Rye Neck High School - Scraps Yearbook (Mamaroneck, NY)

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THE ORIENTAL GIFT It was a cold night. In fact it was a colder night than Sir John Lawton had ever experienced. Also Sir John had a dinner engagement with his excellence Rhasa Kem-- mel of Afaghanistan. These two facts united to make the usual calm and even tempered Sir John just a little bit disgrunt- led. However, it had to be done, and while he donned his heavy overcoat and muliler, he told his valet to call for the car. Promptly at seven o'clock, Sir John joined Rhasa Kemmel in the lobby of the Savoy and together they made their way to the dining room. which was already filled with dancers. The Oriental noble had reserved a table in a secluded corner, and to the unexpressable re- lief of Sir John, there were no other guests. After they had ordered, the Oriental ask- ed a question which struck Sir John as rather odd. He replied to his questioner, WVhy, no-I can't remember that there have been any disappointments in my life which I can really say have changed the course of it to a very great degree-except one-and that one I would rather not talk about. Having said this the Englishman relapsed into a long silence. After a time the Oriental spoke, In rc- turn for this great service which you have rendered me out of the goodness of your heart, and for which I can never really cn- press true and sufficient thanks-in return for this service-I ask you to accept this little token. Whereupon he placed in Sir John's hand a small packet which did not look as if it could contain a gift of any value. He accepted this and automatically uttered n thank you which was not heard amid the music and conversation, it was spoken in so low a voice. Upon arriving home, he sat before thc firenlace. thinking. when he suddenly re- membered the Oriental gift. He drew it from his pocket, opened it and read the fol- lowinfr notice: CAST THIS POWDER UPON THE FIRE AND THINK OF THE GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF YOUR LIFE WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE OVERCOME-IF ONLY FOR ONE HOUR. It was some time before the full meaning of these words was grasped by him. Then he remembered his friend's nationality and recognized this gift as a charm of some sort which the Oriental probably regarded as sacred and therefore bestowed upon his benefactor. . Any how why shouldn't he try it and see what happens? Thereupon he threw the powder into the glowing coals. It blazed with a purple glare and the Englishman saw for a minute before he closed his eyes, the smiling image of the Oriental. One after another, events took place be- fore his eyes, overcoming him with their swiftness and meaning. Now here now there, in the short space of one hour he had completely relived the last twenty-five years and the paths thru which he had been led and the misfortunes which he had encounter- ed, fully decided him that, after all, every thing had happened for the best. Another week slipped by and again the two met in the Savoy lobby. This time there was no hesitation on the part of Sir John, although London on this particular evening was covered with icy, frigid fog. After the meal had been ordered. the Eng- lishman spoke to the Oriental, My friend, you have done something for me for which I can never thank you sufficiently. You have shown me that my life is better as it is, than it ever could have been, had things turn- ed out differently twenty-five years ago. And the Oriental smiled. -Donald Stevens ODE TO A VIOLIN By RIILTON GLA'rzL Sweet instrument of sight and sound, Wrapped in thy velvet bed, No more thy silver strings resound Mute, mute are they as dead. In retrospect the heart recalls Fair scenes that used to be, When a master's arm embraced And held thee tenderly And thou responsive to the touch Of gem-set slender bow, . Guilded bv fingers quick and sure Would set all hearts aglow. But rest ony oh relic of old! For he who held thee dear And touched thy strings so masterly, Is now no longer here. -- The truth 'is always the strongest argu- ment. -Sophocles Page Thirteen

