Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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28 SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR The Last Call EDGAR R. LYLE, ’19-ii T was a cold, snappy November morning, the trees stood like great images, leafless, but still stately, their tops swaying to and fro with the wind, which would every min- ute or two sweep the mountain- side. Everything was still and serene, the ground was frozen hard and the little brooklets, gushing here and there, possessed a thin sheet of ice. but would soon be thawed by the sun. just rising in its beacon red over the horizon. The birds were singing sweetly, as if they real- ized that everything was so beautiful and quiet. Now and again, a spry rabbit would bob out from under a bush, and scare from its posture a frog which would jump on the thin ice of a tiny rivulet, and then make a queer noise, as if in mockery to its tormentor. All this Tom lloyt took in from his position on the side of the mountain, where he stood in the middle of the trail, just out of sight of the small settlement below in the valley called Eairview. He saw plainly the majestic Bay of I'undy. now glisten- ing in the morning sunlight, and his heart was filled with unspeakable joy. He was very happy because of all this, but more so, because he held in his hand a brand new Winchester. He was off on his first hunt- ing trip alone, and possessed a gun that he could really call his own. He stood there, un- knowingly completing the beautiful picture, a boy nearly full-grown, with broad shoulders, athletic build, and a frank, open face. One could easily see that he was inured to the hardships of farming, for he had especially large hands; he wore the farmers’ slouch hat. and his general bearing was that of a boy who had al- ways followed a free and open-air mode of living. He turned and continued up the trail until he reached the top of the small mountain. Now and again he would pass a meadow, now fast growing with bushes and young trees, where men of the past generation had cleared a field and had built a staunch log cabin, lie kept on until he came to a large knoll, and reaching the top. saw just over the tree-tops below him. a small lake, whose beautiful blue waters just matched that of the cloudless sky. and harmonized perfectly with the spruce and fir trees vthich surrounded it on all sides, as far as the eye could see. He stood taking in his second experience of a beautiful scene. The young hunter then set off again, emerg- ing into the woods on the upper side of the lake. and took any course that chance brought in his way. making scarcely any noise, if at all. for he had on his feet a pair of moccasins, which lu- had bought the same time that he had purchased his gun. and he was skilled in woodcraft, be- cause ever since he was able to keep up to the pace of his father be had accompanied him on short hunting trips. After he had gone a short distance into the woods, always keeping near the edge of tlie lake, where brooks formed in- lets. he made a birchbark horn with his hunting knife, for he was about to call a moose. This lie had learned from his father and neighboring hunters, until he had become a “ven good hand at it.” according to an old and experienced hunter, named Jake Turner. He had never put his learning into practice, but he was willing to make a start, lie raised the horn to his lips and called the moose with such accuracy as is difficult to attain, and which so few hunters possess. Then he listened, lie wondered if there would be any responsi-. Would the sought game come? Hark! Was that a mighty bull, roaring and tearing through the woods and coming to his call? Alas! It was a flock of partridges, flying between the bushes nearby, which sounded like some large animal, just within hearing distance, coming at a great speed. He went on a few paces, and then called again, listening for a short time after he had called. Then he trudged another short distance, calling again, and repeated this at short intervals, listening after every call, until he had gone what seemed nearly five miles. 'fired, hungry and discouraged, this young hunter decided to rest and eat his lunch at the side of the next brook which he came acros . Soon he came upon that which he desired, and looked on its rippling waters with quiet content- ment. but he did not meditate long, for he was famished. He flung himself down on the soft moss beside the brook with a sigh of relief, and pulled out of his pocket the lunch which his mother, whom he loved so well, had prepared for him. He unwrapped it quickly and saw tie- dainty lunch with a large piece of marble cake with a thick chocolate frosting and three large walnuts on to]). Just what he liked best. Gee. that was “rippin’ good.” mother. He laid the lunch down on the moss, and lying flat on the ground, drank of the cold water in the brook. Then came that lunch. He “took at it like :• ravenous bear, and there was nothing left in a few minutes but that large, red bandanna hand-

