Richmond High School - Shield Yearbook (Richmond, CA)

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HUMAN? Prologue One evening in a New York club, four men sat conversing beside a cheerful fire. One of them, a noted scientist, had just begun to speak and they were all listening attentively. “Tt seems inevitable,” he said, “that somewhere there is an animal, or being representing the stage between man and beast. No one has yet discovered it, but it is not too late to try, and I, for one, am ready to start for South America at once to try to find it.” “IT, too, Professor Banks,” spoke up another of the men. “But,” he added, ‘why South America?” “Well, that is chiefly my own notion, Dr. Sanderson. There is a region there na southwestern corner that has never, to my knowledge, been explored. It is said that there is an animal there, of which all the natives are too terrified to try to capture. Of course, I realize that it is only a rumor, and there is no proof; but still it might amount to something. We could pack in on mules, because we'd have to cut a path as we went.” The doctor nodded and then, after a moment said, “I’m with you Professor ; I’ll go the limit.” “Thank you, Dr. Sanderson. What about you others ie A third, a well known lawyer, by the name of Edwards, said slowly, “Vik go, too, Professor Banks.” “And you, Mr. Irving?” inquired the professor. “Well.” said the fourth man, “I’m not a celebrity like you three, but if you'll allow me to go, I'll be honored to accompany you.” “We should have about two more men, though. Can one of you suggest any one?” asked Banks. “My nephew and his chum are just back from a hunting expedition in Africa. ‘Uhey’re both spoiling to get away again. Could we take them on?” asked Dr. Sanderson. “Of course! They'll be fine. Bring them along,” answered Professor Banks. Dr. Sanderson hurried off to telephone to his nephew, David Williams, and his chum, Gordon Green. They arrived ten minutes later. Maps and travelogues were sent for and the planning for the trip began. HUMAN? A small party of explorers slowly wended their way in single-file through tall, forbidding mountains. Not a sound broke the death-like stillness which per- vaded the atmosphere. No sun was visible, for the mountains were too high to permit the sunshine to enter. Dense underbrush halted the explorers at frequent intervals, and huge rocks often obstructed their passage. The whole country pos- sessed a terrifying aspect. David Williams was talking busily to the guide, who continually shook his head in protests and vehement regatives. Finally Williams turned in despair, to his uncle saying, ‘He positively refuses to go any further. He insists that there are evil spirits haunting a water hole about two miles from here. What shall we do?” “What rubbish! Tell him to go back. He isn’t doing us a great deal of good, anyway,’ said Sanderson. Williams told this to the frightened guide who hastily unpacked his baggage, and soon disappeared in the direction from whence they had come. The men pushed on to the water hole. At about eight o’clock that night, they were prepar- ing for bed, little dreaming what the fates had prepared for them. Twenty-one |

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te sinh een ining. «Bi ss | A Ny va wm, TERATURE OUR SHARE Life holds for each some joyous thing to share, For constant sharing is a joy supreme, Though hard for some to do, it oft’ may seem, ‘Tis ever worth the struggle that we bear; Some go through life with not a single care; : They seem to be as if but in a dream, Their sunny dispositions e’er do gleam, And with the best they always seem to fare. Now what our future share will sometime be Will profit by just what we practice now, Joy may be ours for all eternity If just by living, others we'll endow. Now is our chance to start if only we Will learn from those who long to teach us now. —ELEANOR EHELEBEN, 26. When Students Legion Tramp Down Echoing Halls When students legion tramp down echoing halls To hear the strange and curious pedagogues Hurl esoteric learning that befogs, And feeble undiscerning pupils stalls, I ask the cold, unheeding world, what calls These teachers to humiliate these dogs, And labor with these minds sans wheels sans cogs ? Upon such souls why wield the lash that galls? From learned lips a thousand comes reply: “The progress of the human kind depends On education’s tedious, bitter cure; To live unknowing is not to live, but die. To grov’ling dark, divine enlight’ning lends Sweet beauty’s and fair progress’ shining lure.” —Irvinc McKee, ’26. | Twenty

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The firelight, flickering wierdly against the tall trees and mountains, cast grotesque shadows over the faces of the men. They were too tired, however, to mind the ghostliness of the place, and in another half-hour they were sound asleep. Irving, who had taken night-watch, propped himself against a rock with a gun over his knees. He sat musing over the events which had taken place since he had accepted the invitation to join the trip to South America. He was much in- clined to scoff at Banks’ theory, but, as he reflected, ‘It’s an adventure anyway.” Suddenly he sat up, all of his faculties alert. Something had moved in the darkness across the fire; something which was not one of his party; something which meant no good. Irving’s hand moved slowly out and touched the shoulder of Banks beside him. Banks’ eyes opened and he sat up quickly despite Irving’s whispered, “Sh!” A dark shape, ghostly in the flickering firelight, bounded over the sleeping forms of the men and paused a second with a half-wistful, half-curious, and yet menacing look into Banks’ face. Then before the men could move, it disappeared in the darkness. With a smothered ejaculation, Banks clutched Irving by the shoulders and cried in a smothered tone: “It’s the ONE we are looking for! Don’t let him get away! Catch him! Quick! It’s worth the world to you!” The rest of the party were awake by this time, and soon joined in the search, but no trace of the mysterious being was found. However, there was no more sleep for the members of the party that night. Banks was up early the next morn- ing looking for tracks, but none could be found. About noon the travelers, who had been walking for almost eight hours, came to a spring surrounded by tall trees which cast their cool shadows over the water. They were glad to stop, for it was a warm day. The sun beat mercilessly down upon them, and everything seemed half dried with the terrific heat. Not a living creature was visible. Doubtless they had disappeared in search of cooler regions. After much consultation, it was decided to rest about three hours and then go on. Accordingly, the party made camp. Beside the spring was a grove of trees, dense in their thickness. Behind them loomed a mountain which seemed to gaze scornfully down from its lofty heights at these puny, weak men who could not stand the sun’s fierce days, but must wait for cooler hours. Suddenly, a shadow seemed to half obscure the sun. A terrific rumbling was heard, and the land beneath the feet of the men trembled. Greene rising quickly was followed by the rest, who sprang to their feet and waited, fearing they knew not what. A herd of wild beasts burst from the woods and rushed toward the travelers. They seemed not to see the men, however, but hurried past them and disappeared. Then, with a thunder-like sound the mountain seemed to shudder, lean toward them, and fall! “An earthauake! Run!” shouted Williams. The men darted back out of the path of the falling mountain, and watched the huge avalanche tear on down through the gorge, taking trees, earth, and rocks with it and leaving only devasta- tion and destruction in its wake. Rock after rock fell from its place with a crash like thunder and went hurling down the gorge. Echoes reverberated louder and louder like huge giants laughing at the terror of the explorers. In a few moments it was all over, and the travelers gathered up their scattered belongings. After a while, Edwards was suddenly attracted by a slight noise at his left. 7 He turned his head and there, not two hundred yards from him, stood the being | Twenty-two