Valley Stream Central High School - Cadet Yearbook (Valley Stream, NY)

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THE CENTRAL FLASH groan to stare in amazement at the doorway. There stood the girl. She was wrapped in an Arabian blanket and was talking to the officers, , ff ..... then I awoke and found myself lying on some blankets in the Arabian's tent. They would not tell me how I got there. But they do tell me that I am English. Tailouanna is the only name I know for myself. But I am English, and you are English, so you will help me, yes? The girl spoke in a soft voice with just a few irregularities in her speech and a slight accent. Roland heard it clearly enough, but a drowsiness overtook him, and he sank into a heavy stupor. When he awoke, Tailouanna was beside him, bath- ing his forehead with cool water. They looked at each other for a few minutes without speaking. Then Roland said. 1 A 'fYour name is Tailouanna? .- That is what I am called, she replied, slowly, hesitantly. I do not know my true name. 4I saw you dance yesterday, said Roland. And I saw you, she replied. ' But how could you? You didn't look at anyone. I Ah, yes, I saw you, and I was glad., I was glad to see 'one of my country- men. You liked my dance? 4 A f'Yes, very much, replied Ro-land. Then, after a moment. You'are very beautiful. - Oh! cried the girl, surprised, why ..... I' The-n she smiled. I have heard others tell me that, but I thought it was because I was different from the Arabian girl. An Englishman has never said that to me before , And so they talked, for a long, long time. ' I it ii- 9? 66 96 99 9? it 4+ 'X '. Lord Radcliffe, Lady Radcliffe, and another nobleman were-seated at the long table in the great hall of the Radcliffe Castle. The nobleman had just returned from Palestine and was telling his host and hostess about the latest doings there. A messenger entered and handed a piece of tightly-rolled parch- ment to Lord Radcliffe. Lord Radcliffe unrolled it and read it. He wassilent for a minute. I ' ' What is it? asked Lady Radcliffe. Down in Palestine, our son has met a very .beautiful English girl, whom he wishes to bring h-ome as his wife. His wife gasped,.but Lord. Radcliffe continued in a very queer voice, It is strange. He said she was English, yet her name is Tailouanna. I-Ie wants our consent. I I am glad, Iam glad, said Lady RadcliHe. What matters her name? I'm 'sure she is good if our son has chosen her, and now he'll be home, for good. Yes, I am glad, too, said Lord Radcliffe. t Did you say her name was Tailouanna? demanded their guest. Yes. It is strange. Is it not? said, Lord Radcliffe. . - . Stranger than you think. Tailouanna may be English. Yes, but she is dances an the streets of Palestine with some Arabians. She is a dancer who , but she is not the kinda son of a famous for her beauty and her dancing, o U 7 ' . nobleman would choose for his WIIG., 27

