Racine High School - Kipikawi Yearbook (Racine, WI)

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L.-:V 4 ia Viv -' The referee's whistle sounded sharply. The players took their places. The crowded balconies were silent, struck with that breathless expectation that precedes a game. Then the game began. There was a tangle of arms and legs. The referee's whistle sounded again. The ball was tossed up, tipped off, and car- ried down the floor. only to be passed back again. The play was clean and swift. For the hrst few minutes Marls- borough looked outclassed. She seemed unable to get the ball. Cheer after cheer went up from the Greenwood rooters as Mohr, their big guard, shot two baskets in quick succession. On the next play, however, Marlsborough got the ball, carried it up the floor and scored. Near the end of the period, Lester got the ball, and, seeing a clear Held, dribbled the length of the floor, for a basket. lust as the time keeper's whistle ended the period, he shot another basket from a difficult angle while the Marlsliorough supporters went wild. Lester's brain was whirling with con- flicting emotions. The cheers of the crowd, the plaudits of his friends were maddening to him. As the whistle blew for the next quarter, he took his place with a heart like lead. He dared not look anyone in the eye. His every fibre trembled with shamein contemplation of the lie he was to act. The play in the second quarter was furious. The ball was the vertex of a pack of frantic beasts. Numerous fouls were called on both sides. Neither side was able to score. The spectators shouted themselves hoarse. Then some- thing happened. There was a crash of clashing bodies. The referee's whistle sounded, but Lester collapsed to the floor and lay still. He struggled feebly to rise but sank back again with a groan. Amid the stricken silence of the Marls- borough rooters, he was carried off the floor. Black despair settled down upon the Marlsborough supporters, while the Greenwood rooters openly rejoiced. Cam was frantic. From the side lines Lester watched the game go on. The Nlarlsborough quintet, after its first stunned surprise, fought on, hopeless but desperate. In spite of their frantic efforts, however, Greenwood cut down their lead and was two points ahead when the half ended. Mann, captain, hurried to Lester. Bad hurt? he queried. Lester nodded, unfeigned misery in his eyes. The conflict within him seemed rending his every Hbre. He quivered with shame at his despicable falsehoodg yet the thought of his mother restrained him from giving the lie to the counter- feit. In the third period, Marlsborough scored not a single point, while their opponents got two. Only desperate guarding kept them from scoring more. The fourth quarter began. The struggle in Lester's soul was fierce. He ached to be out there Hghting, struggling. Sud- denly he remembered his mother's words as she bade him good-bye. Play fair, Lester, she had said. Re- member what Roosevelt said, 'Play hardp don't foul, hit the line hard.' Honor is more precious than a mere game. Then in a flash of insight he knew that his mother would die, starve, rather than be nursed to health with contaminated money. He sprang to his feet and hurried to Cam. Cam turned and stared, hope leaping in his eyes. Can you play? he cried. Lester nodded, trembling, eager to be in action. Time was called. He took his place and the play began. The rest of that game is history. How the Nlarlsborough five, inspired, sud- denly awoke in the closing minutes of the game, how Mann, Lester, and Cole car- ried the ball up the floor again and againg how, just as time was called, Lester put Marlsborough one point in the lead with a spectacular shot from the centre of the floor, all that is history. We need only say that Lester came back with a rush. Dr. Slocum switched on his hall light, opened the door to his study, and entered. Lester sat there with miserable downcast eyes.

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word. Presently they reached the hoy's home and entered. Lester pointed the way to the sick room, and paced the floor until the doctor completed his exam- ination, and came out. In silence the doctor wrote a prescription and gave it to him. x Get these at the drug store. Give the pills three times a day. Better get some sleep. You look tired out. Then, in answer to Lester's unspoken query, She is pretty bad. I wouldn't give much for her life if she doesn't have an operation soon. Good-bye. Long after the doctor had gone, Lester stood staring off into space, his boyish face twisted in pain. Nlarlsborough High School was in a fever ofexcitement. Marlsborough High from the littlest freshie to the most lordly senior was overflowing with school spirit. For tonight Marlsborough five played Greenwood, their most bitter rival, for the state championship. Come on, boys, girls, ladies, gents, shouted Trolley, the official cheer leader parked in the lower corridor with a knot of students about him, secure in his faith that no teacher would venture to interfere in this time of crisis. Come on, all together. What's the matter with LESTERl LESTER! Lester, who had been watching the proceedings, hastened away. The boy's face was flushed with honest triumph. After all, we are young but once and there is nothing to equal the admiration accorded athletic prowess. And Lester, beyond a doubt, was deserving of his school mates' support and appreciation. All acknowledged that he was the great- est forward that Cam, the veteran coach, had ever developed. He was the pivot of the team. About him revolved every play. lVlarlsborough's meteoric success this season was due mainly to the won- derful coaching of Cam and the prowess of Lester. As the boy stood in the corridor, his eyes misty with dreams, he was ap- proached by Ratty Iones, a little, crooked, squint-eyed, fellow who radi- ated continually an air of calculating cunning. Ratty was the Shylock of the school. He seized every opportunity to acquire a nickel by fair means or foul. He bet, he gambled, he traded, and al- ways gained by the transaction. Lester had never liked him. Say, Les, Ratty said familiarily, I hear your mother is sick. Yes, affirmed Lester shortly. Ratty peered about fearfully as if to be sure that they were alone. He lowered his voice to a mere whisper. Gonna be some big money made off that game to- nightf, he said. Heard that old Crom- well, the pool-hall man, is laying one thousand dollars on Marlsborough. A fellow could pick up a lot of jack if he would only know which side would win. Betting on school games ought not be allowed, Lester said hotly. I wish I could play like you, Ratty said meaningly. I'd surely pick up a wad of dough. Listenu- Ratty drew nearer and glanced about fearfully. lf you'll sell that game tonight, l'll give you four hundred dollars spot cash. For a moment Lester was stunned. Then he jerked himself erect, his eyes flaming. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ratty cut him off Short. ' Listen, Les, he said, your mother is sick. She'll die if she isn't operated on. You have no money. This four-hundred will pay all expenses, and maybe give you a little spending money. You don't want her to croak, do you? Lester choked. I - I- he faltered. Five minutes later, left alone, Ratty chuckled triumphantly. I knew that would get him, he exulted. Lester, Cam said earnestly, we want to win to-night. Of course, the world won't stop revolving if we donit win, but we must do our best. Yes, replied Lester, turning his face away. He dared not meet the coach's eye. I'd like to win to-night, Les. I have tried for twelve years and I've never copped a championship. I- the man faltered and turned away to hide his emotion.

