Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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6 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR ©leanfcra: B XUalc of fftallow’e £ve J5y IDavicn H. Uountfjobn, X., '0(3 HE young folk of the little town of Pascclle had planned a Hallowe’en surprise party at the house of Olcandra, an Indian maiden, who lived in a log cabin in the midst of a field just outside the town. Three years before she had come, a wanderer, to the town of Pascclle. She had for a small sum obtained a log cabin, de- serted by lumbermen, for her abode. She had even worked up a trade in vegetables, and was respected in the town. During her three years’ stay on the outskirts of Pascclle, she had learned many cus- toms of the Palefaces. Xannctte Macv. the parson’s fair-haired daugh- ter. had a very romantic disposition, and was devot- edly attached to Shakespeare, as well. She was ex- tremely fond of weaving Olcandra into weird tales, and amusing her companions. She even said that Olcandra must be an exile from some wandering Indian tribe. On the morn of October 30 a crowd was gath- ered in the hall of the schoolhouse to make plans for the next evening. Roys were selected to carry the tubs and apples, pumpkins large and round were solicited, and the festivities were arranged. Meanwhile Olcandra was in the village that morning to sell some vegetables of her own raising. Hearing her name spoken through an open win- dow of the schoolhouse. and mindful of the coming Hallow’s eve. Olcandra was on the alert. Tipping her basket, she spilled the contents and stooped to pick them up. Aha! She had heard! She knew! The gleaming eyes and expectant countenance of the wanderer Olcandra appeared beneath the frill of a large gray hood. A sweeping black cape con- cealed the agile form and many-colored attire of the erect Indian maiden. She was hastening to the woods for evergreen to decorate her cabin, and wood to build a bonfire. Oleandra was the only daughter of Big Chief White Head, the leader of a small remnant of the Wanapanachi tribe. At the death of her father, possessed with a taste for the more civilized cus- toms of the Paleface, she had broken loose from her people and wandered down the Mississippi bank seeking her freedom. Ever since Oleandra had deserted her clan, she had been diligently sought bv Eagle-beak, the suc- ceeding chieftain of the tribe. Bent on restoring her to her race once more, Eagle-beak was still energetic in his search. On the night of October 29, Eagle-beak had passed through the village of Pascclle, and the gleaming eyes of Olcandra had seen him go. Straight on lie went, nor did he dream of her existence there. The sun was setting, clothed in splendor, send- ing its glorious tinges of rainbow colors far up through the sky. The autumn leaves accentuating these fantastic surroundings gave the place a singu- larly fanciful appearance. A huge bonfire was crackling and shooting its darts of flame up into the air by the side of a log cabin, in the door of which stood Oleandra. her bright eyes glistening with excitement. The shadows deepened, and shouts of laughter rang out into the night air. Xearer and nearer they sounded, until they reached the cabin. The door flew open, and there stood—Oleandra? Xo! She wore a gray cloak! She carried a broom! And a staff! But yes. it was Olcandra's face. She smiled and stretched forth lx th arms. “Welcome! Do not fear. Oleandra plays the witch. She sweeps the cobwebs from the sky. Enter.” Oh. horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee. Come on. every- body.” 'This from Xannettc. who could not resist the temptation of inserting a Shakespearean quota- tion at this juncture. 'The merriment of the evening was greatly be- yond every one’s expectations. A Hallowe’en party, indeed, it proved to be. The lighted pump- kins were set up. the apples were bobbed, and more than one had his head ducked, but the happiest of all was Oleandra. The wanderer maiden danced the characteristic war dance and muttered weird in- cantations of the tribe. At last the great bonfire went out. and the merry crowd dispersed. $ ’ Fifty years had passed, during which it had been the custom in the town of Pascclle for all Hal- lowe’en festivities to be held in Wanapanachi’s field, the dooryard of Olcandra’s home. ()n the night of the fiftieth anniversary of Olcandra’s Hallow's eve. the village folk were once more assembled, and in the midst of their festivi- ties. when a shadow fell on the ground by the side of the blazing bonfire. The eyes of all were turned to the new-comer. Behold! An old and lean In- dian. with feathered headgear, a tawdry garment, and long leather leggings fringed with gaudy beads, ilis face was marked with the lines of age and toil, and his countenance was savage with anger. 11 is belt of human skulls told of his ghastly deeds. Aha! Eagle-beak has found his prize at last! The Wanapanachi will have their revenge!” In consternation the village folk dispersed, nor did they linger, for the old warrior drew his bow as if to shoot. The following morning a note was discovered stuck in the door of Xanncttc's abode, and this is what was found therein :— “Farewell. Oleandra joins her tribe once more. To the children of Xannctte I give my treasures. Search under pile of bonfire ashes and you will find their hiding-place.”