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SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL RADIATOR Vol. XXVI. Somerville, Boston, Massachusetts, December, 1916. No. 2 The Somkkvii.lk Husii School Radiator is published by the High School on the third Thursday of ©very month during the school year, and only important news matter can be received after the 5th of the month. Matter for insertion may be left with any of the editorial staff or mailed t tie editor at the High Sohoil. In contributing, write on on© side of the paper only, and sign full name. Communications, according to their nature, should be mailed to the editor, business manager, or exchange editor. Manuscript must be accompanied by necessary postage to insure its return. Terms, 75 Cents per Year Entered as second class mail matter at Boston P. . Single Copies, 10 Cents SOMERVILLE JOURNAL PRINT Editorial Staff £Oitor in Cbiet PHILLIPS A. NOYES, ’17b associate Editor HELEN CAMERON, ’17b Exchange Ebitor AMY E. STONE, 17b Sporting Ebitor ARTHUR X. GORHAM, 17b Blumni Ebitors DORIS HOMER, 17b Business Manager EDWARD H. DERBY, ’17b assistant business Managers PARKER PILLSBURY, T7b DONALD GEDDES, T8b Treasurer GEORGE M. HOSMER (Faculty) Bbriscr A. MARION MERRILL (Faculty) ESTHER SLADE, ’17b Statt Brtist HAROLD KOLB. 17b Class Ebitors SADIE M. LYLE, ’17a DOROTHEA SHAY, T7b MALCOLM PRATT, ’18a CHESTER MOORE. 18b DUDLEY MOORE. 1!' FRANKLIN F. DOTEN. ’19b

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SOMERVILLE HIHH SCHOOL RADIATOR 29 kerchief which had been wrapped about the relished lunch. Tom remembered his mother had told him she had slipped something in his hip pocket which she said must not be touched until he had finished his lunch. He eagerly put his hand into that pocket, and withdrew it. hold- ing something wrapped in paper, and opening it. he saw three, large peppermints which would be his dessert. That mother of his seemed to realize everything that he wanted. Then, after eating these, lie again drank of the refreshing brook water, then picked himself up and should- ered his gun. Once again was he off on the hunt, now a dillerent hunter than he who had but half an hour ago seated himself on the moss beside the brook. He had come as far as a large hill called Por- cupine Mountain, and now decided to turn about and make his way to the place where he had first emerged into the woods. It had taken him all morning, and good long one that, to come to where lie now stood, and he realized it would be near dusk or after before he came to that trail which ended at the head of the small lake. He made a new horn, taking special pains with it, for he was determined that he would get that which lie had hunted for so long, namely a big bull moose, or even a good sized buck or a deer would, perhaps, satisfy him. He started out and he put all the energy lie pos- sessed in that first call, but still no response. He walked on a short distance, and again lie called, again the same result, lie repeated the performance of the morning until he was sick and tired of calling, a longer interval coming between each call, until he called once in about every half-hour. T he sun was just sinking over the horizon when he came to a knoll, higher than the rest. and saw just a short distance away from the lake and the trail. That gave him fresh energy, so he determined to call just once more, and he called as he had never called before. lie lis- tened. He heard an angry snort, the snapping of iimbs. and the thundering of great hoofs, al- ways coming nearer. He looked in the direction from which the noise came. Oh. what a sight! He saw something which chilled his blood. great animal, as big as a horse, with great antlers and fiery eyes, shining like great balls of fire, frothing white foam at the mouth, with his head slightly lowered, snorting and bellowing, coming right towards him. There! lie had just scented his hunter. Listen to him snort! Tom was seized by a panic of fear and despair, and realized that his gun and marksmanship was his only hope. Could lie kill the moose? Would his bullet go through? He raised his rifle with all the steadiness he could command. He real- ized the situation and aimed right between those two great balls of fire. He leaped backwards, out of the course of the oncoming moose, but at the same instant the moose jumped high in the air and then fell dead, just a few feet from where Tom had shot. The bullet had gone through and the animal had used his last bit of life and now lay dead on the ground. Tom breathed a sigh of relief and gazed upon his prize, a full-grown moose. His heart leaped with joy. he had been triumphant in his last call, lie bled the animal and then took his last look, before going home, at the spoils of his first hunting trip. T hen he directed his steps to the trail and on down the trail towards home. At last, he came in sight of the lamp-light in the window of his own home and realized the truth- fulness 01 “Home. Sweet Home,” as he trudged on. tired and weary, but happy and triumphant. The Christmas Fellowship of ANGELA MARCHESE, ’20-B Miss Mab ITT Liv Miss Mab sat staring into the radiant heart of a wood fire. It lacked only two days of Christmas. She had not yet invited anyone to share the hospitality of her small home. Never since she had been left alone in the world—and that occurred when she was seventeen—had she known a lonely Christ- mas; there were always some forsaken crca- oires ready to turn gratefully the shelter of her home. Ail these festivities had brought a certain heart-warmth and happiness which lin- gered for months, but it had not meant fellow- ship or sympathy. “I believe I want a little bit of Christmas to myself this year.” Miss Mab whispered to her- self; “it’s sieh hard work, all the fixin’s! I do love to see the old women an’ the starved boys