St Mary of the Springs High School - Siena Yearbook (Columbus, OH)

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-.- e. .- --.....-----.,-. - .. see. ee e , 33-' to himself as he arose on the fifth morning of the never-ending rain. It,s worse today than it has ever been. On that day the rain was accompanied with thunder and lightning and a strong wind. Twice the lightning had struck trees nearby and they crashed to the ground near the station with a deafening roar. As Dave peered out of the window he saw the Limited,' go roaring by. Before the Limited had come and gone he still had a little hope of being sent some other place before Christmas but now he lost all hope. All at once he heard a deafening roar and looking out of the window he saw that a section of the bridge had been washed out. The logs crashing against the bridge had weakened its supports and the roaring water washed it away. Lucky the Limited has passed, he thought as he sat down to his desk and hurriedly prepared to send a message to the nearest towns to delay all trains. For about twenty minutes he tried to get a message through but he received no response. The wires must be down and the next train is due in about four hours. I'1l have just about enough time to get to the nearest town. I must hurry. As he started to leave he heard another crash and a loud thud nearby. He tried to open the strong wooden door but it would not open. He peered out the window and saw that lightning had struck a tree and it had fallen right in front of the door. In vain he tried to force the door open. Then he tried to loosen the iron bars on the window but they would not given to his efforts. He was locked in the small brick station with no way to get out. I must get out. If I don't warn them in time the passenger train will plunge into the river and all on board will be drownedf' Again he tried to get out. He tried to force an opening through the roof without success. I can't get out and I will have to stay here and look on helpless while a hundred people meet their death. When he had given up all hope he heard the whistle of the train which was fast approaching although it would take it a good while to reach the station. All at once he heard another crash. A tree fell and hit the little station smashing the roof and covering him with debris. For a while he lay there stunned but at length he was able to get up. On came the train, he could see the glare of the head- lights. Luckily, a lantern in a cupboard was not smashed by the falling debris. He was almost exhausted and hardly knew what he was doing. With great effort he picked up the lantern and lit it and crawled to the tracks. He waved the lantern before him but the train kept coming. The engineer can't stop,', he thought. The train will grind me to pieces. The brakes of the train screeched and it slowed up but still it came on and on. Unable to stand it any longer Dave fell unconscious. The engine came to a stop a few feet from him. The engineer got out of the cab and saw how near he and the passengers were to death. This young fellow had probably saved the lives of a hundred people. Dave was carried into the cab and when he regained consciousness he saw the superintendent near him. You've saved my life, my boy, and the lives of all on board this train. I am going to try to repay you as far as possible. I will raise your salary and you can choose the place to which you would like to be transferred. Denver or any other place. Which do you choose? Denver,', said Dave, and he dropped off to a deep sleep, dreaming of the good time he would have on Christmas. XVILLIAM MILLER, '28- ' 115