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 5 TClc Iconic c will condescciul to step down momentarilv from our high position as Seniors, and extend the glad hand to the entering class of 19UJ). Fresh- men. in the four years you have before you. we wish you success and prosperity. We have but little time to remain with you, but we trust that, after the departure of the class of ’01». the school will still continue to exist as it did before we were a part of it. Nineteen nine is the last class we shall see enter the school, and so we put all sincerity into these few words of welcome, and once again wish the Freshmen good luck. ZTbanftdotvmo This, indeed, is a time when we. the present edir torial board, can offer up our sincere thanks After a hard struggle, we arc at last able to place the first number of the Radiator before the school. (hving to the heavy debt that has been incurred by former managements, we were unable to publish the usual October number; but we feel thankful that we shall not be obliged to repeat that omission this month. However, if at any time during the year we find our funds such that it would be inadvisable to at- tempt to publish the number, we shall wait until we can meet the expense of publication. Therefore, students, when you feel like blaming somebody, re- member it is you who are supporting the Radiator, and we are but your chosen represen- tatives. it » r, k H-lew TTcacbers The Latin School faculty has suffered a loss in the resignation of Miss Walker, who was married during the summer. But there is no loss without some gain, and we feel certain that the vacancy will be ably filled by Miss Cunningham. In the Eng- lish School Miss Marsh is welcomed back after a year’s absence. Soliloquy ,H3 Shameless Samuel As 1 take my well-worn quill between my thumb and index finger, I can hardly repress a shudder at thinking of the deep impression this treatise will make upon the minds of the readers of the Radiator. 1 have fond expectations that this mar- velous and phenomenal exhibition of verbal jiu- jitsu will make a decided sensation in the cultured society of this school. The members of the literary world have often been vainly exhorted to place a thoughtful essay before the eyes of our readers. Therefore, in a manner as unassuming as possible, 1 hereby respond to the call for volunteers. I am writing this for the especial benefit of the •class editors. It is a well-known fact that the class notes afford greater amusement to the students than any other department of the Radiator. It is therefore both fitting and proper that each editor should work conscientiously to make his column an unquestionable success. None would like better to speak on this vital subject, I dare say. than the present editor-in-chief; but, in giving the follow- ing suggestions, which 1 hope will be cheerfully re- ceived. I relieve the Radiator's pilot from any re- sponsibility concerning this point. The first and most important lesson to be learned by a class editor is to depend upon himself, and to remember, above all things, that the class has chosen him to take the charge and responsibility of his column, rather than to be an agency through which his classmates may pass in notes. Not that the writer would condemn the passing in of not« s by pupils; on the other hand, he would wish to encourage this beneficial custom. Hut it must be the class editor who assumes the whole responsi- bility in the matter. Again, it should be the class editor's duty to ex- clude all stale jokes and insignificant notes from his contributions. Events and humorous incidents should not be relied upon entirely as material to lengthen the column. Why not think up some harmless hit on some of the well-known characters of your class, instead of startling those who peruse the paper with mirth-producing renderings heard in German, history. etc.? This latter class of notes is all well enough in its place, but to have it in predominance over the rest of the column re- minds one too vividly of the quotations from the stock exchange. Those who read these lines may form the idea that the author thinks he knows it all. The author does not know it all, but has had a little experience in the line of class notes, and has merely written some suggestions he has been able to glean from his arduous duties. No one need feel obliged t ; comply with these suggestions, offered in a spirit of meekness and charity, but perhaps the imagina- tion of the class editors may be stimulated by read- ing over these hints that have so sorely taxed this over-worked brain to compile. I will now end this essay, but before I lay aside my pen. let me say but two words, which will be of far greater value to the class editors than all the volumes of logic in exist- ence. Be original.”