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A K lu In n .mn .1.:: In nj lll11v i uuuuuu ll! I 4,1 ll lflfillllllnillltlllllllllfll lltllil?lil2is'l+-il l'lllllgiilllllll llll ll ' lull 2 ii 2 i 2 l 'llllI ' In ll nu mmmmnuu mum 1,. ...,:: 2 :f.1.. ',.1 :: 11.1 :: llllllll llllllllllllllll Illlllllllllll I' Imll Today I told you to go ahead with that operation, but now I guess we'll have to call it off. Something happened to change my plans. The doctor's hard old face softened. He laid one bony hand on Lester's shoulder. Boy, I saw that game to- night. I won't forget it soon. I think I know why you quit and why you came back again. You can't fool a doctor, you knowl And I believe your mother will have that operation. Lester, I have shut myself up away from my fellow men, and I've grown crabbed and hard. Lester, I-I like you a Whole lot. You are clean, clear through. I guess we can manage college for you, and we,ll fix your mother up all right, boy. Frank Bunce, '23. GBM Minute late You are elegant to-night, Mademoi- selle - perfection itself, declared Mon- sieur Chevre, setting down his glass. Elegant, you say? queried Madem- oiselle, peering up at him enchantingly. But yes, elegant. Always you are beautiful-but now-words cannot express . . . and Monsieur shrugged his shoulders. Truly Mademoiselle was elegant. Her chestnut hair glowed under the blazing light, her cold and wondrous eyes flashed under the shade of long and delicate lashes, her seductively beautiful face shone with vivid animation, and her sensitive eyebrows expressed her thought with alluring charm. She wore a piquant little hat, a pair of long and dangling earrings, a necklace of strange, auburn beads, and a gown of some exquisitely soft material. She was like a star, pro- foundly enticing, yet ineffably distant. Monsieur and Mademoiselle were re- cent friendsg and this, their first night at the cafe, was a successful one-until the message came. It was a tiny card, brazenly soiled, and ridiculously import- ant. It bore one word only, ruggedly scrawled across its surface in English, To-night. Monsieur grew pale, crumpled it angrily in his hand, and exclaimed, Alas, Mademoiselle, it is bad news. My business summons urgently M for two o'clock. It must be important. Mademoiselle essayed a forced smile. Ohl she said, It is all right. My friends - over there -M are even now beckoning me. You understand, Mademoiselle, this is unavoidable-:ref impolif, I know, but I will soon return. It is natural, Monsieur, she said, consolinglyg Au revoirl Monsieur bowed stiffly and departed, but Mademoiselle smiled, and whispered softly, Auf Wifder5fhenl Monsieur Chevre, or, more intimately, Herr Chevrek, hurried out into the brill- iant Parisian night. Brilliantl he laughed, sardonically, but not yet blazinglu Herr Chevrik was a German spy of the first order. In his hands, that night, lay the fate of Le Beau Paris. At his signal, a thousand flames, and the city of Genevieve would be in ruins. Without his signal, a thousand bristling Teutons would slink back to their homes, and try to hide themselves. The signal - and it was simple - was a light in the Eiffel Tower, where a French-born hire- ling of Potsdam awaited him. And Chevrik was to give the word. Paris was provokingly gay that night, the streets were blocked with reckless traffic. Herr Chevrik swore, Gott in Himmelln in frank, expressive German, his chauffer swore, Mon Dieu! in graceful, polished French. But at last they were through the maze, and the colossal tower was reached. Monsieur stepped quickly out, glanced cautiously around, and beckoned to the chauffer. Suddenly a dazzling light shone in his face, four men sprang toward him, and an elegantly sweet little voice cried out, But you are one minute late, Mon- sieur, it was for two o'clockl Mein Gottl How did you knowl he exclaimed. Mademoiselle smiled enchantingly, and wickedly shook her long and dang- ling earrings. I didn't know until- she laughed, I will teach you to shrug your shoulders as a Frenchman does. - Travers Hand, '23. nikki!