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

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24 THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT a myriad of jewels. The stillness was brok- en by the rending cry of the screech owl, and the twigs crackled here and there as a rabbit scuttled to a safer place of hiding, and all was still again. Far from the distance came the dismal howl of the wolf in full chase. Nearer and nearer it came, piercing the stillness of the night, and soon a large white buck ap- peared. Monarch of the wilds for years now he was to feel the vengance of the law of that vast wilderness. He crashed on, en- cumbered by his ponderous weight in the deep snow. His breath came short, and at every exhalation bloody froth fell from his mouth onto the snow. A few yards behind came his relentless pursuers, the wolvesg barking, howling and hissing as they rapidly gained on their prey, showing their fangs in a horrible laugh as though they realized the utter helplessness of the monarch. The buck suddenly came to a ledge and turned to make a last stand against these rapacious Hesh-eating cowards that dared to attack only in overwhelming numbers. He waited with lowered horns for the howling pack but had not long to wait for the big grey leader shot like a catapult for the throat. Feeble as he was the buck gave one fierce sweep of his horns and the wolf was Hung back. Then a rush, and a dozen, twenty, took up the attack and with each taste of blood the pack became more and more a ferocious howling mass. The mon- arch fought desperately with horns and hoofs. He beat and thrashed at his assail- ants, but with the loss of blood his life was ebbing fast away. Weaker and weaker be- came his blows. Then, as if in one last ef- fort, his head went high into the air hurling the grey bodies from him and he stood be- fore them the proud monarch that he was, as if in defiance. For a second and only a second, they seemed to slink away and then with a last mad rush they were upon him. The moon hid its face behind a passing cloud just as the pack closed in. The cloud passed. Where the monarch of the wilds had stood a lone straggler stopped to lap a well gnawed bone, he then threw back his head and called to his mate, a long, weird, dismal howl, and he too was gone. All was stillness again. Only the trampled, bloody snow and a few scattered bones was left to mark the scene of the tragedy of the wilds. Glendon Bfackley, 124. RUSTLERS ETER SPOFFORD was a young man of over six feet in height and he was the owner of a great western ranch. His days were spent in the saddle, they were long, tiresome days, but Peter was used to them. He had been in the saddle several days in succession with only a few hours rest. He was rugged and made for the life he ledg he was quick witted at all times. One day when he was riding on the far end of his ranch, he saw the tracks of cat- tle and horses. A suspicion arose in his mind. What was the meaning of those tracks? His cattle hadn't been herded over at this end for over two months and they had wandered clear down there, be- sides the tracks were all going away instead of towards his corral. That night when he returned to his ranch-house there was one of his men waiting for him. He reported that twenty of their best cattle were miss- ing. Peter told the messenger that he should take an extra man back with him and that they should keep watch by the cor- ral. Peter was mystified but he was on the safe side. After dismissing the man he turned in. For several days after he heard nothing from the lost cattle. One day a neighboring ranchman called and asked if Peter had seen anything of some of his cat- tle. Peter immediately asked him the same question. They were both surprised and perplexed. Later in the day they both re-