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SOMKRVILLK HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 7 B $3oarMng School lEpteofce 36v? Wattle Classman, 2 ., ’OS T was after class, and five girls were as- sent bled in one of the classrooms of a boarding school. These five were called the ‘Quintette by all the rest of the girls in the school, because, where a person saw one of them, he might be sure that the other four were somewhere in that vicinity. Usually at this time of day all the girls went for a walk with Miss Jennings, but the weather had been so disagreeable that they had re- mained in the house for the last few days. Oh. girls. I do wish it would clear up. It has been raining constantly for the last three days, and as yet there is no sign of it stopping. This weather does make me so homesick. The speaker was a girl of perhaps fifteen years of age. Her name was Flower, and the name was exactly suited to her. She was very lovely, with brown eyes, auburn hair, a sweet mouth, and a little round chin in which a dimple played hide and seek. As she sat there leaning back in her chair, her hands locked at the back of her head, and her eyes fixed dreamily on the ceiling, she was a pic- ture worthy of any artist’s pencil. As her words did not require an answer, she con- tinued. Anyway. I am sick and tired of school. Pretty nearly every night we have salt mackerel for supper, and then I drink so much water that every time I eat anything, a piece of bread, for instance, I can hear it splash.” “Well.” ventured a pale girl with a high-pitched voice, if you are so sick of school, why don’t you leave? Why don’t I go to heaven?” cross-questioned Flower sarcastically. Recause I can’t—that's why. but school would be a little better without the salt mackerel—and Miss Jennings. Flower was the favorite of the school, so much so. in fact, that even the teachers let her have her own way in many respects. So the girls all clustered around her. and Helen, the youngest of the five, plucked up courage and said, Flo. dear, never mind the salt mackerel, or Miss Jennings, either, but please tell us a story. Flower was very tender-hearted, and Helen said this in such a pleading voice, that she could not resist her. though she said. I can’t get the thought of salt mackerel out of my head, but I will tell you what my grandmother told me once when I was complaining about my salt supper. The girls all clapped their hands in high glee to think that they had been able to get Flower in good humor again, and she began :— “The iast time 1 went to visit my grandmother, she told me before supper that we were going to have salt mackerel for the evening meal. 1 always •expressed my likes and dislikes to her very freely, so I told her that 1 disliked the fish very much. Rv wav of enticing me to eat it. or at least I sup- pose that was the reason, she said, 'Flo, if you eat ten pieces of salt mackerel to-night for supper, and then go to bed without drinking any water, a vision of a beautiful young woman will come to you in your dreams, and sav to you. Wish ! and your wish will come true!”’ I thought that I saw through her scheme, so I decided not to try it. Rut now. girls, so long as we are going to have the fish for supper to-night, why not try this, and assemble here to-morrow after class and tell what we wished? While eating supper. Miss Thompson, who pre- sided at the table, thought it queer that the Quin- tette ate so much salt mackerel, and that they seemed to relish it so much, but nevertheless she made no remarks about it. Recause.’’ thought the good soul, the poor things might have studied st hard that they could eat almost anything. After prayers, the five began to get so thirsty that they thought they had better go to bed and try to sleep it off. So they bade tile other girls good night and went upstairs. Flower lay with eyes wide open until ten o'clock, and all the while she thought that she would choke. The minutes went by like hours, but at last the clock struck eleven. She thought that she could stand it no longer: she got up and tried to bury herself in a book. She could not get her mind on the story, and sat still and tried to think of home, or anything, in fact, but her thirst. When the clock struck twelve, she could stand it no longer. She went to the door and listened. All was quiet without! She gently unlocked the door, and tiptoed to the bathroom on the other side of the hall, and drank until she had finished four tumblers of water. She tiptoed back to her room, crept into bed. and the moment she touched her head to the pillow fell asleep. When she awoke the next morning, she found to her dismay that it was fifteen minutes later than she usually got up. She jumped out of bed. made a hasty toilet, and arrived downstairs just as the bell for prayers was ringing. She glanced over at her friends’ places, and they all seemed to be looking well, but not very happy, and somehow they seemed to try to avoid looking at her. The impatient five could scarcely wait until after class, but it came at last, and the girls all quickly assembled in the appointed room. Fach wanted the other to tell her experience first, but finally it was decided that Flower should begin, because it was she that suggested the plan. and. besides this, she was the eldest. After some hesitation. Flower told all. but to her great surprise, none of the girls laughed, or even smiled, as she expected they would. On inquiry, they confessed that they had all had pretty nearly the same experience, and. after a hearty laugh, the girls decided to eat what was set before them and not grumble.