United States Naval Academy - Lucky Bag Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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And when the Ark did again sail for another load of chips they went not therein, but did stay in their adopted land that they might learn the useful ways of the artificers. And great was their progress in the arts when lo ! one day one of the wisest of their number did exclaim “ Alas ! behold the ruin which I have wrought. For the hole which I have drilled is even too small. And another did use a larger drill and did mend the evil. And when the scribes did see what the youth had done they were amazed at his wisdom, and did wonder much, and the fame of him went abroad throughout the land. Then the band did see the maidens of the land, that they were fair, and they danced with them and said soft words to them, as is the way of second-class- men. This did they do for the whole summer of the second year of tluxir abiding. Then said they one unto another, “ Let us go unto the City of Washington and eat, drink, and be merry. And lo they went, and they sang and made merry with the sound of the timbrel, the psaltry, the sackbut, and the beerglass. And they feasted and were glad, and it was well with them. And then they separated, each unto his own home. And when they came again unto the land of the Middies, behold ! yet another enemy was in store for them. For, lo. a Philistine en- tered into the land and despoiled the fair pleasures thereof, and his name was called Calculus. And yea, even did Calculus and their olden enemy Skinny unite their forces to war against the band. Great was the struggle, and ere the third sacrifice of the Holdover seven of the band did yield up the ghost, and the memory of them was clean gone forever. Now it came to pass that the time for the third festival drew nigh. And at this time the band said one unto another, “ Let us give the dance.” And they gave it, and great was the success thereof. And when the third festival was at hand they did lack yet five more of their number. Now it came to pass that thirteen of the number did set their faces against the band, and did go over unto the Greasers. And the remaining thirty-four did once more set sail upon the Ark, and did visit foreign lands even unto the isles of the sea which men do call the Azores and the Madciras. Many days and nights did they pass upon the angry waters. And 16

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and they did slay the unbelievers ; yea, in their wrath did they slay not less than eleven. But those that remained did great things, and did sit at the feet of the scribes and doctors and did drink in learning and wisdom. And before the festival of the departure of them that were to go down to the sea in ships many had mastered the mysteries of the punt-out and the touch-down. But now, according to the cus- toms of the country, it behooved them to make another sacrifice ; and they did offer up nine more of the flower of their youth. And the remaining sixty-one were sad, and they did tear their hair (except Mutsoo and the Prince who were bald) and they did clothe themselves in coarse cotton, and did sail away in the Ark. And they sailed for many hundred leagues, and many did fall sick of a grievous illness; and their voyage availed them nothing except some chips which they did gather up in the land of the Duke of New London. And when they had returned unto the land of the Middies they did say one unto another, “ Let us go unto the land of our fathers, that we may once more look upon the faces of our beloved. And they went, and it was well with them ; and historians were wont to call this exodus Youngster Leave.” Then came they again unto the land of the Middies, and they did find there a new enemy named Trig. But they did wage war with him and did slay him. notwithstanding his many hard Knox, and but one of the band did fall in the struggle. And in the second year of their sojourn in the land they did sec many strange and wondrous things, not the least among which was a company of plebeians who did dare drink milk and did otherwise offend the band ; and the ple- beians did suffer. And some of the band did also soon suffer from causes unknown, and they did goon a voyage in the Santee that they might be cured. Now soon after the second sacrifice of the Holdover there came into the land another enemy. And the name of him was called Skinny. Great was the strength of him, but it was a cold day when the band gat themselves not thither, and they rose in their might and did call upon Skinny to descend from the roof. And Skinny did come down from off his lofty perch, but did light heavily upon the necks of some of the band in his descent. '5

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by turns they were given command of the Ark. And they tacked not, neither did they wear ; yet an admiral in all his glory did never pace the quarter-deck as proudly as one of these. And the thirteen that did abide in the land, being few in number, were captured and were made slaves; and they were made to work. Yea, from morn till night did they toil until their souls did cry out within them. And when the Ark returned a third exodus came to pass. And the name of it was First-class Leave. And when they had gone to their homes, Skinny and Mechanics, a foster brother to Calculus, did once more invade the land. And the band did sniff the battle from afar off,and did hasten to return. And in the battles which followed both these enemies were slain ; and the band did attend the burial thereof, the story of which hath vet an- other told. Thus hath it gone with them in the past. As for the future, who can foretell it ? Here endeth the Fourth Lesson. «7