Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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12 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR restored to perfect health, the color of the roses blooming in her checks. Donovan, still standing thoughtfully in the locker-room, came to himself with a start. “Gee!” he muttered ruefully. “There’s an aw- ful hole in my hank account just at present.” Then— Hang it! I wish I knew whether or not lie played me for a sucker.” XEbe (Turning of tbe By? iRobert C. Bourne, ’12 Worm THINK it was so lovely of Mr. Brown to offer to take us out in the boat, ' exclaimed the matron perched in the stern, the motion is so exhilarating, don’t you think? I hear you arc quite an enthusiast, Mr. Brown. Doesn’t the motor ever get out of order? My husband has always said that he wouldn’t own one for a farm, you know. But then I think such a nice, comfortable boat as this one—and Speedwell is such an appropriate name, too.” Yes. I fell in love with this boat the moment 1 laid eyes on her, ’ rejoined the other matron. “The agent wanted to show us another, but 1 told George that it couldn’t possibly be better than this one. and George thought the same as 1 did, so we bought it. Did you till the oil cups. George, be- fore you started? I — 1 think so,” answered George, I'll look and see. and relapsed into silence while puttering about the engine. The foregoing conversation was held in the stern of a small motor dory, chugging down the bay. Mrs. George Brown, regent of the Ezekiel Stockman Chapter. I). A. K.. was entertaining the state regent. Mrs. James, Briggs, for the week end at her summer home at the seashore. As may be inferred. Mr. George Brown had been called into requisition to furnish the entertainment for the guest. Mrs. Brown was a woman of brilliant talents, high ambitions, and somewhat decided opinions. I’nder her administration the Ezekiel Stockman Chapter had developed from a comparatively in- significant body to one of the largest and most in- fluential chapters in the state. ()f this she was justly proud, and aspired to become state regent. With this once obtained, who knew but that she might some day attain the president-generalship? Mrs. Brown hardly dared hope for this, but she had set her heart on the former office. With this end in view, she was entertaining the present in- cumbent of that position, about to retire, with the hope of getting her favor and support. From the height of her social aspirations, she looked upon George as merely an accessory to obtain the de- sired object. She therefore devoted her time and energy to arousing the interest and friendship of the Exalted Personage, and almost forgot to di- rect George in the running of the engine. Of George little need be said. He had been Mrs. Brown’s husband for so long that he had no recollection of ever being otherwise, and it was only on extremely rare occasions that lie ventured to protest mildly against her imperious decrees. On this day. however, he was filled with a vague resentment against he knew not exactly what. and. while outwardly as meek as ever, scowled darkly ahead, and turned the small steering wheel in the bow with vicious little jerks. The boat had been skirting close to the shore, owing to the beauty of the scenery and the height of the tide, and George now started to slip in be- tween a small sandy island and the beach. He had just reached the centre of the narrow channel which separated the island from the shore, when with a gasping cough the engine stopped. The boat at once lost its momentum and drifted slowly with the light breeze toward the shore. George glared impatiently at the engine, and Mrs. Brown gazed inquiringly at George. He walked aft, gave the wheel a petulant twitch, the boat shot ahead a few vards. and stopped again. George thought he noticed something wrong with the car- buretor. and bent down to examine it, amid the vociferous advice of his wife and the inane re- marks of the guest. A circumstance that none in the party noticed

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR he had entered wide open. He could hear the breathing of the other man quicken and become heavy. Then came absolute silence. He stepped out from the shadow and faced the head of the stairs in time to see a dark form re- treating back down into the locker-room on tip- toe. Waiting until the form had passed from sight into the damp blackness down stairs. Dono- van himself descended. At first he could not see. but, as his eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, he made out the figure of the unknown intruder, moving slowly along, apparently examining witii much difficulty the number of each locker. Suddenly Donovan caught his breath. There was something familiar in the stoop of those pow- erful shoulders. Who------Ah! lie knew. The unknown was Clancy, a new rubber taken on a few weeks before. Donovan frowned. Clancy, he knew, had no love for him, for Clancy’s left eye still showed the results of a little set-to the two had had a week before, from which Clancy had emerged in a much worse condition than Dono- van. A dull click broke the sullen stillness. Clancy had stopped before one of the long row of lockers and had twirled the combination lock correctly, for the door of the locker was open before him. Donovan, watching closely from the shelter of the stairs, saw him draw something, a glittering, tick- ing something, from his pocket, saw him hesi- tatingly. regretfully place it in a certain pocket f a coat hanging in the locker, and then----- Suddenly the man before the locker stiffened: his gaze roved from side to side, and his fingers twitched convulsively. Donovan realized that Clancy had sensed the fact that lie was being watched. Immediately Donovan found the electric light switch with his fingers and switched on the lights. Then he stepped out and faced the other man. Well, Clancy,” he said, was it cold feet or a guilty conscience?” Clancy stood glaring, but said nothing, so Donovan continued. It's all very simple, Clancy. You've had your eyes on that watch ever since you've been here. Did that open door startle you a little? If you'd had any nerve you'd have made for the door and run for it. Yes. it's a clear case of cold feet. Clancy sneered. Well, what are you going to do about it? he asked. 