Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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12 THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR to see what lias happened.. The trunk of the mas- sive oak is split from branch to root by a great white gash, but what is that black thing? Doesn’t he see something there near the roots? The next Hash confirms this; there surely is something there. Groping along, he runs his hand down the gash. Ah. what is that cold thing his hand touches? A metal; a handle to it; a leek; It s a box: a small box. l y Gracious! It’s grand- father’s money! It's the fen thousand dollars! Jftgbting a jforcet jfire By Hustin lPalmer, B., '09 SAY, Al, what’s all that smoke up there in your timber lot?’’ I don't know. Isn’t it Charles burning brush up in his pasture?” ‘‘No! He wouldn’t be burning brush in a wind like this. We’d better go up.” ‘‘1 guess you're right. 'file scene was that of an old solitary farmhouse on the side of one of New I lampshire’s stately hills. About 200 yards back of the house was a thick pine wood, from the heart of which a cloud of smoke was arising. This timber lot and the farm were the property of a young man locally known as Al, who during this conversation was sit- ting on a mowing machine in a field to the left of the house. This was where 1 spent my summe; vacation, and on the present occasion I was in the house reading. The person who had addressed the young pioprietor was a man who, with his two companions, was setting a telephone pole directly opposite the house. On hearing the cry of fire. I quickly joined them. Al left his horse standing in the field, the men left the pole half set. for they all realized that a fire in that dry season, with the wind sweeping at terrific rate toward the buildings, would mean great loss if it once gained headway, for it must take in the village, which was directly in its path and only a mile away. Running across the inter- vening opening, we plunged into a dense growth of underbrush which had grown up under the lofty pines.- After traveling a half-mile and getting se- verely scratched by the bushes, we found ourselves face to face with a dense cloud of smoke. A f.w more steps showed us (lames rushing up twenty- five feet into the pines. I was at a loss to know what to do. but seeing the men cutting evergreen branches. I quickly followed suit, and with these began beating out the Hames. The fire was burning in an open circle about an eighth of a mile in diameter. 'I he Hames were two and three feet high, except in one place, where the dead leaves and needles were feeding the Hames into the boughs of the pines. We began work, but it seemed almost impossible to check it. Soon wc heard shouts in the woods, and men kept arriving until we numbered about a doz.ti and a half. Although we put out the Hames, the heart of the fire would still smoulder on in the six inch coat of needles and leaves, and readily ! laz forth at the least call of the wind. As there was no water near, the only thing to do was to dig dry earth and strew it over the smoking earth. This, one can imagine, was no little task, for practically every foot of that quarter of an acre was smoking and smouldering. While part of us kept down the blaze, the others were steadily throwing on gravel. Thus in the course of an hour the fire was under control, and the men all left, planning to come back if the smoke increased. Then we two, Al and my- self. were left alone to guard this smoking and smouldering mass. We were kept busy putt ng out the small Hames that insisted on breaking out, and shoveling dirt on the smoking stumps. We had entered the woods at half-past ten, and it was now a little after noon. Shortly our dinner arrived, sent by my companion’s mother. We were a pretty spectacle as we sat there on a log. our hands and faces more black than white, our eyes swollen and red. and our clothes ragged and burned- The last touch was added to this picture when we took the meat and potatoes in « ur grimy hands and devoured them as only • nc can who Ins had strenuous exercise in the invigorating fores air. This last touch was made necessary by our kind provider’s forgetfulness in sending rs silve:- ware. I'ive times during the meal we were inter- rupted to extinguish Hames.

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THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR 11 tTbc Stroke of fortune 36 ? Hllison IRewton, X., ’09 jj HY was such a fuss made over the old place, anyway?” was the question he kept asking himself. To be sure, he had been born and had lived there all his life, but the world had no terrors for him. His imagination carried him to nothing worse than what he had gone through the past year, or what his father had be- fore them. Me could remember work from morn- ing to night for one single purpose, to keep the mortgage paid up. And why? Was there any- thing different about that place from any other? They couldn't be bound to it on account of the neighbors, for lie could trace even in his recollec- tion the different ones that had gone '“to the city. and call to mind easily that this was one of the few things that ever aroused his father from his apathy sufficiently to induce him to pass any sar- castic or heated remarks. And yet his father just a year ago to-day, on his dying bed. had said: “Dickie, guess I’m about through. There’s money enough in the stocking to pay the interest to- morrow, and you'll tend to it after I'm gone. The sobs of his mother had just ceased from above. Why did she care? She wasn’t born here. What had the old place brought ever since lie could re- member but hard work and sore trouble? The mortgage would be lifted to-morrow all right, and he didn’t give a “hang if it was. What did he care if he was turned out of house and home? If this was home, he’d like to trv something that wasn’t home. At last he arose from the table littered with papers, and sweeping them all together, chucked them into the fireplace. Stooping to pick up those which he had dropped, he noticed one that was a piece of parchment, and when he had tossed the others into the fire, he brought this over to tV light and examined it. Undoing the parchment, he saw that on it was fastened a piece of half-burnt paper, which read; I he money, ten thousand dol- lars ($10,000). to wit, hath been pla----- tpid this was as far as he could decipher. Below was ap- pended a note which read to the effect that James (irantham had amassed a considerable fortune, hidden it somewhere, and made a will, imparting to ho one its provisions; that as he was