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 23 All the Killikellys declared they had never seen Patsy so happy. He hobbled around the deck, and talked with the sailors, who had a cheery word for the lad. He amused the children and had a kindly word for all whom he met. It was because of his very kindness and good nature that his misfortune overtook him. His mother was ill nearly all the time, so Patsey took it upon himself to care for the baby, a blue-eyed midget of a boy about two years old. He was sitting witl1 the baby on his lap, and as the child threatened to cry, had given him a precious article, the little leather satchel, to play with. As he turned to answer a question of one of the older children, Baby took an opportunity to throw the little black bag over the railing of the deck, and Patseyls frightened eyes just caught a glimpse of it before it disap- peared. He made no outcry at first. He was too stunned and miserable. But when he did commence to weep, he cried as if his heart would break. Then he had to tell them all about it: how he had planned that they should all be rich in America, how he had cnt up all his precious books and pictures and packed them away in that leather bag, so as to have plenty of paper money in America, into that strange land to which they were going. They consoled him, sailors and all, as best they might, and then left him, for he just refused to be comforted. Mean- while Baby toddled about laughing at the crying boy. Bye and bye the story had reached every- one's ears about the ship. They told the cabin passengers about it, too, and everybody tried to give a little something. There were crisp paper live- dollar and ten-dollar bills, and even silver and copper were changed i11to paper money for poor Patsey. It was all packed in an- the other black leather satchel, one of ladies had given, because it resembled the the lost one, and then they all followed captain when he went to present the lost satchel's relative to the crying boy. Patsey was sitting upon a coil of ropes looking steadily over the water when they approached. His cheeks were 'wet with recent tears. The captain didn't make much of a speech or anything of the sort. He only told Patsey how sorry they were for him: how careless babies they didn't know any better, and that per- were because all, about the haps it didr1't matter after satchel falling overboard because the paper had to be stamped in a certain way, as postage stamps were in Ireland, before it could be used. He said that they had found some of that right kind of paper all stamped among the passengers of the ship and had packed it in a satchel like his former one, which they wanted him to keep with their best wishes. VVhen Patsey opened the bag with trem- bling hngers and saw all the curious green and brown money, he c0uldn't say one word, but although they told him not to mind about thanks, his eyes said, 'I Thank youf' much plainer than words could ever express it. So he was ricl1, after all, and when they got to New York there was enough money to set Patsey up in business, and now, over a little store, in a big thoroughfare, one may read the sign of Patrick Killikelly, Newspapers and Confectionery. Mary Dickey, '23, THE FALL OF THE MONARCH HE sun hung low on the horizon, and the tall pines of the forest cast long shadows on the snow. Slowly it disap- peared from view and drew with it the last rays of daylight, as though it were loath to leave them behind. The shadows of the giant trees took on more fantastic and weird shapes and, as the last rays of light faded away, they blended into a single mass of darkness, cold and quiet as death. Soon the round red moon transformed this chaos of darkness into a fairyland. Higher and higher it rose until its silvery light made the snow gleam and sparkle like

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 25 ceived news that other ranchmen had lost cattle and horses. Some men from each ranch were sent out in quest of the cattle. They followed the freshest tracks, which led them to a place in the mountainsg after that the tracks were obliterated by a recent rain. They thought they would investigate and be pre- pared to follow them another time. After they had gone through the pass they found a corral, therefore they proceeded very carefully and quietly. At the farther end of the corral were two or three cattle. They looked exhausted and the brand on their sides were obliterated by more recent branding. The men thought they were some of their cattle all right so a guard was set back at the pass and three men went forward to find the shelter of the men. They found it beyond the Corral. There were two horses tethered in front of the cabin, which denoted that there were at least two men at home, the others probably had driven the cattle on before they were discovered. Peter's men wondered which way they would return. They attacked the cabin and t'covered the two men, who were very busily playing cards at a table in the room. In the farther corner were some bunks indicating that this was also their sleeping quarters. The men, taken by surprise, easily surrendered themselves into the hands of their captors. They were both Mexicans and they would tell nothing to Peter's men. The Mexicans' hands were secured behind them, they were told to mount their horses. The captives' horses were tied together and led by one man while the others followed. When they reached the pass they were warned that someone was coming. Con-- cealing themselves hurriedly and as well as they could, they hadn't long to wait, for soon horses appeared through the pass. They were instantly surrounded and cap- tured. The man who was evidently their leader, was jim Twain, a Mexican like the rest of his gang. They had some very good horses and their saddles and bridlcs were the best and most beautiful of Mexi- can styles. They evidently had been steal- ing cattle for some time, and were getting rich out of it. The ranchmen after disarm- ing them set a guard about them and started on their way toward home. Several of the Mexicans tried to break and get away but they were pursued and recap- tured, while one fellow was killed in the attempt to get away. He was bound to his saddle and his horse led on. They reached Peter's ranch and Peter looked over the prisoners and sent a messenger to tell the other ranch owners. Within an hour the men from all around the neighborhood were there, all throwing jests and oaths at the captives, making them miserable. After they had tortured the leader to the utmost he told them that the cattle were sold, he handed over the money and pleaded to be saved. But the ranchmen were heart- less to these Mexican brutes. They took them to the cottonwoods not far away and prepared to carry out the rule of the plains, A man who is low enough to steal horses or cattle shall be hanged! i' One after another the men were strung up to die, leaving the leader, jim Twain, until the last. What a terrible thing it was to him to see all of his men and companions hanged like dogs before his eyes and to know that his turn was to come. His turn at last did come and he was strung up with- out mercy. When he was still the ranch- men turned away from the terrible sight. But in their hearts they were glad that they should never be bothered by these men again. Ha-srl J. K crshuvr, '23, 'rl-IE LOSER OF THE QUARTER-MILE S a general thing, Sun Rae lived up to his nickname, but today, as he walked with his chum and room-mate, Jack Townsend, toward the athletic field, one almost wondered why such a title had been