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He was awakened by his mother's startled cry, Tommyl VVhat on earth-H 'Tm all right, Ma, I-I guess I fell asleep. Gosh, this straw is hard. It was such a nice story, Maf' He was not yet fully awake and Mrs. Gray could not know what he was talking about. This your book, Ma? I found it up here and I was reading the story. Let me see it. Oh-hln Ain't'cha glad I found it, Ma? Bet you forgot about it being way up here. VVhy, what's the matter, you're crying.', But Mrs. Gray did not answer. She had buried her face in her arms. Her shoulders shook with uncontrollable sobs, and in those tears was all the repentance and regret of the many years which she had spent away from the Church, from the Faith in which she had been reared in childhood and been taught to cherish as a great gift from God. Her memory sped back into the years. She saw herself as a child, leaning on her motherls knee, being instructed in Catechism. She remembered the rosaries around the Hreside in the evenings. Ahl she had been a good Catholic then. Girlhood-her mother's death-she had been dazed, stunned. She had begun a new chapter in her life. Then came her marriage to Dick Gray, a non-Catholic. She was happy and contented. She had forgotten most of the teachings of the Church and her little boy lying on that straw had stirred her heart. A fallen away Catholic was what she had become, but she would go back now. Tommy interrupted her thoughts. U 'Smatter, Ma? Tell me. Let's go down now, dear, his mother replied, Hand I will tell you all about this Jesus, and how good He is. And give me that book, I donlt Want to lose it ever. You were right, Tommy, I did forget about the book and all it meant to me, but I wonlt forget any more nowf' MARGARET SULLIVAN, '28. THE LONE TELEGRAPH OPERATOR Dave Carrol stood at the doorway of the small station. Four months pre- vious he had been sent to this out of the way place as telegraph operator. The only living things around were the birds and animals in the woods nearby and the large rats which infested the station. He had been sent there by the superintendent of the railroad who had given his position in the city to one of his friends. He told Dave that it would only be for a little while and then he would be transferred to a large city. Dave was disgusted and lonesome. For four months he had kept up hope and every time a train came roaring down the tracks he expected to see the super- intendent get off and assign him to a new post. As he was standing in the door- way he heard the signals and went in to answer them. After he had taken the message he again took his former position. In a week it would be Christmas and unless something happened before then he would have to spend Christmas in the small station by himself. As he was standing there the rain began to come down in torrents. Anything to make it more miserable for me, he mused as he shut the door and the one window of the station. The back part of the station was his living quarters and he retired to them. For four days the rain kept coming down faster and faster. The creeks and the large river nearby were swollen and were raging torrents filled with logs and missles which had been gathered from the banks of the streams. If this rain doesn't stop there'll be a Hood within forty-eight hours, he said 114

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af? 15 A 3 4 eff TO THE SPRING DAFFODILS Fair dafodils, we smile to see MARCH We call you a lion's roar- x. 1 .1 , 1-il, iggi? ' ' -l-... IiTT.f4ifu.. Lggjm lmf- r:::r-'- 4, V--- TSW- Y W , .' 'W -1 ' -' - ..-' J ' f:1'ff'f'2'7E'Ei W5ff?- - Q E A 5 M E E - ' - gy5:3'2 eE-, ,-L , gy-gi 5 - E Z E45 3 X You come again so soon, d s yet the early rising sun Has not attained his noon: C ome, come Until the hastening day Has run But to the evening song, dnd having prayer together, we Will go with you along. ' II Vlfe have a short time to stay, as youg VVe have as short a springg ds quick a growth to meet decay ds you or anythingg We die ds your hours dog and dry away Like the summer's rain, Or as the pearls of morning dew, Ne'er to be found again. MARIE RYAN, '28. MARCH March is funny, sure enough, Sort of wild and very gruf, Like a boy, who made a vow To be bad, but don't know how. Other months are more atune, Witlz themselves! Take M ay and f une, With their birds asinging lays Through their warm and sunny days. CATHERINE VVAGNER, '28. fust a little faded rose With a small and withered leaf, lust a little broken stem, find yet it brought relief. PAULINE TROGUS, '28. When .'llother's Day comes round Say it with flowers. Show her that your heart has found A piercing, sudden blast, find we all fasten tight the door Alnd shiver 'till you're past. We say you are the harbinger Of the balmy days ahead, We listen as you moan and stir, Wishing you were May instead. O storm of life, which we must face, Since you must come, come on! He, Who grants everlasting grace, VV ill guard 'till you have gone. So come, since you must have your way, Ere gentle zephyrs blow, We'll brave your darts until the day That April bids you go. ELVA INKROT, '28. BILLY'S BIRDIE Good-by, little birdiel Fly to the sky, A Singing and singing a merry good-by. Tell all the birdies flying above, Billy in his garden sends them his love. Tell how I found you hurt in a tree, Tell them when wounded to come all to me. Pd like to go with you if I could flyg It must be so beautiful up in the sky. Why, little birdie, why don't you go? You sit on my hand and shake your head, no. I know for you really seem trying to say, My dear little Billy, I can't go away? DANICE BADURINE, '28. , Al gentle lifting of the veil of night .ff gradual breaking in the clouds of light Precious moments through the year , fl sudden burst of pinkish hue, fust by having her so near. So say it with flowers. When Mother's Day comes round. CHARLES WIDMAIER, '28. 1. .4 streak of purple midst the blue. RUTH STALDER, 'Z8. 116