Scituate High School - Chimes Yearbook (Scituate, MA)

Page 16 text:

14 THE CHIMEiS sparkling streams that gushed up out of the earth. This was a fruitful land, yielding sweet nectar, delicious foods. This was Val- halla ! Surely they had died ! They nuist have perished in thai dark, turl)ulent sea ! Finally they sat down to rest on a grassy knoll overlooking a deep pine forest, hut they had not rested long before they were surround- ed by strange men, mysterious, red-skinned men with hair as black as a stormy night sky. The Northmen jumped up as one creature and reached for their knives with strong fingers. Who are you? demanded the intrepid Lief. What race are you? Are you men? Arne felt dark arms encircle him. With a shout of horror he jumped back and freed himself. A fierce battle ensued. Both the Northmen and the Redmen fought, driven by a terrible fear of their mysterious foe, and eventually the Northmen were the victors, though bruised and battered victors. Bearing their wounded and dying on their shoulders, they returned to the shore. Exhausted they lay down on the warm sand. With his blue eyes closed, Arne lay a little apart from the rest, lay like a great tree felled in the forest, lay a picture of ruined strength, of spent vigor. The vision of old Solvieg passed before him, old Sol- vieg, weeping, lonely, waiting, hoping. Take care of her, Leif — Eric — somebody! Take care of her! It is not good for old, old women to be alone! Eric raised his head wearily. At the sight of Arne he rose and rushed toward him. Leif followed. Arne! Man, you are hurt! shouted Eric. Why didn ' t you cry out? It was that red devil ! Leif slowly shook his head over Arne ' s still form. Only a few moments and the angels will l)e bearing him upward. he murmured. At this moment a red-skinned maiden came forward. She was slim and light-footed, and wore a leather gown worked in bright beads. There was dreadful fear in her black eyes, but the lovely mouth was firm. She had ol)served the battle from the forest. She had seen the strange, pale, strong warrior leap with agility among the flashing knives and twisting bodies; she had seen him spring, to the defense of his comrade with the glorious daring of youth, sud- denly writhe in pain, and stumble silently toward the shore after the others. Gathering some herbs, she had followed them. A pul- sating fear had seized her heart, but she had kept on. Now the sight of him lying so quiet gave her courage. She waved the others away, and to their amazement she began treating his w ounds.

Page 15 text:

THE CHIMES 1 ly toward the sky, and the Httle band on shore looked desolate. Must he always go away like this, cried Astrid, away so far — 1 know not where? What does he do in those other worlds of his? That is what the women of the North must bear, said old Sol- ieg ' . When you liecome old and see your sons going one by one, it will be harder, 1 ut it is always for us to wait and wait and wait. — and her voice trailed off drearily to silence. There w ere months and months of sailing on a sea of many moods. Sometimes Thor, god of thunder, split the heavens open above, and the jetty water rose like mountains in the ])ath of the ship. Sometimes the placid moon sprinkled silver on the sea, and the velvet sky was jewelled with stars. Sometimes the sky was pale and clear, and the sun flung handfuls of diamonds on the gently undulat- ing waters. The men of the North were silent men, and they felt each other ' s companionshi]) in silence. When they spoke, they spoke only what was necessary, or in more congenial moods they revealed fragments of their thoughts and dreams — but merely fragments. Therefore the only voices were the voices of the wind and waves; and were the: ship destined to be conquered by the elements, the only shrieks and groans would be the lustful shrieks of the hysterical wind and the satisfied groans of the hungry waves. Finally on one clear day the dim purple line of land could be seen at the horizon. Leif, cried Arne at the bow of the ship, ' ' see — yonder! ' Tis your father ' s land — Greenland; is it not? Leif Ericsson brought his great brows dow n. No, ' ' he replied. ' Tis not. I noted by the stars last night that we w ere aw- ay off our course. This is some strange, unknown place. Shall we land there? shouted Eric from the stern. Yes, most assuredly we shall land there, returned Leif over his massive shoulder. It is enticing adventure thrown into our verv laps, so to speak. Having landed, the little band stood on the shining, sandy beacii and surveye d the green hills that stretched out toward the west. It was indeed a strange land, an unpeopled land, it seemed. Forward, men! ' ' shouted their leader. Let us press on! They pressed on eagerly, curiously. Soon they lost view of the ocean. Onward they went over dewy hills on that fresh summer morning. They tasted of the wild grapes hanging in luscious dark bunches from trailing vines. They tasted of the wild cherries that had reddened the ground in a verdant gro ' e. Thev drank from

Page 17 text:

THE CHIMEiS i§ For many months the Northmen stayed in this strange land. There were frequent battles with the hostile Redmen. Now the green of the trees was sprinkled with yellow, and the nights were cold. Arne was almost well. Every day Silver Star, the red-skin- ned maiden, came to him. Her mysterious, dark beauty intrigued him, and although he did not understand her words, he could read her every expression. Finally the Northmen prepared to return home. Arne, slimmer and a bit frail, moved languidly amidst the preparations. Come, Arne! ' ' cried Eric jovially. Think of the light in old Solvieg ' s eyes ! No, replied Arne slowly. I think rather of the beautiful, dark one who saved me from death, and I wonder why she did so. Not far away Silver Star was pleading with her father, a mighty hunter. Father, I cannot wed Bear Man. He is a powerful hunter and a good brave, luit the pale one has my heart. With that she fled through the forest toward the shore. She found Arne among the departing Vikings. She pressed his hand, and her eyes were luminous. It was as if words were spoken. Among you there is he who marries! cried Arne to the little band. Come, marry us ! But, Arne, exclaimed Eric, you know not what you do! She is dark; her hair is like night; her eyes — ! Beautiful, Eric, beautiful! laughed Arne. There on the shore they were married in the bright, clear sun-light of autumn. Then they embarked for home, and Silver Star went gladly with Arne, for she could not foresee the time when she would be waiting and waiting and waiting with the women of the North. THE STREAM Robert Chessia, ' 37 The silvery waters of the stream Bring back to life some happy dream; They seem to give a thought to me As on they journey to the sea. Away they flow o ' er rock and field A song of happiness they yield. And many a heart of both girl and boy Is filled to the brim with contentment and joy.