Sandy Township High School - Flambeau Yearbook (Du Bois, PA)

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SANDY TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL FLAM BEAT! 9 •‘Well mother I'll tell von as I do not think tin thing I have done was very dishonorable, yet it was against the rules. When we were at the front we ere not allowed to stop and rare for a fallen comrade. hie day, in the very thickest of the battle one of my very 1m si pals was shot through the top of the head. I stoo| ed down and gently raised him from where lie had fallen, hut his life was then almost gone, and he softly whispered, ‘‘flood live, old pal . As I laid him hack on the grass he closed his eyes forever. The next night I was called to the generals quarters and thoroughly talked to about disobeying orders. I told them it might be the orders of man, I had disobeyed but it was not the orders of God. This angered them very much and they sentenced uie to a long imprisonment or banishment to the Philippine Islands. 1 chose the Islands, but I was still guarded and was not allowed to send any mail, and they kept me as long as possible, .lust day liefore yesterday I again lumh d in America. Mother, eighteen years has been a long time, and you have not been the only quiet sufferer. But at Inst we are united. Soon all retired for the night, and everybody's dream was full of |s rfect peace, katie McDonald, 22. alt? arustuuirthu § mt Job—n? Hi—: Job—n! “Where an you?” It was John’s father who had called. He was the owner of the only wood lot within many miles, lie was a big husky liimlmrman, with an abundance of lustrious brown hair, dark piecing eyes, and a tunned skin that was not unpleasant to sec. His little son of twelve, who rcscmhhd his father in every way, runic quickly to oliey the call he knew so well to Is a command not to Is disohey d. “Did yon call, father? asked John. ••Yes , said his fathter, “Go and gel the mail, and hurry, John, for I am expecting a very ini|M»rtant letter which 1 must have as soon ais possible. “All right, father, said John. And lie dartid down the road. “I'll be back as soon as possible. Mr. North did not like to send John after the mail but he did it lM causc he knew he could trust him. John had not gone far when he saw a strange dog, he had never S4 en before in the neighhorlnxid of the lumlicr lot. He thought at tirst that mavis it was a dog Isdonging to some one who was trying to steal his father’s logs, lie had heard his father discussing something with mother this morning, but he had not listened, for he knew his father would tell him if he wanted him to know. “Well , said John to himself. “I'l follow the dog, I know father won’t care, liecause may-lie 1 can find out who is stealing the logs. Then won’t father l»e glad? So lie followed the dog and had a pretty hard chase for awhile, then all of a sudden he came upon a clearing in the woods that he did not know was there, for father had not cut any logs from this side of the lot. And he just stcp|M d back into the hushes in time to escape being seen by a party of men. One mail who seemed to Is leader of the men, said: “Well here is Bruno back again. Did you get the mail old fellow? The dog seemed to know what was being said to him, and that it really was him they wen talking to, for he walked up to the man that was shaking and stood before him, the man reachtsl down by tin dogs side and there o|M ned a belt that was fastened around the dog which I had not noticed before. From this he extracted a leather picket, and then said, “Well Imys this looks like the real stuff. Little John now had to change his positiou for his legs wen all crnnt|M d, and while he was doing this a twig cracked underneath his feet. He gave a start but the men did not seem

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8 sandy township high school flam beat hopiny all arc m il. as I am ai present. W ell mother. I mast soon leave fur the battle front, hut don't worry about me. for if it is the will of the Wise and 1 miyhty. I ill come hark, and if not I nill stay here, hut nevertheless there will be more mothers and fathers left without sons before this irar is over, so yon won’t be alone if it is (Sods will for me to stay here. Well I will eaU this yood for this time, tmt if spared will write yon a lonyer letter after the oat tie. With a hearts best lore, and kisses for all, Your loriny son. JOB'S .1. ROIHIHRS, Mattery It. Mrs. Rodgers eyes were very misty as she neatly folded the letter and plan'd it in thcl ox again. She thought as she often had Indore, that he must have been killed or he would have written after the battle. She plan'd the letter box bark in its plaee and sat the table. •hist as she finished Nellie drove the cows into the barnyard and closed the gate. Then calling her grandfather from the field she went into the house. “Supper ready grandma? asked Nellie as she entered. Yes, dear, ail I is ready”. Mr Rodgers then entered and soon they were seated at the table. Mr. Rodgers had just returned thanks for their daily bread when there was a timid knock at the door. Nellie aruse, ojiencd the door and was surprised to sec a tall man standing there. “Is this where Harry Rodgers liven, lady?” It is. sir, please step in, replied Nellie, and the stranger obeyed. Mr. Rodgers arose and in his simple hospitable manner asked. Won’t you sit down to supper with us stranger? I will, thank you, as I’ve been on the road since morning '. he answered. Nellie hastily sat another plate on the table while Mrs. Rodgers poured his colVee and soon all were enjoying the evening meal. After supper was over they went into the parlor. The stranger and Mr. Rodgers smoking while Mrs. Rodgers again took down her knitting. Nellie did nothing in particular blit watch the stranger and admire his steel blue eyes and his dimples. Stranger you might as well stay all night with us , said Mr. Rodgers. 1 shall In glad to do so if it will not be too much trouble for Mrs. Rodgers , he replied. milk the cows, but as he took down his hat he said, Nellie go up stairs in John's rmmi and bring down the pictures and show to our friend until I have returned.” Nellie arose immediately and went up and brought them down. She placed her chair up beside his and began taking them out one by one until nltuut half the pictures had been shown. Then she lifted out the picture of a beautiful woman, saying, This is mv mother, she has l»een dead almost eighteen years; Don't you think she has a sweet smile? I certainly do, she smiles just like you. little lady , he answered in a shaky voice. Here is my papa , she said handing him the next one. lie had it taken just Wore he went to the war. and oh, lie had such nice dimples too, something like yours 1 imagine. Now lien is my picture, see I am awfully sad there, my mamma was dead and papa was going away too. and I was cry ing. As she finished talking she looked up at the stranger’s face and was very much surprised to see large tears sttiding in his eyes. “Are you sorry for me”, she asked, but did not wait for a reply, for Mrs. Rodgers, who had been watching the stranger since Nellie s|s ke of his dimples now began to sob. Nellie went and put her arms around her neck and said. What is the matter grandma?” .lust then Mr. Rodgers returned, “what is the matter? he asked, looking from one to the other, but Mrs Rodgers said in a clear voice, Nothing only ibis stranger made me think of .John”. “That’s just who it is, mother,” he answered doing up lie took her in his arms and kissed her tenderly as he said, I just wanted you to guess awhile mother dear. lie kissed his father and then taking Nellie in his arms he said, My baby! How much like your mother . After cverylmdy’s excitement was over, Mrs. Rodgers said. John where have you been all these years, and why haven't you written home to us.

