Piedmont High School - Tris Yearbook (Piedmont, WV)

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.5-,V ...set f- -ar f .:,.ru,fw I Brent was faastonished when behind him a voice drawled, Dovin' right smart mischief, ain't you stranger? Wal, I reckon you ain't the first that has tried it. There's Cole, he liked the looks of moonshine money, some- Uimes blood money. Yo-u're different. You w-ant me? I'm Cal Carey. Both men drew their guns and fired. Carey staggered, fell. Brent reeled, and for a moment things went black. His arm pained him. Somewhere in the bone ia. bullet had lodged. The next morning he buried his brother officer, the traitor. Carey, now pale in death, was laying alcross the saddle, while in front wlailked the two captives. Toward noon the door was opened that led into the captiarin's quarters and a man, weary and tired, entered. The oaptain looked upon Brent as one back from the dead. Then he heard the whole story and the next day the papers contained the headline: Cal Carey, moonshiiner and murderer, slain by Sergeant Brent, of the State Police. Cole was partner of moonshinerf' Brent broke the byword, That they never came out alive. ENID OURS '24 619112 Ulftlseirs Eiarp nf a Qllullie Bug. Mon-day. Got up with the roosters. Had breakflast consisting of a bone and some gravy with potatoes. After scratchling some bothersome fleas I set off for an adventure. Didn't have -any adventures so I returned home. Arrived home to find a big bowl of soup for my supper. Made short work of it as I hadn't any dinner. Went to bed early for I felt sleepy. Had pleasant dreams of eating lollypops and dishes of ice cream. Tuesday. Woke up with rain pattering on the kennel roof. Took the time to eat a breakfast of three dog biscuits and then went back to bed. Waking at supper time I drank a quart of butter milk and then ate a bone. Sky cleared up that night with a beautiful moon. Stayed out late playing poker with some friends. Went to bed busted and disgusted. Dreamed of playing poker wirth the devil to decide whether I should shovel coal or not. Awoke just as he was reaching for me and I swore I would never play pok- er again. Wednesday. Had a breakfast of butter milk. .Must be making a lot of butter at the house. Had made arrangements the night before with some of my friends to go on a hunting trip. Left with the other dogs for the woods. Jumped ia. rabbit and killed it for dinner. Returned home to find a good supper on the door sill. It was a big pan of potatoes. Went to bed early and had pleasant dreams. Page ninety-one

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Well, Brent, I'm sending you on the same journey. Be careful 'and whatever you do, do your best to get Carrey, who has flaunted his eolors in the face of the State Police. I almost hate to send you, just another good man lost, I guess. But will you go? Just what time do I have, Captain ? Leave to-night, take the best horse we have. Yes, sir, answered Brent. The Sergeant was gone. Two hours later amid the darkness, a lone rider, heavily armed, sat astride a honse reeking with sweat. At the Gap he stopped and gazed u.p at the walls at the entrance to Little Kentucky. High above him were stretchel cliffs studded with pines and having a height of two thousand feet. At the bottom was the river. The Potomac stretched across the ravine and thundered along over boulders that had dropped from the cliff. The man decided to camp for the night and after watering his horse he slept. When he awoke dawn was breaking in the East. Rays of sunlight splashed between the walls, giving one a picture of a miniature Col-orado. After a hasty breakfast, Brent mounted his horse and rode slowly through the Gap and entered Smoke Hoie, the country of lawlessness, murder and treachery. Twenty miles up the river he gazed at a distant mountain. There on a jagged precripice almost impossible to reach, he recognized from descriptions the cabin of Carey, nestling like one sign of civilization in an almost total wilderness. He rode on to the base of the cliff and up the nar- row trail toward the cabin. Well he knew that the trail would be guarded. A hundred yards farther on and roundinlg a .rock he saw three typical moun- taineers, rough, unshaven and with guns packed low like the hardened gun- fighter. At the present time they sat smoking peacefully and were none the less more cool when they found them-selves looking into the barrel of mam automatic controlled by Sergeant Brent, of the State Police. Well, gentlemen, this is sure some surprise, said Brent, becoming absorbed in tying the hands of his captives. It was while he was i'n the act of doing this that he gazed at the faces off the men. He noticed that one of them was young and looked intelligent. He then jumped :back in amaze- ment. Through a month's growth of whiskers he recognized his brotiher officer, Cole. Why was Cole here? Into Brent's min-d there worked a thought. Was Cole a partner? Say, you, he called to Cole, are you a moonshiner ? Cole looked astonished. Then realizing his fate if he were ever cap- tured, his arm moved back. Brent understood and almost to-gether two shots boomed and Cole, trying tio work the mechanism of his gun, sank to the earth with the droop that said in itself that he had betrayed for the last time. The other two men stared :at Brent in open-mouthed wonder. Even in their present none too comfortable situation, they looked pleased et his quick draw. Page ninety

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Thursday. Awoke about one o'clook to hear the chickens squaking. Went silently to the chficken coop to find a big negro putting my master's chickens in a bag. Jumping, I grabbed him -by the seat of the pants, part of which he left behind while shifting hlis legs into hsigh gear. Excitement was so great I cowld not sleep the rest of the nfight. Had breakfast but felt so sleepy I went to bed. Didn't awake till the next morning. Friday. Ate my breakfast but played the hog and ate too much. Had stomach ache. My master noticed me lying around and gave me a Vbig sipoonful of castor oil. Gee, but it tasted rotten. Dfidn't feel good the rest of the day so I went to bed early. Saturday. Awoke feeling fine. My master, who went to school dur- ing the week called me and -after giving me my breakfast took me for a walk. Went to the woods and while my master was sleeping under a shade tree I went hunting. Chased my old enemies, the squwirrels, who chattered and scolded me from the tree tops. My mlarster called me, so with a parting growl to the squirrels I went hlome with hsilm. After eating some corn bread for dinner, I went out. Feeling devilish I decided t-o hunt up an old tom- cat, my personal enemy. Met him and after chasing him in a corner tack- led him. Realized after having my nose scratched that I had attacked a scratching, biting, whirlwind on four legs. Went home ashamed of being beaten and after eating my supper went to sbed. Sunday. Awoke to see my master going to church. Felt happy for I could see before night my pan heaped full of scraps from the table after the company left. After eating my breakfast I lay around in the sun till I heard my master's whzistle. Looking around I saw him going tofwiairds the old swimming hole. Coming tio the hole I took my favorite place on the bank watchsing the boys swim. I heard a faint cry and saw a boy sinkzing out in the middle of the river. Jumping intlo the water and swimming with all my might, I caught him as he was gwing down for the last trime. Drag- ged him to the bank and .found I wars a hero. The people gave me a gold medal and the next day in the newisvrianer I saw a big nicture of myself. Felt proud and viewed with scorn the other dogs in town. NORMAN HOFFLA. '25 when jfate iblapeh last East iiaanh The air was keen and a heavy snow lay upon the ground when Helen Thornton arrived in Toronto. She taught summer school and had decided to spend her vacation that winter with her aunts who lived in Toronto. The aunts were very glad to have their niece with them and they 'had sent their car to bring her home in comfort. Helen settled down among the cushions and enjoyed the ride from the station immensely. Page nineiy-two