Providence Technical High School - Review Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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1030 THE TECH REVIEW 71 Slim of the Air Mail By Merrill S. Faxon, '30 Forty uniformed men were “whooping it up as the 5:15 came puffing into the station. These men were student-pilots at a government air mail field. They piled into the cars and sang songs. Slim Turner, one of the pilots, went into another car and gazed meditatingly out of the window. At the field he had a habit of coming in late with the mail, and each time he had received a stiff boiling-out from the com- mander. Turner had returned from the recent war with a little French boy, an orphan, whom he adopted. Colonel Adams knew that Slim liked to go home over the week-end and see the boy and had not revoked the privilege, even though Turner had been late several times. Slim determined to be on time hereafter and be fair with the Colonel. As the train started Slim turned from the window and observed that a very pretty girl sat opposite him. He proceeded to flirt with her, much to her apparent dis- comfort. He drew pictures of his com- mander as a little cranky schoolteacher and held them up for her inspection. Presently a conductor announced that the next stop was Rockington, one stop before Turner’s town. The girl gathered her things together and walked to the door. Slim followed her and begged her to tell him her name. As she stepped off the train she handed him her name card. A quiet smile drew in the corners of her mouth as she turned away. Slim waved goodbye as the train pulled out and then he read the card. With a drooping jaw he read: June C. Adams Box No. 6 Rockington, M—. The Colonel’s daughter! Slim picked up a newspaper and looked over the Help Wanted columns. The assistant commander of the airport. Lieutenant Robert Fulton, had spent a very strenuous week-end. He awoke Monday morning later than usual and dressed, ate and drove his yellow roadster in great haste to the airport. He knew that the new, big Fokker plane was going to be flown by Turner — a signal honor to the lucky man, Fulton had wanted to fly the ship, but the commander had as much as told him that Slim was the better man for the job. As the car sped along, a plan formed in his mind that would “fix” Tur- ner. So well was he pleased with his plan that the accelerator met the floor boards suddenly. Upon gaining the field Fulton went in the hangar where the plane was housed. He came out a few moments later, glanced around cautiously and went toward the office. Half way there he met Colonel Adams, attired in flying togs, headed for the hangar. Is Turner here, yet? asked the com- mander. No sir. He is late again. replied Ful- ton with an I-told-you-so air. “Humph! snorted Adams, “I’ll take that Fokker up myself. The grin left Fulton’s face and a look of fear took its place. But, Colonel Adams, you can’t fly that 9» I can’t fly what? There isn’t a plane on this field that I can’t fly. Here, Harris, the colonel said, hailing a passing flyer, tell the chief mechanic to warm up that new plane. I’ll want her in a few minutes.

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70 T II E T E C II R E V I E W 1930 plucking at the walls, the roof, whistling in the chimney; and the cheery crackling of the fire in the great hearth. A clock chimed six. There was no thought of sup- per. All were waiting for—for what none dared expect. Suddenly there was a pound- ing on the door. Joe rushed forward and tore it open. Then all gasped. Silhouetted by the flickering fire-light against raging storm stood Bob, carrying Ruth on his shoulders. “Found her. . . .Woods. . . .redeemed myself,” he muttered and then collapsed on the floor. Two days later Bob and Ruth sat on the veranda of the dining hall. A large moon shone clearly through the frosty air. You forgive me?” whispered Bob. “Yes.” “You love me?” “Yes.” “You’ll marry me?” “Yes.” He drew her to him, enclosed her in his arms and—but just then a cloud drew across the face of the moon. When it shone forth again the boy and the girl were again sitting in silence; but a brilliance in their eyes proclaimed that not only destruc- tion had come “out of the storm.” “THE MINUTE THAT SEEMS A YEAR” 1. When there’s just one chicken sand- wich left on the lunch-counter and you think the person in front of you is going to take it. 2. When upon returning to your home room at 2:30 and beholding a pile of pink slips on the teacher’s desk, you suddenly remember that you talked in study period that morning. 3. When you’re having a perfectly mar- vellous dance with some shiek at a Stu- dent Dance and you discover that the shiek thinks you’re somebody else. 4. When you’re trying to decide wheth- er you’re losing something, or whether its just that new-style long dress you have on. H. E. K. Hotel clerk: “I found that ‘Not To Be Used Except In Case of Fire’ sign those college boys stole.” Manager: “Where?” Clerk: “ They had it nailed up over the coal bin.” AIN'T IT A GRAND AND GLORIOUS FEELIN'? 1. When you get your first ad for the l ech Review. 2. When your advisor says you don’t have to take Nutrition. 3. When you get “A” in Civics. 4. When you’re at a banquet where the toastmaster is telling jokes on all the Scotchmen present and he passes you by. 3. When you have on a Princess dress and somebody doesn’t ask you where your belt is. 6. When an adoring little Freshman looks up at you and says, “Oh. she’s a Senior, ain’t she?” H. E. K. He was telling her about the members of his football team. “Now take Ted Seymour for instance, in a few weeks he’ll be our best man.” And then she lisped, “Oh, Adriance, this is so sudden!”

