Strong High School - Mussul Unsquit Yearbook (Strong, ME)

Page 16 text:

14 THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT and she had been accompanied by an old friend of her father's, Sir John Crowley. Harvey knew Crowley was in love with Polly, and that she had already been be- trothed to him by her father. She had no love for him, instead she dearly loved Clark, but what could she do against the iron will of her father? He would not per- mit her to marry Clark because he said he had no sand and at his best he was nothing but a common cowpuncher, while Sir John was a rich Englishman with a title and could give her all she wished. Day after tomorrow was to be the wedding day on which Polly would become Lady Crow- ley, hence Clark's despondency. He vowed he could show old man Anderson and that simpering Englishman that he had sand even though he were a mere cowpuncher, if he had the time and the opportunity. But with the wedding only two days away how could he save Polly from what both he and she knew would be an unhappy marriage? He realized that cowpunchers came in very handy sometimes, but what was there that one could do at this late hour? It must already be nearly midnight and there would be only one day more. Suddenly he was roused from his sad meditations by a sharp flash of lightning and a splitting, rending crash of thunder. Looking about him he saw that the night had grown darker, the storm nearer and more fierce 3 the cattle were greatly ex- cited and uneasy, milling around the center of the herd. Clark realized that if they could not be immediately calmed, there would be a deathly stampede for things in its path, and he knew that if this herd of rangy Texas steers should once take fright nothing on earth could stop their flight. At that instant a big white-faced steer broke away from the rest of the herd, and started on a rapid gallop across the plain. A sharp flash of lightning revealed the steer and the other cattle of the herd who were following his example, now headed on a terrible stampede. With terror Harvey saw that he was directly in their path and they were rushing straight at him. Spurring his terrified mustang he rode for his life for he knew that it depended upon the ability of his broncho to keep ahead of that mass of seething, bellowing cattle. The herd was thoroughly fright- ened by this time, and the thundering of their hoofs was deafening. On they came with heads lowered and on sped Clark and his pony, which was rapidly losing ground before the on rushing herd. Two miles were covered, nearer and nearer came the mad cattle, each bound of their feet lessen- ing the chance for life of the man and horse. The storm had abated somewhat and the sky had cleared enough for the moon to peep forth from its cradle high up in the western sky, and view the race for life between the horse and its rider and the frenzied cattle. Harvey glanced back through the moon- light and was able to see plainly the dark, bobbing shapes. In that moment he knew that his horse could never carry him out of reach of those wicked, trampling hoofs. What did it matter anyway? What did he care if he did not ever reach the ranch house? It did not matter, no, far better that he should leap from the saddle and give his mustang a fair race for life. Accordingly he swung his feet clear of the stirrups and was about to jump when he saw through the shadowy night a sight which made his blood run cold. There on the plain, standing alone beside her fallen horse, he beheld Polly, and far in the distance Sir John was riding for his life, while his future wife faced the stam- pede alone. Clark pulled his mustang to a sudden halt causing the beast to slide sev- eral feet on its haunches. Quickly he sprang down to the ground and lifted the sobbing Polly to the mustang's back, he himself turning to face death from the fierce, on-charging steers. Polly, frightened as she was, refused to move from the spot and jumping to the ground, gave the mustang a resounding

Page 15 text:

THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 13 The tears rose to his eyes as he thanked the kind farmer. He was given something to eat and then the farmer showed him to a room that had been occupied for several years by a nephew who had recently died. There jerry was treated to a warm bath and given a suit of clothes which had once belonged to Bob who was the nephew. t' He don't look like the same boy, said Mrs. Eccles to Louise. You won't know him when you get back from your aunt's he'll be so fat and healthy. Louise started early the next morning, kissed her mother good-bye and drove away by her father's side, well wrapped up in shawls and buffalo robes, for the weather was very cold and the ride was a long one. Louise looked out of the car window and watched her father as he crossed the rail- way track to where his wagon stood wait- ing. He's just the best father! she thought. I know he does not like the idea of my going away, but he would not say a word against it, because he knows how dis- appointed I would be. As if I would ever get too hue to help mother! But I do wish I had some handsome clothes. Reta will think my best dress hardly good enough for every day. But she can 't laugh at niy jewelry -- that 's handsome enough, any- way, and it 's all the more handsome for being old. She opened a little bag she carried and looked in, a satisfied smile on her face. The six weeks passed quickly for Louise to whom the city was a great novelty. It was nearly Christmas when Louise saw her home again and had never before realized how dear it was to her. VVhen she inquired for jerry her mother told her that he was not there any more. VVe sent him away. VVhy, what did he do? asked Louise. HI hardly like to tell you--I know it will be such a shock to youf' said Mrs. Eccles. I was fixing the top drawer of the bureau and discovered that the three diamond rings were gone! Louise sank into the first chair she came to, her face pale and horror-stricken. You-you-thought jerry- she gasped. There was no room for doubt, my dear. I will never see my diamonds again- Yes, yes-you will! cried Louise. W'ill you ever forgive me? And it was all my vanity-my wretched vanity! I' Louise, what do you mean ? cried Mrs. Eccles. That I took the rings, mother! Oh, mother, don't look like that! I did not mean to do wrong-I didn't indeed. Louise wept bitter tears that night. Her vanity had cost poor Jerry dear. It was a hard task to tell her story over again to her father. They tried to find Jerry but the winter passed and spring came with no sign of him. But one rainy, cold night Mr. Eccles and his wife were sitting by the tire, when a low tap sounded on the door and into the room, wet, ragged, stepped jerry. I came back, he said, 'I for I thought per- haps you had found those diamond rings. Of course Jerry's dark days of poverty were over. But Louise never forgot the lesson she had learned, and never again felt any desire to wear Grandma Sheldon's diamond rings. Hilda Jolzusou, '25. SAND T was a hot, sultry evening in the month of August, the sun had long ago gone to rest behind the horizon. Far away the distant rumble of thunder could be heard, and in the sky above lightning darted hither and thither in an alarming manner. Upon this dark, wild night Harvey Clark alone to l1is troubled thoughts, rode his cowpony around and around the restless herd of Texas long horns. He was troubled not so much by the storm or the uneasiness of the cattle, but by a dull, heart-rending pain. This night his longed for bride, Polly Anderson, had gone across the prairie to pay a farewell call to a friend,

Page 17 text:

THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 15 slap, and he vanished into the distance. On and on came the crazy steers, their eyes bloodshot and bulging, their horns crashing, now they were almost upon the man and girl. Not much longer would they have to face death for it was rushing to meet them with the speed of an express train. Suddenly an idea came to the frenzied and frantic Harvey: seizing hold of the sweater he wore, he wrenched it off and waving it wildly in front of hin1 and at the same time swinging his other arm, took a last stand for the safety of himself and the girl he loved. Could he avert the course of that on-rushing mass? L- It seemed impossible. -- Was it imagination or was the leader directing his charge a little to the left? -1 Yes-he was, he was-but was it too late for the leader to turn those wild steers crazed with fright and excite- ment? With a sudden swerve the leaders changed their course and then hundreds upon hundreds of charging cattle thundered past, scarcely six feet away from the terri- fied man and girl, leaving in who had expected a terrible those furious, trampling hoofs. Steadying the half-fainting Polly, Clark staggered forth in the direction of the An- derson ranch. They had gone but a short distance when they were met by Polly's father, who, having heard Sir j'ohn's story of the stampede and according to this story the sudden disappearance of Polly, was nearly frantic with anxiety and had set out with an extra mount in search of her. safety, they death from Clasping his daughter in his arms, he grasped Harvey's hand and in an unsteady voice exclaimed, My boy, I take back my former hasty words and say that you have more than 'sand,' you have an invincible courage even in the face of death itself. He put Polly on his own horse and climb- ing up behind her bade Clark to mount the other one and accompany them home. In reply to their inquiry of Sir John, he would say little, but stated that he had left the ranch and would never return. So Polly instead of marrying a title married the man she loved and never in the years that followed regretted her choice. Arlene Mcfflvary, '23. ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL RANK REDMAN was a senior at Pine Grove Academy, which was in the town of Milton, Mass. He had come there almost four years before. These years had been the happiest of his life, al- though he had worked hard while there. Both his parents had died when he was but ten years old. He had managed to get through the Grammar school and was working his way through Pine Grove Academy. Frank's two hobbies were playing base- ball and a cornet. He was a star at both, being the greatest catcher that ever donned a catcher's mitt at Pine Grove, and playing cornet in the Academy orchestra. He also liked to dance, especially with Evelyn Brown, whose father was the president, and a large stockholder in the silk mill there in Milton. She was also a senior at Pine Grove, and perhaps it was because of Evelyn that Frank had considered them the happiest years of his life. She had liked Frank from the first. Frank was not the only one who admired Evelyn. There were several others, one of them was Henry Walton, whose father owned a large de- partment store and was president of the Milton Trust Co. Henry was also quite a ball player, playing second base for the Academy team. He was rather disagree- able at times and had expressed his opinion of Frank, when the latter had been elected captain of the baseball team for the coming season. Henry bragged on his base run- ning. He was speedy, but Frank had never played against him, therefore couldn 't show him where he might be a little wrong. Many men on opposing teams had tried to steal second on Frank when he was in a crouched position, but his quick snap throw taught them not to try it again.