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THE CENTRAL FLASH What is in that tent? Roland asked of his companion. 'fThere are probably some Arabian dancers in there, replied his companion. f'They go around through the streets, dancing, and people throw them coins. At this moment a man came out of the tent leading four donkeys which pulled a large, rudely-made platform. On this p-latform stood a girl. Why, the girl is not an Arabian! gasped Roland, She is very beautiful. At this moment the Arabian began to cry out to the people in the streets. What is he saying? Roland asked of a guide who stood nearby. ' f'He say that famous Tailouanna, the girl with the hair like gold and eyes the color of the sky, soon she dance, he replied. The Arabian walked through the street, playing a rather tuneless, high- pitched music on a queer horn. Behind him came the platform and behind that came a group of dancing girls. Roland looked -only at the girl, however. She stood almost motionless, staring straight ahead of her. She looked beautiful, but sad. She looks as if life were hard for her, but that she must carry on, whispered Roland to his companion. UI wonder how she ever came to be With th-ose Arabiansf' 5 . At this moment the platform had reached the middle of the market place. The Arabian started to play more loudly on his horn, and the girl began to dance. At Hrst she did not move her feet at all. With her arms above her head, she swayed from side t-o side and jangled the bracelets around her wrists, beating time to the music. Then slowly she began to advance on the platform and from that point on, she danced faster and faster until it was hard to dis- tinguish her movements. The people cheered and threw coins on the platform. Suddenly, in the midst of her whirling, she- stopped, stood motionless, and the plat-form slowly moved on. Roland turned to his companion, and the two strode off in the opposite directions. Finally, Roland spoke: t She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. S-he doesn't seem to fit in with those other Arabiansf' f'0ne sees strange things in Palestine, said his comrade. She seems famous here as a dancer. Her name, Tailouanna, seems to create a sensation. It is to-o bad for her that she is so beautiful. a Turk will pay a big price for her, and she will be carried off to the desert and never be heard of again. But come, we must get back to camp. The two continued on their way to camp. Somehow, though, Roland could not dismiss the girl from his mind. That night, as the oflicers were busy plan- ning an attack for the early mornin R all d k be all right. One of these days, an Arab or 3, 0 an ept wondering if she would 'X 55 96 -55 95 -X. .15 X, as tx. Oh, why did I have to go and get wounded? moaned Roland as he lay on a blanket inside the tent for wounded Crusaders. He had been, hit rather badly on the head during the battle and had lost a great deal of blood. His thou ht T I ff . g s were 'very much confused. It was a great attack .... what would his father think, now that he was wounded ..... 'murderous' T l h l d ur is, e ia Sfud, .... 'trifling Crusaders'. He groaned, but stopped in the middle of the 26

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THE. CENTRAL FLASH At these words Lady Radcliffe went pale, and Lord Radcliffe jumped up. If that is true, he shall never have my consent, he roared. That a Radcliffe should marry a common dancer of the streets is more than I can under- stand. It must not be. He turned to a servant. Pen, ink, and some parch- ment. Quickly. I must answer the message. . What are you going to say? asked Lady Radcliffe in a low voice. Maybe this Tailouanna is all right, even if she is a dancer. What! You think he should marry her? said Lord Radcliffe. Noi I shall make it clear to him that if he marries that street dancer, he will never be welcome in my house again. - The parchment was given to the messenger who started at once for Palestine. Several weeks later Roland arrived home. One could tell by the appearance of his horse and himself that he had come a long way, and that no time had been wasted on the journey. Roland went straight to his father to eX- plain matters. When Lady Radcliffe arrived on the scene, Roland had just about convinced his father that Tailouanna was worthy enough to enter the Radcliffe family. Why, Roland, she cried. ' 'fOh, Mother, said Roland, f'I've just been telling Father of Tailouanna. She isn't a street-dancer. It is true, she is famous for her dancing, but she does it because the Arabians make her. When she was a child, she was stolen by some Turks, and she lived up in the mountains with an old Turkish farmer and his wife. Cine night they drugged her, and the Arabs took her to- Palestine. She was under their rule, completely. You understand, Mother. Don't you? f'Yes, I understand. But where is she now? 4 I left her with an old Spanish woman in the mountains in Spain. She is waiting for me. f'Yes, son, said Lord Radcliffe in a tone much softer than he usually used, bring her home. She will be welcome in your father's house. 'I' -If 'X' -76 'X' if -ll' if' -H' 'I' as Roland came around the last curve of the rough, mountain-path, he saw the little house. He cried, Tailouanna! He waited a moment. Then he called again. There was no answe ing the house. Where is Tailouanna? he demanded. The woman seemed uneasy but said after a mfinute: She run away .... She have wish to make dance again ..... I no could stop her, senorf' Roland was astounded. He could say nothing. Instead, he ran into the small cottage and searched every corner, calling her name incessantly. Finally, he was able to control himself. Didn't she leave any message? he demanded. No, Senor. Where did she go? r. He saw the old S-panish wo-man approach- I do not know, she go at night.', 'fVVhere is the nearest village. I must find lodgings for the night. That way, she replied pointing. It is near. Roland rode Off, thinking. He was brokenhearted to think that she -had 28