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

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28 THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT About two weeks after he became office boy for Barnam and Son, a man came into the office and asked to see the boss . Jimmy knew he had seen that face some- where before. He isn't in yet, said the boy politely. Shut up, you young fool, growled the stranger. What are you doing in this office anyway, a kid like you, he sneered. Meaning I 'm a goat, I suppose, smiled back jimmy. After that the man refused to talk. Mr. Barnam, Senior, came in a few minutes and took the stranger into his private ofiice. jimmy, like other boys of his age, was curious. And besides, he didn't like this man's looks. He crept to the door of Barnam's private ofiice and listened. The men were already deep in conversation. I suppose you have great iniiuence over your fellow associates, said the oily voice of the stranger. I Hatter myself that I have some infiu- ence at least, answered Mr. Barnam. And you will invest in our mine out in Colorado, of course. You will also speak to some of your friends, went on the visitor. 4' Look here, Mr. Black, said Barnam, 'AI must look this mining claim over some before I invest. So his name is Black, said Jimmy under his breath. He certainly looks as though he could live up to his name. I 'm glad, Mr. Black, that Mr. Barnam has sense enough to look at the trap before he steps in it. I think that is all then, said Mr. Black, and Jimmy went back to his post without waiting to hear more. As the man passed out it flashed on Jimmy's mind that this was the man he had seen read the sign about three weeks ago. A week later Mr. Bob started west. He sent Jimmy several pictures and post cards describing his journey. It was apparent that he was mixing pleasure with business. He was away a month. Meanwhile jimmy had not been idle. He was finding out things for himself. When Mr. Black came to find out whether Barnam was going to help finance his scheme or not, he brought a friend with him. To his great surprise and dismay he found himself seized upon by officers of the law and placed under arrest. What does this mean? demanded Mr. Black, putting up a bold front. It means, said the chief of police, that you are arrested for wilful swindfe. We have had our eyes on you for some time, and thanks to this boy, he turned to Jimmy, we have caught you red-handed, also your partner. With that the captives were taken away and punished to the extent of the law. The Real Estate Company could not do enough for Jimmy. They sent him to school and when he reached the age of twenty-one, gave him a partnership in the firm. james Andrews, jr., partner of the Barnam and Son Real Estate firm, hardly recognizes himself as the ragged little boot- black of nine years ago. He that sows shall reap. Lulu Ill. Huff, '25, COLORADO PLUCK HE sun had just set behind the hills leaving the little valley in darkness, as a man, Tom Ranger by name, rode up the well-worn trail to the lonely cabin, which he called home. He was roughly dressed in an old buckskin suit that had evidently seen much hard service. After putting up his horse he went in. Standing his gun in a corner he set about getting supper. Tom Ranger had lived in those hills for a good many years. His wife was dead, but he had a daughter, Ellen, about fifteen years of age. She had been staying with a neighbor for a week but he expected her back either that night or the next day.

