Quincy High School - Goldenrod Yearbook (Quincy, MA)

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THE GOLDEN-ROD. The fire which started in the post-office is supposed to have been set. It con- sumed the only business block of the town, resulting in great damage. For months afterwards it was the talk of the town, since so large a fire was very unusual and an exciting circumstance. All sorts of guesses have been made con- cerning the cause, but I know of nothing that has been brought forth to change these guesses into facts. jA jA Sam. In a little village which lies at the mouth of the P--------river, on the east- ern coast of Maine, lives one of the strangest characters that I ever met. He is a man who is known through- out the neighborhood and surrounding country by the prosaic name, Sam. lie does not live in the village proper, but on an island about four miles up the river. This island bears a strong resem- blance to that one which we have so graphically described as the landing place of Aeneas in Virgil. The two precipitous head-lands come out on either side of it, and we even have the back-ground of dark, bristling shade. Here Sam has lived for twenty or thirty years with only his dogs and other pets for company. To be sure, once in a while a yachting or fishing party will land to see him and his curious little house, and it was on such an occasion that I met him. Landing on a rude quay, you mount some steps, and are confronted by the back of Sam’s house. I never could understand why he placed it in this position, but suppose it is only one of the many evidences of his peculiarity. The house itself is a curiosity. It is situated on the highest part of the island, commanding a good view of the bay, and has a very pretty grove of trees nearby. It has two good-sized windows, and a big, brick chimney built upon the outside, making one think of the log houses our ancestors built when they first came to this country. The inside is fitted up more like a camp than a permanent home. It is furnished with the rudest of everything; a small cook stove, a table, two camp chairs,—minus backs, a china closet made of a dry goods box, and two bunks built against the wall constitute the whole contents, with the exception of some pictures from newspapers of prize fight- ers, race horses, dogs, etc. The day I visited the house, everything was scrupu- lously clean, ami a big pan of molasses gingerbread on the table, gave evidence of Sam’s skill as a cook. Near the house is a shed which served as a shelter for the numerous pets which Sam keeps. He has a dog, sheep, chick- ens and raccoons. At one time he had a tame seal, which he kept in a pen out in the water. Once in a while he would let it out and it would follow his boat anywhere. On a smaller island back of his own, there lives a family of foxes who know his voice and will come to him when he gives a peculiar call. He used to be unequalled anywhere about, for his skill as a boatman and hunter; but of late years he has not been as active, for, in some way he has con- tracted that dread disease, consumption. He has friends on shore who have tried in every way to make him come ashore and spend the winter months with them, but he obstinatelv refuses. He has a flag o which he hangs out every morning as a signal that “all’s well,” and I should not be surprised to hear at almost anytime, that the signal had not appeared and that, at last, Sam had gone to another home. x. w. Every time I tell the truth I add to my strength of character.—Emerson.

