Reading Memorial High School - Pioneer Yearbook (Reading, MA)

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PAGE FOUR THE PIONEER 1884. Bill pointed out the grave of a captain, cut in solid rock, high on a hill. He was buried standing up so that he might see the river and the steamboats. They stopped at a small town in Kentucky for a day and a night. Near¬ ly everyone left the boat. Sam and Bill went horse-back riding through the hilly country, and passed several small, filthy cabins, where women were smoking pipes, and the men lying around half asleep. After riding awhile they stopped to rest the horses, and look at the landscape. At once they were surrounded by six armed men who roughly grabbed Sam’s horses and tied Sam and Bill to trees and left them. It wasn’t long before a group of women and children gathered, jeering at them. It was beginning to get dark and the crowd left the two helpless men, who wondered what their fate was t be, as they hadn’t been robbed. Suddenly through the dark¬ ness they saw a creeping form coming stealthily toward them. They watched it, and as it came nearer, they saw it was a young girl. “What you give me if I let you go?” she asked in a whisper. “Five dollars,’’ replied Bill. Taking a knife from her waist, she quickly cut the ropes and they were free. She greedily took the money, pointed out the direction to take and disappeared. Having gone only a few yards, they saw their horses tied to a tree. Mount¬ ing, they rode for two hours before coming in sight of the Mississippi and the boat landing. Capt. Stein was greatly relieved to see his son and Sam. The boat left before daybreak, and neither one ever knew just why they were captured. The general belief was that they prob¬ ably would have been held for ransom. The next days were not pleasant ones. Many of the passengers took sick. Two children and the circus man died. There seemed to be an uneasi¬ ness among the passengers. Hearing a commotion down among the horses, Sam investigated, and found, that due to superstition, the gypsies, and the darkies were endeavoring to push the white horses overboard, as they considered them unlucky. The excitement was soon over and quiet¬ ness ensued. Sam and Rastus were glad when the trip was over and they had at last reached New Orleans. J. E. ’31. HURRY! Ted Preston, an exceptionally good- looking boy about eighteen years old, was briskly walking down the dusty country road, thinking thoughts and absent-mindedly g lancing at a speeding car which was careening madty toward him. “Rotten driver,’’ he muttered and went on thinking thoughts. Well, if she wasn’t exactly a thought, Ann Mer- riton was a bright idea. The powerful limousine passed him and he caught a glimpse of a girl’s white, frightened face. “Don’t blame her,” he remarked carelessly, then stop¬ ped and said, “Golly, she—she looked like Ann Merriton! It can’t be she, the banker’s daughter uses her own pet roadster—” here he stamped vici¬ ously on the innocent dirt road as if he could likewise destroy the social barrier between the Merriton Hill folks and himself. A sharp, crackling sound caused Ted to turn his black head. A small white square of paper was fluttering at his heels; he picked it up. These dramatic words met his eyes, “Come quick! Deserted dance hall. Cross-roads. Hurry. Ann M.” He raised his eyes, stunned by sur¬ prise for a moment an l murmured, “Ann M.’’ Suddenly he went into ac-

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THE PIONEER PAGE THREE of the art of drawing. This art was formerly valued only in its relation to the fine arts. But now the useful can no longer exist apart from the beautiful, and conse¬ quently there are few industries in which drawing can be neglected. It improves both mind and body, because the eyes become accustomed really to see nature, not only the color and out¬ lines, but the properties of objects be¬ fore us, whether we are working, eat¬ ing, or walking. If the sight of an object pleases a child, what better exercise can he have than to copy it? He learns the re¬ lations of real things. The exercise not only educates the hand and eye, and the judgment might also be well included, but it excites his curiosity and he is led to draw his own con¬ clusions, strengthening his desire for knowledge. This is why drawing should be placed among the early les¬ sons, and should never lose its place among important school studies. “Art Editor.” A STEAM BOAT TRIP It was in the year of the “Cotton Exposition” at New Orleans in 1884 when Sam Myers left his bachelor quarters to seek adventure in the quaint old “Paris of America.” Going on a double decker steam boat from Cincinnati, Ohio, down the Ohio river, and then the Mississippi to New Orleans, he was accompanied by his colored servant, Rastus, two white horses and a carriage. People were leaning on the railing waving farewell to their friends, and the boat was slowly moving away. Sam knew by looking at the passen¬ gers, about one hundred in all, mostly men, that the majority of them were “pleasure-bent gamblers.” He soon got acquainted with Captain Stein, and his son, Bill. A mutual ac¬ quaintance developed immediately be¬ tween the two younger men. The water was low; several times the boat was caught on sand bars. Stopping at every landing for freight, such as cotton, coal and wood it took seventeen days to make the trip. A band of gypsies was taken aboard at Owenboro, and put on the top deck. With the gypsies strange and unusual things began to happen, affording the crew plenty of thrills and excitement. The night following the arrival of the gypsies, the sky darkened suddenly and a terrible storm arose. The light¬ ning flashed, and the boat rocked from side to side. The gypsies prayed and tried bribing Stein into landing them, but he refused, as that would endanger the entire ship. The next day everyone looked tired and anxious. A man, rumored to be one of the Sell brothers of circus fame, was seriously ill. Sam and Bill sat on deck and marvelled that the Ohio could again become so calm. Driftwood, roofs, and corn stalks could be seen in the tops of tall trees showing the damage of the flood in the spring of

