Santa Rosa High School - Echo Yearbook (Santa Rosa, CA)

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Ai Fortunate Shot S Tom entered the school building one morning, he noticed that several large groups of girls and boys were excitedly discussing something, as it seemed, of very great impo- rance. He became quite curious and, as he walked quickly over to where his set was s.tanding, wondered what could have happened. Tom belonged to a club of six girls and six boys, who were always hay- ing good times in either one way or another. They no sooner spied Tom, who happened to be the favorite, than they rushed toward him, anxious to tell their news. “Oh, Tom,” cried one of the girls, who generally happened to do all of the talking, “what do you think is going to happen? They’ve planned a big game with Montford High for next Saturday. All of the club can go, and we could hardly wait to find out whether or not you could. We could have a dandy time, and you know how much a dozen more rooters could help. Mother will chaperon us, and as you already know, Mildred’s cousin lives there. They have an immense house and told: Mildred that if ever the club wished to come down, we could all stay there. Wouldn’t that be fine? Oh, please say you'll come.” The Marshall and Montford High Schools had always been rivals. In every game that had been played between ten schools, for three years, either Marshall or Montford won, and always with close scores. Montford had won the last game that had been played between the two schools, and since then Marshall had been very anxious for a return game. Now, when the game had been announced, there was naturally a great deal of talk and excitement. The distance between the two schools was about one hundred miles and the fare was a little too high for some of the students. Although Tom’s father had been called a well-to-do man a year before, a great many trqubles and mis- fortunes had left him with very little for a large family to live upon. So Tom naturally hesitated before he answered the. breathless group around him. “I’m awfully sorry, but I don’t think I could possibly go,” he finally, but almost reluctantly, managed to say. “You see, dad has had so much expense lately that I don’t see how he could afford it, and I haven't saved up more than fifty cents since that last trip.” “Oh, what a shame,” muttered one of the group, “I don’t see how on earth we could ever have a good time without you. Can’t you manage it in some way? Ask your father, anyhow”; then added cheerfully, “you don’t know but what your father might have had a piece of good luck since you saw him last.” The rest of the club thought that it would hardly be worth while going unless cheerful and witty Tom Foster were with them. But he did all he could to put that notion out of their sheads. “Dll ask dad if he can spare it, anyway, and I'll let you know by this afternoon whether I can.”

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THE ECHO 9 other. Hugh immediately got back under cover and began to plan a way to bag both of them. He began to creep around so that he could get one at short range and kill the other before it could reach the brush. Things work- ed splendidly until one of the bears looked toward the skulking hunter. The old grizzly grunted, clamored out of the water, shook the mud from his fur, and started out after Hugh, closely followed by the other one. Hugh did not need to read their minds to find out their purpose; it was only too apparent. He immediately started for the only large tree near, an aok close to the lake. The bears did their best, but Hugh reached the tree first and climbed up among the branches. The bears considered siege operations for a while, but presently decided to storm his position. Hugh was frightened. Two bears and only one shot; for his gun was a muzzle-loader. He saw that he must do something at once, for both bears were scratching their way up the tree. Hugh took careful aim at the foremost bear and fired. The beast, rolling out of the tree, struck the second bear and knocked him down. Enraged by the death of his mate, the remaining bear, growling savagely, again climbed the tree. Hugh was in a desperate predicament. Climbing frantically to the top of the tree, he be- gan to reload his gun. The bear was clawing and grunting his way up the tree trunk, while Hugh worked desperately to ram the charge into the old gun. He finished his task none too soon, for the grizzly was close upon him. Hugh, now feeling secure, raised the gun, took careful aim and pulled the trigger; but there was no report; the cap gave a dismal snap that sent a thrill of terror through the hunter. He struck blindly at the great beast with the useless gun; but the bear sent it clattering to the ground with a sweep of his paw. The terrified Hugh then kicked savagely at his enemy and had his shoe torn off by the latter's ever-ready teeth. The bear’s pull on his foot toppled Hugh from his perch and sent him crashing through the branches to alight on a long, lower limb of the tree. The bear proceeded to calmly de- scend to the level of his intended victim and to creep out on the branch. As he got closer and closer to Hugh, their combined weight caused the branch to creak and groan threateningly. This frightened the bear so that he paused and crouching low, he whined with fear for his position and growled angrily at Hugh. Hugh got a sudden inspiration. Why not drop from the end of the branch and make a run for it? The bear would have to crawl back to the trunk and clamber slowly and awkwardly down the tree, thus giving the frightened fugitive a good start. So, hanging by his hands, he dropped to the ground, and ran for his life, leaving his gun, his shoe and his hat behind. The result was as he had hoped; the bear followed as fast as possible, but Hugh had a good start and by, running like a deer, soon reached open ground, where his pursuer was afraid to follow. Needless to say, Hugh never again attempted to bag two grizzlies at one time, or as he expressed it, “Never tackle a grizzly without a gatling gun.” [Regi Began

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1) THE ECHO II As the bell had already been rung, all further talking was out of the question, and the members of the club went to their lessons hoping that Tom could go. That noon, Tom walked into his father’s office, and after some hesita- tion, asked if the money could be spared. His father thought a moment and then answered, “I’m very sorry, Tom, but I'm afraid you can’t have it just now. If it had been several months ago I would have given it to you, gladly ; but just at present I need every cent I have. If things turn out as I hope they will, I shall be able to give you that sum ten times over, in about ‘six months; but now, I’m afraid”— “That’s all right, dad,” said Tom, quickly, “they can do without me. I should have had better sense than to ask you, when I know you can’t spare We On his way to school that noon, Tom met Frank, a member of the club. He informed him of what his father had said. Frank was very much dis- appointed and said that he thought the rest would change their plans also. Then, seeing that Tom was brooding over it, he changed the subject. “Say, what are you going to do after school today?” he asked. Tom said he couldn't remember anything that he had planned to do. “Well, then, Jack and Harold were over in the hills hunting yesterday afternoon and they brought home the biggest mess of game. Hal said that hunting is fine there this season. I thought that if you would like to, we could go there after school.” “T should say I would. I’ve been crazy to hunt for the last two weeks, but never found time,” cried Tom. “You couldn’t have thought of any- thing better.” By half past three that afternoon the boys had donned their hunting suits, and with guns thrown over their shoulders, walked quickly toward the hills. They had tramped through the hills for about twenty minutes be- fore they saw the least sign of game. Then, as they entered into a cool, sweet-smelling, thickly-wooded lane, birds seemed to fly in all directions. The boys thought that every bird in the forest must have been there? =Lhey fired several times with great success, bringing one or two down at every shot. Tom was gazing around for another victim, when his eye caught sight of an unusually large quail. He fired and the bird fell down between some shrubbery. He ran quickly toward the bushes and, after several minutes of careful search, found the bird between two rocks, under the brush. The bird had evidently just been wounded and crept under the rocks to die. Tom reached his hand under to get the bird, but it seemed to have been caught on something that tore as he moved it. He stooped down and saw that one foot was caught on a piece of paper. As he pulled out both the paper and bird, the paper loosened and fell to the ground. He saw that there was writing on it, so he picked it up—and gazed at it in astonishment. He could hardly believe his own eyes and excitedly called to Frank. Frank rushed over, and after seeing Tom’s face, looked at the paper, but with both mouth and eyes wide open. (Continued on Page 14)