Vergennes Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Vergennes, VT)

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BLUE AND WHITE 5 But don t get excited, folks, for following this command came a series of many others, such as “Punch forward! Left—right— one—two.”, Yes, you guessed it right, for that is just who it is, yes, the radio exercise announcer, giving his daily drills. And say, I nearly forgot to mention it, but that is our hero standing in front of the radio, taking and following the commands— Abner Smith himself. Abner had been doing these exercises regularly for the last week, which surprised his parents, since Abner was a slow young man. He was doing these exercises for an unknown reason. All right, if' you so insist, I’ll let you in on the secret, but promise not to tell. Well, this is it. Abner was trying to get up enough courage to ask his boss for a raise in his salary, and he thought this way was as good as any. Mr. Jones, Abner’s employer, had been noticing a remarkable improvement in Abner’s work for the last week, but he had no knowledge of the reason, as you and I have. The end of the week came, as it usually does, but this was an unusual one for Abner. The last day Abner was. busy every minute, and then when the time came he fixed his tie, straightened out his suit coatj and walked up to the boss’s office. At the door he was overcome by a little nervousness as he read: Frank Jones, Manager—Private. He opened the door, stepped in. and was there greeted by a pleasant smile from Mr. Jones. “Mr. Jones,” he started, as if he wished to have it quickly over with, “I would like ta ask you for a raise in my salary. A time ago I was like one to whom Shakespeare referred when he wrote: ‘I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other side.’ Now, I feel inspired to ask for higher wages.” “What! A raise?” questioned Mr. Jones, “Well, my boy, I am sorry but you are too late.” “Too late! Why, what do you mean?” ‘Just that!” replied Mr. Jones, “I have already given you one,’’ and he handed Abner his pay envelope and with it he gave him a paper on which was written a motto of Elbert Hubbard’s: “Those who never do any more than what they are paid for, never get paid for any more than they do.”

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4 VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL Sitterary iryartment Kathleen Norton, ’30, Editor THE LAW OF ITS KIND Robert Ryan, ’31 Far above the earth in the blue sky an eagle, monarch of the air, flew in long sweeping circles. Round and round it soared, till when fancy suited, it darted down, screaming as it flew, the swiftest of its kind. Checking itself in full flight it dropped down on an old hollow tree, a lone sentinel on the top of a cliff. The tree was bleached almost white by storms which had swept across the sky. It looked a part of the cliff on whose scarred brow it stood. With each successive storm its falling seemed inevitable, but there it was always, a battered survivor, a relic of the past. In vain had they tried to loosen the roots from the rocks where they were embedded like steel talons. The eagle was perched on the hollow tree, ready to fight off any invaders who threatened harm to the little eaglets which were in a snug nest inside. Suddenly it became alert. Far off in the distance a queer mist seemed to rise in the air. Well he knew the sight, for he had seen the queer mist before. The wind was sweeping it closer, up toward the side of the cliff. Always before he had fled, but what could he do now? Closer and closer it came, animals fleeing before its path—the gigantic bear galloping beside the mighty stag, forgetting their differences in their common fear. The eagle perched on the top of the cliff was the only one not to flee. Closer came the fire, toppling huge trees in its wake. Now it had reached the tree on the top of the cliff; hungry flames licked up the side, a gust of wind swept up, and the tree toppled over the cliff, a flaming comet. With a great crash it fell to the rocks below. The eagle had perished, true to the law of its kind. ABNER’S PROGRESS Samuel Fishman, '30 “Hands up!” came a sharp command which was promptly and yet enthusiastically obeyed.

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6 VERGENNES HIGH SCHOOL Abner left the office after thanking Mr. Jones, and then hurriedly opened his envelope. Yes, there was a three dollar raise. Abner’s progress was very rapid thereafter, but the cause of this has not been determined. Was it due to his radio exercises, folks, or the Shakespearean quotation? SNOW STORIES Lois Bristol, ’32 When going home in the twilight, And watching the new fallen snow, I see small tracks in my pathway And I wonder where they go. The rabbit’s tracks are the largest But then, there are squirrel tracks, too, And there are the birds’ tiny footsteps, Too small for a star to view. Some footsteps lead to the old pine, And some to deep rock caves go; I read a meaning in every track, A romance in the snow. Some tales are of a narrow escape, And others a search for food, While others are simply of going home To see if the babes have been good. I think of each little creature. As I wander in twilight glow. And then I wonder if they are true— These stories I read in the snow. THE SECRET Katherine Ryan, ’30 “I wonder if any one will find it out. I hope not, anyway. If they do, they will surely take me for a ride and make me walk back, or something of the sort. “Why, hello Bob. Why the worried look? Have you robbed a bank, or what? You have a guilty expression. What ails you any-