Roosevelt High School - Bwana Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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of the day, seeing only three other creatures--a pair of cotton-mouths and a snapping turtle. These cold-blooded denizens of the river were engaged in a battle to the death. Their slimy bodies lashing the water to foam seemed to hark back to prehistoric ages when giant reptiles and creatures of the deep fought ghastly wars with each other. And now, as l recognized familiar landmarks and knew I was near camp, Old Sol, who had completed his day's journey, disappeared beneath the horizon, while l witnessed the glory of the sun-set. Towards me rolled the lazy Gasconade. And the glowing colors of the sunset on the surface of the water, slowly shitfing and changing with the current, added to my deep contentment. Where the river came into view at a distant bend, it was like polished gold, for there it was most exposed to the sun. Midway down its channel, the river was a translucent strawberry-pink, for there it reflected the images of the clouds. And below me, the water was a pure deep green, for there the stream was shallow, and water-weeds grew in abundance. Had l been asked, during the evening conversation, whether my venture had been successful, I would have said that outwardly it had not. But in rny heart would have rested a feeling of satisfaction for what l had seen. CLARENCE KARR FIREFLIES ON A SUMMER NIGHT The night is dark, And in the park Flint countless firefliesg Now off, now on, And now theg'ue gone, To drop-and then arise. A pale gold light, Yet it is bright Against the inky blue. Elusive and gay They flit away No one knows where lo. Audrey Boelling Seventeen

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angle. When l emerged again, l was well scratched and covered with a nice collection of beggar lice, burs, and thorns. My reward was ample, however, for l found myself on a high, woody lookout with a river, 'way below on my left, and a rampart of bluffs across the valley on my right. Crystal-clear water spread out in its shining fullness below me. A tiny canoe darted out from the deep shadows and then gradually crossed the steadily-moving stream towards a bank of white sand on the opposite side. The two men, laboring with their paddles, seemed to be mere pygmies, while the steep banks were like the great jaws of some ancient mastodon slowly closing upon them. Up, up from the wooded banks, where their bases were hidden, towered the bluffs. The little White puffs of clouds that floated above appeared to sift through the boughs of the hundred-year-old oaks on the summit. On the gray limestone face were myriads of black cracks, red streaks of iron ore, yellow layers of clay, and green dabs of moss: all of which seemed to form gigantic, painted pictographs of a bygone race. A flock of bank swallows, which appeared to be the size of flies, circled and turned and circled again in front of the great bluff, thinking, perhaps, that they saw the image of a giant thunder bird. Having thus satisfied myself, l began cautiously to descend the mountain- side. But l started a miniature avalanche of small stones and branches which clatter- ed downward with a great noise, startling a gray, furry animal which l had not noticed. lt bounded fifteen feet seemingly in all direc- tions at once, and fi- nally shot down the mountain like a cannon- ball with hair. This was a lonely jackrabbit which had been crossing the mountain, but after that fright, l believe he decided to remain for the rest of his life in the valley from which he had come. At length l reached the valley and wandered down it for the remainder Sixteen

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A VISIT TO HA-HA-TONKA ESTLED in the Ozark hills at the farthest southern tip of the famed Lake of the Ozarks lies a nature's paradise. It is Lake Ha-ha-tonka, the source of which is the Niangua River, a stream Howing northward from its source in Webster County, Missouri. Few finer spots for those interested in wild life can be found. There is a cavern, featuring small animal life, for no plants can live without some sunlight. There is also a spring, which Hows into the lake, whose shores abound in animals, plants, and minerals. One glances into the clear, rippling water and sees innumerable little brown snails resting on the bottom, often a small fish Hitting to and fro in the sunlit shallows, or maybe an odcl many-legged crawfish progressing sedately along the lake floor. As a person strolls along the shore, a water-snake forsakes the weeds of the bank for the water, a more familiar haunt to him: he may be long and lithe, or short and sluggish, according to his species. But look! out there fyou must look sharpj Hoats something which resembles a piece of woodg but no, it is a turtle's back and see the rough, short spikes projecting from the shell-yes, he's a snapper, powerful, sinister, yet curious and interesting. Once those vise- like jaws close, they can be opened only by their master's consent or by great force. As one turns from the water, the eye is arrested by the sight of something far clown the shore, which resembles a patch of slaty blue mounted on stilts. All at once a lance-like beak darts out from the patch. It is a bird, a great blue heron, often known as the blue crane. He is at the moment fishing and ufrogging in the shallow water. Almost without exception, every time that dagger-beak leaps out, it spears some unfortunate fish or frog. Near-by, one hears myriad little clucking noises, indicating the presence of little shore birds known as rails--how timid they are! But they must be, for the hunter takes great toll of their number. Standing thus, one hears familiar honk-honks as a flock of geese Wheels in formation from the clouds down onto the waterg there they swim about, contentedly, feeding on small plant and animal life in the lake. An even more interesting collection of sounds turns a person back from the shore to the woods. Herein sound the varied calls of birds: the loud pit-pit-pit of the flicker,flitting from one tree to anotherg the familiar note of the red bird, sitting in all his crimson glory in a nearby tree: the soft, clear, haunting call of the little white-throated sparrow from a tangle of underbrushg and, from up on the plain above the forest, the cheery whistle of the meadowlark. As the eyes turn to the sky, there is seen, sailing on motion- less wings in great sweeping circles, a buzzard, often known as a turkey vulture. His place in this great life-pattern is a necessary, though not a coveted, one. Then as one slips silently through the woods, a cottontail rabbit leaps up and away, his White tail lifted like a flag. No fox or weasel or deer is seen, for these are too shy or crafty. ln the mud we see the child-like track of a raccoon, a queer animal, with furry grey body, fox-like head, and ringed E ighleen