Scituate High School - Chimes Yearbook (Scituate, MA)

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THE CHIMES 13 Again in the sunshine I reflected upon the dimness of the building — the memorial — from which I had just departed. Once, those thousands buried in the Al)bey were walking in the sunshine as I. They, too, had had some of their fondest dreams come true, as I had; they had made something of their lives, as I hope to do. With these thoughts and many others as my companions, I made my way around the well-trodden streets of London. It was like any city, any huge metropolis; and, probably some people w ho had such air-castles as I, would have been thoroughly disappointed with modern London. But every stone, every blade of withered or green grass, every par- ticle of dust in the air spelled romance and fulfilled dreams for me. THE CAPTURE Joseph Curran, ' 36 Behind the wheel of a big sedan, going over the highway at a good rate of speed was Bill Johnson. He was captain of the Louisville College squad which had just dropped its second match of the year. He was going back to college with four of his team mates : Art Merritt, Johnny Smith, Jackie Butler and Jim Smith. The radio in the car, wdiich had been going full blast all the way, was suddenly cut off, and over it came a police broadcast. Calling all cars ! Attention, please ! All state and county police officers. Bank robbers shot night watchman at the Bridgewater Savings Bank. Watch all roads within a hundred miles of Bridge- water for a large black sedan, number plates 5433 L Calling all cars Well, what do you think of that? said Bill to his companions. We ' ll soon be in that vicinity and we are riding in a black sedan. I hope we don ' t get picked up as bank rol)l)ers. What a riding the fellows would give us when we got l3ack to college if we did. After a few miles they came to a narrow bridge where it was pos- sible for only one car to pass at a time. The car on the other side of the bridge stopped as if to let them go over first, but as soon as they were a quarter of the way over the bridge, the other car put on speed, stopped on the l ridge, and blocked their way. Hey, what ' s the big idea? ' ' yelled Jim. Their headlights flashed on the other car for a second. It was a black sedan bearing the license number 5433 L

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12 THE CHIMES the city authorities, use the pavements as their canvas and in this way earn what little money they can from enthusiastic tourists, like myself, or the kind Fjii lish folk who so generously give their six- pences and pennies to needy ones. Hurrying past, I started toward the north entrance of the Abbey, luit I stopped to pick up two feathers that had dropped from one of the Westminster pigeons who make their homes on the crest of the massive walls. Having left the hurried people and the sunshine, I stepi-ed into the vaulted heights of the Abbey. Prisms of light peep- ed through the glorious rose window, filtered through the duski- ness of the atmosphere, and scattered kaleidoscopic sunbeams on the hollowed stone floor and in the carved crevices of the walls. Many, many people were there, but not a sound could be heard above the soft chords of the organ which was playing the postlude of the morn- ing service. yiy eyes were not accustomed to the dimness of the Abbey, but soon as I, in amazement, glanced from one seemingly intangible sta- tue to another, they all seemed to be beckoning me. I first answered the call of the poets ' corner where there are monuments to Burns, Chaucer, Tennyson, Browning, Shakespeare, Dickens, and many others. But then, an old wooden gallery aroused my curiosity. Upon mounting its well-worn stairs I saw the coronation chair on which kings for hundreds of years have received their oath and crown. On this famous chair, the next king of England will be crowned. On the day of tlie coronation it will be moved to the altar where Princess Marina and Prince George were married re- cently — an alter of red velvet and intricate wood carving. Then there was the small tomi) and statue of Queen ictoria — sixty years a queen. Having explored a few of the separate chapels, I entered the nave. The work on this |)ortion of the Abbey was begun in 376 ])ut was not finished entirely until 130 years later. In the center of the western end of the nave, there is a memorial to the ' ' Unknown ' arrior. ' ' In the grave is French soil; on it is a slate of black Belgian marl)le: by its side hangs the Congressional Medal of Amer- ica : above it is the Padre ' s Flag, a Union Jack used at ' imy Bridge. Having spent almost a day in this glorious shrine and not having see n half of the Al)bey. I reluctantly made my way to the entrance. I left its hallowed walls with an insistent desire to return again to its quietness, solitude, and holiness.

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14 THE CHIMES Two shots were fired. Their Hi hts went out amidst the tinkling of l)roken glass. It ' s the l)ank robbers, whispered Johnnw What shah we do? W hat can we do? rephed Jackie. There are three of them and armed to the teeth. The three men started tow ard their sedan armed with machine gnns. Our onl}- hope is to act scared so that they may leave us alone, or we can surpn ' ise them by throwing them off guard, said Bill hurriedly. If worse comes to worse and we have a chance, Jackie and Art take the fellow on the right; I ' ll take the one in the middle, and Johnny take the fellow on the left. When I say ' Louisville, ' it will be the signal to do the best we can. Here they come. ' ' Where are you going? ' asked one of the bandits who ha d a pug nose. Ikick to college, replied Bill shakily. Oil, a bunch of college dudes, ' ' gruffly returned the bandit. Hey, you, what have you got there? ' Tt ' s a sweater I won in basketball. Please, mister, can I keep it? meekly replied Art. Oh, a l)unch of weak sisters playing basketball, laughed the ban- dit. Vou little ])oys might get hurt playing games like that. ' ' The robbers all laughed. These boys were scared stiff. They lowered their guns. Miere are you coming from? ' ' asked the fellow wdth the pug- nose. Louisville, replied Art. It was the signal. They tackled the bandits. It w as over in a short while and the three bandits lay still. A car sped tow ards them and stopped at the bridge. Out from it jumped four law officers. (lood work, boys. These are the fellows we want, said one of the officers as he helped handcuff the bandits. Licked up and caught by a basketball team. We ' re a fine bunch, groaned one of the l andits. It ' s the first time I ever heard of bank robbers being caught b ' a basketball team, laughed one of the officers. We ' re no basketball team, said Bill. That is what they thought. W e ' re the college wrestling team. Ow, groaned one of the bandits. Now 1 know that my neck is broken.