Soldan High School - Scrip Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

Page 30 text:

Ma dn ess Igigfggq-1 Y friends have, for a year, wondered at the obvious breech TI 'I between my brother and me. For some months they have xi been droppino from me. But even that concerns me but tgp., little My chief desire now is to review, if only to myself, E the events leading up to my estrangement from the only 9 V . s , l I 1 l b other living member of my family. My brother, Wilbur Inglis, was without a doubt, at one time the finest horseman in America. His name has gone down in the records of the Haarstick Riding as its most celebrated rider, and in the memo- ries of other devotees of the saddle as the truest of sportsmen. Even I am forced, not now by any fraternal affection surely, to acknowledge that in his prime, thirteen years ago, he was the most perfect figure of a man I had ever known. I might add that I myself was by no means a poor horseman, and, owing to this, was quite a favorite with the younger members of the club-these composing the bulk of the society in which Wilbur and I lived. But I must not enter upon any long description of myself. The story begins at the New Year Ball which all of the gentlefolk of the region were wont to attend. Here, for the first time, I met her of whom I had dreamed since youth. I was little more than a youth at the time of which I write, but by the sight of her under that blaze of lights in the ballroom of the old club, I was so blinded to all else about me that, at first, I failed to notice her escort, Mr, Allyn. He owned the estate just north of the Haarstick territory and although he had been a friend of my family, I had seen little of him for several years after the death of my uncle with whom I was living. The few glimpses I had of him were either on the riding circle at the club or at some such function as this. I was especially surprised as I compared him with his companion. For he was a man, who, in spite of his vigorous exercise, chiefly on horseback, had begun to bend under the weight of his years. This especially so since his daughter-I had never seen her-had left for school in Europe some years before. The girl, on the other hand, appeared little more than a childg perhaps in her late 'teens. But With- out a doubt she was the girl whom I had previously visualized in my youthful dreams. Some idea might be obtained of my rapture in the fact that I was so intent on the beautiful image she presented as they approached, that I was unconscious of all else until Mr. Allyn's voice-it sounded as if 121

Page 29 text:

,, , K,-.P -- 4,-,,.. k- Y----, , , , and the ground. He was tempted to take small things that did not belong to him. He did not call it stealing. He was just kinda, well, he did not know exactly just what he would call it. Days turned to weeks and the weeks turned into months. Not once had he heard from his parents or had they heard from him. He was out for revenge and they would never find him. It would never do for them to find him now because at the end of the year, as most petty thieves do, he had turned to be crooked. Beno was still young but had grown, in the last year, to be a mas- sive giant in build and like an ox in strength. He had become very good looking but was still a woman hater. Night after night Beno stole things until he reached the time that he was to be dreaded and was a hunted man. Often after a night's work, he would sit in some secluded spot and dream of his home and his parents, whom he had not seen for nearly three years. At last, one night, his conscience got the best of him and he resolved to go home. He had found an apartment a few days before in which he figured he could get a remarkable amount of money. He would work that job and quit. Home! Wouldn't it be wonderful, he thought. Night came and Beno started out. After riding on the cars for nearly an hour he came to the apartment. The house looked easy to him. After feeling in his pockets for his tools and his automatic, he carefully sneaked up the back steps. The door was easy and everything went Fine until he reached the hallway. Here he made a great blunder by stepping on some kind of an animal. A loud meow issued and a cat scampered away. Gee, he murmured. I wonder what will happen now? He did not have long to wait for a dark figure stole out from a doorway and Beno knew it was the man of the apartment. That did not worry Beno. He was trying to think of a way to get by the man. Evidently he could be seen. He saw the man raise an arm which pointed straight at him. Ducking as quick as lightning, and at the same time whipping out his automatic, he fired. Once! Twice! A scream and a thump was heard as the man collapsed and two white figures rushed out of the darkness to the side of the dead man. Lights flashed and Beno gasped! My God! Father! Mother! My son, cried his mother and rushed for his side, but too late. Beno, gasping at the horrible sight of his dead father and his hys- terical mother and sister, realized what he had done, and without think- ing, raised the revolver to his head and sent a bullet crashing to his brain. That was all. just the end of another misspent life. Alton Bookout. 120

Page 31 text:

YL , f -4. - . - .-. gf f---. I .-dar.-ik f 9 he had spoken before and received no answer-awakened me once more to consciousness of those about me. I am happy to see you this evening, David, he greeted me. But then, you are not one to miss the New Year Celebration. This, he went on, is my daughter, June. Then, turning to the girl: june, I do not believe you and David have ever met, but you surely remember his uncle, my friend Henry Inglis? I know now that, at the moment, all of my self-possession was gone. I stammered something about his charming daughterg but, while the sound of my voice recalled me from my waking dreams of the ideal, still it had not restored full consciousness to me because, try as I will, I cannot remember my exact reply. So enraptured was I by her pres- ence that I am not, even now, mindful of any occurrence of the time except that I danced almost the entire evening with her, to the apparent annoyance of the other young men. Later I accompanied her and her father to their home, where before bidding me a good night, Mr. Allyn placed his hand upon my shoulder. David, he smiled, I want you to visit us more often. You know you have been rather neglecting us. I am having a few friends to dinner Wednesday evening. I shall be expecting you and your brother. Thank you, Mr. Allyn, I replied, I'm sure you can depend upon us. Good night, sir. Good night, Miss Allyn. On thelnext Wednesday night, Wilbur was dining with a few of his own friends. Consequently he was forced to send his apologies for not appearing, but I made quite sure that nothing would interfere with my engagement. Upon my arrival at the Allyn home, I was welcomed warmly by both Mr. Allyn and his daughter, who, indeed, seemed unusually cordial. After greetings had been exchanged, I was presented to the other guests. These were for the most part elderly people, friends of Mr. Allyn. I was, therefore, able to see more of june during the course of the evening than I would had there been many of the younger clique present. After dinner the men gathered for a little chat, during which I discovered in our host a most intense interest in the activities of the saddle. He was very pleasant and gave me to understand that he looked forward to a renewed acquaintance between the two families. On the morrow, he said, he would take a turn on horseback about the grounds of the club. His purpose was, primarily to introduce his daughter into the membership of the Haarstick Riding. I was profoundly delighted then, when he mentioned the fact that it would be well for me to meet them there. 1