Townsend Harris High School - Crimson Gold Yearbook (Flushing, NY)

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CRIMSON AND GOLD imagined why she made no display of her righteous wrath. He did not dare ask her for that seat, so he sat down on the divan to read. He had read but a few words when he heard his sister's voice. Now, he thought, the trouble would be- gin. But never was anyone more sur- prised, not even Caesar when he per- ceived that Brutus was one of the con- spirators. Bob, she said, sit here by the win- dow in your favorite place. Besides, it's dark over theref' Bob did not sit down,-he fell into the chair, overwhelmed. Alice, after all that he had done, was actually treating him nicely. And as for her calling him Bob, why this was the first time within his memory. Here without the slight- est effort-but what could be the reason for Alice's most remarkable change of attitude? And in the same way that a man who has unexpectedly come into possession of a huge fortune cannot make his troubled mind believe his sudden change of circumstance exists in reality, so Bob could not visualize the events that had been enacted before his very eyes but a moment ago. His brain was in a whirl, his thoughts were conllicting, his senses were incomplete and harassed, he was lost. Unable to divine a satisfactory solution to this most perplexing and paradoxical problem, Bob picked up his hat and went out. A moment later he was ascending the stairs to Will's home. CHAPTER FIVE. As he slowly climbed the steps, Alice's countenance appeared before his eyes, and despite his efforts he could not remove the vision. Again he racked his brain for some logical reason that could have occasioned his sister's unprecedented ac- tion. But he was not occupied in thought for long, because as he reached the floor on which the Holts lived, he was aroused by loud voices from within. Overcome by curiosity, he Put his eye to the key- Page' Fifty-four hole. Since this availed him nothing, he replaced that organ by his ear. However, the sounds were unintelligible, and Bob despaired of determining what was taking place inside. Evidently this was not the place for him, but Bob did not retreat more than one step. He was determined as his fore-finger pushed the bell. Mr. Holt opened the door and Bob entered amid a solemn silence. Every- body seemed angry and Bob regretted that he had not acted upon his decision to turn back. Mrs. Holt's eyes were red, as though she was crying. Will's sister was seated in a rocking chair. Her lower lip was protruding, her chin was thrown forward, and to Bob she presented the appearance of a woman who is deter- mined to oppose to the last, an injustice done to her. Taking one consideration with another, her mien was decidedly belligerent. Bob divined that an argu- ment had taken place and regardless of the subject he knew that Will's sister was wrong. He waited for someone to speak, but apparently everybody had the same idea in mind. Bob broke the silence by asking: Where's Will? Nobody ventured an answer, but Mr. Hall handed him a much crumpled paper. Bob tried to guess what the note could possibly be, for obviously it was the cause of all the disturbance. However, his curiosity was insatiable, and nervously he straightened it out. With shaking hand he read Will's familiar scrawl: I am leaving home because I can't stand Catherine any moref, Bob could think of nothing to say to the plainly worried parents. He had but one question to ask: Does my sister Alice know ? Mr. Holt nodded his assent. And Bob's face registered a smile of satisfac- tion. He had discovered something for which he had long searched vainly. Still smiling, he walked out. QTHE END,

