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

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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.

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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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PAGE SIX THE PIONEER A HAUNTED HOUSE Translated from the Latin Once upon a time in Athens there was a spacious haunted house. Through the silence of the night the sound of chains, at first at some distance, next from nearby, could be heard. Soon a ghost, a long bearded and long haired old man, exhausted by hunger, appear¬ ed. He wore and shook chains on his hands and feet. There were gloomy nights for those who lived in the house; through the day the memory of the image remained; sickness and death followed. At last the house was deserted and wholly left to that mon¬ ster. It was advertised for sale, but none Avished to either buy or hire it. There came to Athens the philoso¬ pher Athenodorus. He read the post¬ er. He asked the price, learned every¬ thing; then hired the house. When night came, he ordered a couch placed in the foremost part of the house, de¬ manded tablets, a stilus, and a light, and dismissed his servants. He was alone. At first, the silence of the night, next cha ins were heard. The writer did not raise his eyes. The noise increased, approached, now on the threshold, now inside the thresh¬ old it was heard. He looked up and saw the ghost. It stood and beckoned with its fingers. The philosopher or¬ dered it to wait for a short time, and again worked with his stilus and tablet. He did not delay long; he lifted the lamp and followed the ghost. The figure walked with slow steps, because the chains hindered him. After the ghost arrived in the yard, he suddenly left his companion. Athenodorus placed a sign in the place. The next day he went before magistrates who knew about the ghost, and advised them to order that place dug up. There were found there hones and chains. These were collected and buried publicly, nor was the ghost ever seen or heard afterwards. B. J. ’32. EARLY SPRING IN OUR FIELDS and MARSHES Let us go to a swamp this early spring day and see what is to be found. After that we will take a trot through the fields, for it is now quite easy to discover birds due to the bareness of the shrubs and trees. As we come to the edge of the marsh, we notice that the lines of John Burroughs are quite true. He says, “First comes the redwings a chat¬ tering in the marshes.” What do we hear but a noisy clacking and many other strange notes among the cat¬ tails. See that gorgeous fellow perched on the tip-top of that alder, singing his fascinating spring song “o-gurg-o- lee-e-e.’’ We do not know whether the man is singing of his gladness in getting away from his wife or not. But the female does not come for about three weeks after the male has made his journey from the South. Look! They are not all redwings, There are some with a longer tail and a dusty color, with no red and yellow on the wings. We see the white eye that helps us to distinguish this friend as a Rusty—blackbird. There are also