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 27 Mr. Merrit presented a silver loving cup to be given to the winner or loser who up- held fairness. Coach Whiting gave this cup to Rae. Rae was so overcome with joy that he did not know what to say. He was rescued by Mr. Merrit coming in and saying, Rae, I promised you a certain position if you won today, did I not? Yes, sir! gulped Sun U. But, went on the contractor, K' I 've got a better job for you, where something be- sides 'rough work ' will count. Come in to see about it on, say, June the fifteenth. I'1l be there, sir, smiled the loser of the quarter-mile happily. Joseph Foster, '26. UP FROM THE GUTTER HINE, sir, asked a polite little boot- black as a man passed him, presum- ably on his way to his downtown office. The speaker, a handsome, dark-eyed boy of twelve, whom fate had dropped in the poor section of the city, looked after the retreat- ing figure. Say! he said aloud, A' that fellow is in a mighty big hurry for some reason. Wish to goodness, he continued, t' that somebody had got up late so not to have had time to black their shoes. If things go this way I see where I get a back door hand out for supper. Might as well move, he added as he gathered up his polish and brushes. He passed down the street quite uncon- scious of his surroundings. Suddenly he saw the man whom he had accosted a few minutes before stop and look up at a sign over the door he was passing. The boy also looked up and read the familiar sign, Barnam and Son, Dealers in Real Estate. The younger Mr. Barnam had taken a fancy to jimmy Andrews and often stopped to speak to him or give him a ride in his car, so of course jimmy liked him very much. just then somebody wanted a quick shine and Jimmy was obliged to stop dream- ing and get down to business. It was in the latter part of the afternoon before jimmy had time to think of his friend again. Guess I'll go down to the office now and see if Mr. Bob hasn't some errands I can do, said Jimmy to himself, and away he went. There were no errands to be done but as Mr. Bob was going out to the golf grounds he invited Jimmy to go with him. 'K Well, kid, how is business today? he asked as soon as they were on their way. Not very lively. None at all till half past nine. Think I'll try selling papers. Tliere's more money in that. How would you like to be an office boy? asked Barnam. Great l was the enthusiastic reply. But thenf, he added sadly, what's the use of wishing? Nothing like that will ever happen to me. I'll be a bootblack, newsboy, or something similar till I 'm big enough to do a man's work, then I'll End a job in a mill or something. VVhy not? questioned Barnam. I am needing an oliice boy right now and if you think you 'd like the job I'll hire you. jimmy was too astonished to speak. The ground seemed to have fallen away from his feet and left him sailing around among the clouds. Well, asked Mr. Bob after a long silence, are you going to take the job? Take it! You bet I'll take it! And thank you, Mr. Bob, he added as an after thought. It 's mighty good of you. No, not at all. I had to have an oliice boy and you are the first boy I've seen that I thought would fill the bill. jimmy swelled with pride. He was smart enough to catch a compliment. The next Monday morning he was intro- duced to his new duties. It seemed rather quiet after being out on the streets and perhaps having a fight or two a day. Jimmy had no intention of going back, however. He was now earning a dollar a day and when he was blacking boots for a livelihood he seldom made over sixty cents.

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THE MUSSUL UNSQUIT 29 About nine o'clock he went out, saddled a fresh horse, and started for Canon City three miles away. He had been gone scarcely fifteen minutes when five men on horseback came out of the woods a little way up the trail. They moved carefully, yet in a few minutes they were gone, tak- ing with them all of Ranger's horses ex- cept one. This one was Ellen's pony and was kept in the barn. It was not long after this that Ellen re- turned. She said good-bye to her friends at the gate and walked on up to the house alone. As she entered the house she had an impression that something was wrong. She could see nothing, however, so she called it her fancy. As she stood in the open door she heard voices in the corrals. Slipping noiselessly to the fence, she peeped through. On the farther side were the fig- ures of three me11 stooping over a fourth. She said nothing but crouched close to the ground and watched. They picked the in- jured man up and carried him to their horses, which stood a few feet away. After mounting they turned out of the corral and took the trail for town. Ellen, thoroughly frightened, went back to the house. As she entered she became aware of somebody in the farther corner of the room. Something seemed to tell her she was in danger. At that moment a breath of wind from the open window blew out the light. Seizing her chance, Ellen rushed for the ladder that led to the loft. Her feet made no noise on the bare floor. She reached the top just in timeg as she rolled over the edge, a match was struck in the room below. A few minutes later someone else came in and began to talk in low tones with the first man. In a few words he told him that he and his followers had found nothing i11 the corrals or barn, also, that ,lack had fallen from the fence and hurt himself quite badly. The first man, whose name proved to be Pete, said there was nothing in the cabin that he could find. At last they decided they could do no more that night, so, blowing out the light, they went out and closed the door. Ellen came down, waited a few minutes to give them a start, then went out and saddled the one remaining pony. In half an hour she was with her father in Brown's saloon. She asked him to come outside, as she had something to tell him. In a few minutes she told him the story. Then they mounted and started for the hills. The moon was shining when they reached home but it was not light enough for them to see any tracks. They went inside, on the table was a slip of white paper, held in place by the butt of a gun. Ranger went quickly to the table. On the paper was written: Come to my oliice at ten to- morrow. Important. Don't bring any ' Mountain ' friends along with you. Sher- iff Turner. So that was it. They thought he was one of the rustlers or Mountain crowd and here they had taken his horses that very night. The next morning he arose early and fol- lowed the trail far up into the mountains until it became plain to him that the rustlers were taking his horses to their camp. Then he turned and rode back to town. He reached Sheriff Turner's office about 9.45. They had a long talk and Ranger proved that he knew nothing about it. He then told Turner where they were going. Turner immediately sent a gang of men to follow them. Two days later they returned bringing with them the whole outlaw band and a large number of stolen horses. Ranger's good name, which for a time had been doubted, was re-established and Ellen's fame went all over the country. Vivian Hammond, '25.