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72 1930 TIIE TECH REVIEW As the man walked off, Fulton turned a little pale “around the gills.” It was too late now to right the wrong he had done. Five minutes later a big, new, shiny Fokker rose into the air like a great bird. It circled the field once then headed over wooded country. Slim Turner arrived at the field just as the plane took off. He ran into the office. “Who flew that Fokker, sir? he asked of the lieutenant. Adams!” snapped Fulton. “It just nose-dived into the Greenwood Forest,” insisted Turner. “What! My God! gasped Fulton, dropping into a chair weakly. “Get busy and start a searching party,” thundered Slim, impatient at the lieuten- ant’s delay. “Who’re you ordering anyway?” roared Fulton, glaring at the tall flyer. “Are you or are you not going to give those orders?” demanded Slim. “When I get ready. . .” Slim’s fist connected with the assistant commander’s jaw! Then Slim ran out of the office and dashed into the barracks. A few minutes later seven planes took off in an endeavor to locate the unfortunate colonel. When Turner returned to the office he was immediately placed under arrest for striking an officer. A hastily organized court martial was preparing for its dreaded ordeal. I he court had ordered Slim Turner dis- missed from the service. He had packed his things, bid goodbye to his few friends and left the airport. He could not face his father and little Jackie, so he had hired a motorboat and motored to his cabin, forty miles from the port. The cabin was stocked with enough food to last a month, so he decided to stay away until the affair blew over. The night of his dismissal Slim was listening to Jackie singing over the radio. After one of the selections, the announcer said that the police had requested him to spread the following bit of news, that “ Thomas Turner, who has recently been court martialed from the government air service has disappeared with $10,000 worth of bonds from the airport safe. All local police authorities are asked to join in the search for the flyer.” Jackie had heard the police captain tell the announcer not to say that the men knew where Slim was staying. Jackie had an idea that Slim was at the cabin and would be listening in, so he dashed over to the microphone and screamed, “Look out, Slim, they know where you are. They’re coming. . .” 1 he voice was cut off there, but Slim had heard enough to warn him that he was located. Suddenly a thought came to him, Fulton had stolen the money and had blamed it onto him. Then he speedily donned his flying togs and sped away in the boat at his wharf. As he cut through the water he had a hunch that Fulton would take to the air with the money. Well, he would take a plane and overtake the crook. It was very dark when Slim landed at the airport pier. He cautiously ran behind the line of hangars until he came to the office. A roar of an airplane motor broke upon the stillness. He ran to the field in time to see a small body being forced into one of the cock-pits. One word snapped into his brain, Jackie!” Throwing all caution to the winds he sprinted toward the plane. The pilot, hearing someone running, hastily climbed into the pit and gave her the gun. The ship roared away just as Slim got there. Turning, he dashed for the hangar, where those fast, small pursuit planes were kept. As he ran he wondered where the night crew was. Then