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THE PIONEER PAGE FIVE tion, raced down the road and soon came upon a street of the outskirts of Cranton, the city, and dashed to a ’phone. With an excited, yet controlled manner, Ted told Mr. Merriton of his daughter’s message. The elderly man replied curtly, “Thanks.” Ted’s next move was to call the po¬ lice station. Breathless explanations to the captain resulted in the police laden touring car dashing down the road over which Ted had been saun¬ tering a few moments before. It was but a short distance to the crossroads. They soon came into sight of the ra ther dreary looking, abandon¬ ed building, before which an extremely dusty car was halted. With caution and speed, all hastened from the car, Ted and Mr. Merriton in the lead. “Open the door or we do,’’ shouted Ted. It was opened,—what a scene. No girl bound with ropes was in the hall, no crafty evil men with drawn guns, no shooting,—but, a wildly laughing group of Ted’s friends. Ann, weak ' with laughter, leaned against a handy table and shouted, “Oh Ted! Ted! what a joke! An initiation joke! Welcome “BELIEVE IT “Good morning, Jim,” said Dan Knox to Jim Cox one morning, “How are you feeling?” “Fine,’’ replied Jim. “How’s your arm?’’ “Fine.” “Good, go over and check in.” Jim strolled over to the operator’s hut and checked in. He was tall, fair¬ ly well built and good looking. “Well,” said the operator, “you are leaving at 9.40 for Buffalo with the mail. Any objections ?” “Nary a one,” Jim replied. “So long.” Jim went out to the line where the mechanics were tuning up his ship and looked it over. “A fine piece of work,” he thought, “and can she go?” Jim climbed into the cockpit, warmed her up and got ready to leave. As usual lie was a bit nervous before tak¬ ing off and anyone could tell when he to Z. X. Z. Dad, you here too? Oh!” The hall rang with greetings and laughter. - “What’s so funny about it?” Ted demanded sullenly,”—after thinking of myself as the rescuer of the beauti¬ ful damsel in distress, this is some let down!’’ Then the unexpectedness and humor of the situation struck him, and he grinned sheepishly. Mr. Merriton, coaxed into good hu¬ mor by his daughter, explained the situation to the police. Soon the wails of a saxophone and the tinkle of a piano brought dancing couples out on the floor. The society had rented the hall, had it repaired, and they themselves furnished the mus¬ ic and “eats.” The result was reviewed with satisfaction by all. Ted, the would-be-hero, and his hero¬ ine, Ann, swayed to the music, and were subject to “slams” and puns about “the kidnapping act.” Teasingly, Ted asked, “Well, I did hurry, didn’t I, Ann?” “You certainly did,” was the reply. M. D. S. ’31. ' or NOT” was nervous by watching the way he chewed gum. A peculiar chew you would think. He took off on time and everything was going fine until about an hour up. Then the motor began choking, and going thru the usual antics that a motor does when there is a leak in the oil line. Jim didn’t know what he wanted to do, but he didn’t like the way the ground was coming up at him. Then a happy thought struck him. He climbed out of the cock pit, got on the wing, located the leak, and then he took his gum out of his mouth and plugged up the hole. He got back into the cock pit, started the motor again, and rode on to Buffalo. Do not mistake my name for Ripley’s, for this is not based on actual fact. R. N. ’31.