all his people and a loyalty to his God. H. C. ' 15. Almost Caught. Horace Taylor was noted as the meanest man in town. When anyone had business dealings with him, he always felt as though he was being cheated. He lived in an old, ram- shackle house which rumor said had been inhabited by his ancestors since they first came to America. He kept two lean cows, an old horse, and a small flock of hens regularly, but in the course of trading, sometimes ob- tained a large amount of stock. At the time at which I write, his family consisted of his wife and a boy of about fourteen summers. One evening upon going to the hen roost, he discovered that three White Rock hens were miss- ing. This worried him very much, but instead of trying to find the missing hens, he concluded at once that some of the neighbors had stolen them. He went into the house for a coat, and while in there his boy asked for a half dollar to buy a new hat. After growl- ing a while, the father finally handed over a quarter, and shoved his pocket- book back into his pocket. As he had nothing better to do at the time, he concluded to go over to neighbor Smith ' s henyard. He knew there was no fear of detection, as he had seen Mr. Smith drive by with his dog about thirty minutes before. When he reached neighbor Smith ' s, he did not hesitate to enter another man ' s hen house, but slammed open the door and marched in. Once in there, the thought of the consequences if he were caught struck him, and he started to the roosts in a hurry to find out whether he was right or not. Since it was nearly dark, he could not see very well, and he hit his foot against an iron feed dish. He landed at full length, knocking over a pail of muddy water as he struck. The water, as it ran out of the pail, formed a large pool, in the middle of which was poor Mr. Taylor. Naturally such a commo- tion awoke the hens that before had been sleeping peacefully, and such a disturbance was never before known in the hen house. Mr. Taylor began to use language not fit for publication, but stopped suddenly, choked by the thick dust which filled the hen house. Fi- nally the tumult partly subsided, and Mr. Taylor rose to a sitting position. Just then the rooster — perhaps mis- taking Taylor ' s head for the roost — landed on the very top of his head, spurs first, and emitted an exceeding- ly loud crow. This was too much for poor Mr. Taylor; picking up his hat which was half full of water and clap- ping it on his head, with muddy water running down all over him, he started on the run for home. Upon entering the house, other dif- ficulties presented themselves. His wife asked where he had been, and not wanting to tell the truth, he said that he had just fallen into the brook. He