State College High School - Maroon and Gray Yearbook (State College, PA)

Page 12 text:

MAF OON And GI AY other. I was surprised to find it not a room but a tunnel. I had not gone very far when I suddenly stopped and stood rooted to the spot. There in front of me were two coals of green fire, which I concluded belonged to a lynx. I shoved my hand into my pocket for my revolver and received a shock that made my hair stand on end and I trembled all over. My revolver was not there. 1 dropped my flash light and feverishly went through my pockets. Then I grasped my knife and in a Hash 1 had it opened ready for the spring, which I knew might come any moment. Minutes seemed years. Then it sprang. I lunged fiercely with my knife, then I must have lost my senses for w hen I opened my eyes I looked up into the eyes of the farmer boy. I was lying on a clean white bed back at the farm. I tried to move my right arm but could not. Then I tried my left and raised it to a much bandaged head and neck. I then lost consciousness again. When I awoke they told me the following story; “Jack come running in here and told me that you had went over to the haunted house, so me and Houser an’ his boys got our guns an went over. We found yer gun on the steps an then went down the cellar. There ye was layin' with that big lynx right on top a’ ye. He was dead with yer knife clear up to the hilt in his neck. Say boy yer lucky.” 1 still have that pelt on the wall in my room with the knife hilt fastened to it right wdiere I stabbed it. I’ll show it to you sometime w hen you come out. I). W. ’20.

Page 11 text:

BSjjIAI pQN and GI AY AN EVENING IN A HAUNTED HOUSE T T was a beautiful evening. The eve- ning star had just appeared and was hanging low in the west surrounded by the cloudless blue sky. Back beneath it, stretched the irregular crest of the big woods. To the north, south, and east could be seen small patches of woods sur- rounded by green fields, like islands in a green sea. Here and there were small groups of ill-painted buildings that were connected by a network of brown roads. But there was not even a weed grown foot- path to the dark forbidding group, lying nearest the big woods. Often had I asked the reason but I could get but one reply, “It’s haunted. We must not talk about it.” This night I resolved to explore. I was ‘new’ in this part of the country and fresh from the city. I naturally had taken a regular arsenal with me and to quiet the chill that would creep up and down my spine I put one of my revolvers and my clasp knife in my pocket. I walked quick- ly to the top of the first rise, which in fact was the only real hill in the region, and was just going to climb over the fence and cut across the fields when I was called by the farm boy of the place where I was staying. It was while I was waiting for him that I saw the before mentioned scene. But I had not long to wait as he soon came pant- ing and blowing to the top. As soon as he got breath enough to speak he said, “Ye don’t mean to say that yer goin’ over ter that house do ye?” “Why, surely. Why not?” said I. “Well this here’s all I got ter say. I f you wants ter risk yer blamed neck with a haunted house, yer welcome to it, but jest take it from me; when yer gets to foolin with hants it’s goin’ too fer. I was not used to being talked to in this manner and I replied rather sternly, “Is that all?” The manner in which I said this silenced the boy and he answered a feeble “yes”. The moon was just rising and shed a pale light over the surrounding country, as I pushed my way through the tangled briars and tall weeds to the rotten and worm eaten porch. My nerves were all a tingle as I climbed through the hole that had once been a window. Once inside I took a look around. The moon shining through the window shed its light full on an old table. Nearby was a chair, and as my eyes became more ac- customed to the dim light I could see a door and two stairways, one leading to the second floor and the other to the cellar. The other room contained nothing of inter- est so I made my way to the second floor over heaps of plaster, that had fallen from the walls and ceiling and blocked the passage. Having reached the top I inspected the only room there. It contained two old beds upon which were faded and rotted quilts. At one side was a trunk that was in such a state of decay that one kick, from my heavy boots, sent the lock flying. In- side were clothes of all descriptions and one rusty sword which I decided to take as a souvenir. Opposite the trunk was an empty closet but as this did not interest me I decided to explore the cellar. After half crawling, half sliding down the stairs, I reached the cellar. I could feel the steps give every step I took, but at last I reached the bottom. Here I had to use my little pocket flash light that I always carried with me. The cellar seemed to be divided into two parts and after finding nothing of interest in the one part I started into the

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ANOTHER spring has come around and it seems to have the same affect as usual on the students. Everyone goes about his tasks in a happy care free manner. Some who have never been known to sing before, burst into joyous carols; they some- times lack harmony but one must forget that. It's just a common sympton of that most common disease, Spring Fever. 1 he season brings other things with it besides the fever. It brings Commencement and that means parting with the Seniors, parting with dear friends who have been working with us for four years. However the Seniors should not think we are about to thrust them out in the cold and discard them fore er. Even after graduation they will still belong to our High School. The school would not be complete without them. We want them to come back often to visit the scenes of their four-year struggle. We wish them the best of success after they leave us to take up other projects. Some, of course, will go to college, others may have other plans in view, but whatever they do, or wherever they are, the best wishes of the High School go with them. We are sure our school has been made better by their influence just as they have been helped by the school. Each class is bound to lea e some traces of its existence in the school, after it leaves, good as well as bad. I he present graduating class we are sure left all gocxl ones, of course not mentioning such minor details as furniture scratching, We hope that the succeeding classes will live up to that example set before them by the Class of 1918. Its up to the Juniors to try to fill the vacancy left by this class, creditably. It might be well here to call the Juniors’ attention to the fact that next year they will be called upon to act as lead- ers in the High Sch x l. To them will be the task of promoting school spirit and co- operation. They will have to see that the publishing of the High School paper con- tinues for the “Maroon and Gray7 staff have to fill several vacancies left by Seniors. The Athletic Association will lose its able President who made the football season possible and through whose able manage- ment we have enjoyed a number of High School dances. The Y. W . ( .A. will lose by their departure a large percentage of its membership. In fact we can say that throughout all of the four yrears that they7 have been here the Seniors have taken an active and leading part in all the school activities, always rallying to the support of those things which were for the best interest of the school and making them- selves known and felt in every branch of our High School life. To them belongs the credit in a large measure for the success we have so far at- tained as a sch(X)l and the lack of their leadership in its activities and their loss as personal friends of our members in school life will be deeply felt. The entire school through this, its publication, expresses to the Class of 1918 its heartfelt farewell and etc.