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THE MYSTERY MAN FROM INDIA If I went to the show this evening And what I saw enchanted me. Hamid Bey intrigued me. To see the man In his flowing Hindoo garments, His straight Egyptian features, His great, impossibly great, dark eyes That had in them the powers of fascination, The powers of hypnotism, To see him perform wonders before my astounded eyes, To know he had control over the flesh by the mind To the nth degree. QAnd all the while the facsinating, mystifying spell Of foriental music.j This man had absolute control over flesh and blood By the power of concentration, And every day was buried alive, And emerged perfect again, To the wonder of scientists and of doctors. My soul fretted to see this man Emerge from ignorant India With the secret of the control Of all bodily functions, all bodily pain In his wonderful mind. I wondered. since this was so Why should the rest of us have to suffer The ignominies of bodily affliction. And I asked myself, Is it all worth while? Is it right? I was lost in a maze of doubt. Then came the answer, a glorious ray of light, - A ray of understanding. For, I asked myself, What can this man Know of the joy of comfort in sickness? Of the balm of a healed wound? Can he afford to take time from his daily training His daily showing of his marvelous training, To stop and ponder over the enchantment of a glowing rose, To pause and drink in the glory of the set- ting sun, To play alfew minutes with a child? Or can he, in any way, be compared With the greatest Wonder of all th: ages, Of all the nations, Who, nailed to the cross of torture, Was able to submit to both the agony of the flesh And the anguish of the mind, For the glory of the soul! And I knew I had found my answer. -May Coakley RENDEZVOUS Afraid to die? Don't make me laugh! I have a rendezvous With lots of folks, and lots of things, After I am dead. I shall walk with Shapespeare, And learn the secret of his greatness. I shall talk with Washington, And learn the truth of his fame. And all the great, who were also good I shall converse with. I shall listen to music, Perfect music, of a celestial purity That is never heard on earth And never will be heard here. And, best of all, I shall roam Over vast forests, and thru sweet gardens And gaze on a magnificence and a beauty That is of another world. I shall enter, enthralled, Golden palaces, with gates of pearl. Wonders of perfection shall meet my eyes. I shall breathe in air as light and as clean as a spirit. fAll this, of course, is if I am goodj And if you are good, Kismet, You can come wth mel Afraid to die? Don't make me laugh. - Ilm looking forward to it! -May Coakley AMONGST THE CLOUDS If I could always gaze into the sky And dream the dreams I hope to know some day, Or watch the sun sink drowsily away, If fleecy clouds could keep on floating by, Or if to form my future they would try, The greatest happiness would then by mine. Perhaps the clouds would form themselves in line To picture this-as dreamily I sigh- A mansion high, with turrets up above- A rivulet that, winding, goes around Among the beauteous flowers that I love, That raise their fragrant forms up from the ground. By friendly winds the willow tree is blowng And there the seeds of happiness are sown. -Hazel Coakley Page Twelve

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PRESIDENT TIMBER The ideal president ought to have the good of the Uniteil States always in mind. He should not be a partisan when he appoints men to office-their qualities and abilities in the right direction should be the prime rea- son for his choice. His moral standing should be of the highest, for he is an example to all his people. -Hazel Coakley as -ne -1- -me We are soon to elect a president. Let us choose the right kind of man for the position. To govern a nation as large and as com- posite as ours, we must have a man at the head who understands the varied conditions of affairs in America. He must be wise enough and Big enough to be a fitting re- presentative of our nation in the eyes of the world. His character and reputation must be spotless. his conduct irreproachable, and his manhood unquestionable before he is fit to represent the United States. In short, he must have all the characteristics which we, as a nation, strive for and boast of. -Willard Meyer -as -ne -xr -u- A presidential nominee should be a man well informed of all conditions prevailing in the country both past and present, and he 'should express broad-minded principles in his platform. and show that he is not a man ruled by his party. -Mary Moore -x- -x- -me -x- No candidate who has all the fine qualities and characteristics which are always looked for in a man, but still lacks the ability to think clearly and to manage with a firm and intelligent hand, should be chosen. -Donald Stevens x- as -1+ -n- He should be fearless and far removed from anv corruption. His character and be- havior should be irreproachable. A man who is out of the reach of political bosses and machines is the best presidential timber. -Violet Martin 'I' 'I' 'X' 'X' The first thing which should be considered is the candidate's previous career. Ask yourself if he has done things to benefit the public or if he has been led by political bosses. -John Landsiedel His fitness for the ofiice should be deter- mined largely by his capability in diplomatic affairs. Candidates for the presidency should be men of high ideals. They should be broad- minded enough to accept our Constitution with its amendments as final, something which cannot be altered or removed to satisfy personal opinion. If they have had previous governmental position, it will be to their ad- vantage, for they will have a clear conception of the needs of the country and will be en- abled to do the greatest good for the great- est number. A -Eva Wenzel -xf -x- -x- -x- A man with presidential aspirations must have several outstanding characteristics. Most important of all is honesty. Can you imagine a country with our prestige and wealth with a crooked man to guide us? Then he must be fearless-be willing to ex- press his views on the most important issues. He must be a man who will enforce all laws regardless of his own personal opinion and who is as nearly unpartisan as possible. If he has the latter nualitv, he will have both parties represented in his cabinet and so he will have unbiased views on all important issues. -T. F. Goldmann as ac- -we ar- An American citizen. who is trying to gain the nomination of his party. to be the model for all the others of the nation to pat- tern after. That any man so running should be well educated, broadminded and intellectual goes without anv discussion. A candidate should be one who is well versed in national and international affairs. a man whom others will respect, a man of dignity so that other nations will respect him. And of course our candidate must be an apt student of the English language, one who does not use the common ordinary slang language of today. -Robert Montgomery as -me -x- -x- This dignified office demands a man of sterling worth and a man who is man enough to represent the American people and not the political bosses. Our presidents have come from different social classes. This is well, for it has re- suted in the harmonious blending of Ameri- can ideals. -Milton Glatzl Page Fourteen