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THE GOLDEN-ROD. Mv Experiences at the Eire. One spring, several years ago, while I was visiting my friends in Merrimac I had some extremely interesting experiences at a fire, there. Merrimac is a small town in the north-eastern part of Massachusetts, near Haverhill, in the region which Whittier has described so often. It has an electric car line and a telegraph, yet it has many of the characteristics of country towns. About three o’clock, one morning, I was awakened bv the voices of men, hurrying by the house,'shouting, “Fire! ” Soon bells began to ring. I went to the window and looked out. All along the street, people were leaning out of windows and inquiring of those who were hurrying by what the trouble was. These were going toward the business part of the town, which was in a hollow, not very far from where I was. I could see the flames very distinctly for the night was dark. When my friends found that I was not accus- tomed to going to fires at home, they were much surprised ; but as they were going, I went also. The fire, I found, was in the principal block of the town. This block contained the post office, a market and several small stores. I was surprised not to see fire- engines and tire-men and asked about it. I was told to look toward the hill. There approaching, I saw a crowd of men, shout- ing and drawing a small hand engine at full speed. Water was obtained from a small pond, near by, and soon two thin streams of water were mingling with the flames. People were hurrying about, talking as if a fire were a very extraordinary thing. As all had hastened to the fire, their dress was far from complete ; but they did not seem to mind the deficiencies. As T could not see much of the fire, I watched the people. 1 saw some very strange costumes. One woman had on a dressing- gown and a large hat with long plumes and bows; another had no hat to cover her Hying hair; an old man appeared to be carrying his most precious possessions in a silk handkerchief. The expressions on their faces ranged from terror to delight. The children, fully awake, were running about in everyone’s way, laughing and playing. The sexton of a nearby church brought settees out into the yard. Women and a few men sat upon them gossiping while watching the fire. They speculated as to its duration, its cause, the damage and such things with evident enjoyment. It seemed like a picnic or some other great merry-making. The tire meanwhile had gained great headway, the whole block was ablaze. The flames shot up high into the air. They seemed alive; they crackled and snapped and roared, while they made the place about as light as day. They seized and devoured everything within reach and then seemed to scream for more. Sparks were falling in showers all around, so that it was rather hard work for the men to keep other buildings from taking fire. The water made with the flames a great hissing and sputtering; it also caused a great deal of smoke which choked and blinded us; but it had no other effect. It x was easy to see that the fire was beyond control. Finally they telegraphed to Haverhill for aid. After an hour or two, aid, in the shape of a more modern fire- engine, arrived ; but was not of very much use, for the fire was almost out. I had returned to the house before the call for aid and did not visit the scene of the tire again until about half past seven. The fire was still burning in little patches of flame among the blackened embers, sullenly expiring in one place only to ap- pear again in another. The settees in the church-yard were not entirely deserted as some people had not yet returned to their homes. Their appearance seemed more ridiculous by day-light than by firelight.

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THE (;0E1)KX-K01). A l l I LET ICS. The Age of Athletics. The fact that Athletics have played an important part in the records of History for more than three thousand years seems to be lost sight of in almost every discussion of the present day. The Iliad, the SEneid and the other masterpieces of ancient literature all describe, in vivid word-pic- tures, sports and games held upon various occasions, when the people desired either to honor a hero, to reverence a god or to celebrate a victory. In ancient Greece and Rome competi- tors trained by skilful teachers and nourished by a diet of cheese, figs, wheat, bread, and later, meat, struggled for victory in foot races, jumping, throwing the discus, wrestling, boxing and the pan- cratium which was a combination of wrestling and boxing. The prizes, though often nothing more than a simple wreath of laurel, were sought after more for what they meant than for their value, since back of them was a national pride which many times furnished to the winner an easy, pleasant life at public expense. But, although athletics played so prom- inent a part in the days of Grecian and Roman suppremacy, yet not then, but now is the real age of athletics. From a time, when sports were simply national, we have advanced until today no people can elaim a single sport or game as peculiarly its own. Nor has the march of progress paused here. Today, one country reaches out to another the warm grasp of congrat- ulation either over a success or in a defeat in international contests, and the friend- ships thus formed between nations may be the first step towards the cessation of wars and the acceptance of everlasting peace. The recognition of athletics as one of the most powerful factors in education is another proof that now is the age of athletics. Today it is universally under- stood that a sound mind requires a sound body. Nor is this considered to apply simply to men, since now women of every class are seeking, through private instruc- tors and gymnasiums, to obtain the perfect health which comes from well developed bodies. The whole spirit of the present age is exercise instead of rest, or better, rest through varied exercise. Business men, clerks and laborers hasten away from the confinement of work to some field of exercise. It may be the bicycle, or the golf club or even the more prosaic forms of physical recreation, yet nevertheless it is some sport or game. This age also gives promise of wonder- ful results to mankind. With bodies well developed and minds working clearly and promptly, the various vices of intemper- ance and other forms of dissipation must give way until perfection shall be reached and man perfected shall have attained to the goal of the ages. v j LOCALS. Training for the prize contest has begun. Will the Juniors ever learn to pronounce “ romance ?” To have a successful base ball team means an early start. It has been suggested that the ink-wells be filled once in a while. A member of the Freshman class has a decided bent for breaking chairs. The members of the Virgil class are quite elated at the change from Virgil to Cicero for the remainder of the term. If any one is dissatisfied with the read- ing matter in the Golden-Rod, let him ask himself how much he has done to make it interesting.