rum- maging one night for some papers in his strong box. the lamp had set fire to his papers, and that the old man, attempting to extinguish the flames, had been so severely burned that he had (lied from the shock, .leaving nothing but this piece of paper giving a clue to the where- abouts of his fortune. He read this over again, and then remembered of hearing his father tell about how he used to search when he was a boy. If he only had that ten thousand now! Well, he might lift the mortgage, as mother seemed to care so much about it. and then perhaps it would be better for her to stay at home. It would be pretty hard to support two in the city the first year. Not that it would make any difference ultimately, but then, it would ease off the first two or three years. But what’s the use? I haven't got it, and. furthermore, there’s no chance of my getting it. so I'll quit thinking about it. By this time he had become so wrought up that his head ached, and he felt feverish all over, as if something would burst. So he put on his hat and coat, and strode out of the house in the direction of one place which at least would recall many pleasant memories. As he drew in the inspiriting night air. he began to look at the place in a more favorable light. He had had some mighty good times when he was a kid on this same old place. As he wandered over the fields, each object seemed to recall some little incident, and each incident brought back some pleasant recollection. At last he stood before the old oak. with the huge rock beneath and the brook near by. Here he was completely lost in thought. Yes, he did wish he had that ten thousand dollars. Five or six years would really be a short time to make such a fortune as that. Wonder if he would be able to save enough at the end of the year to come back just a day or so to see everybodv—under the tree, of course. Ten thousand dollars would come in mighty handy. A thunder shower had just broken overhead, but so deep was he immersed in thought that he stood there unmindful of it. When the lightning Hashed the whole panorama before him, he would take notice, and when it thundered draw his coat close about him. Suddenly, a blinding flash, a splitting crasn! Clapping his hands to his head, he is thrown over, almost stunned. By the next flash, some- what recovered, he has begun to look about

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THE SOMERVILLE RADIATOR ij Finishing this rustic repast, we once more set to work digging and strewing soil until the fire seemed in its last stages. Then we reclined on the pine needles a short distance away, and were pass- ing the time pleasantly by conversation, when a sudden crackling brought us to our feet. What presented itself to us was a fire on the other side of the clearing, sweeping quickly into a low under- brush. Snatching our fir boughs, we put in ten minutes solid work, and at the end of that time we saw with relief that we were the masters. W e kept more careful watch the remain Itr of thr after- noon, putting out many small fires which t' e wind created. At five o'clock I returned home and had a hearty supper. Then, strapping a hammock and a coup1 e of blankets to my back, taking my sweater, a lan- tern, and a pail of food. I went back to relieve AI that he might go home to his supper. On h's ic- tum, by coming 'way around, he was able to get very near with a team, bringing three wash b !lcrs full of water. This he brought that we ni ght more easily put out any fire that might arise dur- ing the night, for it was thought unsafe to leave the place over night. We hung the hammock between two trees and the lanterns one on either side of it. and then re- sorted to a pack of cards. The three of us. for my young brother had joined us for the night, were enjoving ourselves, when a flicker and then a hurst of flame sent us to the other side with water. It was a small blaze, but looked the fiercer because of the surrounding blackness. Thus we s;:c it ti c time until ten o'clock, when my two compairons, one in the hammock and one on a bed of pi e needles, wrapped themselves in their l ankets and were soon asleep. Left alone I wrapped myself in my blankets, and sat leaning against a tree, from whence I could sur- vey the burnt district. I was companionless in a black wood, except for a pack of cards, the heavy breathing of my comrades, and the thought that less than a hundred yards from my resting place a man had committed suicide. Thus 1 remaiuc 1. expecting to see accompanying every crackle of the hushes a new flame. But twelve o’clock ar- rived, and no fire had appeared. I now awakened mv companions, and we had our midnight meal. It was extremely cold for that time of year, and those who came forth from their warm blankets felt it keenly, and wrapped their blankets arorn 1 their shoulders. Stepping aside. I was reni n led of a Valley Forge picture of soldiers thus w rapped up. eating by lantern light. It was now my turn to sleep, and I was quickly slumbering, while A1 took up the watch. Ah. ut one o’clock a fire broke out on the edge, which would have proved disastrous to the woods had we not been there. About two the wind l ad s d'ed that little danger was left from blazes, so we a1! turned in. sleeping soundly until four. Then ?n t' c gray light of the dawn we put the remaining water on such places as still smoked, an 1 hurried home, a miserable looking trio. But soap and water, fresh clothes, and a good breakfast soon brought u around again. We returned that afternoon, hut found every- thing as we left it. Thus ended one of the mest stirring and pleasant experiences of my vacation. After careful consideration, we concluded that the fire had been set l force A1 into selling h's timber, which would have been hut little damaged if cut at once. However, as we had no proof against the man of whom we suspecte I the act, nothing coidd be done. Hn tbe Sbabe of tbe 0lt Kpple Xivee paroDE In? Xoufs I. In the shade of the apple tree, Where the birds and the bees sing with gl e. And the blossoms so sweet, [Mus the absence of beat. Seem to weave fairy charms over me. Since I know of a place just like that. You may bet your old hoots to a hat 1 will go right away To spend one pleasant day In the shade of the old apple tree. 1 tppo, '09 II. In the shade of the old apple tree: ’Cause 1 came out of season, you see. There were no blossoms there,— But the ants in my hair Seem’d to take a kind interest in me! (X !) I just happened, quite sudden, you know. ( )n the home of a hornet or so— So I guess I ’ll not stay Any ionger to-day In the shade of the old apple tree!