Trivoli Community High School - Memoir Yearbook (Trivoli, IL)

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----- -----we -------- Fond Memories The evening sun was sinking low, The dampening dew was falling slowg Small Stars began a-peeping out From underneath the clouds about. A maiden fair of sweet sixteen Came tripping down upon the greeng She knelt down by the water wild, Looked merely as a little child. The water with its hollow roar Dashed high against the rocky shore. She saw a school boy raise a mast, Which brought back memories of the past. She thought of days so long gone by, Of days she spent in Trivoli High, The dear old school that made her friends, The one she'd stand by till the end. V. Q., '26, Air Trails on the Border A gentle hum rising to a roar, followed by a series of sharp barks, and as a huge De Hairland plane came to a stop, Ralph Morean of Patrol No. 3 on the Mexican border, climbed out. Going at once to headquarters, he checked his reports and was off duty for the rest of the day. Ralph was one of Captain Henderson's boys who had earned their stripes in France and had settled down to the monotonous life of patrolling the border. During the war, Ralph had been an expert flyer and seemed to care a great deal for the altitudes. Right now smuggling on the border was being greatly checked, but still the Mexicans were obtaining arms and ammunition. The planes had done noble work, but still Captain Henderson felt that something was slipping somewhere. Near San Dierca was a small group of Mexican huts in which lived several Mexican families under suspicion. In one family was a young chap who seemed to be more of a gentleman and quick thinker than his friends. He became acquainted with Ralph and they soon be- came fast friends. Ralph kept him at the camp part of the time, but receivedorders not to letanyone in without a pass. This boy's name was Diaz. ,He seemed to care for a ride, but orders prevented Ralph from doing such. Ralph became so interested in the little fellow that Page Fifty

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he told him about his work in guarding the border and chasing illegal goods. Then came a great surprise for Ralph, for at the mention of such goods, Diaz's eyes sparkled and he said he knew of such and would help. In talking, he told of how a man had offered his father, who was a builder, quite a sum of money to build a cabin out in the desert. Diaz said instead of a cabin, however, it was a shield to an opening into a tunnel. That next day Ralph, while on patrol work, sailed low in search of the false cabin. After great difficulty he saw it and found it not far from the border line. Flying even lower, Ralph looked closely with his field glasses and did not notice anything suspicious except the fact that horse tracks led to the door and stopped with none in return. Ris- ing rapidly he sailed away. When partially over the border he noticed another building with a group of horses standing around it. Swooping rapidly down he frightened the horses into confusion. Two men came out of the building and began shooting at him as if warning him away. Leaving them quickly, he went directly to the other cabin. Here he located nothing except that in a short time, two men came out of that building. Looking closely he recognized them as the same two that had fired at him. Suddenly the idea struck him that these men had crossed by an underground tunnel under the border. He now saw through the whole scheme. Going directly on the rest of his patrol, he finished his work for that day in a short time. While flying high, he saw far below the rough border country and many ranges. He arrived in the aerodrome only five minutes behind schedule, and rushed immediately to headquarters. Dashing in, he told the Captain his discovery and how he had planned to stop the smuggling. Then he rushed to the Mexican camp to get Diaz. He called at his home, found him and returned to camp with him. While at the camp, Ralph ques- tioned him very closely about the cabin and learned that the next day a great amount of arms and ammunition were to be carried across. He also told Ralph that there were two tunnels with a short space of open country betiween them. That next morning Ralph and the Captain agreed to the plans. While here he received permission to carry Diaz in the plane. Going on horses to the cabin, were fourteen men under Lieutenant Barnes, with a cowboy guide. All left at 9:30 in the morning. Under Lieutenant Barnes, the men went by horses to the border and west about twenty- five miles. Ralph with Diaz went to his usual patrol as a camouflage. Then through his field glass, he spotted four horses moving rapidly to- ward the border through a rocky trail. After that Ralph arose to a height of almost 12,000 feet He was now out of sight. He marvelled at the Mexican boys' bravery. He showed no signs of fear, but held an excited and interesting look on his face. Going back at a rapid pace, Ralph flew within a few miles of the cabin and met the men on horses. Page Fifty-two