11 Do? echoed Donovan, surprised. Why. what would you do, now, if vou were in my place? I guess I'll keep you here till the boys come, and then put it up to them. They'll be here in—let me sec—about four minutes. Then Donovan got into action, for Clancy, evi- dently deciding that his engagements elsewhere would not permit him to wait for the boys, came at him with blood in his eye. It was a merry encounter while it lasted, and it lasted some few seconds less than a minute. When it ended, Clancy was fiat on his back, his damaged left eye still more damaged, and the right one almost equally as much. And there was Donovan, breathing a little hard but unmarked, smiling above him. Clancy, conquered and broken in spirit, looked up. The fierce sullenness in his swollen eyes was gone. They were pleading now. Finally he spoke in the voice of one making a confession. I was tempted. Donovan, from the moment 1 saw that watch. Hut you don’t understand. His voice broke and faltered. There’s a littie girl, my wife, sick in bed. All she needs is---.” Donovan broke in harshly. Cut it out, he commanded. It’s the truth. persisted Clancy. You won't believe me, but it's the truth. She needs nourish- ment and proper attention, and what I'd have got from that watch would have supplied her with both. You’d have done the same thing, he finished. Mis eyes were pleading again. Donovan look at him. He believed the man now. Yes. I guess I would.” he said thoughtfully. Donovan had a wife himself. Then you’ll let me go? Clancy got un- steadily to his feet. His eyes sought Donovan's eagerFy. but Donovan turned away, lie stood for a moment with his back to Clancy, and his hand went deep into his pocket. When he took it out again he turned around. Go ahead. said Trainer Mike, and held out his hand. Then the Dooming sound of rhythmic cheering was born to their cars like the rumbling of a dis- tant volcano. Out in the open air Clancy was not thinking of the triumph of the Reds, lie gave no heed to the howling, swirling mob around him. In his right hand he crumpled a ragged, old twenty-five-doll it bank note. In his mind was the picture of a girl

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR 3 was that the boat, which under the influence of the breeze had swung its bow toward the shore, had gently grounded on a low sand bar under the momentary impulse of the engine, and remained there. Here it became more firmly fixed every minute, as the tide was running out. It was the Exalted Personage, who, gazing around with calm dignity, finally perceived their plight. Oh. Mr. Brown. I do believe we are aground! Do hurry and get us off, or we may not get back in time for tea.'' George glanced hastily over the side, seized an oar. and attempted to push off. but in vain. The boat was hard and fast, with the tide still running out. George sat down athwart and gazed helplessly at his wife. Guess the best thing vou can do is sit down and wait for the tide, mate. drawled a voice. '‘There ought to be enough water for you to get off by eleven o’clock to-night,—half past ten, mebbe.” The attention of the party was drawn to a tali, lank individual, calmly surveying them from the beach, and engaged in chewing an enormous quid of tobacco. Is there no way by which we can get off? de- manded Mrs. Brown. If you arc a fisherman, you must have a motor boat, and you can easily tow us out. You will be well paid for your trouble. Sorry, ma’am, but my son has taken the boat to town after provisions, and even if I had her I couldn't get in there now. The tide runs off of that bar so fast that I’d be ashore in a minute. The only way you can get ashore is to wait until dead low tide, and walk. With this, the native became disinterested, and gazed meditatively at the sky, rolling his quid from one side to the other. The Exalted Personage now sat up still more stiffly in her scat. I shall certainly not demean myself by walking ashore over those awful flats, neither do I intend to remain here until midnight. You must provide some way. Mr. Brown, to get us off. Having issued this fiat, she relapsed into stern and dignified silence. Most certainly. echoed Mrs. Brown. When the water is low enough. George, you can carry us ashore, and we can walk to the nearest car line. Dubiously and with a smothered anathema. George surveyed the distance to dry land and the figures of his estimable spouse and her guest. None of your slender young things, these. They were substantial and robust with the weight of their dignity and responsibilities. But his was the lot to obey, not to command—and so, the water having now receded to a depth of a few inches, after due preparations he stepped over the side and prepared to receive the queenly Juno in his arms, spurred on by the exhortations and cau- tions of his wife. It was no small task which con- fronted him, but George shouldered his responsi- bility like a Hercules, and all would have gone well if the lady had not dropped her hand bag and made a frantic clutch to recover it just as his toe came into violent contact with a small stone. I hen. alas! with a gasp echoed by a shriek from the lady in the boat, and a chuckle from the gen- tleman on shore, the Exalted Personage, state re- gent of the D. A. R., was enthroned somewhat un- ceremoniously in six inches of water. Like a flash, two things occurred: Mrs. Brown saw her social aspirations in a wreck around her, and George’s shackles fell from him like a miracle —for human patience could endure no longer. W ith a wrathful jerk, he helped the incensed lady to her feet and to the shore, and strode splashing back to the boat. When he reached the side his wife was ready for him. ‘ W ell. George Brown. I must say---- You get out and walk.” Well, of all things--- Get out and walk! George was growing dangerous: then the unexpected happened. The fire died out in the worthy lady’s eye, and with a smifllc she meekly obeyed, clinging to his arm as he strode across the flats to the shore. Leaving the two women standing on the beach. George made arrangements with the fisherman to take care of the boat and run it back in the morning, and received directions as to the nearest line of cars, which was about a mile and a half distant. It was a queer looking party that wended its way slowly along the deserted country road through the gathering twilight. George strode ahead, a dark frown on his face, with Mrs. Briggs a close second, her head scornfully erect, while his wife, suffering in silence, brought up the rear. I.’pon arriving at the cottage, the Exalted Per- sonage coldly informed her hostess that she would leave on the early train in the morning, since un- der the circumstances she did not feel inclined to remain longer. Immediately all of Mrs. Brown’s lost dignity returned to her. and clinging to her husband's arm. she composedly expressed her re- grets at her guest's decision, though entirely agreeing with her that, under the circumstances, it was doubtless for the better. Thus the party broke up for the night.