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10 SANDY TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL FLAM BEAT to notin' nnv noise, so John settled down again, very anxious t4» know what this leather packet could contain. “Hurry up’ , came from one of the men. “Do you suppose we want to wait all day?’’ “Jack Black seemed to la the leader's name. But John did not know the name of the other men. Jack took from the leather packet a letter and began to read at first John could not hear anything that was l»eing read, and neither could some of the other men for they said. ••Bead a little louder, are you afraid of the trees hearing you.” At this remark Jack began all over again saying, “Well as it concerns all of you. I’ll read so you can hear very plainly.” There was silence for a few minutes then Jack Itcgan. “Jack, Alleu, Sweed, Babe, Norse, Bob, all of you, be careful of your actions for there is a party of men after you. rough looking fellows they are too, something like yourselves. B. C. The men knew well enough who had sent the letter, and that it was a very important one. One they had been looking for for a long time. • Weil”, said Jack, that means we will have to work and work fast while we work. And he gave each man his s|»eeifled work to do. All the work was to In done by the light of the moon, if there hap|»ened to lx one. • So clear out all of you, and In lien at ten sharp, tonight, if one of you are even ten minutes late you will lose one (hint of your share.” When they had gone, John arose dazed as to what lie should do. “I guess I’ll go home and tell father and then I’ll feel beter, and father ’ll know just what to do.” As soon as la had the mail securely fastened in his coat pocket, he started to run toward home, hoping to tiinl his father there. Sure enough his father was at the gate to meet him. “(Hi father,” said John, “I have some very im)M rtant news for you ami your men.” And then In told his father all about what lie had seen and heard, stoping now and then to get his breath. His father said, “Well John you an a trump.” And for a long time he sat with his soil in his arms, not really knowing how so much luck could come his way at one time. But-----he had better wait, for he had not caught the thieves yet. He suddenly arose and going to the telephone, he gave the following message to each and every one of his men. Meet toniyht nt center clearing of troorf lot at nine-thirty X. WORTH. North and his men met at nine-thirty sharp. It seemed as though the whole village was gathering and not one of them came in the same direction. In less than a half hour you could not see a man and all was as quiet as if no one was around. At ten o’clock Black’s |«irty of men ap|s ared, not a sound being heurd until all stepped into the clearing as if by magic. Black was the last to appear. “Well bova, another note from B. C.” “What”! came in chorus from all the men. “Bead it, and do not keep us waiting.” Black took from his pocket a folded paper saying, “Here it is Inn's”, Then he read. tetter stay out of the eleuriny toniyht. —It. ( “What does it mean?’’ asked one of the men. “I don’t know”, said Black. “This is a tine time to tell us. “But lioys, hadn’t we Wtter tuke the warning, you know Bill always waits until the last and most important minute. Their talk was interrupted by the low whine of a dog. Black’s men started to run. “Ha! Ha! laughed Black”, “Afraid of a dog.” Bnt no sooner had In nttered these words when he as well as his other men were hurled to the ground and bound hand and foot. “Good reasons to In afraid of a dog. this time, my friend”, said North. “It only )iap|M ned to Ik one of my men H eing if he could imitate your mail carrier, which lie did very nicely, 1 must say.” Black scowled at North, and North seemed to read Black’s thoughts, for he said, “Yes old Scout, you and your men had better stayed out of the clearing tonight as your friend Bill wuruetl you.” LILLIAN LEWIS.