Standish High School - Crimson Rambler Yearbook (Standish, ME)

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THE CRIMSON RAMBLER 9 MYSTERY It is mid afternoon in Kashia. a village in Egypt. The sun is beating relentlessly on the abodes of the villagers, and the brown faced, tall natives are resting lazily in the shade of their adobe houses. A White man clad in the dress of the tropics, a dress consisting of a white suit with high boots and a peculiar hat which somewhat resembles the helmet of a soldier, walks slowly along observing the natives and the surrounding houses. As he goes along, his motions and build show that it is no other than I. Now that we have arrived at the place where we find this white man is I, my stor begins. I amywalking up a street in Kashia, a village in Egypt. The black piercing eyes of the natives are closely observing my movements. As I walk by a large wall which is evidently the protection of a palace, a small door opens in the wall and I behold the figure of an exceedingly beautiful girl who slowly and cautiously motions for me to come. It seems very mysterious to me, but looking around and finding that the natives are gathered in the square, observing a trade caravan which is entering the village, I slip unnoticed through the doorway and catch a fieeting glance of the girl just disappearing up a path that leads to a dark shaded outerhouse. I follow and the girl warns me in broken English to talk low. She then relates to me a sad story of the downfall of her people and the death of her father and mother, and tells me that she is now the prisoner of an Egyptian prince who wishes her to become one of his wives. She implores me to deliver her from this monster. I willingly consent. for who could resist those dark, beautiful, appealing eyes? I bid her make ready. She tells me of a secret necklace which she has hidden in her room and tells me that it contains a map which will lead the owner to hidden wealth: she must secure the necklace before she can go. 1 calmly wait in the outerhouse while she goes for the necklaceg but when she does not return in fifteen minutes, I become anxious. Soon two dusky figures appear in the doorway and I find I am a prisoner of the Egyptian prince. I am led into a richly furnished room. A richly clad figure comes majestically toward me and I am addressed in English, You have committed an unpardonable crime by trying to steal my next wife. I found her preparing to depart and forced her to tell that a man awaited her. You shall be justly punished. He motions the guards to bring me and he leads me to a dark cell in which I observe a horrible device for torture- a stretcher. I fight desperately but am soon over-powered. I am laid on my back and the cold steel bracelets are just being placed upon my legs, when looking up I see the beautiful face of the girl in a trap door in the ceiling. Ifer screams are horrible, and just as the machine of torture begins to stretch and pull- VVell, wait, what is that P- Ting-ling-ling-ling-I roll over in bed to shut off the alarm. It is only a dream-maybe I am glad, for I don't like being stretched. But oh, those dark beautiful eyes-I canlt forget. W. E. J.

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8 THE CRIMSON RAMBLER THE FIRST ALARM In the chill of a bleak November wind, Bob Evans slowly made his way home from the fire station on Chestnut Street. Bob was one of the foremost men at the station, due to a vacancy left by the death of a man who was dearly loved by all the people of the village. Bob, being a very good man and noted for his bravery at all fires, had been promoted to this place. And now as Bob came home from his work, the wind whistled around the buildings and met him, and whistled through his clothes, chilling him. He thought, What a night for a fire with the wind and cold! He was met at his door by his five-year-old child, Arnold, and also by his wife, whom he cared for very greatly. After supper he went into the parlor and listened to the radio until nine o'c1ock. His wife fixed the furnace fire and informed him that every- thing was all right. So they went to bed after looking at the child. After being asleep for about three hours, Bob was awakened by the smell of smoke. He went out into the parlor, nearly choked by the gas and smoke, and made his way to the cellar and opened the door. He was met by a rush of smoke and fiameg he slammed the door, went and awakened his wife and child. He then went to the fire alarm on the corner of the street. When he got home, he found that his wife and child were trapped in their burning home. Bob could get into the eastern part of the house, but could not get to the place where his wife and child were. The building was a seething mass and the fire reached almost to the child and woman on the third fioor. When the fire engine came, Bob ran out and gave instructions to help save his wife. While watching, he could see his wife and child in one of the attic windows hovering away from the smoke. Bob shouted to her, but she did not answer. The fire chief yelled to spread the net. Then the woman knew that she must jump to save her life. She opened the attic window and Bob shouted to her to throw the child first and then to jump herself. She did not hesitateg she kissed her small boy and a moment later the little form was hurled through the great space to the spreading net below. He was taken from the net by Bob, and then his wife jumped into the life net. Bob ran to her as she was taken from the net. His family was saved, but that was all he knew: everything went black and his troubles were over for a time. lk Dk bk lk lk Twenty years later we find Arnold in his father's place and known as the youngest, bravest fireman in the world. He lives in a new house with his father, who has retired. This house was given to Arnold by the Brotherhood and Firemen, in honor of that night when he made himself known. H. E. B., '27, f

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MISS MURCH D29 ZEKE,