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CRIMSON AND GOLD carious for Bob if he did not obey in- stantly and silently. Or she might make ready to slap his face, something she had not done to him for almost four years. Then what would they say? Would the execution of such a measure leave any doubt as to who was master? Sadly Bob consoled himself with the thought that he had at least resisted the tyranny. He had not submitted meekly, but had died gamely before the eyes of his companions. It may have been the reward of bravery, but at any event, Bob was greatly surprised to see his sister turn around and walk away without another word. She mounted the stairs without once looking back. However, his desperate effort had turned out with a greater degree of suc- cess than he could dared have hoped. His companions, he rejoiced to see, did not doubt in the least all that he had told themg and Norman, as he left him said, That's it, Bob. You don't take anything from her, do you ?', Even so, Bob asked himself, was the result worth the price? He had saved his honor and maintained his fair repu- tation but only too well did he know what was in store for him. By this time his sister would have acquainted his father with all the details of the affair and her narrative was undoubtedly em- bellished by several fancy flourishes and other devices which were not intended to bode him well. It was now a quarter after five and Bob still had about an hour and a quarter left to him before he would have to go upstairs for supper. Then he would come in for it. His father, and his mother, and his sister he could now visualize scolding him ensemble. As a penalty he probably would be denied the privilege of leaving the house for several weeks, certainly not that very night and he had an important engagement. Listlessly, Bob spent half an hour wandering up and down the street with no other aim than to think of something pleasant, something more cheerful than a compendium of penalties that he would soon suffer. And on the other hand, why postpone the inevitable hour? A respite from an ordeal merely increases the duration of the mental agony that precedes the infliction. The inevitable, he philosophized, may be avoided, but not averted. Soon he would have to face his angry family. He could avoid them for several hours by depriving him- self of his supper. But his parents would look for him, and failing to find him after repeated efforts would make them much angrier with him. He could run away from home, but that adventure he was not ready to undertake, for by nature Bob was not an adventurer. Neither did he wish to unduly worry his parents. Having decided that the best course was to have it all out at once and thus have it over so much sooner, Bob slowly climbed the stairs with a heavy heart which seemed to miss a beat as he fumbled in his pocket for the key. Ner- vously he opened the door and stepped in. No angry voices greeted him and he stared around the room, greatly per- plexed. That his father should not severely take him to task for his actions was most inconceivable. Yet his father did not even look up from his newspaper as he said hello , His mother stopped reading her book to make several in- quiries as to where he had been and what he had been doing the whole after- noon. Bob thought that Alice had waited for him to come up before she informed her parents of the indignities she had suffered. She was in the parlor, oblivious to his entrance. He got a magazine for him- self to read and went into the parlor. He did not much like to be so near his sister, but he had frequently found it im- possible to read unless he occupied his favorite seat, in which he now saw Alice reposing. Faltering, he cautiously approached his sister. He could not, to save his life have Page Fiffy-fl11'rc

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CRIMSON AND GOLD JONATHAN AIPIELY PHILIP GOODMAN I. T is barely within my power to X, .1 describe my innermost senti- ments when I consider the as- pects of the People vs. Sunger case. I have dwelt for the past K' month on this tale of a fantas- tic creation-a frankenstein-formed in a half-crazed mind of one of the world's greatest surgeons, Dr. Sunger. I was seated with my friend, Ronald Stevens, a detective of New York, slightly indulging in a much sought-for as well as prohibited beverage, when we were unceremoniously interrupted by the ring- ing of the telephone. It was an unex- pected emergency call for Stevens from Headquarters. Being inquisitive and seeking excitement, I begged leave to go with him. This he readily granted, not being adverse to company at that hour of the night. Arriving at Headquarters, Stevens was informed that a murder case warranted his immediate attention. I-Ie was given plenary command of the situation. Dr. Sunger had been taken into custody on the charge of the murder of Jonathan Apely. The turnkey offered to conduct Stevens to the cell of Sunger. After passing through long corridors, I ap- proached the cell in which I noticed a forlorn and aged man, seated on the edge of the cot, swaying to and fro, bemoan- ing his predicament. Despite Stevens' countless questions, the only answer obtainable was a staunch denial of guilt. This, however, seemed absurd, since all of the seven eye- witnesses affirmed that they had seen Dr. Sunger stab Apely. Seeing that he could gain no satisfaction or enlightenment from the accused, Stevens decided to visit the Hotel Calpin, the scene of the catas- trophe, and see if any light could be thrown on the affair from that source. 92 4? .5 P 'Y' 'Y' . '-if TIF 4-9' th 1 ' A 2 lb Ll II. Our entrance into the Calpin was greeted with thunderous oaths and un- complimentary remarks magnanimously bestowed upon some of the employees of the hotel by the outraged proprietor. For the nth time he threatened to kill the next reporter that approached him. Stevens, with his usual tact, calmed him and persuaded him to bestow lavish pecuniary gifts on the agents of the press in order to suppress this undesired notoriety. Hof facto, the proprietor, Mr. Charles A. Manger, ushered us into the room where the corpse lay. The blinds were drawn low. A ray of sunshine through the corner of the blind disclosed to me the features of the ugliest creature I had ever seen. The last throes of agony he had suffered from the knife thrust left the body in a distorted condition which added to its hideousness. Upon further inspection, Stevens remarked to me con- cerning the incontrovertible apelike fea- tures of the deceased. Mr. Manger informed Stevens that the murdered man had registered about six months ago as Jonathan Apely of Eng- land. Since he had never had any per- sonal dealings with Mr. Apely, he was unable to reveal any further useful material. Stevens ordered the body to be re- moved to the morgue and phoned the city physician to perform the autopsy im- mediately. Mr. Manger, upon the inquiry of Stevens, summoned the bell-hop who had attended exclusively to the wants of Apely. What is your name? was Stevens' first question. John Dudley, sir, he responded. How long have you been employed in the Hotel Calpin PI' Page Fifty-five