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

Page 16 text:

Dick Stone, Freshman “Who is the new kid, fellows?” “Where? Oh, that youngster? Name’s Stone, I be- lieve, Dick Stone. He's a Freshie, and sure looks the part.” Several upperclass boys, who were sauntering along the shady walks of Hampton College, turned to gaze after a small, yet strong looking boy of about seventeen years. It was true that he was not much for looks. His face was small, very freckled, yet with an attractive look around his blue eyes, and his hair was a bright red. He looked as if he had come from the country, for his clothes were rather worn and not of the latest style. Several days of the college term passed and the coach of the track team had called for men. Dick was interested in track and watched the boys practice every night. He would have liked to go in for track himself, but he feit that he would stand little chance among the boys who had trained before. The high school where he had attended was.small and had no athletics. One afternoon after having watched the men train, Dick decided to go tor a walk. He had watched the boys practice running and felt sure that he could run as fast as some of the boys had. He walked along pondering on the subject until he was about a mile from town. Seeing a cool place under a shade tree on a small hill a little dis- tance from the road, he decided to rest there for a while. 12 The spring weather was glorious and there was plenty of time to rest before he had to go back. He began to think of college; is was not what he had expected. His parents had not wanted him to go to college, they thought that he should stay on the farm after having gone through gram- mar school and high school, but he had finally gained their consent to come. He had exepected to make some friends but he had been going several days and hardly knew a fellow to even speak to yet. Well, he did look like a country jay, and his clothes were old. But what was the use? Tle was so shy that he couldn’t talk to any of the fel- lows 1f they tried to talk to him. Well, he had come to college to study, so nothing else mattered, but still it would be nice to have at least one good friend. Having thought about his troubles for some time, Dick decided to make the best of it. He rose and looking around Was about to leave when he heard some one scream. Com- ing toward him at breakneck speed was a horse with a girl clinging frantically to the saddle. The horse had evidently gotten. beyond control, for it flew over the ground, its pounding hoofs fairly shaking the earth. Dick’s brain seemed all in a whirl and it was hours, to him, before he could move. He commenced to run down the hill, but be- fore he realized that the horse could be past before he could lain ee ee eee SS J

Page 15 text:

ee rip eo Me a

Page 17 text:

teach the road. Suddenly he remembered that the road turned, so he commenced running in the other direction, hoping to reach the turn before the horse got clear around “Mine it Dick Stone. I have seen and admired your brother at College, but I don’t know many of the fellews, as I am only a freshman, so I have never met him.” it. His feet flew over the ground, and Dick never knew “You in college? Why I did not think you were any how he scrambled through a patch of wild blackberry older than I, which is sixteen.’ bushes and over the fence. The horse was there almost “Well, Tam not much older than you are, but I grad- as soon as he, although he had slackened speed slightly to uated from high school rather young,” laughed Dick. turn. Dick leaped toward the horse from the side of the road and caught the bridle. “Well, {am beginning to feel all right again, so I guess This frightened the horse [ can ride Lass home. She is usually so gentle, but she more, but Dick held on and after being dragged a few feet became frightened when I was not watching her.” succeeded in bringing the horse to a standstill. The “She surely is a beauty,” said Dick, as he gazed at the frightened girl jumped off the horse and sank on the grass graceful lines of Lass, a deep bay, with a long flowing mane ; beside the road. and appreciated her beauty as only a lover of horses can. “Oh, thank you so much. Lass got beyond my con- “T think that you'd better let me walk home with you trol, and if you hadn’t stopped her, I am sure I could not and lead her. You don’t want to take any chances, you have hung on a minute longer. I feel so nervous yet that know.” I can’t stand up,” said the girl, as the color slowly returned The walk home was easier than Dick had anticipated. wide to her cheeks. He thought he would be awkward and not know how to ; “Don’t mention it,’ answered Dick, “anyone would talk to a girl, as his acquaintance with girls had been have done the same thing.” rather limited. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and forgot “Why, anyone couldn't have done the same. There to be shy. He found himself telling of his home, the ranch isn’t one boy in a hundred who would have sense enough he loved, his high school days, then of his coming to col- to run for the turn in the road, and say, but you can run lege. Marjorie gathered from his conversation that he - - ‘ ’ 5 oe fast. You must meet my brother. He is captain of the was rather lonely and homesick, so when she reached her track term at College.” home, she invited him in. He seemed unwilling to go, as “Don Stephens! Is Donald Stephens your brother?” I forgot all his old shyness had come back, but when she said that her “Yes, my name is Marjorie Stephens. mother would insist on meeting a person who had rescued A J § 4] about telling you whom you had rescued.” her daughter, he said he would stay a few minutes. They 15 a ma SRR ee ‘Mies